Trouble priming PMC Brass 223

[Evenflo76]

Hello All! I am need of the collective wisdom. Just last week I received my back ordered Lee Anniversary Kit. As you can imagine, I have been at the bench all week long.

I had purchased some PMC ( Korean ) late last year, and have been happily emptying the cases in order to make some of my own. Actually, I have made some of my own with my 223 Lee Loader prior...

I noticed when depriming with the Lee Loader that the primers were tougher to remove. I attributed this to the fact that the cases were sealed or annealed??

I know that they are not crimped as military brass is. My problem is that

A: My Lee die will not deprime them as the depriming rod will give instead of break. OK Easy enough, I have the Lee Loader. So I pulled out the hammer and wacked out the primers.

B: Now the Lee Safety Prime will not seat the primers. Or, it will but I feel like I am crushing some. So I reamed the primer pockets with my Lee primer pocket tool.

C: Even after reaming with the Lee primer pocket tool, the primers are still very difficult to seat correctly. I would say that 1 in 4 will seat with out issue. Also, it feels as if I have to apply to much force to the handle. Some primers don't seat correctly, and worse, some just get caught on the sidewall of the primer pocket and peel back the primer cup.

I have other Winchester and Remington brass. My setup works like a 2oz trigger when seating primers in those cases.

Do I need something better than the Lee pocket primer tool? Do I just need more elbow grease?

Help! I have 140 clean cases just begging to be loaded and I'm wasting my primers in order to do so...

TIA, Joe :banghead::banghead:

 

[ReloaderFred]

If you have a primer pocket swaging tool, such as sold by RCBS, run that into the primer pockets and that should solve your problem.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[10 Spot Terminator]

Hi Joe,

I think the problem is in fact the PMC brass "DOES" have crimped primer pockets as it is built to military specs. On the few boxes of PMC ammo I have it states this clearly. I seem to remember reading PMC stood for "Para Military Corporation" . If you use a lot of military brass go on line looking for CH tool company as they have a very affordable tool for swaging out the primer pockets. It fits in your press much like a die for somewhere around $25.00 as I recall. Much cheaper than a dillon swager ( $150.00 ) . I dont do the military brass myself but have read many a thread on removing the primer pocket crimp and seen a lot of people state to stay away from primer pocket cutters as they can remove too much metal and ruin your brass due to loose primers. Hope this helps.

 

[ants]

I believe PMC is named after Poongsan Munitions Corp in Korea.

PMC does make uncrimped primer pockets. But many of them are really, really tight pockets. At times I've had the same experience as Evenflo76. You are not alone.

The Lee primer pocket tool is a cleaner, not a reamer. It won't ream the pockets to ease priming. A swaging tool or a reamer will be required. Sometimes a deburr or chamfer tool can help, sometimes a pocketknife. In any case, you need to open up the pockets. Or just set the brass aside until you can deal with it.

 

[Doug b]

Joe your inside deburring tool will remove enough of the crimp to get you going.Use it sparingly until you get a feel for just removing enough to start the primer.

 

[sargenv]

What I have been told as late is that the only 223/5.56 brass that does not have the crimped primer pockets is RP. Everything else has the crimped primer pockets. Federal, FC, Winchester, PMC, and anything else does. RP is the only one that does not. +1 on the primer pocket swager.. although the Dillon one is easier and faster to use IMO than the RCBS press mounted one.. but then I own both.. I prefer the Dillon one.

 

[Evenflo76]

. Federal, FC, Winchester, PMC, and anything else does. RP is the only one

Ya but, the Win and Remmy brass I've loaded primes wonderfully

But many of them are really, really tight pockets.

I agree. There is no crimp. The pockets are just smaller compared to the others...

 

[Evenflo76]

Joe your inside deburring tool will remove enough of the crimp to get you going.

I will give this a shot, Thanks

 

[snuffy]

Set those aside until you can get one of these;

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=253550

This tool will cut away the crimp on any crimped primer pocket. It will NOT cut anything if there's no crimp. So no danger of loosening the primer pocket.

The inside chamfer tool will work, but it's difficult to gauge how much to take out, it removes support for the edge of the primer if too much is taken out.

 

[Evenflo76]

Snuffy Thanks. I added that to my never ending cart at Midway...

Doug, I used the chamfer tool today as you suggested. The primer did slide in more easily. I am going to load up that round and test fire this saturday, along with the others