Q: I started seating primers in my handloads using the press-mounted priming setup but I think it has too much pressure and is seating primers too deeply into the pocket, since I’m experiencing quite a number of reloads that fail to fire.
They certainly appear to be seated too deep as they are well below the edge of the pocket. Can you offer a solution?
George Perkins
A: I’ve always found it best to prime using one of the hand-held tools which allows you to “feel” the primer seat against the bottom of the pocket, or one that can be adjusted for seating depth.
There are some excellent hand priming tools on the market and I suggest you get one. Lee makes affordable priming tools and its Auto-Prime is top notch.
A correctly seated primer will be below the case head by .0015” to .003” (.038-.076mm). You can check this visually by putting a precise straight-edge across the base. You should be able to see a thin gap of light between the primer and the straight-edge.
You can check for protruding primers simply by standing a loaded round head-down on a flat surface. If the case wobbles or falls over, the primer is protruding and should be reseated.
0 Comments