How important is primer pocket/flash hole prep?

[CaptnC]

View attachment 181401Lyman Is what I have I don't believe it's any better or any worse than most

Me too...great tool unless you try it on Federal brass...broke the end off twice. So if I'm trying to use Federal brass I get the drill out to break all the trash out around the flash hole...there is a ton of chips in every case.

99% of my Federal brass goes into the scrap brass bucket.

Like said I get some trash out of all of them even Lapua.

IMO-it helps lower the SD and ES. When I bought the Lyman tool is when I noticed they both dropped. Now whether that's just a coincident from trying to get more consistent ammo...I'm not 100% sure.

I do have a little warm and fuzzy feeling just knowing there is not trash there!

 

[sturner]

I definitely think easier is better but at the same time this is a hobby for me and I actually enjoy it I don't shoot hundreds of rounds a month so I would do whatever gives results no matter how much work it is and it makes it tougher to decide what to do because it seems every step is very limited on return but when combined it makes a huge difference therefore I do whatever I think gives me an edge and more precision

No doubt I go a lot farther down the rabbit hole then he does my reloading bench looks like a science lab and I enjoy it

 

[338 dude]

No doubt I go a lot farther down the rabbit hole then he does my reloading bench looks like a science lab and I enjoy it

Maybe Hobby wasn't a strong enough word I used to shoot several hundred rounds a month easily but I am on a limited income and I only have two custom rifles but when you go through a barrel a year guaranteed it's hard to keep up and I have had to put limits on myself I don't see the bottom of the rabbit hole but when I turn around I don't see light from the entrance either this is my little bench where all the magic happens in my house

 

[CaptnC]

Bill I happen to have that exact same Harbor Freight work bench...my press is on the right side...I also have a set of the heavy duty shelves to hold bullets, boxes of loaded ammo, powder and "stuff"

 

[Capt RB]

I uniform and deburr after the first fireforming shot. I get better sd's. I've been tuning firing pin height, spring weight, and preload since I started shooting. My grandfather taught me this in such a funny way it stuck. That makes no sense if you don't have uniform pockets.

 

[338 dude]

Bill I happen to have that exact same Harbor Freight work bench...my press is on the right side...I also have a set of the heavy duty shelves to hold bullets, boxes of loaded ammo, powder and "stuff"

I am left-handed but my press cannot be changed to put the handle on the opposite side I'm not happy with where it is but I've learned to deal with it

 

[Capt RB]

I am left-handed but my press cannot be changed to put the handle on the opposite side I'm not happy with where it is but I've learned to deal with it

Drill and tap a hole on the other side for the handle

 

[338 dude]

Drill and tap a hole on the other side for the handle

I think I need to try that I have done mechanics my whole life strictly for myself and friends not professionally but I think I can handle that

 

[338 dude]

You got me thinking so I was just looking at my press the only part that is full thickness is where the handle is the other side is much thinner and has several ribs for strength but now I'm thinking of getting a piece of bar stock for the handle and heating and bending it to cross over to the opposite side

 

[JAYgs8163]

I use the Lyman tool to remove the burr in all my brass. SD average on my last 10 shot load development was in the 3's. It does make a big difference in my opinion. I even do my Lapua and ADG brass.

 

[DJ Fergus]

I like to blame the action screw torque when I have a bad day. "This will stack em in one hole all day .... except when those darn action screws..."

 

[gator378]

I don't do much primer pocket uniforming because most good brass are pretty good(Lapua etc) but I have noticed that, IMO, all brass should have their flash hole deburred and pockets cleaned. Leave no stone unturned if you are in pursuit of the best of accuracy. Some cases have a large burr on the inside of the flash hole that can affect how the primer ignites the powder thus affecting the ES. JMO

So far I have not seen a burr on any flash hole. I checked a bunch of brass and could not find any so I quite searching.

 

[Greyfox]

Depends on the brass. Using Lapua brass or Norma, I have not found it necessary to do anything, other then clean the flash hole. For my demanding competitive and hunting loads I have no problem achieving high precision and very low ES. info Check new lots for flash hole consistency.....no issues as of yet.

 

[Shootin4fun]

In my own A/B tests, I have not seen deburring make a noticeable difference on Fed or Remington brass. It may make more of a difference with fast powders than slow; that would be another test. Lapua which does not need deburring is of course more consistent in every way so that's not a direct comparison. Finding your OCW is where it's at, and will overcome some other variations in the load. I have loads that produce the same ES/SD while varying primer mfg. and brass mfg. Single or low double digit SDs. My statistical samples are usually 5 shot strings. But if you are really serious about this, then you might just want to skip all this and just buy Lapua, who do not punch, but rather drill the hole.