How to use Hornady Primer Pocket Reamer

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slowr1der

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I did a search and can't find any similar complaints. Well, I bought a Hornady primer pocket reamer to use on some Lake City brass that I converted to 300 BO. I chucked the reamer into my drill press as I've seen some others online recommend. It cut the crimp out quickly and easily. I didn't discover an issue until I went to prime the brass. While priming the brass, there is almost no resistance when seating a primer. I've never had any primer pockets this loose, and they definitely feel too loose to use. Where did I go wrong? I didn't think this thing would cut deep enough to ruin the pockets. I just held each piece of brass on the reamer for a few seconds until it felt like it stopped cutting. Has anyone else experienced this? What do I need to do differently to use this tool effectively?

It's frustrating since I spent about 10 hours prepping this brass and now I'm pretty sure that I'll have to scrap it all.
 
Sorry to hear of this problem. It sounds to me like the brass wasn't square to the cutter and the pockets were ovaled. How fast was the spindle on the drill press?

.40
 
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There's no need to drive the reamer to the button of the pocket; you just want to touch it and radius the crimp a bit. If you pushed until the reamer bottomed, you definitely overcut the pocket.

Also, always validate your work method before you turn on mass production.

Sorry.
 
There's no need to drive the reamer to the button of the pocket; you just want to touch it and radius the crimp a bit. If you pushed until the reamer bottomed, you definitely overcut the pocket.

Also, always validate your work method before you turn on mass production.

Sorry.
I thought that was how the reamer was designed, so it couldn't cut too deep? Shouldn't it bottom out in the pocket without letting the cutter part cut too much?

What's the best way to do this so that I don't cut too much in the future? Over the past 8-9 years, I've just used a chamfer tool to cut the crimp out, and I'm thinking about going back to that method, but it's kind of a pain for bulk production.

As far as checking my work before turning on mass production, I absolutely know to do this, I just tried to skip a step. I'm really regretting it now. I learned my lesson here.
 
I thought that was how the reamer was designed, so it couldn't cut too deep? Shouldn't it bottom out in the pocket. . .
I know it seems like it should, but mine doesn't. I treat it more like a sharp chamfer tool. . . cut the leading edge off the crimp and no more.

I actually prefer the pocket fairly tight, because most of my rifle brass dies for loose pockets after 10-20 (or more) reloads.

I would suggest pocket swaging as a faster way, but that requires sorting by headstamp, so it's no faster.
 
It only takes a twist ot two to remove a primer crimp. If done by hand one or two turns and done! It's not like you are drilling a hole.
If it is chucked in a drill just a quick light "zip" and its done.

There are MANY videos on this



 
I've always done it by hand with a couple twists. I can't imagine mounting it in a drill would speed up the process. Any cutter will over cut if you run it fast and use force.
 
I have reamed a gazillion 5.56 with the Hornady tool chucked in a drill and the drill in a bench vice
 
+1 on the RCBS tool. It can be spun in a drill and adjusted to cut a little or a lot. Just don't let your thumb slip down on the flat. That slot will eat skin.
 
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