Trouble priming the .223?

[shiredude]

I have a hunting buddy who has recently gotten into reloading with my assistance. He has only been doing it about 5 months now and is happy with his results. However....... He called me last night and has just gotten a die for his 223 and had cleaned and prepped all his cases and was starting to prime them. He is using CCI small rifle and CCI small rifle BR primers. He is explaining to me that about every 4th case, he is having trouble getting the primer seated. I haven't loaded a tremendous amount of 223 but I have never had this problem. He is using an RCBS tool and is explaining to me that it appears that the primer pocket is too small to accept the primers? From my experience, using my RCBS tool, sometimes the tube that the primers fall out into is too big and the small rifle primers turn sideways, but he assures me that this isn't his problem.

I need some suggestions, I went through everything I knew to tell him over the phone with no luck. THe only question is his brass. He doesn't know what kind it is. He bought 500 rds at a gun show. Some of it says L P, and the other says C - R. ?????????????

Anybody have any ideas???? I am going out to see him this weekend and maybe I can see something that he is overlooking??

 

[SUNDEVIL]

Is he using military brass? Did he dechamfer them?

 

[Moman]

It may have to do with the crimp on the primer. Military brass has this crimp, which must be removed before another primer can be inserted. Hornady, and I think RCBS make a primer pocket reaming tool readily available. It cleans out the primer pocket and tapers the pocket edge so the primer slides into place nice and smooth.

 

[shiredude]

It was in fact some sort of military brass. THere was a definate crimp on the primers. I took about 30 pieces of my brass over to him, and he had no further problems.

thanks guys.