How can you tell if primer pockets are too loose?

[andre3k]

I shoot mainly military crimped brass (5.56) with some commercial thrown in. I've noticed that some of my primers seat a little too easy with my lee hand priming tool. I'm using a dillon swager. Could I have the swager set too deep? How can you tell if the primer pockets are too loose? I'm concerned because this is ammo that I'm loading for an upcoming class. I don't need any loose primers locking up my weapon.

[eightmillimeter]

I shoot mainly military crimped brass (5.56) with some commercial thrown in. I've noticed that some of my primers seat a little too easy with my lee hand priming tool. I'm using a dillon swager. Could I have the swager set too deep? How can you tell if the primer pockets are too loose? I'm concerned because this is ammo that I'm loading for an upcoming class. I don't need any loose primers locking up my weapon.

I use a hand priming tool as well (RCBS) which will let you detect the loose pockets before they become a problem. When a primer goes in on the easy side i just put a big silly mark on the case head with a sharpie and toss it after the next firing. As long as it holds the primer in there you wont have a problem.

[andre3k]

I use a hand priming tool as well (RCBS) which will let you detect the loose pockets before they become a problem. When a primer goes in on the easy side i just put a big silly mark on the case head with a sharpie and toss it after the next firing. As long as it holds the primer in there you wont have a problem.

good advice, never thought of doing that. thx

[markm]

I also use the sharpie method. I didn't know others did the same. I put a big black X on the brass.

But this is exactly why I ditched that damned Super swager. The settings were never right. And the settings weren't the same for different kinds of 5.56/.223 brass.

I went to the much cheaper Hornady primer pocket reamer and have never looked back. You can't overdo it with this tool, and you can use the cutter in a hand drill if you're doing lots of brass.