What, me Uniform?

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mmorris

mmorris

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These pictures show why I like to uniform primer pockets. (See updated picture in post #9)
In the row of 5 cases, the first three cases have stock primer pockets, and the last two (on the right) have been uniformed.

My high primer problems have vanished, and I now have no issues priming on my LNL AP (which I prefer over hand priming).

You can see by the shiny stripe on the side that it only cuts the bottom of the primer pocket where the fillet was.
 

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Nice pockets but it looks like there's 20% less metal at the bottom of the case,
which is the part of the case that supports the pocket.
 
I admire your tenacity. But I never uniform pockets and I've never had high primers or any other primer problems. I use Lee Autoprimes.
 
I'm glad that works for you but for me, way too much work for little to no advantage. I shoot way too much handgun ammo to be plating around with primer pockets. I don't even clean them let along cut them!
 
mmorris,

Like the others, I don't uniform handgun brass. I don't know what uniformer tool you are using, but I hope you're not using a tool designed for Large Rifle Primers (your pockets look a bit deep), as they are designed to cut deeper than what Large Pistol Primer pockets are supposed to be.

Don
 
I have some Sako* 38 special brass that needs uniformed, because of high primers. But as said, the web does look thinned quite a bit.
 
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The pictures of the primer pockets in the cases I sawed in half were meant to illustrate the irregular bottom that most primer pockets have. The curved lines fool the eye, and the same picture with reference lines looks (to me) like there is no significant change in the structure of the case. The reamed pocket measures 0.121”, and it was 0.117 before. That’s only four thousandths, and that’s mostly at the edges where it’s tapered.

There are two groups of reloaders in this priming issue: reloaders that don’t have any problems seating primers, and reloaders who do. If you’re in the first group, then I’m not talking to you. I have no interest in trying to make you think you have a problem when you don’t.

On the other hand, if you do have a primer seating issue right now, especially on a progressive press, then you might be interested in how I solved my problem.

Thanks for the considered replies. Out of courtesy I’ll tell you what I think about each comment, but NOT to start an argument.
 

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Nice pockets but it looks like there's 20% less metal at the bottom of the case,
which is the part of the case that supports the pocket.
Click to expand...

It’s only an illusion. Look at the same shot with guidlines (above)… the red boxes are the same size. The red box also shows the cut is only three to four thousandths, mostly around the sides. This does not weaken the case.

The white lines on the duplicate copy help to offset the optical illusion caused by the multiple curved lines. The support areas are about the same thickness.
 
Are you using the Lyman hand held type? I need one but have never got around to getting one. I like how square the bottom of the pockets are. Good pics, thanks.
Click to expand...

No, it’s a Sinclair- I have the small pistol for 9mm & 38 Special, and the large pistol for 45ACP. I did not like using drill motors to spin the uniformer, so I pressed each cutter into a 45 ACP case so I can spin it with my otherwise unused ZipTrim. It seems to me to be about the same amount of work as hand priming.
 

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Nice pics, thanks. To much work for me.

Might want to find out why you're having high primers before you go hacking out chunks of brass though? Just a thought. But I dunno, maybe theyre supposed to look like that after you uniform.
 
I admire your tenacity. But I never uniform pockets and I've never had high primers or any other primer problems. I use Lee Autoprimes.
Click to expand...

I'm glad that works for you but for me, way too much work for little to no advantage. I shoot way too much handgun ammo to be plating around with primer pockets. I don't even clean them let along cut them!
Click to expand...

The advantage is in only having to handle each case individually once to uniform, and then being able to use the progressive w/case feeder to insert the primer thereafter. If you like to prime on the press, uniform pockets make that easy.

I don’t clean them between loadings, this is a one-time brass prep step.
I think that 5-10 seconds, once in the case’s life, doesn’t seem too bad.
How long does it take to hand prime a case off the press?
Plus, uniforming pays me back each time I re-prime the case in the progressive without handling each case individually.
 
