What Is A Crimped Primer?

UtopiaTexasG19 · September 15, 2011, 04:02 PM

I was looking at some of the "once fired brass" vendors on the Internet and some are selling .223 brass with "crimped primers". Does this mean the fired primers are still in the casing and need to be removed or is their another meaning to the "crimped primer" notifications? Thanks...

Sevens · September 15, 2011, 04:26 PM

Crimped primer usually refers to military produced ammo. They crimp the primer in place so that it doesn't work itself loose under extreme conditions, such as full auto firing from a larger platform than, say, the M-4.

Just like any other brass, they decap just fine. The problem comes when you attempt to PRIME those cases... the crimp tends to get in the way.

Some people cut them out, some use a swage die to squash them out. Others simply prime carefully around them.

Stick_man · September 15, 2011, 04:31 PM

Most of the military brass has "crimped" primers. You can fairly easily tell by looking at the bottom of your brass and you will see a little ring of brass around the primer, between the primer and the primer pocket. It won't necessarily be consistent size the entire circumference, but will be noticeable. It is used to help keep the primer in place (whether or not it is needed). When you reload crimped brass, you would decap it normally but before you put a new primer in, you will need to remove the crimp. It can be done through swaging it or cutting it out with a crimp remover. Otherwise, you will have a hard time seating a new primer in there without destroying the new primer.

UtopiaTexasG19 · September 15, 2011, 07:23 PM

Thanks for the replys. I can find regular once fired brass for the same price as those once fired with the crimped primers so I see no reason financially to buy this type with the extra work included!

243winxb · September 15, 2011, 07:56 PM

Remove the crimp by swaging or reaming the primer pocket before reloading.

Miata Mike · September 15, 2011, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Just like any other brass, they decap just fine.

Usually. I took a nice close up picture of three pieces of crimped 9mm brass that jammed my Lee Pro 1000 the other night. The decapping pin just about turned the primer inside out without detaching from the crimp. I never saw that before the other night.

I also can't find a way to transfer the picture to my computer (adapters are with my laptop 70 miles away).

Sevens · September 16, 2011, 02:49 PM

9mm with crimped primers is, at my bench, scrap metal for the recycle bucket.

Simply put, I have SO MUCH 9mm and I know it's painfully easy to get scads of it, I just recycle any 9mm with a crimped primer.

Miata Mike · September 16, 2011, 05:32 PM

Quote:

9mm with crimped primers is, at my bench, scrap metal for the recycle bucket.

Simply put, I have SO MUCH 9mm and I know it's painfully easy to get scads of it, I just recycle any 9mm with a crimped primer.

For the most part, when I find it upon sorting head stamps I keep it separate. I really doubt that I will ever take the time to swage the stuff and it will most likely end up as scrap.

I have 2 ice cream pails of 9mm empty brass. Problem with me was I sized and deprimed on my progressive press to save time and will hand sort another day.

ammorelds · October 4, 2011, 11:53 AM

you could get a primer pocket reaming tool put in drill and go to town....only cost $10ish

Dr. Strangelove · October 4, 2011, 12:41 PM

I've got a thousand or so military .223 I picked up off the ground back when ammo was hard to find and reloading tools were flying off the shelf. I also ordered an RCBS swager, but I find I really don't use it much. There is just too much uncrimped to be had to mess with the crimped stuff. I do have it for a rainy day, I guess.

medalguy · October 4, 2011, 08:20 PM

I prefer military brass. I find I get more reloads out of military as a rule than commercial. It tends to be more consistent than commercial as well. That makes the extra task of removing the primer crimp (a one-time proposition) worth it.

September 15, 2011, 04:02 PM	#1
UtopiaTexasG19 Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2011 Location: S.E. Texas Gulf Coast Posts: 699	What Is A Crimped Primer? I was looking at some of the "once fired brass" vendors on the Internet and some are selling .223 brass with "crimped primers". Does this mean the fired primers are still in the casing and need to be removed or is their another meaning to the "crimped primer" notifications? Thanks...

September 15, 2011, 04:26 PM	#2
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 6,862	Crimped primer usually refers to military produced ammo. They crimp the primer in place so that it doesn't work itself loose under extreme conditions, such as full auto firing from a larger platform than, say, the M-4. Just like any other brass, they decap just fine. The problem comes when you attempt to PRIME those cases... the crimp tends to get in the way. Some people cut them out, some use a swage die to squash them out. Others simply prime carefully around them. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

September 15, 2011, 07:56 PM	#5
243winxb Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2011 Posts: 598	Crimped Primers Remove the crimp by swaging or reaming the primer pocket before reloading.

September 16, 2011, 02:49 PM	#7
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 6,862	9mm with crimped primers is, at my bench, scrap metal for the recycle bucket. Simply put, I have SO MUCH 9mm and I know it's painfully easy to get scads of it, I just recycle any 9mm with a crimped primer. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

October 4, 2011, 12:41 PM	#10
Dr. Strangelove Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2008 Location: Athens, GA Posts: 1,406	I've got a thousand or so military .223 I picked up off the ground back when ammo was hard to find and reloading tools were flying off the shelf. I also ordered an RCBS swager, but I find I really don't use it much. There is just too much uncrimped to be had to mess with the crimped stuff. I do have it for a rainy day, I guess. __________________ Just remember, when you pull the trigger, the bullets come out going very, very fast. So make sure to keep the weapon pointing away from you.

September 15, 2011, 04:31 PM	#3
Stick_man Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 238	Most of the military brass has "crimped" primers. You can fairly easily tell by looking at the bottom of your brass and you will see a little ring of brass around the primer, between the primer and the primer pocket. It won't necessarily be consistent size the entire circumference, but will be noticeable. It is used to help keep the primer in place (whether or not it is needed). When you reload crimped brass, you would decap it normally but before you put a new primer in, you will need to remove the crimp. It can be done through swaging it or cutting it out with a crimp remover. Otherwise, you will have a hard time seating a new primer in there without destroying the new primer.

September 15, 2011, 07:23 PM	#4
UtopiaTexasG19 Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2011 Location: S.E. Texas Gulf Coast Posts: 699	Thanks for the replys. I can find regular once fired brass for the same price as those once fired with the crimped primers so I see no reason financially to buy this type with the extra work included!

October 4, 2011, 11:53 AM	#9
ammorelds Member Join Date: October 4, 2011 Location: South Dakota Posts: 38	you could get a primer pocket reaming tool put in drill and go to town....only cost $10ish

October 4, 2011, 08:20 PM	#11
medalguy Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 2009 Location: New Mexico Posts: 950	I prefer military brass. I find I get more reloads out of military as a rule than commercial. It tends to be more consistent than commercial as well. That makes the extra task of removing the primer crimp (a one-time proposition) worth it.