Loose Primer Pocket Results?

JerryK

Member
What is the consequence of having loose primer pockets? Loss of velocity? Ignition variation?
I have a group of cases that were loaded too-hot in testing, wonder why are generally discarded.

Jerry
 
The danger is that they'll leak and gas cut your boltface. This is what TomD's referring to.

In my experience they can't be tightened back up.

I generally load them one last time and use 'em for varmint loads. Seal the primer in with fingernail polish, shoot 'em and chuck 'em.

When they're so loose you've got to shim the clearance w/cigarette paper before applying the polish........ maybe better just chuck ;em!!

:)

al
 
Al, business cards are thicker and stronger allowing the cases to be used longer.... :D
 
Actually, Dean Grennell once recommended Loctite!

Good shooting.
 
Or aluminum foil.

If they're small rifle, ream 'em out to LR & use some of the mild Wolf LR primers German Salazar's been talking about, or large CCI BR. Be a good test to see how much is the primer, how much the flash hole size.

Or, as long as they have *some* fit, make sure the case doesn't get excessive head clearance --- like over .001 -- and bang away. They'll expand to fill the pocket, and if they can't back out any during ignition, the risk of gas cutting is lessened.

Of course, officially, I say toss the cases.
 
When my Remington 7½ primers don't seat real tight and I want to keep using the casings, I use either CCI 450 or CCI BR-4 primers. The diameter of those two primers is a wee big bigger than the diameter of the Rem 7½ primers and I get a few more firings out of the casings. My point of impact doesn't change much at all when switching to the other two CCI primers. Just lucky I guess.
 
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