Getting primers to go in the pocket straight

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Getting primers to go in the pocket straight

Post by pucker » 21 Apr 2015, 9:53 am

Hi all,

I currently have Winchester brass and find that most primers go in straight but a few go in at a slight angle using a hand priming tool.

I don't have any misfires but wonder if there is some trick of bit of finesse to get them straight or if that's normal.
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Re: Getting primers to go in the pocket straight

Post by dogmatix » 21 Apr 2015, 10:37 am

As long as the primer is seated in as far as it goes (but not squashed), you will be fine.
To help ensure the pocket is symmetrical and the primer seated below the base (ie not sticking out), I always uniform the primer pockets and deburr the flash holes with new or once fired brass. Sometimes even commercial brass needs the milsurp primer crimp removal tool to spin around the edge.
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Re: Getting primers to go in the pocket straight

Post by headspace » 21 Apr 2015, 7:53 pm

I use Winchester brass in nearly everything and have yet to have a problem seating primers. I gave up on that hand primer some time back, now I just prime on the press. It's a lot more positive way to seat primers in my opinion. I clean the pockets by the way, no need to uniform Winchester brass.
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Re: Getting primers to go in the pocket straight

Post by Apollo » 21 Apr 2015, 8:32 pm

pucker wrote:Hi all,

I currently have Winchester brass and find that most primers go in straight but a few go in at a slight angle using a hand priming tool.

I don't have any misfires but wonder if there is some trick of bit of finesse to get them straight or if that's normal.


You mentioned this in your previous thread and you were asked what type / model / age of hand primer tool are you using. To add to the information what calibre cases are you priming.

I have never use a Lee Hand Primer Tool but I have and use an RCBS Hand Primer, the type with the round plastic primer tray. One thought is that these have two different sized primer seater shafts. Your not using the large primer shaft to seat small rifle primers by any chance...??? That would cause problems.

Mostly I use a K&M Coaxial Hand Primer Tool, it feeds a primer up first then the plunger seats the primer. The primer is always held in direct line with the primer pocket. It is single primer seating one at a time, no feed tray. This is the only hand priming tool I will use when making reloads for precision target shooting. I never get in a rush and check every step of my reloading, plus weigh every completed round once it's finished which is a double check to ensure every round has a powder load. I load for two other competition shooters as well and may do 50 - 300 rounds at a time over a number of days. It pays off with top scores as a result.

Pretty much the same routine for my varminting rounds. I would rather have accurate ammo that is consistant than churn out something rather average and miss those long distant head shots.
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Re: Getting primers to go in the pocket straight

Post by pucker » 21 Apr 2015, 9:58 pm

dogmatix wrote:As long as the primer is seated in as far as it goes (but not squashed), you will be fine.
To help ensure the pocket is symmetrical and the primer seated below the base (ie not sticking out), I always uniform the primer pockets and deburr the flash holes with new or once fired brass. Sometimes even commercial brass needs the milsurp primer crimp removal tool to spin around the edge.


It's seated in well enough, like I said no misfires, not hard to chamber, no problems getting it into the bolt or anything.

Maybe it's time to fork out for a uniformed just to be safe.
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Re: Getting primers to go in the pocket straight

Post by pucker » 21 Apr 2015, 9:58 pm

headspace wrote:I use Winchester brass in nearly everything and have yet to have a problem seating primers.


No problems yet but was wondering about it.
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Re: Getting primers to go in the pocket straight

Post by pucker » 21 Apr 2015, 10:00 pm

Apollo wrote:You mentioned this in your previous thread and you were asked what type / model / age of hand primer tool are you using. To add to the information what calibre cases are you priming.


Yeah sorry :oops:

RCBS primer tool for .308 Winchester cartridge and brand brass.
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Re: Getting primers to go in the pocket straight

Post by Apollo » 21 Apr 2015, 10:26 pm

RCBS & .308W so we are using Large Rifle Primers.

I have only .243W & 30-30W and have done some 22-250R. The RCBS Hand Primer Tool I have uses a standard Shell Holder to hold the cartridge case and uses a black plastic primer insert to which the primer tray attaches.

I really can't see how the primers would not go into the primer pocket other than straight unless ...two thoughts, is the primer seater rod the large one that is near the size of the hole in the bottom of the shell holder, if the small one it may possibly allow the primer to tilt due to the much smaller diameter. Next thought is the primer seater rod centred in the middle of the shell holder hole. If you have the rod the correct way around, flat end to the top it should be very hard for the primer to go off line.

Is the shell holder (cartridge holder) the correct one for a .308W and the case head is held very snug. In other words you should not be able to tip the case to any sideways extent. The thought here is that a 30-30W Shell Holder for one is bigger and a .308W case (.243W in my case) is a very sloppy fit and will tilt sideways.

About all I can think of at present other than checking it out in person. Can you post a photo of the RCBS and one of your cases with damaged primer.
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Re: Getting primers to go in the pocket straight

Post by pucker » 27 Apr 2015, 3:13 pm

Yep, large rifle primers.

The shell holder is definitely the right one, fits the brass pretty snug with no wiggle room.

I will try and get a clear picture of the indent and the pushrod in my one.

Sounds like we're using the same hand tool too, this one.....

rcbs-hand-priming-tool.jpg
rcbs-hand-priming-tool.jpg (20.84 KiB) Viewed 2981 times
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Re: Getting primers to go in the pocket straight

Post by Chronos » 27 Apr 2015, 3:39 pm

Do you uniform your primer pockets?

Maybe your batch of cases has poorly put pockets and one edge of the primer cup it getting hung up. It's the only reason I can think of other than you could be using a small primer ram to push a large primer.

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Re: Getting primers to go in the pocket straight

Post by Apollo » 27 Apr 2015, 11:01 pm

"pucker" , that is basically the same as what I have .... except the section I can't work out where the case is held. That looks different.

RCBS have changed their design a number of times to what I feel is worse than the original. I'll see if I can post a photo of mine in the next day or so when I fix my camera. I would like to see a close up of where the cartridge head is held.

I will also show what happens when you exert too much pressure and mark a primer slightly. I'm a bit busy catching up before more wet weather.
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Re: Getting primers to go in the pocket straight

Post by brett1868 » 28 Apr 2015, 12:33 am

The little rod that pushes the primer into the case...should be flat end up so the primer rests on a flat surface when being seated and the rounded end down. This has been mentioned before as well.
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