I don't know if it's just me or if any of my fellow gunnies have had this problem, but I'm having a devil of a time priming PPU brass. To forestall the obvious questions, yes, I've ensured that I'm using the correct shell holder, and yes, I've used the primer pocket reamer on all the brass. That said, here's what's happening. I have the RCBS hand primer and I'm using CCI #200 large rifle primers. I have no problems with any of the mixed .303, .308, or any other brand of 7.62 X 39 brass that I reload, only the PPU stuff. So, I have the primers in the tray, feed them into the ram tube, and most of them seat just fine. Once you've started pushing the primer into place, you can't stop if you encounter too much resistance and you can't take the case out of the shell holder because the primer is protruding from the base of the case. I have to armstrong the primer into the case and it shaves some of the primer off the side so it's useless. Out of 35 shells, 5 of the primers were so deformed that I had to pop them out and ream the pockets AGAIN and still having problems seating primers. I'm wondering if quality control is so poor that not all of the primer pockets are properly centered. Any of you other guys had this problem? Just thought that I should mention that I'm loading Winchester, Federal, and Sellier & Bellot brass as well and never had that problem with any of those.
Problems with PPU brass!
- Thread starter LawrenceN
- Start date
Are you sure they aren't crimped cases, in other words, cleaning the pockets is one thing, taking off the crimp is totally different. I clean primer pockets too, but also take the crimp off any crimped brass with the appropriate tool.
PPU cases often have a rather sharp lip on the primer pocket that needs to be beveled.
To call it a sharp lip isn't really accurate. The lip is only slightly rounded but not crimped. Their primer pockets are tight. I've also had issues with their rim thickness being oversize.
If you've ever had issues with flat base bullets having the edge of the base shave off while inserting it into the case during reloading, the cause is the same. The inner lip needs to be beveled. There are different hand tools out there to do the job. I chuck a multi flute countersink, intended for wood working into a battery operated hand drill to bevel the inside lips of the primer pockets and case mouths.
I also do this with surplus military brass.
One other thing, I find the Dominion primers, sold by Canada Ammo work really well with PPU brass and some Norma cases.
I believe some of the "Prep Stations" sold have a special primer pocket uniforming tip that cuts the bevel into the primer pocket edge at the same time it cleans the crud.
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To call it a sharp lip isn't really accurate. The lip is only slightly rounded but not crimped. Their primer pockets are tight. I've also had issues with their rim thickness being oversize.
If you've ever had issues with flat base bullets having the edge of the base shave off while inserting it into the case during reloading, the cause is the same. The inner lip needs to be beveled. There are different hand tools out there to do the job. I chuck a multi flute countersink, intended for wood working into a battery operated hand drill to bevel the inside lips of the primer pockets and case mouths.
I also do this with surplus military brass.
One other thing, I find the Dominion primers, sold by Canada Ammo work really well with PPU brass and some Norma cases.
I believe some of the "Prep Stations" sold have a special primer pocket uniforming tip that cuts the bevel into the primer pocket edge at the same time it cleans the crud.
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I like using the RCBS crimp reamer below, the reason I like it is what bearhunter said above and beveled primer pockets.
If the case is does not have a crimp it will only round or bevel the mouth of the primer pocket and aid seating.
The good part is this reamer does not touch the inside walls of the primer pocket and remove any brass.
And as a example if you were to use this on a factory Remington .223 or .308 case it does not remove any brass. Meaning factory Remington cases have a well rounded primer pocket.
When you are done reaming the primer pocket it looks like the top image below.
If the case is does not have a crimp it will only round or bevel the mouth of the primer pocket and aid seating.
The good part is this reamer does not touch the inside walls of the primer pocket and remove any brass.
And as a example if you were to use this on a factory Remington .223 or .308 case it does not remove any brass. Meaning factory Remington cases have a well rounded primer pocket.
When you are done reaming the primer pocket it looks like the top image below.
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That's strange as I've never had issues priming PPU brass. Sometimes my loadmaster press will give me issues with tipped primers but that's a press issue and not the brass.
