Small Primer Pocket vs. Large Primer Pocket Brass

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  • kymountainman
    Bloodstained
    • Nov 2016
    • 40

    Small Primer Pocket vs. Large Primer Pocket Brass

    So, I've been reading all over the net for the past several days and it seems that there is a consensus that PPU / Large Primer Pocket brass is only good for 1 to 2 loadings before it's scrapped. Am I correct in assuming this?

    The reason I ask ... I have read where both people who are reloading PPU (Large Primer) brass and formed from 7.62x39 brass have a problem with blown primers and/or loose primer pockets after 1 to 2 reloads from the initial firing.

    Is this pretty much a consensus here?
  • ScoutH57
    Bloodstained
    • Oct 2016
    • 88

    #2
    That has been my experience with a large number of the PPU/Wolf brass ass well as the 7.62x39 I resized, however I only had tried a very small sample size of 7 62x39 brass before I stopped experimenting with it.

    I have a pretty large number of reloads on my Hornady SP brass

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    • VASCAR2
      Chieftain
      • Mar 2011
      • 6219

      #3
      I found that Sellier & Bellot large primers fit my PPU brass better than the US large rifle primers. The very first Wolf/PPU brass which was loaded with soft point bullet was pretty poor. I have at least two or three loadings on later production PPU 6.5 Grendel brass. I don't hot rod my reloads so I'm sure that helps the longevity. I have two or three loadings on my fire formed 7.62 X 39 brass with various head stamps.

      I prefer Lapua and Hornady brass but I load the PPU and FF X39 brass for plinking and or varmint hunting. I normally load 85-100 grain bullets in my PPU or FF brass. If the primer pockets get loose I cull those pieces of brass but I haven't lost very many. I've bought several hundred Nosler and Sierra factory seconds/blems bullets and I have used a lot of them in my PPU/X39 brass.



      When PPU recalled their 6.5 Grendel ammo they wouldn't accept fired brass so I still have quite a few. I figure I'll use them as long as they last.
      Last edited by VASCAR2; 12-04-2016, 02:31 AM.

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      • maxxmojo
        Bloodstained
        • Jul 2016
        • 99

        #4
        I got no more than 3 loadings from my PPU brass. At that point the primer pockets had opened up too big to keep a primer in and the bases were extremely tight in the shell holder.

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        • kymountainman
          Bloodstained
          • Nov 2016
          • 40

          #5
          OK. Thanks for the input everyone. I decided to buy a couple boxes of New Hornady Brass today along with numerous boxes of Hornady Custom ammo. I did the math while shopping at my local gun shop, and it's actually cheaper for me to buy ammo at $1.03 a piece than it is to reload new brass. As a rule of thumb ... I'll stick with Hornady.

          On a side note ... this kind of surprises me about the PPU Grendel brass. I have some PPU brass in 6.5 Swede that has 8x loads on it due to me only neck sizing. Also, several of the other PPU cases that I full length sized for my 7.62x54r, to be fired from my SVD 63, have been Full Length sized up to 6 times with ZERO issues on primer pocket expansion. Both of these calibers hold standard CCI 200 and CCI 34 primers without any issues at all.


          Is this just an issue with the 7.62x39 and Grendel PPU brass?

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          • Kilco
            Chieftain
            • Jan 2016
            • 1201

            #6
            Only input I have is regarding the 308 lapua Palma brass with the small primer pocket. I saw absolutly and totally aZERO difference between the two regarding velocity, SD or ES. I don't pus pressures very hard so I can't say much regarding brass life between the two.

            That being said, almost every bench rest designed cartridge is using a small primer pocket, so there has to be something to be gained..

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            • maxxmojo
              Bloodstained
              • Jul 2016
              • 99

              #7
              Originally posted by kymountainman View Post
              Is this just an issue with the 7.62x39 and Grendel PPU brass?
              I think so. A while back I got some brand new once fired 30-06 PPU brass for my dad's 6.5-06 and it's been holding together great.

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              • Rickc
                Warrior
                • Aug 2016
                • 311

                #8
                Life cycle cost of brass.

                When you factor in the number of reloads you get with lapua brass the cost of the brass is somewhere between the cost of a primer and the powder.

                Throw in the quality of the lapua brass and it is a no Brainer

                Of course you can destroy any brass using hot loads. If you want your brass to last then just back off a little. Accuracy will probably improve too!

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