I have a 100 Hornady 204 cases that I have been reloading. These were factory loaded ammo and I have reloaded them maybe five or six times. When I first started loading them I never noticed it. I am using a lee hand primer so I have a pretty good feel as I am loading them. This time when I loaded up some the primers went in real easy, kinda like to easy maybe. Is this a first sign of cases at the end of life? And is this ok to have a primer in with out a bunch of seating force? Thanks guys.

Time to toss em. Not sure I would prime any more. I would toss. Hornady brass is not quality brass in my opinion. For instance, I could only get 3 fires from my 460 hornady brass before neck cracks. But got over 10 fires from starline 460 brass.

I too have about 100 pieces of hornady 204 brass. I will let you know how it works out for me.

I'll second what BC says. I've seen primer pockets get so bad you can push the primers in with your fingers and don't need a tool. In fact, I confess I've shot a couple that way. It worked with just a tiny bit of gas leak but basically they swell to fill the pocket same as always. But it's a dumb practice and I'm not goofy enough to do it any longer.

I'd suggest you shoot them this last time and drop them in the trash.

You can probably extend your case life by backing off the load just a bit. Case life varies directly with pressure.

The split necks was a sign a guy at work told me to watch for. But from what you guys are saying this is common, and a sign of brass life?

Split necks are common failure for straightwalled cases but lose primer pockets are the big one for bottleneck. If you not careful you could have a case rupture, as the wall is getting thin down in that area. And you don't want that.

If you are seeing loose primer pockets within 3-4 loads, then you definately need to back off you load a tad. But 7 is the norm to see loose primer pockets.

Ditto to what the others have told you...What brand of primer are u using?

I have had some winchester primers that seemed to set too easy as well,
but the cases were brand new.....Then I have had CCI'S that setted really hard in the same cases..
I wouldn't toss them yet...Try other brands of primers first.Brass it too pricey
to just throw away....I save all my old brass and sell it..Get cash for more powder or
what ever...Good luck

When primer pockets start getting loose, such as yours seem to be, it is a sign of TWO things:

A. The cases are indeed worn out, and need to be scrapped.

B. IMO, the reason your cases are worn out is because you are loading to pressure levels that are slightly too high (for YOUR particular chamber). BC is correct about this. You need to drop back about 5% on your powder charge. (Your load may not be DANGEROUSLY HIGH, but it is on the ragged edge of that point!)

Many people will accept the case life you are getting. I won't. I require my loads to permit cases to be reloaded at least ten times..... For example, I have some Norma 7X57mm bnrass that have been reloaded as manyas 20 times over the last 25 years, and they have not developed loose primer pockets. And, my 7X57mm loads are NOT what you'd call "mild" by any stretch of the imagination!

I have always expected my federal brass to only last 5 loads. Do you think I am playing a dangerous game? I do expect more out of winchester, etc.

Not really. I too have had short life problems from some brands, including Federal. As a matter of fact, back when Federal announced that theywould no longer sell empty, unprimed brass to handloaders, I said " Big lossl! Who wants that stuff anyhow??" (Except for .416 Rigby brass, which I don't believe they ever sold empty, anyway!!)

At one time, Norma brass was considered quite "soft". Those were the ones that had a headstamp marked "re", "reloadable". When people (in the U.S.) started complaining about this, Norma stated that they were making those cases that way intentionally, to let handloaders know when they were loading ammo to what Norma considered "too high" pressures. The purpose was to let people know when they were "overloading" their ammo. At that time, Bob Hagel wrote that he was able to get better ballistics out of the .300 Win. Mag. using WW brass than he could out of the .300 Weatherby using Norma cases. But when he made .300 WM cases out of WW .300 H&H brass, the Weatherby easily outperformed the .300 Win.

Ironic that a guy named "Hotburn" is asking about loose primer pockets........