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Posted: 10/20/2020 7:46:41 PM EDT
[#1]
Are they crimped?
Get a Hornady primer pocket reamer and an RCBS primer pocket uniformer. You can decap primers without issue. Just go slow, and you will be fine. You should, as always, wear safety classes. |
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Posted: 10/20/2020 7:52:30 PM EDT
[#2]
Quoted: I bought a rcbs hand primer. Im having a 10% failure rateSome primers wont go in and some go in partway/crooked. This is once fired .300 blk brass thats been ultrasonic cleaned tumbled and run through a full resize die. Do I need a primer pocket tool thingy? How do I get the live buggered primers out with out igniting them? To remove, wear eye and ear protection and don't do anything fast or sudden. The same decapping pin you would normally use is the first try. The eyes and ears are just in case you set one off. Not sure what a primer pocket tool thingy means, but there are tools for inspecting like primer pocket gages, and tools for removing crimps and burs, (and tools for pocket depth too). Edit to add: You are more likely to need a pocket gage if you are working from crimped primers or near the end of case life. Normally you would not get a dimensional issue on good once fired without crimps. Here is the gage if you think you want to add it to your toolbox. https://ballistictools.com/store/small-and-large-primer-pocket-gauges Main question would be why do you think the ones that got buggered went that way? Sometimes it takes a learning curve with the tool, sometimes it is the brass. Before you push, make sure the primer is feeding straight. I have had RCBS hand primers that were a little too sloppy and allowed misalignment. Allow the shell holder and tool to center over the ram, and also allow the primer a chance to center into the pocket before you push. Be careful never to place your face or body in line with the case neck when hand priming. Get to where you are going slow and deliberate at first, and pay attention to the tilt you are using so that when you speed up the gravity bias on your case and the primer doesn't change too much. All of the hand prime tools have their quirks, so give yourself a chance to learn the feel of the tool by slowing down and verifying the primer is feeding and starting straight before you push. |
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Posted: 10/20/2020 8:18:15 PM EDT
[#3]
I just started reloading 300bo my self.
Hornady, LC or FC brass? Mine had crimped primer pockets. You need the primer pocket swage tool. Or you can ream them but it's more work and a few $$ less |
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Posted: 10/20/2020 8:20:01 PM EDT
[#4]
Put on some safety glasses, lube the case, resize it slowly and the primers should push right out. I've done it several times after messing up primers with a Lee hand priming tool. Never had one go off but there's a first time out there somewhere (wear the safety glasses).
I use and RCBS primer pocket swaging "tool" to correct any of my brass that might have had a crimped in primer. I use two swaging "heads" to check suspect brass. Pull the one you need from the box, sit down with your brass and see if it will fit into the primer pocket. If it won't even start, it was crimped. If it barely goes in then it's still a good idea to run that brass through the press with the swaging tool set up properly. |
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Posted: 10/20/2020 8:24:39 PM EDT
[#5]
Ok these were once fired .300 brass mostly S&B 200 sub loads. Ill check the ones that failed maybe they were crimped. The rcbs did seem a little wiggley holding the brass, can you tighten the clamps? The ones that went in went in like butta. Primer pocket reamer was what I was thinking. They are all once fired and were cleaned well. Ill get that tool and ream them out and try again. Can I ruse the primers that half seated and look fine? They are hard to find now
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Posted: 10/20/2020 8:27:30 PM EDT
[#6]
Swaging tool is a die? I saw one in the case at a local place and it looked like a mini horizontal press thing.
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Posted: 10/20/2020 8:41:28 PM EDT
[#7]
Simple fact of the matter is the current-production RCBS hand-priming tool is complete shit.
Its shit. I own one. It is shit. I have an old Lee Hand priming tool. It is THE shit. Pay $100 or whatever it takes to get an OLD-STYLE Lee hand-priming tool. I also have a current-production Lee hand priming tool. The new version of the Lee tool is shit too. AFAIK the RCBS bench-mounted priming tool still works fine. I have one of those too. Its 20+ years old though. Can't vouch one way or the other for the current-production RCBS bench-mounted tool. |
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Posted: 10/20/2020 8:55:57 PM EDT
[#8]
I like the RCBS with changeable case holder.
