9mm brass problem.

[mdi]

This is just a FWIW thread as I may have posted this earlier. I was priming some 9mm mixed brass yesterday and I had one that had an undersized primer pocket, not just tight but I smashed a primer attempting to seat it. I then remembered I had run into these before. IK 21 headstamp (Igman Zavod, Konjic, Yugoslavia). I was using my Pacific single stage with a ram prime so it was pretty easy to smash a primer. I went through a bunch of other brass and found 3 more (and I had chamfered the pocket mouth so I had run into this before). I didn't bother to measure the pocket diameter, I just tossed the remaining brass. Just another headstamp to look out for...

 

[lightman]

9mm can be a pain, above and beyond other calibers.

 

[Skeptic13]

I have so much 9mm brass that if there is a slight hint of a problem that piece goes in the recycle bin. Then I go on to the next piece.

 

[BJung]

I separate all my brass by headstamp. Any brand that has a tight primer pocket is expanded with my RCBS primer pocket expander die. The most common brass with tight primer pockets I've encountered was LC, S&B, and WCC brass. I also keep different loads per brass headstamp. I'm still experimenting but it could go like this: 9-122 TC Lee with Win brass, 9-125 LHP with Fed brass, Makarov 90XTP with resized/trimmed LC brass

 

[Hartkopf]

I have used IK brass before but I had to chamfer the primer pockets a good bit. I don’t bother with them anymore though. I read the IK 21 head stamp when scrounging brass at the range, literally say “ICK” out loud and throw it to the side.

 

[jm529]

Too many crimped primer pockets out there. I bought a set of go, no go gauges from Ballistics tools to prevent wasting primers. The gauge don't fit, throw it out.

Small and Large Primer Pocket Swage Gage ® Set (ballistictools.com)

 

[hdwhit]

I have used IK brass before (albeit, not IK21) without a problem. The primers appeared to have been crimped, but after removing the crimp they seemed to work.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I had an issue with 1K brass in 223/556 when de-caping. I was breaking pins. I almost scrapped them. One day i had one i missed. And when i was running it through my Lee ap press. I noticed it moved to the side some. The primer came out no problem. So i looked at the HS. It was one of the 1K. I took the others out of my scrap bucket and ran them all through. I watched for the case to move to the side. Then knocked the primer out. I swagged the pockets too then. They all loaded fine then.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I use a Lyman’s primer cleaner on every case after the first tumble and before resizing. Any tight or crimped pockets get the pocket uniforming tool. Every single case gets handled and checked. I know: too much trouble, not worth the effort, 9mm is so common it’s easier to just toss them, takes too long, etc, etc. House rules apply: it works for me but you’re not me so don’t do what I do because it probably won’t work for you.

 

[mdi]

I have used IK brass before (albeit, not IK21) without a problem. The primers appeared to have been crimped, but after removing the crimp they seemed to work.

Great. The IK brass I found I used my same method on the pocket I used on a few thousand NATO and other miitary primer crimps. On the IK brass I ran the counterink a bit deeper (maybe .015" deeper chamfer on the pocket mouth than I use on other crimped pockets) but the mouth wasn't the problem, it was the pocket internal dimeter...

 

[lordpaxman]

With all the range brass I pick up and use, and looking at all the process steps to accommodate the problems is the main reason I went to an RL1100. I’m not trying to sell Dillon here, but the swage step in the progressive really takes care of the primer pocket. I’ll admit it isn’t an inexpensive solution, but if you factor time in, I’m willing to pay that price.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

When I see headstamps like IK or some of the other strange to me head stamps they go in the mixed range brass bag when I'm sorting. I'm not likely to ever try to load these because they are already picked out.
I don't load the mixed range brass, they either end up getting dumped or I give them to a guy that makes hunting Christmas wreaths. He puts the polished cases on his wreathes.

 

[Nature Boy]

Are they undersized or crimped?

I get the occasional NATO case in my range pick up and know immediately when I encounter them in the priming step. I have a Dillon swager on the bench so it’s a quick process to deal with it and put it back into the process

 

[Gone Hiking]

I reload mixed 9mm brass. If a primer doesn't immediately want to seat in my Dillon press, I back off and gently try again. (Sometimes, there's just a mild misalignment.) If it doesn't go on the 2nd try, I pull the brass to inspect it. It's usually military brass with a crimped primer pocket. 9mm brass is ubiquitous, so I simply pitch it.

 

[hdwhit]

Great. The IK brass I found I used my same method on the pocket I used on a few thousand NATO and other miitary primer crimps. On the IK brass I ran the counterink a bit deeper (maybe .015" deeper chamfer on the pocket mouth than I use on other crimped pockets) but the mouth wasn't the problem, it was the pocket internal dimeter...

Well, I did say I had no experience with IK21, just earlier brass with the IK headstamp.

On many foreign cases I have had to grind away much more of the crimp and case head than I was initially comfortable with to get the primer pocket open enough to accept the primer, but they have all held up to being fired.

 

[gifbohane]

I now discard the 1k21 cases. VERY difficult to deprime. Feels like the pin is going to break on every one of them.

 

[Palladan44]

Herters, S&B, Military brass, Magtech.... just to name a few get left with the aluminum and steel. In 9mm I don't spend the time to deal with crimped primers. Some load fine if they slip in the mix, but getting a marred or folded primer seated, or having one go "BAANG!" When I'm seating just ain't worth it. In higher calibers, I will sort in separate lots.

 

[jmorris]

S&B’s are tight too.

The built in swage station on the 4 digit Dillon presses make the issue disappear, if one can swallow their cost.

 

[mdi]

I might try and fix some, if I run into more, but now they are only running about 1% of my once fired stash...

 

[Slamfire]

I suspect Yugoslavia does not belong to SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Manufacturing Institute) per Wiki: SAAMI is an accredited American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards developer. "American" is an important clue to whom SAAMI specs apply.

 

[BushMaster-15]

Having reloaded more than 10K Butt loads of crimped primers , I rarely swage anymore as MY preferred method is chamfering .
Quick easy fool proof and pockets DON'T loosen up near as fast .

 

[mdi]

Having reloaded more than 10K Butt loads of crimped primers , I rarely swage anymore as MY preferred method is chamfering .
Quick easy fool proof and pockets DON'T loosen up near as fast .

Life long machinist/mechanic here. When I first encountered primer crimps I immediately thought of a countersink. Just logical so I grabbed one out of my tool box and removed crimps from 50 or so HXP once fired cases. I have no idea how many crimps I've removed but for about 20 years I've been reloading about 6 military calibers that use primer crimps...

 

[BushMaster-15]

Well here is PROOF Positive that chamfering WON'T hinder primer pockets or prematurely loosen them . See reloading .