When is a Primer Pocket Too Loose?

Swage Gauge -https://ballistictools.com/store/small-and-large-primer-pocket-gauges
Place primer on loading bench. Slowly try to push case onto primer by hand. If you can, pocket is too loose.

Great Question.. too bad I cannot help.

Well, if you take the primed shell out of the primer tool and the primer falls out, that would be an indication.....

Don't laugh too hard, many years ago brass was harder to obtain. I used it until it was unusable.

If Ican't feel the primer seating in my press, the case get's pitched. That should hold true with hand primers also.

I've primed some pistol brass that felt like it sucked the primer into the hole. . . and no issue. Remember that most priming tools have a lot of mechanical advantage.

I've definitely developed a feel for rifle brass, using an RCBS Handprime, because loose primers will leak. My primer pocket gauge had been a disappointment. . . I can't reliably separate which pockets will seat loose vs tight with the gauge. I have to seat a primer to know.

Also, I find that primer brand has an enormous effect on feel. I have some older CCI LRP will almost fall into/out of pockets in which Win LRP will seat very nicely.

I would not worry much about it on pistol ammo. I have had primers fall out of 9mms, probably picked up some Open shooter's overloaded 9mm Major, but it is rare and when I see it, I pull the bullet to reuse and scrap the case.

Hooda Thunkit said:

Well, if you take the primed shell out of the primer tool and the primer falls out, that would be an indication.....

Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure Loctite makes a product for that.

FWIW; Along with primer pocket "stretch" the condition of the pocket variations affect the seating "feel". I have found some imported cases (S&B?) that have very little/no chamfer, taper in the primer pocket mouth and they "appear" to have tighter pockets. I have chamfered some pockets (just like I would to remove a crimp) and the primer seating feels a lot easier, but the actual pocket ID hasn't changed. I also found the primer type and finish can make primer seating feel different; my CCI primers, nickel plated "seem" to seat easier than my Winchester brass primers...

Anyway, 243's method will work quite well...

When I feel one that is very loose, I remove it and see if I can push it out using a simple punch. If it takes some effort I use it but mark the case. If it pops out easily It goes into the recycle bin. On hand gun ammo it will stay in the brass till firing your good. On a simi-auto rifle it can cause problems.

If they rattle out of the pocket before I shoot them. They are too loose.
I lose semi auto brass before the pockets are loose.

Depends on what brand of primer AND what brand of brass. You said sorted by head-stamp but did not say which one was loose not what primer??
I have never noticed any "loose" primers in any caliber and mixed brass and different primers,

Winchester seat easier for me that CCI or Wolff/Tula which are a "bear"

If the primers stay put before, during, and after shooting them, then that has always been good enough for me.

With rifle cases that I shoot in a semi-auto rifle, I've taken to decapping the cases first, separately from the rest of the loading. I find that cases shot in my semi-auto rifles are rejected more from loose primer pockets than any other failure mode.

When decapping with a universal decapping die, you get a feel for what is a loose primer. When I'm not sure, I usually take another spent primer and see if I can seat the primer easily by hand. If the primer goes in easily and/or falls out immediately, the case gets scrapped.

Rifle cases shot in other than semi-auto action rifles usually fail of other reasons and rarely from loose primer pockets.

I've never experienced a loose primer pocket in handgun cases. I'd expect my 460 S&W Mag might experience loose primer pockets, but I have not fired enough full power rounds through it to know.

Lots of good suggestions and methods already posted.

I personally have never been concerned about it. But then I don't clean primer pockets either
I have "reamed" thousands of crimped 556 brass and never checked one of those either.

Living on the edge I guess.

Some go in easy, some not so easy. My rule of thumb is if it stays in, its good.

243winxb said:

Swage Gauge -https://ballistictools.com/store/small-and-large-primer-pocket-gauges View attachment 944480
Place primer on loading bench. Slowly try to push case onto primer by hand. If you can, pocket is too loose.

Click to expand...

This

Just apply a small amount of primer pocket pucker paste to the hole. That should tighten it up enough to hold a loose primer. You can find it at the hardware store in the same aisle as muffler bearings and tail light blinker fluid.

Seriously though, the primer pocket gauges are a good solution.

That's good stuff markr6754.

I’ll probably get flamed for reminding, that quality components lead to quality results.

edwardware said:

I'm pretty sure Loctite makes a product for that.

Click to expand...

Seriously, there is always primer sealant and primer pocket reforming dies if you are desperate need of keeping your brass going.

https://www.scheels.com/p/markron-c...Zt9S8WT1WXqJRI7WSc1BX0aq8tOyJnChoCY1cQAvD_BwE

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012909274 (discontinued but show up used occasionally)

illinoisburt said:

Seriously, there is always. . . primer pocket reforming dies if you are desperate need of keeping your brass going.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012909274 (discontinued but show up used occasionally)

Click to expand...

My man, I thank you! I have long wondered if someone made such a thing, and I'd never seen one.

South Prairie Jim said:

This

Click to expand...

I bought the gauges and use them particularly with the .45 long colt, most of which are on the 8th reload. Each and every one gets the go/no go test. That said I have not had one fail. What with arthritis I don't trust myself to catch a bad pocket with a hand primer nowdays. I did try to put a small pistol primer in a large pistol pocket federal .45acp and did catch it immediately. No I don't know if trying to put a large pistol primer in a small pistol pocket leads to kaboom and have no desire to find out.