bigrich wrote:marksman wrote:Rod that tool is for making all the primer pockets the same depth
you may have knocked the crimp off as you inserted it
the tool you need is a primer pocket reamer
these ones are lyman but the are many different brands
i bought the lyman primer cleaning tool with those in. i have only had to use these once on federal 222 brass that was crimped lightly and 308 federal that had the blue glue around the primer area . i quite like hornady products, but this isn't the first problem i've heard of with their brass. talking to stoney the other day and the pockets on his 303 hornady brass is a little loose
. i bite the bullet and get norma brass as cheap as i can find it. it's always been perfect straight out of the bag. i neck size it in case the neck is a little out of shape, but case length is uniform at min trim length and ready to go
Hornady brass in 303B has caused me a lot of anxiety lately. Very hard to prime, two thumbs on the hand prime only to see the primer sitting very proud of the rim so I then have to have another go. Shooting development loads I was getting primers backing out and cratering on sub-sonic loads but not some much higher pressure loads. This is my post on the problem thinking that it was a headspace problem.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11026But I sat down and had a good think about the culprit and realised the primer pockets are the problem. I had some S&B once fired brass so I tried that. Squeeze, Squeeze, Pop. Every one. Uniform seating of the primer. And guess what? No backing out of one primer at all.
.303 brass is certainly not the cheapest brass around, AND I bought up big knowing they will probably get dearer, ALSO, in military oversized chambers they don't last long at full tilt.
When I now get primer setback or cratering in my Hornady cases I just ignore it and look for other indicators . I guess Hornady is just becoming another price point manufacturer.