I have had no luck with the universal one. Garbage. |
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Posted: 10/20/2020 9:01:31 PM EDT
[#9]
I'm still using an RCBS hand primer and I agree it's lacking in some respects.
After using it last night I found the best way to keep it working was to tilt it towards the seating part and as soon as a primer is captured, using the handle to raise the stem a bit and tilting the remaining primers back to the 'holding area'. By doing that I'm not getting another primer trying to enter the part with the seating stem. |
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Posted: 10/20/2020 9:22:21 PM EDT
[#10]
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Posted: 10/20/2020 9:33:46 PM EDT
[#11]
I looked up the old lee primers and they look like the one above. 1 primer at a time? WTF. I saw a bench primer that looked likee the swager I saw I think? What the best way to prime brass with out getting a progressive?
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Posted: 10/20/2020 9:44:24 PM EDT
[#12]
OP, the other thing to look at on the RCBS hand primer is that you have the right pushrod for the primer size you are using, same with the plastic holder, there is both large and small primer rods and holders, they have to be used together..small rod/small holder...
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Posted: 10/20/2020 9:45:30 PM EDT
[#13]
Not sure, but doesn't SB have tight primer pockets??
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Posted: 10/20/2020 9:55:37 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted: OP, the other thing to look at on the RCBS hand primer is that you have the right pushrod for the primer size you are using, same with the plastic holder, there is both large and small primer rods and holders, they have to be used together..small rod/small holder... i did install the small holder and rod. It works slick 90% of the time. |
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Posted: 10/20/2020 9:56:29 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted: i did install the small holder and rod. It works slick 90% of the time. Thats what she said. 
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Posted: 10/20/2020 9:58:41 PM EDT
[#16]
Maybe ill run a Dremel around the primer pockets.
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Posted: 10/20/2020 10:07:20 PM EDT
[#17]
I have a rcbs hand priming tool.
I am new to reloading and primed a couple hundred before I started to prime on my Big Boss 2 press just to get a feel for it. It is really easy to prime and expand cases on my press at the same time. So I recently primed a bunch of 9mm nato cases. I have a hornady hand reamer and did all the cases but still had a few that would have sticky primers. Had to decap them and try again. I figured out that if I wiggled the case a little as I was pushing the primer up it went in like a champ every time. Im keeping the hand primer but just as a backup. |
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Posted: 10/20/2020 10:07:42 PM EDT
[#18]
I had some priming issues and it ended up being only the FC brass that was causing it.
I ended up getting the Frankford Arsenal hand primer, the thing is a tank but it works good. The primer pocket reamer should resolve your issues. Primer pocket reamer |
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Posted: 10/20/2020 10:08:28 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Are they crimped? Get a Hornady primer pocket reamer and an RCBS primer pocket uniformer. You can decap primers without issue. Just go slow, and you will be fine. You should, as always, wear safety classes. |
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Posted: 10/20/2020 10:10:04 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Ok these were once fired .300 brass mostly S&B 200 sub loads. Ill check the ones that failed maybe they were crimped. The rcbs did seem a little wiggley holding the brass, can you tighten the clamps? The ones that went in went in like butta. Primer pocket reamer was what I was thinking. They are all once fired and were cleaned well. Ill get that tool and ream them out and try again. Can I ruse the primers that half seated and look fine? They are hard to find now |
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Posted: 10/20/2020 10:26:23 PM EDT
[#21]
Ok thanks for the help. By the sounds of it Im not the only one who has some issues reloading. Its frustrating but still a cool learning experience. I havent even charged a case, seated a bullet, or crimped yet. Then I get to see if they actually fire. Then hopefully I hit the target. I put this off for 2 years waiting on all the cheap wolf .300, supposedly subsonic as well.
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Posted: 10/20/2020 10:28:46 PM EDT
[#22]
To get progress in terms of reloading accuracy, focus on getting your entire batch the same. You just got a taste of the possible frustrations with reloading, they can get much worse with unknown brass.
