Don't reload casings with sealed primers

ferrarif1fan · February 13, 2010, 08:38 PM

I started reloading 9mm on my new Lee Pro 1000 about two weeks ago. I decided to do a couple hundred rounds this morning. Every so often, I'd have a case where the primer either wouldn't want to seat or would nearly get smashed going into the primer pocket. I put all of these cases aside to deal with after I was done. When I did get finished reloading, I began to notice that only two brands of cases were giving me any problems. They were labeled "WCC" and "POF." Then I noticed that both of them had the red sealer around the primer pocket. Not only was it a bitch to try to pop the primers out of these cases, but rarely did a new primer get seated properly. So after having made this discovery, I sorted through all my brass that's ready to reload and got rid of these two brands and any others that had the red sealer showing around the old primer. I thought I'd share the info here to try to save some others the grief. I'm anticipating that my next round of reloading should go much more smoothly now.

Robert

Qtiphky · February 13, 2010, 08:45 PM

You can still reload them, they just need the primer pockets swaged before you put the new primers in. There are special tools for that purpose. They aren't very expensive and work very well.

m.p.driver · February 13, 2010, 08:45 PM

They have a military crimp to keep the primer from backing out.You can swage the crimp out.I have an attachment from RCBS that fits in the place of the deprimer and you just run it into the primer pocket.

plainsman456 · February 13, 2010, 08:47 PM

They were crimped in.Some crimped primers can be a bear to get out.
I use a universal depriming die for these cases.I have a lyman and rcbs die and they work.

ferrarif1fan · February 13, 2010, 09:26 PM

I completely understand what you're saying and am glad everyone brought this point up for other reloaders. For me however, I'll probably just keep sorting. I scrounge my brass for free from the range, so it's easier to toss it than to have to do extra steps just to use it.

Thanks again!

Robert

DiscoRacing · February 13, 2010, 09:28 PM

i have actually used the chamfer tool for the rifle brass necks to put a small bevel on those primer pockets and it usually works fine... i too do some range pickup..but im too much of a penny pincher to just toss em out.

Randy 1911 · February 13, 2010, 09:42 PM

Most of the cases that are for the military have crimped in primers. It is not that hard to remove the crimp. There are plenty of tools to remove the crimp. From to cheap to expensive. It depends on how many you have to do that detrimines how much you want to spend. but you get what you pay for. I tried a few of the cheaper ones but was not happy with the results so I sprang for a Dillon Super Swage 600, It was the easyest way to remove crimps that I know of.

Sunstealer · February 14, 2010, 01:36 PM

Once you remove the crimp though, they reload like any other case from there on. So, it is just a little work really. I would keep them rather than tossing.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot · February 14, 2010, 08:05 PM

NOT all "sealed" primers are crimped!

It has been my experience that a sealed primer gives no trouble when de -capping or re- priming.

However, as already mentioned, crimped cased need to have the primer pocket reamed or swadged before seating a new promer.

BUT!!!!!!!!!, don't throw the baby out with the bath water just because the primer is sealed. Only the crimped ones should need the extra step.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

Hammonje · February 14, 2010, 08:14 PM

That would be called a crimped primer pocket. Use a chamfer/deburring tool to remove crimp. A few turns of the RCBS tool does the trick. Lee tool works too but not as sharp.

garryc · February 14, 2010, 10:35 PM

I just use a little pen knife

zxcvbob · February 14, 2010, 10:38 PM

S&B brass is the same way, even without the primers being sealed or crimped. But if you chamfer or swage the primer pockets (you only have to do this once) it is very good brass. HTH

uncyboo · February 15, 2010, 12:28 PM

Did your handloading manual not tell you about crimped primers? That's why many will tell you to get a manual from a reputable manufacturer (Speer, Hornady, Sierra, etc.) and read it. Then read it again before you ever resize the first piece of brass.

johnjohn · February 15, 2010, 01:43 PM

Thats like throwing money away. It's easy enough to get that crimp outt'a there.

howlnmad · February 15, 2010, 05:06 PM

I have a countersink, from my wood shop, chucked up in my drill press. it does a wonderful job. Just my .02 worth.

nhm90 · February 18, 2010, 10:41 PM

I ran into the same problems with my S&B brass. Clean up the primer pockets and you should be fine.

February 13, 2010, 08:38 PM	#1
ferrarif1fan Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2009 Posts: 118	Don't reload casings with sealed primers I started reloading 9mm on my new Lee Pro 1000 about two weeks ago. I decided to do a couple hundred rounds this morning. Every so often, I'd have a case where the primer either wouldn't want to seat or would nearly get smashed going into the primer pocket. I put all of these cases aside to deal with after I was done. When I did get finished reloading, I began to notice that only two brands of cases were giving me any problems. They were labeled "WCC" and "POF." Then I noticed that both of them had the red sealer around the primer pocket. Not only was it a bitch to try to pop the primers out of these cases, but rarely did a new primer get seated properly. So after having made this discovery, I sorted through all my brass that's ready to reload and got rid of these two brands and any others that had the red sealer showing around the old primer. I thought I'd share the info here to try to save some others the grief. I'm anticipating that my next round of reloading should go much more smoothly now. Robert

February 13, 2010, 08:45 PM	#2
Qtiphky Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2008 Location: Upper Michigan, above the Mackinac Bridge Posts: 568	Don't throw them away You can still reload them, they just need the primer pockets swaged before you put the new primers in. There are special tools for that purpose. They aren't very expensive and work very well.

