Reloading PMC brand .223 primer pockets

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Harley1953

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My son and I are VERY new to reloading and as such have been doing mainly straight wall pistol reload(.45ACP/38 special). With that being said my son has recently saved up a bunch of PMC brand brass in .223 he has shot out of his AR.

He is having a very difficult time putting primers back in the cases using a Lee auto prime hand held. He uses a RCBS primer pocket "cleaner" to clean any gunk out of the pocket before trying to put a primer in the pocket. We have both used the auto prime to do the pistol brass and seem to have no trouble putting primers in the cases.

These .223 cases are almost impossible to put a primer in the case.

Now my question ---- Does PMC have a military crimp that has to be removed first?

I have no experience at all with this sort of thing and ASSumed that commercial ammo such as PMC would not have a military crimp.

Any ideas or experience with this....?? Thanks for any advice
 

Fyrtwuck

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Look at the brass. If it was crimped, you should see a ring around the primer pocket. If there is, you either have to trim or swage. I have seen different brands of commercial brass that have been crimped.
 

KurtM

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YES PMC IS A CRIMPED PRIMER!!! You will have to champher the primer pocket to remove the crimp, or swage it out. KurtM
 

KurtM

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Bronze is made by a South african company, Gold made By Korean I believe. Now here is the catch, the S.A. brass is VERY heavy and in being, it's case volume is MUCH lower than the "orriginal" Gold line. I don't remeber the weights right off the top of my head, but it would be a good idea to weigh a few of your PMC cases against say a G.I. case or Commercial case. If they are about the same (within 2-5 grains) load like usual. If they are around 15 grains heavy reduce your load AT LEAST A GRAIN!, or you will be picking spent primers out of your lower and having a failed case or two.

A quick way to tell is that the head stamp of the S.A. stuff is smaller. The Gold has a very definite Crimp and bigger stamped writing on the case head, and uses a very red colored primer sealer. KurtM
 

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