Reports on Hart's tool that tightens up primer pockets

[Pete Wass]

Blue stuff

If you have cases you absolutely want to use that have pockets that are excessively loose one can buy a product that is a lot like thinned out nail polish and paint it on the primers before loading, letting it dry. I bought some @ Cabelas and have used it. After doing all that work to make cases, I want to use them until the necks break off, which they do in time. The blue stuff is named George & Roy's custom primer sealant. One sees surplus ammo with similar stuff on the primers. It keeps loose primers contained without any leakage, from my experience. I have a box of 30 BR cases I use for practice sometimes that require the Blue Stuff. I think cheap nail polish would work the same way @ a lesses cost.

 

[Montana Pete]

I shot about 25 rds with my 22-250 and blew out four primers.

Having resized and deprimed, I have tossed aside about four brass because the reprime gave zero resistance. The pockets were just enlarged.

Do you think I should toss the whole mess and start over?

Can my digital caliper, using the "inside measurement" jaws, give me a good measurement of primer pocket enlargement?

I was using 35 gr. H4895 with 55 gr. Hornady SP bullets. The manual I used did not suggest these were too hot. What do you think the problem could have been?

 

[mike in co]

were you shooting the same gun as the book, the same brass and the same lot of powder ?

or better said...did you work up a load, or just pick one out of a book ?


mike in co

 

[J. Pendergraft]

Pete
Your observations are spot on.I tried both the Hart and the RCBS tools and they are both indeed junk with no real purpose.
Norma brass is soft and despite what you are reading it simply doesn't last.The primer pockets will give up after 3-4 firings.
I do find it interesting that on this forum everything works perfectly fine yet on another forum on this very website the same guys are complaining about the exact same problem.
It leaves one to question there responses.
Lynn

Lynn, It's quite obvious what works for some of us don't work for you. It seems that you often get different results than I personally experience. I guess readers of this forum just have to decide what's worth a try. I have been using Norma brass in the 300 Ackley for years and I get pretty decent life from the brass, in excess of 10 firings and not mild loads either. When some of the primer pockets loosen a bit the RCBS tool will snug them back up for a few more firings. Here in NC it works for me.

Now that said, I would take brass with a harder case head if it were available. Brass like the once available RWS will last indefinitely and you don't have to tweak it like I do the Norma. I recently found some Win 375 H&H and will eventually give it a try if the dimensions look OK.

 

[a.JR]

Home made

Hi Keith , I have for over 10 years been reclaiming my primer pockets on belted mag cases and also conventional cases ,while my home made die would not work with a rebated or semi rebated case i guess i'll have to stick to the ones that i can resize..I can't afford to throw away a case in three shots ..A, because i have put so much time an effort into said case and B , also because they cost an arm and a leg over here in AUS.. At $250 for 100 Lapua 300WM cases and $395 for RWS has forced me to find a way to make em last .. My current lot of brass has 20 reloads at what most would call High Pressure and they are still capabile of winning the Biggest comp we have here in my country.. I don,t believe that what is usable info on a Lap ppc case is transferable to 2.6 ins long piece of brass with 80 gns of gunpowder , that is shot in the long range disciplines , but hey it's only MO so please don't shoot the messenger..JR..Jeff Rogers

has anyone tried this tool?

 

[Pete Wass]

Is there a way

Lynn, It's quite obvious what works for some of us don't work for you. It seems that you often get different results than I personally experience. I guess readers of this forum just have to decide what's worth a try. I have been using Norma brass in the 300 Ackley for years and I get pretty decent life from the brass, in excess of 10 firings and not mild loads either. When some of the primer pockets loosen a bit the RCBS tool will snug them back up for a few more firings. Here in NC it works for me.

Now that said, I would take brass with a harder case head if it were available. Brass like the once available RWS will last indefinitely and you don't have to tweak it like I do the Norma. I recently found some Win 375 H&H and will eventually give it a try if the dimensions look OK.

to adjust the RCBS device that perhaps we don't know about that would allow it to work for us? I believe the purpose of the tool is to remove the crimp from brass, not shrink the primer pockets but I could be wrong there. I am the kind of person who when given good information, will change his mind.

 

[J. Pendergraft]

Joel

If my memory is any good you were shooting 187 BIB bullets with 87 grains of RE25? I tried to get there and at 86 grains the primers fell out on there own thats how large the pockets were.

Lynn

Lynn,
We have to be very very careful when posting loads using the Reloader powders such as R25. Lot to lot variations can be significant. You are correct, at one time I used 87 grs of R25 with the 187 BIBS in a 300 Ackley. With the current powder I have my load is approx. 3 grs less. 76-78 grs R25 is what most use with the 210 Berger in the 300 Ackley. Anyone attempting to use this info should start lower due to variations in powder, barrels, brass and etc.

I certainly am not in love with the Norma brass. It measures good but is a little softer than some other brands. Unfortunately I think Norma and Remington have been our only 2 choices recently for making our 300 Ackley cases. There are many shooters moving to 300 WSM and 300 WM so they no longer worry with brass supply for the 300 Ackley.