AR Colleagues,
I was perusing the Midway catalog last night and saw this tool with which I was not familiar. It is designed to restore loose primer pockets. Seems like a good idea….anybody have one or use and if so your opinion please. It is made by Hart so I would expect the quality to be high.

R W Hart Case Saver Swage for Large Primer Pockets


Thanks

Hey Paul, I've not used one and don't know anyone who has one. Someone mentioned the Thingy to me a couple of years ago though and I asked, "What happens to the bottom of the Primer Pocket?", and never got an answer.

I still wonder if the Primer Pocket is squeezed to reduce the Internal Diameter, what will happen to where we "Seat" the Primers.

I would "guess" it begins to Deform either toward the Case Head or Deform toward the inside of the Case.

Are you going to get one?

The third reviewer behind that link says the steel with which the tool is made is too soft to do the job. Says he's sending his back. The first two reviewers liked the product very much. The choice is yours to buy or not to buy...

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:
Hey Paul, I've not used one and don't know anyone who has one. Someone mentioned the Thingy to me a couple of years ago though and I asked, "What happens to the bottom of the Primer Pocket?", and never got an answer.

I still wonder if the Primer Pocket is squeezed to reduce the Internal Diameter, what will happen to where we "Seat" the Primers.

I would "guess" it begins to Deform either toward the Case Head or Deform toward the inside of the Case.

Are you going to get one?

Here is a description from the site:

"This device functions by punching a slightly larger than primer size, shallow hole in the top third of the primer pocket. The primer pocket material compresses inward in a ridge about halfway down the pocket, causing this area to grip the primer very firmly."

So it sounds like it doesn't affect the bottom of the pocket, and compresses the top. But wouldn't that leave the top of the primer unsupported?

quote:

Originally posted by Bobster:
So it sounds like it doesn't affect the bottom of the pocket, and compresses the top. But wouldn't that leave the top of the primer unsupported?

Good question.

Here is a thread on it I found on another forum. Now these guys were using it to swage Berdan to Boxer, but it does point out some shortcomings in quality and customer service.

http://www.surplusrifleforum.c...=78&t=90109&start=30

Hot Core et al,
I saw this in the Midway catalog while looking for some things I "need" to take advantage of their special "My Birthday" pricing. I wondered the same thing though, swaging the primer pocket means the metal has to come from somewhere so would the web or top of the pocket get thinner over time. I saw the posts stating that the tool was too soft...wonder if it could be hardened? It's not that I load so hot to expand pockets (ok sometimes) but more to use it to try to get more mileage out of expensive (aka 416 Rigby brass).
I'm going to order one and play with it on a few cases to see. I'll report back.
Thanks for the input,
Paul

Hey Paul, As I read your first post, I was thinking of "expensive cases". Some of the latest Fliers I've been getting have severe "Sticker Shock" on the BIG Cases like your 416. So it is understandable why you would be interested.

I was thinking about the description of how it works last night. Just wondering if a person could do something similar with a regular Punch, a "Transfer Punch" and a Vise. Put a 7/32" Transfer Punch in a Vise and place the Case Mouth down over it. The sharp Transfer Tip would center the Punch against the bottom of the Primer Pocket, but still provide a relatively small Flat Surface for the Case to set against.

Then take a 1/4" Flat Face Punch and give the complete edge of the Primer Pocket a single hit. That might do something similar to the Tool, or maybe not.

Wondering about the consistency when using a Hammer. But, it could be Tested on any size Case, not just the expensive ones.

If I had my Transfer Punches, I'd try it, but they are "On Loan"(and have been for awhile).