Loose primer pockets

[HammerliSP20]

What is the normal criteria for discarding brass with a loose primer pocket? I'm talking pistol brass, 9mm and 45ACP.

When reloading brass used multiple times some primer pockets feel looser than others, but I've never had a primer back out because the pocket was too loose.

On top of that different brands of primers have different dimensions and different brands of brass have slightly different primer pocket dimensions.

Should a person discard the brass if the primer seats too easily?

 

[just having some fun]

if you have tried different manufure of primer and they are still loose
if these are your reloads maybe you are pushing it too much

45 acp brass I have seen with good pp that was shot so many times you could not tell who made it and were a lot shorter in length than trim length - .030 -40

 

[propliner]

Throw them out if the pocket is still too loose with Federal or CCI primers (the widest ones). You'll get primer blowby and gas cutting on your bolt face otherwise.

 

[B]

As far as pistol goes if it holds the primer it's good to go. Speer manual seems to agree.

 

[bssaguy]

The only caution I would give is that if you are approaching max loads you may want to limit the number of cycles you put the brass through. I know that with target load 38spl the brass would harden and split from resizing long before any issues with primer pockets showed up.

 

[Got Juice?]

If it holds a CCI primer, you are fine. If you are not using CCI PRIMERS, i would not load something in that is loose.

Are the primers being seated all the way in?

 

[4n2t0]

If the primer seats easily it should be a celebratory event. Pistol brass is no longer good when it doesn't hold the primer at all.

 

[Eynhallow]

For the price of new or once-fired pistol brass, (any brass for that matter) my opinion is "when in doubt, throw it out!"

 

[209jones]

If you are in doubt about your brass, Ballistic Tools makes go/no go gauges for primer pockets. Always nice to check questionable brass with before wasting any more time with it other than decapping it.

 

[cr5]

If the primer pockets are loose I mark them with a sharpie, load them, and fire them but that brass goes in the reject bag or left in the lawn after that.
Pistol brass is too cheap to worry about throwing it out when it's not in spec any more.
If you're loading hot maybe try backing down your loads a little, your brass will last longer.

I keep costs down by buying 1F pistol brass off the EE usually in pails of 1000 as a minimum. My last purchase was 4500 pieces of 9mm. Probably tossed at least 100 of them on first inspection during sizing/decapping.

 

[John Y Cannuck]

If you are concerned about movement during recoil in the mag and causing feeding or misfire issues, ditch it. Otherwise I think you're fine.