More testing of the 7.62x39, this time with the Ruger American Ranch

[Jcann]

@Jcann
Specifically what primers are you using in the Rem brass that has loose Primer Pockets?
Color of box also please?

I only use one type of primer for my bolt actions. It’s the large rifle CCI BR 2. Theses are loose in the primer pockets but it’s caused from numerous loadings and pushing the pressure limits. I have discarded all the Remington brass which had loose pockets hence the reason I haven’t been able to determine the upper node for my Tikka. I don’t have enough Rem brass to make it worth my time and I haven’t seen Remington 260 brass for sale in years. I know I could use Rem 308 or 7-08 brass but I don’t want to go down that road.

 

[Jcann]

Love that.

Try and notice this next time you make a few rounds.
Seating pressures.
Notice how much force it takes to seat the bullet in each case.

I seat slowly and have a very calibrated feel.
If you have a case that seats way easier than the rest you should mark it and when you shoot that in the group of others that seated more firm check and see if that 1 round opened the group.

I get consistent neck tensions and seating forces when I anneal each time.
Winchester cases really need the annealing to keep seating forces the same due to the thinner brass.
But my Lapua cases will group tighter when annealed each time also.
I tried to short cut some of my brass prep but it will show on paper when I do.



That has been my experience.

I swear, after years of hand loading you can feel how over/under worked your brass is when you trim or chamfer it.

 

[swampratt]

I have discarded all the Remington brass which had loose pockets

I read but have not tried this to tighten the pocket to hold a primer better.
Take a ball bearing and place the deprimed case on the bearing on a hard surface with the primer pocket on the bearing.

Put a steel or brass or aluminum dowel rod into the case and rest it inside the case.
Tap the rod the primer pocked will tighten a little from the bearing curvature.

You may need to tap it a few times.
I have not tried it but I see no reason not to try it.

I swear, after years of hand loading you can feel how over/under worked your brass is when you trim or chamfer it

Yep some of the cases when you trim them have a different feel and sound and cut different.
Even if you have annealed them all the same.
Odd phenomenon.

 

[Jcann]

I read but have not tried this to tighten the pocket to hold a primer better.
Take a ball bearing and place the deprimed case on the bearing on a hard surface with the primer pocket on the bearing.

Put a steel or brass or aluminum dowel rod into the case and rest it inside the case.
Tap the rod the primer pocked will tighten a little from the bearing curvature.

You may need to tap it a few times.
I have not tried it but I see no reason not to try it.



Yep some of the cases when you trim them have a different feel and sound and cut different.
Even if you have annealed them all the same.
Odd phenomenon.

I don't see why that bearing trick wouldn't work. I'm sure you would have to do it after each firing. I've never though of trying rehabilitate primer pockets. Before this chaos, brass was easy to find.