Maybe try a different brand of primer?
You don't want to ream the pockets too much either as thuey could become too loose
Maybe try a different brand of primer?
You don't want to ream the pockets too much either as thuey could become too loose
I'm not using a primer pocket cleaner, though I have one and use it where necessary. I'm using a primer pocket REAMER (different animal altogether), and I only have this issue with some of the PPU cases which is why I think it's a case of off-center primer pockets.
The RCBS reamer that I have bottoms out when the shoulders have beveled the primer pocket lip.
I have used about 1000 .223 PPU cases over the years and they get between 18 and 23 reloads before I finally cull them due to the primer pocket being too loose. I use S&B primers although I used to use CCI primers. I have never had a problem with either primer but these are all small rifle primers. The only other cartridge I reload exclusively using PPU brass is 300WinMag. I use CCI large rifle magnum primers and have never had an issue with them either although the brass has to get culled due to loose primer pockets a bit quicker, somewhere in the 14 to 20 reload range.
Now, I do have a problem after using a primer pocket reamer. It seems to cut lips/edges into the side of the primer pocket as I can't hold the reamer or the brass straight enough. I tossed mine and will never use one again. If necessary, I use a primer pocket cleaner similar to the one Ed showed above and it cleans the pocket nicely and bevels the top edge nicely. A similar tool came with the Lyman Case Prep Express but looks more like a flat blade screwdriver on the business end and also works very well. The supplied Lyman pocket reamer found its way into the trash as well before it even managed to get used, based upon my experience with that prior make of handheld pocket reamer tool.
Now, I do have a problem after using a primer pocket reamer. It seems to cut lips/edges into the side of the primer pocket as I can't hold the reamer or the brass straight enough. I tossed mine and will never use one again. If necessary, I use a primer pocket cleaner similar to the one Ed showed above and it cleans the pocket nicely and bevels the top edge nicely. A similar tool came with the Lyman Case Prep Express but looks more like a flat blade screwdriver on the business end and also works very well. The supplied Lyman pocket reamer found its way into the trash as well before it even managed to get used, based upon my experience with that prior make of handheld pocket reamer tool.
Do you have a reamer or a primer pocket uniformer? I suggest swaging, easiest way to do it and it should fix your issue. I've had a very similar experience with Hornady brass, I just find the primer pockets so tight, I ended up running them through my RCBS primer pocket swager tool and it helped alot.
Did you have a problem with this brass BEFORE you used the primer pocket reamer?
GunsNotPuns
CGN frequent flyer
Only brass I've ever found with overly tight primer pockets has been S&B -- PPU has always been a pleasure.
No sir! As I'd mentioned, most of the brass accepts the primers just fine. I have a lot of diverse 7.62 X 39 brass and it's only a few of the PPU brass that seem off kilter. Years back, I bought a bag of 50 new brass off Budget Shooters Supply (thanks Henry), I had to run it all through the resizing die, trim to length, and ream all the pockets due to variations in the dimensions. As I said, I don't think their quality control is to a very high standard. That said, when the brass is good, it's very good!
So, it is a problem with the primer pocket reamer cutting lips into the walls of the pocket as it is being twisted into the pocket. When you go to prime, the sharp edge of the primer catches these little lips and gets hung up creating difficulties priming. Get rid of the reamer and use a pocket cleaning tool instead. PPU is made from excellent quality brass. Pockets are always nice and tight when new and that is why they, like Lapua last a long time. A lot of my PPU .223 have gone up to 23 reloads but the majority get culled around 20 to 21 reloads. My .308 Lapua goes about 18 reloads on average with some lasting to around 20 or 21. Both are usually culled at those points due to primer pocket loosening. I do not anneal, not that it matters for the base of the brass since it should never get annealed anyway.
Now that is something I would not do to any of my brass. The stuff is expensive as is and I want it to last as long as is possible. Cleaning the pocket - if necessary, ok, reaming the pocket - no way. I just can't see why one would want to ream a primer pocket, but that is just me. How in the hell do you manage to mangle a primer pocket bad enough that it requires reaming?
