Another Primer Seating Question

I have no problems seating primers in my 30 '06 brass, HXP and other commercial brass. A friend gave me some ammo with BN 40 on the head stamp in stripper clips. What I've learned is that this is Frankford Arsenal ammo made in the early 50's & given to certain SE Asian & Carribean allies but diguised to hide their source. When seating primers in these shells they are difficult to impossible to seat properly. Some don't seat flat with the head, some are tilted. Any tips or solutions would be appreciated. I've included a scan of the head stamp.

It looks like the brass still has a primer pocket crimp. I use a rcbs primer pocket swager to do this operation. I then use a deburing tool to lightly debur the pocket. Gi ammo is all crimped. Commercial is not crimped. That is why you are having a problem seating primers.

Your eyes must a heckuva lot better than mine [a distinct possibility] to see a punch/crimp mark on that case head. :-)

That aside, the suggested swager should at least iron the rim diamter out uniformly, and then I'd recommend using a pocket uniformer to clean out/square up the bottom of the pocket. Nothing can go wrong at that point.

Nothing can go wrong.

..... Nothing can go wrong.

.............. Nothin can go wrong....


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Is A Crimp !!!

I'm used to seeing 3-to-4 little punch/crimp marks around the circumference. Is that a full-circumference/circular rollover crimp instead?

Yes the full circle lip on the inside is all crimp.The RCBS swager tool is the cats meow to quikly reform this crimp for easy primer setting.

Sure looks like standard GI crimp to me. The symptoms you report are exactly what happens when you try to seat primers without removing the crimp.

Thanks for the info, fellas!

.......a friend of mine asked for my help in selling his deceased father-in-laws reloading stuff. In the batch of stuff is........an RCBS primer pocket swaging tool combo marked $10.00!! No directions for use though...does anyone have it in pdf form or is it available through RCBS?

you need to have the JR series of press , as the ram has to be swapped out with the ram include in the tool.
The "die" tool is screwed into the top of frame like a regular die, it has the LR dimensioned swager ground on the end of a 3/8" threaded rod.

The case is place over the small diamter rod, sticking up from the ram, raise the ram up to contact the swager, then adjust the swager to open the crimp. loswer the ram, id case stay on swager then raise the swageruntil the case drops off. reposition swager and repeat.

If it the current system for both LR &SR primers, the swager is a modified shellholder that fits on the current press ram and the case is placed in a "Die" type tool that use the body of case to hold and the swager pushes the crimp. Aas you lower the unit the case pops-off by stripper unit.

I found the directions on www.surplusrifle.com with pictures, no less. I followed the instructions on a few deprimed shells. I could feel the slight "pop" as the knob entered the primer pocket and when I lowered the ram the shell fell off. I then seated primers with no problem as if they were regular commercial brass or HXP. Thanks for the responses guys.