Primer Maximum Acceptable Depth

[deadeye dick]

Yes, dangerous. Some times the pockets are not deep enough. I had to uniform some 38 special brass to get primers to seat correctly.

How is that done. Any special tools needed?

 

[jmorris]

Just to verify I’m thinking of this correctly, we would need to add the head space distance to the primer depth to know how far the primer could possibly be from the breach face?

According to some of my observations from picking up range brass a case only needs to be held against the breech face by the extractor in order to be fired.

If a round had to be up against the end of the chamber whoever did this, couldn’t have done it. If it were not for the extractor holding onto it, it would have just fallen out the end of the barrel.

 

[243winxb]

How is that done. Any special tools needed?

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1064338732 Primer pocket uniformer for a "large pistol" pocket.

A large rifle tool is different then large pistol.
. If your 45 acp brass uses a small primer, then tool will fit both small pistol & small rifle.

The tool cuts the pocket to the correct depth. It doesnt make the pocket wider and does not fix crimped in primer pockets.

 

[Walkalong]

I like K&M products, so naturally I got a K&M primer pocket uniformer when I needed one for large rifle.
I already had a Whitetail Engineering solid carbide fixed PPU for small rifle that I used to use on 6 PPC for my bench gun.

 

[Eddy19]

I uniformed these 44 mag cases to various depths just to see if my firing pin would punch deep enough. They all fired fine, even primers set back to .011. All these primers were fired alone, not in loaded ammo. What I don't understand is all the primers protruded above the case head level. What do you make of this? Pistol is Ruger Super Blackhawk about 1960's vintage. The numbers on the side in black are the depths ie: .005

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

. All these primers were fired alone, not in loaded ammo. What I don't understand is all the primers protruded above the case head level. What do you make of this?
View attachment 881065

When the primer fires, all the flame and pressure tries to fit through the flash hole. All of the pressure can't fit through the hole at once, so it drives the primer backwards, partially out of the pocket.
The rear of the revolver frame stops the travel of the primer.

If there was powder and a stopper (bullet) in the case, the powder would ignite, and drive the case back, reseating the primer.

With no powder, there is nothing to drive the case back, the primer remains high.

Perfectly normal, nothing to worry about.

 

[Eddy19]

When the primer fires, all the flame and pressure tries to fit through the flash hole. All of the pressure can't fit through the hole at once, so it drives the primer backwards, partially out of the pocket.
The rear of the revolver frame stops the travel of the primer.

If there was powder and a stopper (bullet) in the case, the powder would ignite, and drive the case back, reseating the primer.

With no powder, there is nothing to drive the case back, the primer remains high.

Perfectly normal, nothing to worry about.

Thanks Hooda Thunkit!

 

[jmorris]

What I don't understand is all the primers protruded above the case head level. What do you make of this?

As above but you could also drill out the flash hole and the pressure from the primer can just go down the barrel vs push it back out the pocket. What folks do with the plastic, rubber or wax “loads” that just use a primer for propulsion.

 

[Eddy19]

As above but you could also drill out the flash hole and the pressure from the primer can just go down the barrel vs push it back out the pocket. What folks do with the plastic, rubber or wax “loads” that just use a primer for propulsion.

Thanks jmorris, interesting idea, I recall having some plastic bullets powered by the primer.