Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Loose primer pockets...How loose is "too loose"

How loose is too loose?? I have a few magnum brass that that offer little resistance when seating the primer. the primer stays put, but I am just wondering...."how loose is too loose" when it comes to reloading a case? Is there any danger to shooting these cases??? Thanks for the input.

I would shoot those few this one last time and be done

When I encounter a case where the primer seems to seat with little resistance, I take a red "Sharpie" and make a stripe across the case head. These rounds with the red stripe get put in the plinking ammo pile, after they're fired they get tossed in the scrap brass bucket.

Long as their in and staying and it's not on just a few rounds and the case head isn't giving up the ghost, I'd use them. Might be a good idea to measure the case head. Normally they are losened by case head expansion.

Assuming a bolt action with good gas handling I would expect little personal danger. Even in a bolt gun it's not a good idea to etch the bolt face with whatever leaks past the primer.

Obviously a gas gun might be tied up by a loose primer - that's a reason military primers are crimped to keep the primer from going loose in the action; the AR platform will often react with primer in the trigger issues - and give other problems.

Loose primers may be the result of soft brass or excessive pressure or long use. All good reasons to spend the components on fresh brass next time and reconsider the load.

In necessity it's possible to punch the primer pocket a little closed then use a crimp removal tool to get to the Goldilocks just right size - see e.g. George Nonte's big book on handloading for a description of the process.

A friend of mine who was a well-known custom riflesmith liked to "load them up to their potential," and once mentioned using Super Glue to keep primers in the pockets. I think he was joking, but....

When I question a loosely seated primer, I sometimes use a Lee hand primer punch inserted in the case to judge whether there is enough to hold it. Sometimes they'll slide right out with almost no effort. I don't waste powder and a bullet on another firing. Sometimes one can move to a snugger primer if you've been using a brand of primers which tend toward the smallish side though.

I take the offending cartridge and, holding it at about a 45deg angle, will tap it on the reloading bench 3 or 4 times. If the primer doesn't back out, it's good to go.

I have had new brass that will give little to no resistance, I usually will have "loose" necks before primer pockets. Shoot them a last time and toss.

If I find a case with a loose primer I take a small 3 pound sledge and whack the head and rim of the case on 4 sides. Voila - tight primer!























This is a joke, BTW. Just in case someone is really thinking of trying it.