Primer showdown: WOLF vs. CCI #41

[markm]

Yes. I crimp everything cannalure or not. I've defitely torn the die apart multiple time and greased the back of the collet. They just wear out. And I run the crap out of the die, so I can't complain. I really just need to buy a new one.

[markm]

I noticed yesterday that the cups on the CCI 41s were shaving a little on some once fired LC brass I was loading. I did a lighter than usual crimp removal (Hornady primer pocket reamer).

I was getting gobs of fingernail clipping shaped pieces in my Sinclair priming tool. This morning I tried 8 Wolf in the same brass, and got a little of those shavings, but not as bad. So the cups definitely have different shape or dimensions.

I plan to re-ream the remaining brass because the shavings, although not likely to mess with reliability, are not acceptable.

[opngrnd]

I noticed yesterday that the cups on the CCI 41s were shaving a little on some once fired LC brass I was loading. I did a lighter than usual crimp removal (Hornady primer pocket reamer).

I was getting gobs of fingernail clipping shaped pieces in my Sinclair priming tool. This morning I tried 8 Wolf in the same brass, and got a little of those shavings, but not as bad. So the cups definitely have different shape or dimensions.

I plan to re-ream the remaining brass because the shavings, although not likely to mess with reliability, are not acceptable.

I've found I can get one or two more firing out of weak brass (e.g. Federal) with the #41s. It gets me more life out of the junk brass for blasting.

[markm]

I re-reamed the primer pockets on the LC batch I was working on and it helped, but I STILL have a lot of cup shavings.

This brass has a generous bevel in the primer pocket, but still getting shavings.

[opngrnd]

I re-reamed the primer pockets on the LC batch I was working on and it helped, but I STILL have a lot of cup shavings.

This brass has a generous bevel in the primer pocket, but still getting shavings.

That's really interesting. I'm going to have to start watching for the same during my next run of 223.

[DG23]

That's really interesting. I'm going to have to start watching for the same during my next run of 223.

Something definitely off there.

Also have to wonder why someone would do a 'lighter than usual' crimp removal.

While I don't use the Hornady tool for that - I 'thought' it was designed to stop cutting when it touched the bottom of the primer pocket to prevent anyone from accidentally reaming too much? Meaning it will only cut so far and ream so much before it can't ream any more?

My RCBS crimp remover absolutely will not cut too much. You push until it stops on the bottom of the pocket and the cutting stops right then and there. Does not cut the bottom of the pocket so it stops making shavings from where it was removing the crimp. So long as you push till it hits the bottom each time every piece of brass comes out exactly the same. And there is no 'shaving' when seating any type of primers...

I could be wrong but I thought the RCBS tool and the Hornady tool were pretty much the same design and worked the same way?

Talking about crimp removal tools here and NOT primer pocket uniformer bits. The uniformer bits will cut the bottom on a shallow primer pocket and do not cut anything as far as a crimp ring is concerned.

[markm]

Also have to wonder why someone would do a 'lighter than usual' crimp removal.

The Hornady cutter puts a pretty big bevel on the cup and recent LC brass doesn't have much of a crimp. So I was trying to just nip the mild crimp.

And yeah. The tool does bottom out, so I'm back to pushing the brass all the way.

[DG23]

The Hornady cutter puts a pretty big bevel on the cup and recent LC brass doesn't have much of a crimp. So I was trying to just nip the mild crimp.

And yeah. The tool does bottom out, so I'm back to pushing the brass all the way.

The RCBS tool does no more to that edge than what you would expect to see on remington .223 brass. Enough, but not at all what I would call excessive.

[markm]

Never tried the RCBS tool. I'm pretty happy with the Hornady cutter. I really think the difference it the primer cups. I've spent the last several years using almost only WOLF. And this is the first time I've ever run CCI 41s.

[T2C]

I have a RCBS hand priming tool and I've seen shaved primers when I did not swage the primer pocket a sufficient amount on military brass.

For the past year or so, I have been using the primer seating feature on my RCBS Rock Chucker IV with good results.