GGG Brass 5.56 primer pockets shallow?

[DaveT]

I am just preparing some once fired GGG brass for reloading.

Deprimed with Lee decaping die no problem.

Swaged with a Dillon 600 no problem.

All good so far.

The primer pockets seem very shallow.... less than the .117 thou minimum spec and often only .112.

Using a K &M pocket uniformer which comes set at .122 cutting depth is tedious!

Anyone got any thoughts on the shallow pocket depth?

At first I worried that perhaps the decaper pin had pushed the pocket out but it slips through the flash hole easily enough.

Possibly just low QC?

[Catch-22]

My simple mind says just give it a go.
If the primer is seated deep enough and goes 💥 without piercing primers or hang fires, then I’d not worry about it.

[John MH]

Did you get a gauge?

[DaveT]

I did John.

I used that to set up the swager.

The other end is for checking pocket depth I think?

I am using Mitutoyo calipers get an accurate  pocket depth reading.

In starting to ream out the pockets I am noticing that the shiny cut surface on one side is shallow whist the as yet untouched primer residue on the other side is okay around  .120 deep.

Smacks of wonky manufacture?

[DaveT]

Catch22....primer not deep enough for my liking..... in an AR with a floating firing pin I'm less than happy about that.

[DaveT]

John

Double checked with the GO end of the gauge and the ones I have reamed are fine.

Somehow the pocket appears to be ok on one side but shallow on the other!

I can't think how a primer pocket drill could do that...if that is how they are formed.

[Catch-22]

46 minutes ago, DaveT said:

Catch22....primer not deep enough for my liking..... in an AR with a floating firing pin I'm less than happy about that.

Fair dinkum, didn’t realise you were using the AR platform.

[John MH]

What are they like before swaging?

 

[DaveT]

Shallow.

I did wonder if swaging was somehow affecting things but I have kept this to a minimum and can't think how it could affect the pocket depth even if I were to be ham fisted.

[DaveT]

Is there any way that a swager could push brass down one side of the pocket to make it shallower on that side?

The swager plunger appears to centralise well enough.

[Roy W]

Does it really make much of a difference?

I use GGG swaged brass all the time. in 3 years I have loaded and shot over 13k rounds of it through two ARs, with no primer issues at all.

It's Milspec brass after all.

 

[DaveT]

You may be right but I don't want proud primers and would rather know whats causing it and put it right.

[DaveT]

Just fishing for thoughts on the issue.

[Roy W]

I think the fact it's Milspec answers the question. 

Lapua Brass it isn't, but then again, it is good quality for multiple reloads for CSR type shooting.

Do the primers actually sit proud? Mine are well below the base of the case.

[John MH]

Just measured a few of mine, 0.120" to 0.117" although its difficult to get an accurate measurement with the depth end of a caliper. 

I've never had a problem with them either, as long as the primer is not proud I'd not worry.

[DaveT]

Thanks for the input guys.

I have reloaded previous batches a dozen times and whilst the primers have been only just deep enough they have performed ok.

I think Iw ill just finish uniforming this new batch and stole worrygutsing!😀

[DaveT]

typos!

[Strangely Brown]

I've been in the exact position as yourself Dave; my assumption is that you're using CCI primers? 

Try the Russian Murom small rifle primers which I have found to be a better solution. 

[DaveT]

I fixed my Dillon issue by having a mate machine a new case holder with the support rod that goes inside the case being made just wide enough to fit in the case mouth......about .222 thou.

It no longer skews off to the side which was causing the primer pocket to be pushed out from the inside....simples...and I can't see why Dillon make the original part so narrow.

The new part completely supports the inside pocket so no distortion occurs.

I am using CCIs but read that you need the Magnum version of the Muroms or else you risk piercings because the cup is thin?

I bought a 1000 Murom standard small primers but am afraid to use them!

I use Murom successfully in 260 rem and withgreatly reduced SD / ES over CCI .

[John MH]

I use Murom standard primers for .223 with no issues.

[DaveT]

Good to know John!👍