Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Cannot prime shells. A First For Me.

Well I'll be darn. Recently got back into reloading for my 308 and was priming my once fired shells.
Everything was as it should till I got to two boxes of Hornady American Whitetails. Large rifle primers are a no go in these. Upon closer inspection, it appears as though Hornady used some sort of shim in the primer pockets. Maybe they used small rifle primers?

This is certainly a first for me. Any ideas if meant for small rifle primers and which ones would be like using CCI200?
I might just trash these shells. Anybody have input on this?

Primer pockets are crimped. Need a swager tool or crimp removal cutter tool. Large rifle primers after that.

I don't know why commercial 308 win ammo would have a crimp like that but it sure does sound like a crimp.

I've seen some that were crimped too. I'd toss the sumbitches, unless you have a stock pile. Then buy the proper tools to remove that pesky crimp. Why the f Hornady thinks they need a crimp is beyond me.

Didn't know it was ever done with factory American ammo. I wouldn't know the reason either. Not to be accusatory towards Hornady without knowing the facts, but they do manufacture both ammo and brass. Keeps sales flowing of either/or, when factory ammo brass is not worth messing with on reloads.

I'm a scrounge when visiting the range and have been finding a lot of brass that the primers have been crimped includeing Hornady Lapua and Norma.

Hip

So, do SRP's work in them? Might be the wave of the future. (hope not)

I have a bunch of 308 Hornady (not match) range brass that has crimped primers.

Google it. Lots of folks ask the same question about the same brass.

Hornady crimps their "military style ammo", specifically 223/308, even the American Whitetail line. Why? Because they likely pull the brass out of the same line that's feeding guberment contracts. Nothing special for us peasants.

De-crimp it, or toss it, but that's the what and why the OP is after.

You can blame over-gassed AR type rifles for the crimped primers. Too much residual gas pressure as the bolt unlocks, and out comes the primer. Federal has been crimping all their non target .223 Rem loads since the early 2000's. Winchester crimps all their .350 Legend. Not surprised .308 Win are getting crimped too. Will not be surprised to see that all rounds commonly used in AR's end up with crimped primers.

One easy solution for that relatively small amount of brass is to use a case-mouth chamfering tool to remove the remnants of the crimp.

That’s what we do for a friends .308 and Hornady brass. 3-4 spins and it’s cut right out.

This has been very informative and will have a look at these tools needed for this BS. I really won't mind skipping this step, for now, in case prep, rather just reload and shoot.

A case mouth chamfering tool as mentioned by JB should already be in your kit if you reload. Simple inexpensive part of bench gear. RCBS is probably the most common to find in the LGS. Don't bother with a VLD type though, it will bottom out in the large rifle primer pocket before cutting any of the crimp out.

Or, you can buy the tools made specifically for the job. Either to cut it out, or swage it out with your press. Either way it's not a horrible idea to be prepared to remove primer crimps. Reload long enough and you find the need for it.

I had the same exact issue with Hornady 308 brass earlier this year.
Bought it as once fired. Swedged and champhered the primer pockets.

I'll tell a dumbass anecdote about myself and crimped primers. I bought a sh*tload of once fired 5.56 brass, all same headstamp, that of course needed the primer crimps removed. Being a hard head I decided to just use the system I have been using for decades to de-crimp occasional military brass - the primer pocket reamer attachment for my Wilson trimmer. You haven't lived until you've de-crimped by hand a thousand LC brass in that manner. "Never again quoth he."

It was to create a good SHTF stash of AR fodder with a pile of a thousand Hornady 55's I got dirt cheap. Plus, time was of no object so what the heck. Still and all not one of my more sane projects - especially in light of the fact that I soon divested myself of the AR and moved on with what's more important in my life. (I kept that pile of .223's though because coincidentally they shoot very nicely in my Browning Low Wall .223 single shot. But at the rate I shoot that gun I still have about 900 left, not to mention the little sweetheart really loves 40 and 45 Bergers out of Lapua brass which I strive to feed her mostly.)

gnoahhh. I was in the same situation, but it was a damn 5 gallon bucket full of LC 556 brass. One of my "buddies" gave it to me. Or, I should say: He gave the brass to me, and I thought he was a buddy. Boy was I wrong!!! 5-8 decapping pins later and still not done with all that brass, I swore I was not going to fu ck around with LC brass ever again. I ended up giving that crap away too!!!! I don't mess with it, and even gave my RCBS swaging dies to a guy that I bought a bunch of BR2's from a couple years ago. Him and I were both ecstatic. I think I got the better end of the deal. He gave me a brick of BR2's for that headache.. If I were only doing 100 or so, it wouldn't be a big deal, but having to deal with a 5 gallon bucket of 556 brass that needed more attention than it should, left a bad taste in my mouth. I guess I'm like the OP, and would rather just load and shoot. I hate it when unnecessary schidt slows me down too. YMMV..