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Thread: Primer pocket hole

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold 10mm Witness's Avatar
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    Primer pocket hole

    I have a dumb question. Why isn't the powder side of the hole beveled outward like a nozzle? I know there is a tool to do this to remove any burrs and uniform the hole size in the powder side but why isn't this done from the factory?
    Jim Ceglinski
    Southfield, Mi. 48075

  2. #2
    Boolit Mold
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    I would imagine it has to do with time money and machinery. Just my thoughts.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    have you ever seen factory punch presses mass producing items? we are fortunate to have the uniformity that we do have. I guess some may have slowed equipment down and pay more attention to the fine details, like Norma and lapua brass is a higher quality, more attention to the finer details and possibly a bit of a slower process.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    The difference in accuracy between a 'factory' punched flash hole and a deburred flash hole only becomes noticeable beyond 200 yards and it takes a very accurate rifle to test the difference. I THINK I MIGHT gain MAYBE a 0.25 MOA at 200 yards with the flash hole deburred. IF you THINK something makes you shoot better, then it does. Cost is the biggest reason for not drilling or deburring flash holes. Super premium brass like Lapua and Nosler do have drilled/deburred flash holes and the cost is higher. Recent brass production with CNC machinery and computer controlled inspections does produce much more uniform brass than that produced in the 70's and 80's based upon a couple thousand in .284 Win, 300 Savage, 32 Special, 308, others from that era compared to recent production.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by 10mm Witness View Post
    I have a dumb question. Why isn't the powder side of the hole beveled outward like a nozzle? I know there is a tool to do this to remove any burrs and uniform the hole size in the powder side but why isn't this done from the factory?
    Some brass manufactures do chamfer the inside flash holes
    but you pay more not the everyday stuff like rem,win. ect..
    but higher priced and quality brass manufactures like Nosler,Lapau ect
    I have a tool that does this and I do it myself it all helps preparing brass
    Hit em'hard
    hit em'often

  6. #6
    Boolit Mold 10mm Witness's Avatar
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    Well that answers my dumb question. I guess Im a poor bastard that cant afford the good stuff. Lol Thank you all.
    Jim Ceglinski
    Southfield, Mi. 48075

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    The tools to deburr the inside of the flash hole are not expensive. It's just one more small thing to uniform brass before loading. It probably doesn't make much if any difference for my hunting rifles but it makes me feel good so why not.

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  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    I've used a number 2 long center drill for ages.

  10. #10
    Boolit Man
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    I inside de burr all my brass other than Lapua, Alpha, and Peterson....no down side at all.

    A real eye opener on new brass is seen when you stand up the cases, Mouth Up, in a loading block and look at the flash hole. Jeez, burrs abound in some Lot#, almost covering up the flash holes in some cases.

    Be careful to not go too deep with your de burring tool as it will weaken the primer pocket.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    I debur all my metallics

    Three44s
    Quote Originally Posted by Bret4207

    “There is more to this than dumping lead in a hole.”

  12. #12
    Boolit Master 243winxb's Avatar
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    I use the Lyman tool.
    Last edited by 243winxb; 04-20-2021 at 05:30 PM.

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    I prefer this flash hole uniformer, it won't allow you to go too deep. The stop collar truly uniforms both the flash hole, and the inside of the case.

    https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101759217

  14. #14
    Boolit Bub
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    I've used the Lyman flash hole deburring tool for years. It only takes a few seconds per case and it's a one-time operation, but I only do it for cases I plan to use for my long-range rifles.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Three44s View Post
    I debur all my metallics

    Three44s
    I started inside flash hole de-burring with a 22-250 shooting J-words.

    About that time I was also running red dot in some .38 special cases and was not thrilled with how dirty it was. I tried a few cases with de-burring and was impressed with the results.

    I tried it with some other revolver loads I was working at the time and all cleaned up to some varying degree. The already fairly clean loads were not affected as much which stands to reason.

    So I was at a cross roads. Was I going to continue de-burring some cases but not others thus creating a dilemma on ID ‘ing those, just drop the practice except for varmint cartridges or jump in with both feet and de-bur all my metallics?

    I chose the latter reasoning that good complete powder burn and believing that it leads to better consistency in many circumstances would arise.

    Inside flash hole debur is a once off treatment and I trim my brass coming into my inventory of prepped cases then debur.

    Three44s
    Quote Originally Posted by Bret4207

    “There is more to this than dumping lead in a hole.”

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by 10mm Witness View Post
    I have a dumb question. Why isn't the powder side of the hole beveled outward like a nozzle? I know there is a tool to do this to remove any burrs and uniform the hole size in the powder side but why isn't this done from the factory?
    High quality cases cost more to make and very few people would ever know the difference. ???

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    All good information. I also chamfer flash holes on all of my brass. Started using RCBS's tools and have a pile of the pilots. As soon as I saw the 21st Century tools I bought the large, small, and Lapua small flash hole versions. I like how they won't go to deep.

    As was mentioned, it takes accurate guns with good handloads to notice a difference in accuracy (if even then). It just became one of the things I do for new brass like primer pocket uniforming. Does it really matter? My mind says it must becasue why else would I do it? The 2 primer pocket processes only have to be done once per case at least. You to may have brass OCD but you don't have to tell people....

  18. #18
    Boolit Master


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    I'm guessing because most people can't shoot well enough to tell the difference - those who can will pony up for the more expensive brass and tools.
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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check