For example, you should be confident that all of your brass has the same starting characteristics in terms of it was either crimped or not. If that brass was shot as converted from crimped 5.56 and someone processed it into 300 BO and then you shot it, there can be some slight leftover slop in the way they were de-crimped and you caught those edges. Hard to say. To be able to avoid primer pocket issues, you will probably want to spend some time with both reworking styles, i.e., swage and deburring trim tool (cut). The swage plastically deforms the crimp by cold working it, the deburring trim is based on a custom cutter that self pilots on the pocket bore and cuts a chamfer where that crimp would be. Both methods are good to have in your toolbox, as well as all the tools you like for uniforming depth and cleaning up flash holes. I have to agree with many of the comments above on the slop in the RCBS hand prime tool. You can make it work, but the comments are valid. Not everyone has an interest in accuracy or match shooting, so you will make up your own mind how much capability you will want to have at hand. Take your time, measure twice and cut once.... |
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Posted: 10/21/2020 7:21:04 AM EDT
[#23]
First Lee priming tool I bought had the round tray. Worked great. Finally broke after 30 years or so.
Still using the second one as it's the same model as the first. Third Lee hand priming tool had the square tray. Won't reliably turn over the primers when shaken. Jams up in the feed tray fairly often. Tabs broke off the cover and I use a rubber band to hold the cover on. Some primers will get hung up near the front/center of the tray/lid and I have to lift the cover slightly to get those last few to feed over to the path to the priming ram. Fourth Lee hand priming tool I bought had the triangular tray that clamshells open/closed. Same issues as the third one. I keep looking for the old round tray models at gun shows but haven't see one yet. I was thinking of an RCBS to see if it worked better, but after reading some of the comments above I'll just save my money for now. |
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Posted: 10/21/2020 6:15:04 PM EDT
[#24]
Damn. I cant seat the rounds in my press that have half seated primers. I have a hand depriming rod and its too tight on my reformed cases. Got it stuck in a case and cant get it out. Ill have to dremmel the case till it separates. Now Im worried that the case mouths may be too small. Couldnt take the stress of finding out tonight.
Im going to have to admit reloading is not for me. I will continue to suffer thru it so I can shoot my favorite round though. Oh and the rounds that wouldint take a primer are various head stamps.
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Posted: 10/21/2020 10:20:05 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Im going to have to admit reloading is not for me. Chucku, have you read up on reloading before you jumped into it? Did you buy your gear locally or on line? If locally, go back there and ask for some help. The fundamentals are really not rocket science. Did you get a primer pocket reamer or swager? What press are you using? What dies? What case lube? Let us help you. |
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Posted: 10/22/2020 7:34:34 AM EDT
[#26]
this...never had a problem with this old RCBS primer press...
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Posted: 10/22/2020 7:51:25 AM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Chucku, have you read up on reloading before you jumped into it? Did you buy your gear locally or on line? If locally, go back there and ask for some help. The fundamentals are really not rocket science. Did you get a primer pocket reamer or swager? What press are you using? What dies? What case lube? Let us help you. Thanks. I read about it some. There are many different ways to skin this cat. I have a lee single stage I got for $25. Lee pace setter dies. Lee case lube. Im going to get a pocket reamer today and a 505 beam scale. Everyone has helped me and Im thankful. Its just frustrating when things dont go as planned. Once I get through the whole process it shoudl be alot easier but Ive had stuck cases now the priming problem. The bullets better seat or Im gonna loose my shit. LOL |
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Posted: 10/22/2020 11:30:54 AM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Thanks. I read about it some. There are many different ways to skin this cat. I have a lee single stage I got for $25. Lee pace setter dies. Lee case lube. Im going to get a pocket reamer today and a 505 beam scale. Everyone has helped me and Im thankful. Its just frustrating when things dont go as planned. Once I get through the whole process it shoudl be alot easier but Ive had stuck cases now the priming problem. The bullets better seat or Im gonna loose my shit. LOL Try your Home Town Forum, https://www.ar15.com/forums/Hometown/New-Hampshire/56/ |
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Posted: 10/22/2020 11:36:37 AM EDT
[#29]
Get rid of the Lee case lube.