February 13, 2010, 09:26 PM	#5
ferrarif1fan Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2009 Posts: 118	Thanks for all the replies... I completely understand what you're saying and am glad everyone brought this point up for other reloaders. For me however, I'll probably just keep sorting. I scrounge my brass for free from the range, so it's easier to toss it than to have to do extra steps just to use it. Thanks again! Robert

February 13, 2010, 09:42 PM	#7
Randy 1911 Senior Member Join Date: May 7, 2009 Location: Western Arkansas Posts: 273	Most of the cases that are for the military have crimped in primers. It is not that hard to remove the crimp. There are plenty of tools to remove the crimp. From to cheap to expensive. It depends on how many you have to do that detrimines how much you want to spend. but you get what you pay for. I tried a few of the cheaper ones but was not happy with the results so I sprang for a Dillon Super Swage 600, It was the easyest way to remove crimps that I know of. __________________ Been Reloading 27 Years NRA Member Member Old Fort Gun Club www.ofgc.org

February 14, 2010, 10:38 PM	#12
zxcvbob Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2007 Location: S.E. Minnesota Posts: 4,720	S&B brass is the same way, even without the primers being sealed or crimped. But if you chamfer or swage the primer pockets (you only have to do this once) it is very good brass. HTH __________________ "Everything they do is so dramatic and flamboyant. It just makes me want to set myself on fire!" —Lucille Bluth

February 13, 2010, 08:45 PM	#3
m.p.driver Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 552	They have a military crimp to keep the primer from backing out.You can swage the crimp out.I have an attachment from RCBS that fits in the place of the deprimer and you just run it into the primer pocket.

February 13, 2010, 08:47 PM	#4
plainsman456 Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2008 Posts: 260	They were crimped in.Some crimped primers can be a bear to get out. I use a universal depriming die for these cases.I have a lyman and rcbs die and they work.

February 13, 2010, 09:28 PM	#6
DiscoRacing Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: milton, wv Posts: 3,640	i have actually used the chamfer tool for the rifle brass necks to put a small bevel on those primer pockets and it usually works fine... i too do some range pickup..but im too much of a penny pincher to just toss em out.

February 14, 2010, 01:36 PM	#8
Sunstealer Member Join Date: January 14, 2010 Posts: 29	Once you remove the crimp though, they reload like any other case from there on. So, it is just a little work really. I would keep them rather than tossing.

February 14, 2010, 08:05 PM	#9
Crusty Deary Ol'Coot Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2009 Location: Deary, Ideeeeeeho Posts: 531	NOT all "sealed" primers are crimped! It has been my experience that a sealed primer gives no trouble when de -capping or re- priming. However, as already mentioned, crimped cased need to have the primer pocket reamed or swadged before seating a new promer. BUT!!!!!!!!!, don't throw the baby out with the bath water just because the primer is sealed. Only the crimped ones should need the extra step. Keep em coming! Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

February 14, 2010, 08:14 PM	#10
Hammonje Senior Member Join Date: January 11, 2010 Location: Lilburn, GA Posts: 117	That would be called a crimped primer pocket. Use a chamfer/deburring tool to remove crimp. A few turns of the RCBS tool does the trick. Lee tool works too but not as sharp.

February 14, 2010, 10:35 PM	#11
garryc Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2005 Posts: 2,536	I just use a little pen knife

February 15, 2010, 12:28 PM	#13
uncyboo Senior Member Join Date: November 7, 2008 Location: Shelby, MT Posts: 1,013	Did your handloading manual not tell you about crimped primers? That's why many will tell you to get a manual from a reputable manufacturer (Speer, Hornady, Sierra, etc.) and read it. Then read it again before you ever resize the first piece of brass.

February 15, 2010, 01:43 PM	#14
johnjohn Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2009 Location: Baton Rouge La. Posts: 122	Thats like throwing money away. It's easy enough to get that crimp outt'a there.

February 15, 2010, 05:06 PM	#15
howlnmad Senior Member Join Date: April 29, 2009 Location: Harriman Tn Posts: 424	I have a countersink, from my wood shop, chucked up in my drill press. it does a wonderful job. Just my .02 worth.

February 18, 2010, 10:41 PM	#16
nhm90 Member Join Date: November 30, 2008 Posts: 27	I ran into the same problems with my S&B brass. Clean up the primer pockets and you should be fine.