Bad Day At The Loading Bench

[federali]

Those of us into reloading long enough to have acquired some "expertise" to the point of being willing to help the less experienced among us, can also have those days where we should have stayed in bed.

I was depriming .45 ACP on my universal decapper mounted on the RCBS Rockchucker. Shells are soak-washed and tumbled, then, the primer pockets get uniformed with a Sinclair reamer mounted in a cordless drill before moving on to the Dillon 550B. It's inevitable that I'll pick up stray brass when recovering my own brass and my case prep. procedures usually fixes everything.

This was a case of not reading my own labels. Brass, in different stages of preparation, are contained in large coffee containers, with each labeled with a checklist regarding what was done or not done. Had I noticed that this particular batch had not been uniformed, I wouldn't be making a public confession.

Got myself set up and started loading. The very first shell made it to station 2 while I managed to crush a primer at station 1. I cleared station 1 and discovered a .45 ACP round with a small primer pocket. While pondering station 1, I then wondered, did I double pump without advancing? Of course, this thought occurred after seating the bullet at station 3. Not willing to out-guess myself, I set the round aside for disassembly as it could have been double-charged.

I successfully loaded maybe a dozen rounds when another small primer casing once again fouled things up. Yet, the cerebral bells still didn't go off. Moments later, I destroyed another primer, this time because the primer pocket was crimped. I fixed that problem, only to fail to place a bullet atop the casing at station 3, crushing the primed casing in the process. Finally, I read the brass label and realized at least one mistake: uniforming the pockets would have segregated out the small-primer and crimped pockets.

Fortunately, disassembly of that one round mentioned earlier showed that it had not been double-charged. But somewhere else in this loading session, I placed a live primer back into the loading tube while clearing station 1, only to later discover a loaded round with the primer up-side down. This round was also disassembled and the parts re-used. That's not the end of my woes. I managed to hit the powder reservoir with a stray elbow, partially dislodging it. So, I had to dismount the powder measure, empty and clean it, then re-assemble it. But even that wasn't easy. During previous use, the measure must have rotated a bit as it was fouling one of the pins holding the die plate to the press. An Allen wrench got things in their proper place in the world.

I ended the loading session, making sure I still had all ten fingers and ten toes. Time to get both brain-halves back online. Oh well, nobody is perfect!

[noylj]

You ream the primer pocket EVERY TIME you load the case? Won't that cause the primer pocket to become enlarged over time?
Yep, you need to label your batches.
Why can't you just use a universal depriming die to deprime all cases prior to sorting/cleaning/case prep?

[federali]

Originally Posted by noylj

You ream the primer pocket EVERY TIME you load the case? Won't that cause the primer pocket to become enlarged over time?
Yep, you need to label your batches.
Why can't you just use a universal depriming die to deprime all cases prior to sorting/cleaning/case prep?

The tool used is designed in such a way that you can instantly feel the difference between a uniformed and non-uniformed primer pocket. It's rather difficult to ream out too much material. I tend to ream the pockets each time because of the difficulty of figuring out which brass came from my gun. There are enough non-reloadiers at my police range that I never have to worry about brass availability. The universal decapper merely requires the correct shell holder for the brass you're processing. It will de-prime crimped-in primers but performs no other function. Generally, crimps are removed with a slightly different reamer. A universal decapper will not disclose the presence of a .45 ACP casing with a small primer pocket. The small pockets are found by visual observation or by uniforming as the correct reamer for typical .45 ACP brass will not enter the small pocket. Hope this helps.

[Rule3]

Originally Posted by federali

The tool used is designed in such a way that you can instantly feel the difference between a uniformed and non-uniformed primer pocket. It's rather difficult to ream out too much material. I tend to ream the pockets each time because of the difficulty of figuring out which brass came from my gun. There are enough non-reloadiers at my police range that I never have to worry about brass availability.

That's why they invented Sharpie Permanent markers, so you can mark your brass (On the headstamp) with the color of your choice,

[MichiganScott]

I can't imagine uniforming primer pockets on pistol brass. I use the same setup from Sinclair and find uniforming 100 rifle cases tedious.

[Krell1]

I suppose I'll be hammered for this comment, not by admin though. I NEVER do anything to primer pockets on pistol brass even if it's range brass I've picked up. In over 50 years of reloading it's never been an issue. Sometimes, and I mean rarely, have I encountered a tight primer pocket. I was still able to seat the primer effectively. All these years maybe I've been doing it all wrong.

[Twoboxer]

Good read, evoking sympathy from all of us who have daisy-chained handling errors together on more than one occasion

Besides echoing Rule3's promotion of Sharpie marks, I do have one question.

Originally Posted by federali

. . . While pondering station 1, I then wondered, did I double pump without advancing?. . .

I use a Hornady LnL AP where the dreaded double-pump can only be avoided by personal discipline lol.

But I thought the Dillon presses had an interlock that prevents the powder bar from being refilled until the shellplate has advanced. Not true?

[federali]

Originally Posted by Krell1

I suppose I'll be hammered for this comment, not by admin though. I NEVER do anything to primer pockets on pistol brass even if it's range brass I've picked up. In over 50 years of reloading it's never been an issue. Sometimes, and I mean rarely, have I encountered a tight primer pocket. I was still able to seat the primer effectively. All these years maybe I've been doing it all wrong.