Get Dillon spray lube. Dump ~200 pieces of brass in a 2 gallon ziploc bag. Spray 2-3 sprays in bag as it’s laying down to try to cover brass. Seal bag, toss around for 30 seconds. Open bag, 1-2 more sprays. Seal bag, toss around for 15 seconds. Dump out and resize. I’ve found the above to be 100% effective. Requires very little effort, and is not an exact science, so play around a bit but that is a good starting point. I’ve literally never stuck a case with Dillon lube. |
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Posted: 10/22/2020 9:20:26 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Damn. I cant seat the rounds in my press that have half seated primers. I have a hand depriming rod and its too tight on my reformed cases. Got it stuck in a case and cant get it out. Ill have to dremmel the case till it separates. Now Im worried that the case mouths may be too small. Couldnt take the stress of finding out tonight. Im going to have to admit reloading is not for me. I will continue to suffer thru it so I can shoot my favorite round though. Oh and the rounds that wouldint take a primer are various head stamps.Get a universal decapping die. It won't even hit the edges of the case and just has a big opening and a decapping rod in it. I've used mine a few times. |
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Posted: 10/22/2020 9:22:39 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Get a universal decapping die. It won't even hit the edges of the case and just has a big opening and a decapping rod in it. I've used mine a few times. Agree. Yes a decapping die is a great tool to have. |
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Posted: 10/22/2020 9:48:00 PM EDT
[#32]
Get rid of the Lee case lube.
Get Dillon spray lube. [Or you could get IPA, bottle of lanolin Put one ounce in 12 ounces of IPA in a heavy duty spray bottle You now have Dillon's lube at a fraction of the cost] |
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Posted: 10/22/2020 10:08:09 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Not sure, but doesn't SB have tight primer pockets?? Haven't preped any of the S&B 300blk brass I have, but it all has the sealant on the primers and looks like it might be crimped. |
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Posted: 10/22/2020 11:31:41 PM EDT
[#34]
For me, I haven't had any problems with the S&B 300bo brass.
FC, Hornady, LC cut down brass have all needed primer pocket crimps taken out or opened up. |
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Posted: 10/23/2020 7:49:03 AM EDT
[#35]
I just read the swaging thread and am confused. There are 15 different tools people recommend. What tool is the easiest, cost effective option to open up the primer pockets on around 30 300 BLK cases . Most of my brass takes a primer fine.
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Posted: 10/23/2020 7:52:41 AM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I just read the swaging thread and am confused. There are 15 different tools people recommend. What tool is the easiest, cost effective option to open up the primer pockets on around 30 300 BLK cases . Most of my brass takes a primer fine. I have the RCBS on press swager, the Hornady crimp remover, and the RCBS pocket uniformer, so I’ve tried both of the two main ways to solve this problem: Swaging and Cutting. I personally find cutting way faster, and more effective. Get a Hornady crimp remover, and chuck it in a drill. If your drill won’t accept it outright, use an 8-32 coupling nut to provide a hex shank for the chuck to grab. Same with the uniformer. That ensures proper seating depth. |
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Posted: 10/23/2020 12:27:54 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I have the RCBS on press swager, the Hornady crimp remover, and the RCBS pocket uniformer, so I've tried both of the two main ways to solve this problem: Swaging and Cutting. I personally find cutting way faster, and more effective. Get a Hornady crimp remover, and chuck it in a drill. If your drill won't accept it outright, use an 8-32 coupling nut to provide a hex shank for the chuck to grab. Same with the uniformer. That ensures proper seating depth.   Here is an action shot of the above in use. RCBS primer pocket uniformer in rear drill. The $10 Hornady reamer comes with a handle, so it can be manually used also. My Dillon swager sits under the bench, unused. Too much sorting of headstamps so swager can be adjusted correctly. |
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Posted: 10/23/2020 1:42:25 PM EDT
[#38]
I use the RCBS swaging tool.
