Anyone use this primer pocket go no go gauge? https://ballistictools.com/store/swage-gage-small-primer-pocket I was loading some 30-06 brass this weekend and ran across a bunch with loose primer pockets. Thought if this gauge worked I could stop priming and measure the pockets of the rest of the cases instead of having to remove 20 primers then prime more cases and remove more primers until I found 100 that were still tight. I probably removed 30 ish primers. The remaining brass went in the scrap bucket.. Brass is Winchester brass with unknow firings, after its been shot again the whole mess will hit the scrap bucket but other then some loose primer pockets the brass looked good.
Primer pocket go no go gauge?
- Thread starter Muddydogs
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Whiterook808
Member
I just got those in this weekend, so I have not used them extensively. They appear to be extremely well made. I have the opposite problem. I swaged some crimped 5.56 brass and the pockets were tight. My intended use is to help with the adjustment of the RCBS bench swaging tool. It appears that I was doing that incorrectly, as I was just going far enough to remove the crimp ring/tabs. Apparently I have to swage deeper into the pocket.
1KPerDay
Member
I'd be interesting in trying the ones you felt were too loose. I have some old CCI 200 primers and they are VERY tight in standard pockets.
edwardware
Member
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- Feb 23, 2010
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Good idea. I once have away a batch of CCI LRPM because I couldn't hardly pound them into the .270 brass I was priming. . . should have kept them for sloppy pockets!
frankmako
Member
i use a metal coffee can to test for out of speck primer pocket. when i reload 30-06 match ammo i prime each case with a very old lee hand primer. i prime the brass and drop it into the coffee can. when the can if haft full i take the brass out, sometimes finding primers in the bottom of the can. check brass and take out the brass that has missing primers. now this brass is 1942/44 brass that has been reloaded 20 plus times. i do the same with my 1982 lc match and lc nm brass in 308. lots of reloads on them too.
I could dig in my bucket and pull them out, I threw them in my coffee can under the bench which was then full so I dumped the can into my bucket. They are nice and shinny so I should be able to pull them out though they will need to be inspected well in case I include a bad case with a split neck or something. I'd be breaking my rule, once something goes in the can it stays in the can unless I need a piece of brass for testing or to destroy.
I was using 1990 ish CCI large rifle mag primers.
Some were so loose when depriming them just the weight of the RC press handle would push the primer out when the case was ran into a Lee universal depriming die.
1KPerDay
Member
Don't go to any trouble. I was just curious. The primers I have are from the 60s-70s. Have several thousand but they're a PITA to use because they're so tight.
Chuck R.
Member
I have and use the small and large gauges, love the things, especially when dealing with range pick-up 5.56/.223 brass that might have crimped primers. Since I normally de-cap, then tumble clean my rifle brass it only takes a second to sue the gauge as I'm visually inspecting the brass after cleaning.
Doublehelix
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Yep, I have several calibers of these, and they work great, but they aren't speedy, that is for sure. I love them as they save your butt when needed, but I don't check every case, and in fact, I only use them when I question a primer pocket.
mstreddy
Member
I've been using them, both small and large, to determine if I've removed enough of the crimp on the afflicted brass.
They work well, just another step in the batch processing for rifle brass. But I found that it was really helpful in determining if the crimps were dealt with or needed tweaking. I did find a couple of 5.56 with looser pockets in the batch.
They work well, just another step in the batch processing for rifle brass. But I found that it was really helpful in determining if the crimps were dealt with or needed tweaking. I did find a couple of 5.56 with looser pockets in the batch.
Chillydog
Member
I’m using one on 9mm range pick up. It’s handy to find the tight or crimped pockets before priming. I have also found a couple pieces of brass where the no-go end was a go, so I scrapped those and didn’t even bother priming them. It is a slow process, but I do it while waiting on someone to go somewhere or when I have a little time before bed. 10-20 minutes here and there, you can gauge a bunch of pieces.
tcoz
Member
They work as advertised.
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