Igman brass for 6.5x55 issues

[HIGHRPM]

Hey guys I seem to have some issues. I bought some once fired Igman boxer primed brass for reloading for my 6.5x55 Swed and found some things that concern me. First, it is boxer primed but the primer flash hole is way smaller, so you would have to modify a decap primer pin to fit properly. Secondly the size of the primer pocket is smaller. The standard boxer large rifle primer is .209 in diameter. The pocket in the Igman brass is .206, where as a Winchester primer hole is .209. I researched the brass and found it's used in many countries for a military round but failed to make a Nato spec because it was a bit to slow. Every where I try to research this issue, people say it's great brass and reloadable. Can somebody tell me how then ? Do I spend the time and drill out the flash hole and the primer pocket ?? Confused and need some quidence.

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[RBruce]

I've reloaded Igman 6.5x55 Swede with no problems.

[HIGHRPM]

I am super happy that you have no problem but unfortunatly I am. In all my research I hear that alot of people bitch about the primer holes being small and different sizes, which would without a doubt effect the primer flash. I tried many times with my hand primer and my press primer and they both won't seat the primer as the sizing is just enough for it to bind. I reload for many different calibers and have never run into this and I am asking for help. So, since you have no problem reloading, how do you seat your primers ? Mic the primer holes and see if you have the size issue that I have, who knows maybe yours are right on. With all the complaints out there, maybe I got a bad batch , I don't know.

[RBruce]

I'll check. I bought a case of the loaded ammo probably six or seven years ago. I've reloaded the fired brass a couple of times. At one time I has a 6.5x55 AI which I fire formed the brass, then reloaded it. It was the same batch.

[RBruce]

I measured the primer pockets of several brands of 6.5x55 brass.

PMC once fired .525 mm
Igman once fired .524 mm
Lapua once fired .526 mm
Lapua new without primer .525-.526 mm

My caliper may be a thousandth or two off. Also, the readings I got varied by .001 depending on where I held the caliper in the primer pocket.

[HIGHRPM]

Well, I measure a new Wichester primer pocket and it came in at 5.25 mm which is good and right on with yours. I went back to try to remeasure the Igman pocket and I couldn't get a consistant reading largely due to the primer still being inside. The first one that I took a measurement off of I drilled out the primer and pocket to see how the new primer would fit and it squezzed in real nice, but when I tried to use my hand installer or the press installer on the original pocket, there was no way those primers were going in. So, my first real issue is the real small primer flash hole! How do you punch your primers out? I tried several dies pins and none would fit the Igman brass ???? I think I am going to sacrifice one decapper pin and grind it down to fit and then retake a measurement on the pocket. This is so dumb??

[RBruce]

I used a standard Lee resizer with decapper pin - no problem.

[HIGHRPM]

Wow. In the one primer that I drilled out, there is no chance in hell that any of my decapper pins would fit in that tiny hole. I must have some weird stuff here as some people are having no issues at all and there is now way I can punch out the primers unless I modify a pin, go figure. So, I am going to sacrifice one decapping pin and punch some primers and do more measuring and if I need to ream out the primer pockets, I guess I have no choice with this lot. Thank you for all the help, greatly appreciated !!

[HIGHRPM]

Well, here is a quick update for everyone. I lubed up a handful of Igman cases, and tried very carefully for a couple of minutes to FL resize and punch out the primer and to no surprise to me, the decap pin being way too big for the Igman small primer flash hole, the pin got stuck in the flash hole and broke ! I have yet to get the peace of pin out because it is really locked into the flash hole. When the pin broke it actually loosened the primer, so I removed it and measured the primer cup which came in at .515 as compared to the other measurements of .524 and .525, clearly a difference that I can't explain. So I am going to order a couple of decaper pins and grind one down to work to start processing this brass, and if I need to drill things out, I will be doing that. Confusing.

[RBruce]

I bought a case of the 6.5x55 several years ago. The only identification marks I can find on the boxes is an "02 02" on the inside of one flap of each 20 round box. Perhaps you can complain to the distributor - ask for replacement brass.