The RCBS tool is simply a die and a special "shell-holder" with a nipple that smooshes the crimp out of the way. Pretty much idiot proof unless you screw the rod inside the die down to far. You can bend that rod if you don't set the adjustment correctly. This idiot bent one. I'm not proud. I avoid the cutter-tool method of removing crimp because I want as much "grip" as I can get with primers in my handloads. Once you carve-out part of the primer pocket, you have less brass holding the primer in place. I shoot some pretty hot loads. I don't need primers falling into the trigger because I got to frisky with a cutting tool. |
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Posted: 10/23/2020 5:53:53 PM EDT
[#39]
I got a hand pocket reamer. Problem solved. My hands are tired though. Im only shooting sub loads thru this brass. Ill load some new brass that I bought for some 110 supers. I figured it was safe to enter reloading with something low pressure to begin with.
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Posted: 10/23/2020 7:04:06 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I got a hand pocket reamer. Problem solved. My hands are tired though. Im only shooting sub loads thru this brass. Ill load some new brass that I bought for some 110 supers. I figured it was safe to enter reloading with something low pressure to begin with. I got the reamer that Dryflash recommended and chucked it up in a drill.  Attached File |
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Posted: 10/23/2020 7:14:25 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I got the reamer that Dryflash recommended and chucked it up in a drill.https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/451123/image_jpg-1650582.JPG I can unscrew mine and chuck it as well. Ill try it tomorrow. Just loaded up 20 rnds 12 grn of cfe with a berrys 220 grn. Finally seeing the fruits of my labor. Any tricks to stop the powder from sticking to the scale pan? When I dump the charge at least a grain sticks to it. |
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Posted: 10/23/2020 7:16:08 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I can unscrew mine and chuck it as well. Ill try it tomorrow. Just loaded up 20 rnds 12 grn of cfe with a berrys 220 grn. Finally seeing the fruits of my labor. Any tricks to stop the powder from sticking to the scale pan? When I dump the charge at least a grain sticks to it. Wipe the pan down with a dryer sheet. It helps, but super fine powders are still prone to clinging to even the smoothest pans/cups. |
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Posted: 10/23/2020 9:33:35 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I can unscrew mine and chuck it as well. Ill try it tomorrow. Just loaded up 20 rnds 12 grn of cfe with a berrys 220 grn. Finally seeing the fruits of my labor. Any tricks to stop the powder from sticking to the scale pan? When I dump the charge at least a grain sticks to it.  Dryer sheet works most of the time, powdered graphite works every time. |
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Posted: 10/23/2020 9:54:25 PM EDT
[#44]
So like pencil lead ground up?
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Posted: 10/24/2020 12:28:45 AM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted: So like pencil lead ground up? |
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Posted: 10/24/2020 10:49:36 AM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted: No, it come in powder form. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: So like pencil lead ground up? You can find powdered graphite in the lube section of hardware stores. You mostly use it to lube lock cylinders. |
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Posted: 10/24/2020 12:22:33 PM EDT
[#47]
You need to throw the RCBS priming tool in the trash. I like most of their tools, but that one is garbage. The Hornady sucks too. One of the few Lee tools I like is their hand priming tool. They work great. They're cheap, so buy two and keep one setup for small and one for large primers.
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Posted: 10/24/2020 3:43:34 PM EDT
[#48]
Someone mentioned de-capping dies, which I heartily recommend.
Cautionary Note: Inspect the tip of the de-capping rod occasionally. I had the misfortune of not realizing that the pin had developed a small bend/burr/hook (i.e., damage) at its end after some thousands of de-primes. Not knowing it was there led me to find hundreds of pieces of brass that had the web pushed out resulting in primers not fully seating. Hours of de-priming and re-cutting primers was NOT enjoyable and probably thinned the web enough that I only reloaded them once then tossed. If anything like that happens again (not likely now), They will go in the scrap bucket before I try to salvage them. Just not worth the time and frustration Lesson learned the hard way. |
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Posted: 10/24/2020 7:50:32 PM EDT
[#49]
I chucked up the reamer. Made quick work of the remaining cases. I think I got the hang of this.
Thanks again for all the help.
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Posted: 10/24/2020 10:19:04 PM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I chucked up the reamer. Made quick work of the remaining cases. I think I got the hang of this. Thanks again for all the help.Another convert.
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