High Primers with PPU 71 Brass

[Captkev]

Hi Guys, i've been a member for a few months(as long as i've been reloading!) and have read until my eyes were crossed on this and some other forums. I also took a reloading class with a Massachusetts guy named Jim Finnerty. I have about 5000 pistol reloads through my 550 with no major issues, great learning machine and it is treating me well. I just started with 223 and worked up the first rounds. I sorted my brass and used the two toolhead method to prep and reload. I have limited brass at this point(maybe 500 cases) that is mixed head stamped. The PPU 71 cases are giving me problems with high primers and just a bit high on the case gauge. I swaged them with the super swage but they still seem to have a problem seating the cci small rifle primers (#400) all the way. They are very close to flush, but still visibly high and i can't lean on the machine any more, it just won't go any further. I have adjusted the primer cup plunger and it sets the primers just fine in the RP headstamp cases. Sorry for the long post but i wanted to give you guys some background info. Anyone else see this kind of problem with the PPu cases? Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Kevin

[thobart]

Look for bent pocket out of the super swage. This can cause this. If that is the problem then adjust your super swage for a lighter swage. If that is not enough swage try a primer pocket cutter truer and see if that works.

[Captkev]

Look for bent pocket out of the super swage. This can cause this. If that is the problem then adjust your super swage for a lighter swage. If that is not enough swage try a primer pocket cutter truer and see if that works.

I will check it out, thank you. I'm going to experiment with some cases over the weekend

[dauntedfuture]

Depending on how your swager is set up you can indeed damage the brass. It is possible to create an artificial shelf in the primer pocket that upon insertion of the primer causes an interference fit. Remember that not all brass is the same specs and if its only a problem with the PPU ammo I suspect there is a slight variation in the brass that is causing the issue. The other real possibility is that the primer pockets can be on the small side and the primers on the large side. The effect is that the hard primer cup scrapes a little brass from the primer pocket wall into the bottom of the cup and again creates an impediment so seating the primers.

I cant say that I exactly recall an issue with PPU brass. I more often encounter a stick that did not get a crimp removed and slipped into the wrong bucket.

I am curious as to how your case gauge is used to evaluate primer depth. A primed case should sit flat on a piece of glass or another otherwise flat level surface without rocking or sitting on the primer. As long as the primer is flush, you are fine. and again, primer pockets are cut to different dimensions.