Seating Primers

[Chief_10Beers]

I have the RCBS Universal Hand Priming Tool. I primed 200 .45 ACP various Headstamp cases with CCI 300 LPP. I noticed all my primeres are seated flush in the case, thats with squeezing the Priming Tool handle all the way to the Tool's Housing. I compaired them to a few factory rounds I have left and they are just below flush. Is there something wrong with the Tool? Or is that's the nature of the CCI Primers..................................

 

[Cholo]

Not the nature of the primers as CCI is all I use. IMHO, primers should be seated 1 1/000th below the primer pocket. You should be able to run your finger across all primed cases and feel a slight indention.

I have to ask...are you sure you're using the correct shell holder?

 

[Chief_10Beers]

Not the nature of the primers as CCI is all I use. IMHO, primers should be seated 1 1/000th below the primer pocket. You should be able to run your finger across all primed cases and feel a slight indention.

I have to ask...are you sure you're using the correct shell holder?

The Shell Holder is a spring loaded clamp design, it's supposed to hold from .32 ACP to 45-70 GOV. There is some minute vertical movement in the clamp.

I did back off the Primer Seating Plug about a quarter turn, I reseated 5 cases and I managed to seat them just below flush............................

 

[Cholo]

"I reseated 5 cases and I managed to seat them just below flush..."

Chief, you're good to go! Just below flush is a good thing.

 

[GP100man]

Cheif

I like to feel an indentation (meanin below flush)but some brands of brass may not let ya do that easily especially with large primers & a hand tool !

I personally use a lee autoprime II for large (arthritic hands hurt so bad I can`t feel bottom)
& a hornady hand tool for small primers.

Save a magazine full of the flush ones & see if they go bang if it takes a second hit it was`nt seated .

 

[WESHOOT2]

CCI specifies .003--.005' below flush.

 

[WyoGunner]

I aim for .003" to .005" below flush which seems to be easily achieved with my Hornady LNL. I used to load on my uncles Piggy back progressive and I noticed that his seats them flush or above flush. Obviously not a good thing.

 

[WESHOOT2]

I currently use two RCBS units, the ones that require shellholders (or my XL650).

Both ensure below-flush seating.

 

[Chief_10Beers]

If my primers are set just the tiniest of a tad above the base, my Vaquero will bind as the cylinder rotates. I find two things: first, Ruger is an excellent engineering company with tight tolerances, and second, I have to give each primer a last extra pull to ensure a good seat. Then I hold each one up and look across to make sure it's good. I'm so slow at reloading...lucky I only have revolvers and bolt or lever guns to reload for. ;-)

As luck would have it, I order an RCBS hand priming tool today. I'll see if I run into similar problems.

CDFingers

Did ya buy the Universal one? If you did, let me know how it made out for ya...........................

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I'm still using a LEE hand priming tool, and it consistently seats primers "just below flush" every time.

 

[Bucks Owin]

I'm still using a LEE hand priming tool, and it consistently seats primers "just below flush" every time.

Ditto....But I'm in no hurry either :wink:

 

[tomiswho]

I have the RCBS primer, but not the "universal" one. I've marked mine in pencil for the depth I want so I know when to stop squeezing.

 

[Balto]

When I started reloading rifle cartridges, I didn`t know anyone else who did. So I read a lot of books and reloading manuals ( Yes, I read reloading manuals like other folks read books)
I n those days I worked up some good routines for reloading. I`m not the fastest, takes time. But Im pretty sure of the result.
I always run new brass trough the press, to be sure the case mouths are even. I deburr the flashholes, and I use a chamfer tool (?), a tool that evens out the primer pocket, it`s amazing to see how many of them a little uneven.
I don`t hink that velociti is increased, or even that accuracy is better. But I know that everything is at it should be.
Of course I spend a lot of time for each 100 cartridges, but so what.

I use my Lyman press for priming. For standard cartridges I use Federal 210 primers, for magnums Federal 215.
After 15 years of reloading I`ve had just one misfire, and that cartridge fired at the second attempt.

 

[Bucks Owin]

I have the RCBS primer, but not the "universal" one. I've marked mine in pencil for the depth I want so I know when to stop squeezing.

I'm not sure just how your RCBS "pencil setup" works, but remember that the primer must seat to the bottom of the pocket regardless.... :wink:

 

[WESHOOT2]

Flash hole uniforming can show visible benefit on target.

 

[J Miller]

I have a number of priming tools.
I started off with the Classic Lee Loader which worked OK except it set off way to many primers. My nerves could not take that.
Next came the original small Lee hand priming tool. Great invention, I primed a gazillion cases on mine. Then they became extinct.
Then came the priming arm in RCBS presses. This is the worst set up I've ever seen as it requires pulling up on the handle and removes all the "feel" from the task. You just can't tell where the primers are until you take them out and "feel test" them.
After that came the new(er) Lee Auto Prime tool. Love it. I can feel the primer bottom and it's got just enough leverage to seat them below flush.

I've also tried the RCBS hand prime unit and didn't like it as it was awkward to use for me. It did the job though.

Then came a Lyman Ram Prime unit that mounts to the top of the press. This is slower, but it's easily adjustable to get the primers seated below flush to a consistent depth.

I've also use the Lee Ram Prime which is the same as the Lyman, and the priming unit on the top of my Bonanza Co-Ax press.

The priming unit on my Co-Ax press is the old style that uses individual shell holders rather than that impossible to use universal shell holder thing. I had to have new RCBS shell holders reamed out to work, but they work great.

I can set my primers to seat anywhere from .001" to .005" below flush easily. It's a bit slower than the Lee Auto Prime with it's hopper tray, but it's also easier on my hands.

From what I've learned though, anytime you get the primer below flush it's bottomed, so if you get them consistent at .001" below you're good.

Joe

 

[WESHOOT2]

I started seating primers with a hammer :shock:
Then I bought a LEE hand-prime tool, then another.
I broke both during a long priming session (yes, they were properly lubed).
Then I bought an RCBS hand-prime unit, then another.
They work great for me.


Sometimes I hand-prime and then use those primed cases in my XL650.

 

[don44]

I'm still using a LEE hand priming tool, and it consistently seats primers "just below flush" every time.

Thats exactly right.

 

[Cherokee]

Lee hand priming tool seats just below flush for me. Been using them (one small, one large) for many years. After seating the primer, I run the primed case, base first, over a straight edge to make sure no primer catches on it and visually see that it appears below flush. Also, do not be afraid to apply pressure to the primer to get it seated below flush.

 

[Will Farr]

Fired cases will have ash deposits in the primer pockets. It is usually not enough to cause a problem, but I guess it's possible there might sometimes be enough to interfere with full-depth seating of a new primer.