I started uniforming pockets when I discovered that my then-new S&W M&P, would not fire with a primer even slightly high. I was already leaning into the press's arm as hard as I dare. Also, uniforming breaks the edge of the primer pocket for easier seating. Once you've seated primers in uniformed pockets, you won't want to go back to the old way. I readily admit that this extra stage significantly slows downs ammunition production for the amount of time you can dedicate to reloading.

[federali]

Originally Posted by Twoboxer

Good read, evoking sympathy from all of us who have daisy-chained handling errors together on more than one occasion

Besides echoing Rule3's promotion of Sharpie marks, I do have one question.



I use a Hornady LnL AP where the dreaded double-pump can only be avoided by personal discipline lol.

But I thought the Dillon presses had an interlock that prevents the powder bar from being refilled until the shellplate has advanced. Not true?

Nope, my Dillon 550B can be double or triple pumped. I must be alert and disciplined not to allow a problem elsewhere from causing me to throw a double charge.

[rwsmith]

...I got a batch of Starline brss that were too tight. I should have stopped and done something positive but no, inertia is hard to overcome. When i get started with a batch of ammo I seem to have my mind set on doing a certain amount and I'm not likely to get off my course unless I'm stopped dead in my tracks. I would be better off if I would use my head and stop at the first hint of trouble.

[Rule3]

Originally Posted by federali

I started uniforming pockets when I discovered that my then-new S&W M&P, would not fire with a primer even slightly high. I was already leaning into the press's arm as hard as I dare. Also, uniforming breaks the edge of the primer pocket for easier seating. Once you've seated primers in uniformed pockets, you won't want to go back to the old way. I readily admit that this extra stage significantly slows downs ammunition production for the amount of time you can dedicate to reloading.

I have never fiddled with primer pockets on any handgun caliber from 32 up through 44 mag, and only de crimp rifles brass. in many different guns, and not had any issues with the primers?? (yes, a MP 45 included) It wouldn't hit anything but that's another story

Deprime on a RCBS, uniform primer pockets each time, then get hung up on a progressive press,
How much time are you than saving using a progressive?

Have no idea of your ammo quantity requirements though.

[Engineer1911]

Perfection is always a challenge.

[stu1ritter]

Sometimes my LnL won't seat the primer deep enough on 45 ACP brass and that can be felt in the press handle. I pull that piece and put it in the RCBS Jr. mounted next door and give the primer a bit of a push and seat it. I have never touched a primer pocket in some 50 years of reloading pistol ammo. Am I overlooking something?

Stu

[SMSgt]

The only pistol primer pocket I mess with are the crimped WWC cases.

If your press isn't seating primers to the proper depth, fix the press. The factory managed to do so. Otherwise...

[stu1ritter]

SMSgt, not all brass was created equal.

Stu

[iouri]

That was quite a reloading session, federali. Yeah, you right some days it's better to stay in bed I usually stand up all my 45s primer side up and visually inspect (I uniform only on "as needed" basis). Even with this procedure in place I still have few SP brass per session creeping in but I just stop and inspect if I feel resistance early in the seating stroke. If resistance is toward the end it could be tight pocket but if it's in the beginning than chances are it's either crimped or SP brass.

[Krogen]

We all have our days. Thanks for sharing your challenging session. There have been time where I've committed a series of blunders and said "that's enough." I just shut down the process, turn off the lights and go do something else. There's always another day to resume with my head working correctly.

[Rule3]

Originally Posted by stu1ritter

SMSgt, not all brass was created equal.

Stu

Perhaps, but there is no pistol brass that needs to be"uniformed" every time it is loaded. Heck it doesn't even need to be cleaned although many do so. Even tight SB brass will take a primer as will WCC, a slight one time ream of the pocket does make it seat a little easier.

The primer pocket does not distort or change. As mentioned somehow the original factory load fired the primer.

Everyone has their own system so what ever works for them , go for it.

[SMSgt]

Originally Posted by stu1ritter

SMSgt, not all brass was created equal.

Stu

Maybe not, but I use about any range brass except steel and, other than removing the crimp, never had to uniform any primer pocket to get a primer to seat properly. That includes rifle and handgun.

[stu1ritter]

Humm, all I said was that occasionally I have to manually seat a primer off my LnL. I've never said anything about any primer pocket prep which is something I never do.

Stu

[H Richard]

I seem to go to extremes prepping my rifle brass, which I still load in a single stage press one at a time measuring every individual powder throw on a beam balance scale. Now I only load maybe 1000 or so rounds of rifle a year, but it's primarily for Prairie dog shooting where the targets are small and distant. I expect 1/4" groups at 100 yds in order to make shots of a target the size of a 2 liter soda bottle at 500+ yards.

My 38, 45, and 9mm gets run through the Dillon and I don't clean any primer pockets.

[daniel lawecki]

I've reloaded a lot of brass in 30 plus years. And have not had the troubles I read about on different sites. Primer pockets never receive extra care. They don't get cleaned uniformed primer flash holes. My powder charges and weight bullet choice seating and crimp and powder choice these are first and foremost. My .22k hornet with 14'' barrel off a sandbag 3 shot groups .360'' 100 yards. I haven't cleaned a primer pocket ever.

[joeintexas]

I fall into the never ream the primer pocket and have never had a problem, well except for the occasional SP in a 45acp showing up, those go in a separate bucket for later loading. I am sure it doesn't hurt anything but I just haven't seen the need for that extra step.