Proper Primer Seating

[ToddKS]

Thanks for all of the tips and info..I think I have it down now...after loading for so many years on a 1050/550 this art is lost on me!

If you have a Dillon 1050 you can use it to prime your ammo as long as you have a shell plate that will hold the case in question. I prime my PRS ammo on my 1050 (also size as well). I did some testing and found that I actually had a slightly lower ES and SD when the ammo was primed on the 1050 vs hand priming. Ran the test 3 times to be sure before I switched for good.

 

[Baer45]

I love the Dillon priming system with exception of 650. The 1050 is like a sewing machine and so easy to adjust. I have started to do small batches of (50) and like hand priming those and doing things I wouldn’t do for .5 MOA rounds...

 

[Rustytigwire]

I usually firm press after bottom out, might rethink that now !!
Frightening thought !!

You know after it bottoms out press gently to feel the crush.
Seat rotate seat then deform slightly. Measure for consistancy.

 

[rsmithsr50]

to the bottom of a UNIFORMED pocket WITH A SMALL (.002) crush.

 

[Baer45]

I used to use the lee hand priming tool for years and wore more than one of them out. I have since switched to the Bald Eagle priming press and I will never go back to anything else. It gives you the ability to adjust seating depth on your primers in .002" increments and makes things very consistent. Its a small press so it still gives you plenty of feel when seating a primer so you can set it up however you like. The only thing I don't like about it is that you have to feed it one at a time. Over time I have developed a pretty good rhythm and can prime fairly quickly with it. It's one of those pieces of equipment that if it ever breaks I will immediately order a new one.

After using half dozen different primer systems, I too now just use the Bald Eagle. If you don’t get the depth you want, replace the steel ball inside with the next biggest size. Mine came with an out of spec size and would not seat them deep enough...