Canadian source for primer pocket gauge.

savagefan

savagefan

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Preferably a CGN sponsor, I think this (Or equivalent) could be a good time saver. TIA.

https://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-equipment/measuring-tools/case-gauges-headspace-tools/swage-gage-primer-pocket-gauge-prod71030.aspx
 
I bought the gauge at your link and was not impressed so I bought pin gauges to check the primer pockets. The problem with the gauge at your link is it only checks for max diameter of the primer pocket. Meaning if the gauge fits into the primer pocket the primers will be a loose fit.

I bought pin gauges .0005 smaller than the primers I was using and then used a Lee depriming tool if the primer felt loose during seating.

Below if the primer moves with just finger pressure the case went in the scrap bucket.

m1PlERq.jpg


One problem you will find is there is a plus-minus tolerance for primer pocket diameter in manufacture and the same applies to the primers.

NOTE, I was given three five gallon buckets of once fired .223/5.56 brass consisting of Lake City, Remington and Federal. After sizing and prepping the Federal cases, many of the cases had oversized primer pockets. These cases were only fired once and had loose primer pockets and I found out why below.

The hardness of the brass and the thickness of the flash hole web determines how long the primer pocket will last.

cYeTsDp.jpg


Below is what happens if you have loose primer pockets on a AR15 rifle.

VMkEdYr.jpg


Bottom line, brass is a expandable item and not worth a scored etched bolt face.
 
Thanks guys,and very interesting post Biged, I have a big bag of Federal brass that has loose pockets hence this post. Do you find if you use that LEE decapper that the primer is still reusable?
 
savagefan said:
Thanks guys,and very interesting post Biged, I have a big bag of Federal brass that has loose pockets hence this post. Do you find if you use that LEE decapper that the primer is still reusable?
Click to expand...

With me being the frugal type that I am, if finger pressure can push the primer out, I'd be reusing that primer.
 
savagefan said:
Thanks guys,and very interesting post Biged, I have a big bag of Federal brass that has loose pockets hence this post. Do you find if you use that LEE decapper that the primer is still reusable?
Click to expand...

The idea to use the Lee decapping tool and brass information came from ar15.com reloading forum by the moderator and works well. There were many methods for checking loose primer pockets like tapping the base of the case on your reloading bench and see if the primer moves etc. But I think the Lee tool works the best and also gives you some "feel" to how loose the primer pocket is. And if the primer moves the case is scrap and not worth reload.

The primer pocket standards vary between a bolt action and a AR15 because the AR15 is over gassed and the bolt can move to the rear while pressure is still in the barrel. And this can cause the primer to pop out and end up in the trigger group and jamming the trigger.

You can make a two inch rod that fits inside the case to measure the flash hole web thickness. The end of the rod that goes inside the case should have a cup shaped end. This allows this end to fit over any flash hole burs and not give a false reading. But in the end I just stopped using Federal .223 cases and started buying bulk once fired military Lake City 5.56 brass because it is made to higher standards. These cases are already cleaned and the primer pockets swaged for $3.00 per 200 more than non cleaned and prepped brass.
.223/5.56 - Cleaned, Deprimed & Swaged - LC Only - 200 Pieces ($19.00 vs $22.00 for the prepped cases)

POsazjb.jpg


Below the U.S. military standard for case hardness and flash hole web thickness. .065 minimum flash hole web thickness for the Lake City cases.

JcVlKzc.jpg


Below you can see how much thinner the flash hole web is on the Federal case and the brass can be softer.

ohI86Bf.jpg


And again I was not impressed with the Ballistic Tools primer pocket gauge because the gauge ends only checks min and max primer pocket dimensions. And primer diameter between brands can vary. This is why I ordered pin gauges .0005 smaller than the primers I'm using. In the end it was simpler to just not use Federal cases and mixed brass and just use Lake City brass and the Lee tool if the primer feels loose during seating.

And if you have ever had a bolt face scored and etched by a leaking primer pocket you will understand why brass is a expandable item.
 
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OldDude said:
With me being the frugal type that I am, if finger pressure can push the primer out, I'd be reusing that primer.
Click to expand...

I do re-use the primers again, and since I reload for my two sons AR15 rifles I set high standards for primer pockets. And "Dad" isn't going to be blamed for screwing up his sons bolt faces.

The photo below came from ar15.com and the poster said he didn't worry about loose primer pockets and would just replace the bolt when it got bad enough. And a AR15 bolt is over $50.00 and the cost for a bolt action would be far more. It happened to me once with a bad bad batch of Remington primers but luckily Remington replaced the bolt at no cost.

VMkEdYr.jpg
 
Ya ballistic tools is a good one I use it all the time
But depending on your practice on how you do things ....well too each there own
In this line/hobby buy the tools you need to get the job done
I tried this and that .....boils down to if I would of bought the proper tool for the job I would of had less stress
Make life simple buy all the same brass..... buy a Dillon super swagger ....ah it’s nice let me tell ya !!!!
And get the job done right the first time
 
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