Like the others, I don't uniform handgun brass. I don't know what uniformer tool you are using, but I hope you're not using a tool designed for Large Rifle Primers (your pockets look a bit deep), as they are designed to cut deeper than what Large Pistol Primer pockets are supposed to be.
Click to expand...

It’s a Sinclair- I use the small pistol uniformer in these pics which makes the pockets about 0.121” (see pic below)

#749-003-709
Small Rifle/Pistol Primer Pocket Uniformer
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
The 8000 Series Uniformer is constructed of solid Tungsten Carbide. It will outlast, under normal use, any other primer pocket uniformer on today’s market. It has been machined to SAAMI specifications which are .117" to .123".
Click to expand...

What brass and primers? I've never seen it. Bottomed out they're still too high?
Click to expand...

The brass in the pictures is WIN 9 mm.
I use CCI primers.
I did not notice any problem on 9mm, just cylinder lockup on my revolver. If I really leaned on it, I could seat most primers OK. After I discovered how irregular primer pockets are, I decided to uniform as a brass prep step because it pleases me more than forcing the primer in with greater mechanical advantage.
 

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Might want to find out why you're having high primers before you go hacking out chunks of brass though? Just a thought. But I dunno, maybe theyre supposed to look like that.
Click to expand...

I was having high primers because the presses I used did not always crush out the irregularities for a flush-to-four thou recess. No problems till I started loading for revolvers. Pretty much anyone who hand or bench primes does not notice this.

Come on, Potatohead, SAMMI specs = hacking out chunks of brass?:D
 
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True that-
Sorry about the jab..

I use a hand primer so I havent had a whole lot of priming trouble.
 
I like to prime on the press. Priming mixed range brass makes it hard to get a consistent feel. I can see where this may be worthwhile for me. What are you using to spin the case?
 
I found the Square Deal B to lack the leverage to reliably seat a large primer flush in a .45 ACP. I uniformed a few primer pockets and primers seated easily. But I was not enthusiastic about processing all that brass. Target rifle loads, si; bulk pistol ammo, no.

So I got a 1050.
 
I like to prime on the press. Priming mixed range brass makes it hard to get a consistent feel. I can see where this may be worthwhile for me. What are you using to spin the case?
Click to expand...

I use a LEE ZipTrim. There's a picture in post #11

I don't like drill motors because I like to insert the cutter before I spin it, and the coast-down time made me impatient. The ZipTrim stops instantly when you stop pulling the string.

I leave it setup and when I walk by I'll do 10 or 20 just to relieve stress (in me, not the cases). I think it's fun.
 
starline brass already has very uniform primer pockets with a square corner. win, r-p and fed are all in need of a mmorris makeover! (yes, i uniform pistol primer pockets.)

murf
 
Frogfur: I too like to prime on the press occasionally. He is using the Lee zip trim to spin his tooling.

To all that's concerned about removing the tiny webbed corner of the pocket, don't be. Remember there is a flash hole to wich all other gasses are directed. The cupped primer holds these gasses. If it's a big deal why isn't the web around the flash hole dented or warped towards the head, after firing? Unless, of course, your intention is hot-rodding.
 
Quote: "The reamed pocket measures 0.121”, and it was 0.117 before. That’s only four thousandths, and that’s mostly at the edges where it’s tapered.

There are two groups of reloaders in this priming issue: reloaders that don’t have any problems seating primers, and reloaders who do. If you’re in the first group, then I’m not talking to you. I have no interest in trying to make you think you have a problem when you don’t.

On the other hand, if you do have a primer seating issue right now, especially on a progressive press, then you might be interested in how I solved my problem."

and

"I did not notice any problem on 9mm, just cylinder lockup on my revolver. If I really leaned on it, I could seat most primers OK. After I discovered how irregular primer pockets are, I decided to uniform as a brass prep step because it pleases me more than forcing the primer in with greater mechanical advantage."

and

"I was having high primers because the presses I used did not always crush out the irregularities for a flush-to-four thou recess. No problems till I started loading for revolvers. Pretty much anyone who hand or bench primes does not notice this."


Thank you.
p.s. I hand prime and only clean the pockets.
edit: Good thread title, btw!
 
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