How do you know when your primer pockets are loose?

1. The primer falls out.
2. You don't feel any resistance on seating the primer.
3. Primer pocket has obvious cracks or edge erosion.
4. Primer pocket cleaner is loose in pocket.

Really doesn't happen very often at all and is usually a result of other issues (eg: over pressure loads).
 
I don't really load in the realms where primer pockets could suffer...On the other side: I have felt resistance trying to cram a primer into a previous crimp, and felt it.I can feel when there is no primer there at all too (it happens). I suspect a loose primer pocket would feel more like that.
 
The only issue I have ever had with loose primer pockets was in a 7mm remington mag shooting 140gr TTSX's with RL22 at max load with Federal brass. I could only get approx 3-4 loads out of the brass and it took no effort at all to seat the primer so I tossed the brass. You will know, the primers seated so easily in this brass I had to double check to make sure there was even a primer in there.
I use a hand primer
 
Thank you, I have been reloading for 13 years and never had any issues wondered if I was doing something wrong.

I'm guessing either you never reload Federal brass or are loading very mild pressure levels...Federal brass is normally so soft even standard velocity loads soon stretch out the primer pockets.
 
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