The big primer seating debate

[wywindsor]

With all the new products to seat primers. Where does it matter from? Some say .001 to .003 recessed from case base. Others say seat from the rim/ extractor groove like most conventional seaters do. Or by feel. What your perspective? And why do we need 700 dollar primer seaters?

 

[ELR LVR]

And why do we need 700 dollar primer seaters?

Some guys will buy anything.
Just like - Do we need a neck turner that is accurate down to .0001"?
or is down to .001" good enough as long as its even and smooth?
I know my $40 Gemini 20 Digital scale seems to be just as accurate and consistent as a $1000 labratory scale
???
I'm interested in seeing the responses as well, hopefully we can learn something new.
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As far as crush by feel...I wonder if some guys realize
there are cops that can tell your speed just by looking at your vehicle, cuz they're so conditioned from years of doing it
I can tell the poundage of a trigger just by feel when it is 2 lbs or below, because I've done so many trigger jobs by feel then double check it with a scale
A guy can tell consistency just by feel after doing it over 10,000 times.
Guys that have only done so 5000 times, havent got the feel yet.
---
there is such a thing as muscle memory, which is not only position, timing and speed, but also feel of pressure applied

 

[DHuffman]

Plenty of threads already beat this to death IMO

A search and some reading will tell you all you need to know to make your decision

 

[Straightshooter1]

With all the new products to seat primers. Where does it matter from? Some say .001 to .003 recessed from case base.

The problem with focusing on seating .001 to .003 below flush (that's the recess "from case base", is that it doesn't account for just how deep the primer pocket is or how tall the over all height (cup height + anvil protruding above it). Ideally, the anvil should be pushed just slightly into the primer compound to sensitize it and if you have a very deep primer pocket, those few thousandths below flush isn't going to get that done.

Others say seat from the rim/ extractor groove like most conventional seaters do. Or by feel.

Seating by feel with typical seater that index off the extractor groove can get the job done and is just ok where the anvil is into the primer compound. BUT. . . if you want really consistent ignition, this method isn't all that consistent given variations in extractor groove dimensions, primer pocket depth, primer height, pockets that might be tighter or looser than others. For a vast majority of shooters, this method is plenty good enough.

What your perspective?

I tend to be a perfectionist and so I uniform and measure pocket depths and primer heights and seat my primers to a consistent distance below flush that'll push the anvil into the primer compound to a consistent depth. Can I measure the difference on target? Not really. But I can barely see some improvement in my velocity SD's. And any improvement there satisfies me.

And why do we need 700 dollar primer seaters?

Hmmm??? How about . . . ease and speed?

 

[Frankm]

Like I tell a friend….. I can’t shoot the difference. As I ve advanced in years there’s days when I can “hold a qt moa “ and then there’s days when I m the problem and getting 3/4-7/8 moa is all on me!!

Unfortunately as the years go by, I m becoming the weak link more and more !!

 

[ELR LVR]

Like I tell a friend….. I can’t shoot the difference. As I ve advanced in years there’s days when I can “hold a qt moa “ and then there’s days when I m the problem and getting 3/4-7/8 moa is all on me!!

Unfortunately as the years go by, I m becoming the weak link more and more !!

Just when we finally consider ourselves pretty dang good...it starts going back downhill huh

 

[Bill Norris]

I ve been told by very popular shooters to seat it firmly against the bottom of the pocket. Thats what I do and happy with my results.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Just when we finally consider ourselves pretty dang good...it starts going back downhill huh

I don’t know, them down hiller’s still whoop a lot of butt.

 

[ELR LVR]

I don’t know, them down hiller’s still whoop a lot of butt.

Yes, I have to believe muscle memory plays a good part
I think that's one thing that doesnt get lost and still keeps improving over the years
I know one guy that's 93 yrs old, and still sharp as a tack

 

[wywindsor]

Bill I agree.

 

[Will Henry]

By using an old Lee tool, am I doomed before I start? WH

 

[BartsBullets]

By using an old Lee tool, am I doomed before I start? WH

Will,

Wayne Campbell seems to do pretty well with his Lee priming tool.

Bart

 

[Bill Norris]

Will,

Wayne Campbell seems to do pretty well with his Lee priming tool.

Bart

Used the Lee Hand Priming tool until my old hands got tired. Went to the Lee Bench Priming tool and still using it. Don't plan to change period.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

I will tell you after I finish weighting my next 1000 primers if I still alive

 

[209jones]

Used a Lee round tray since about 1980, decided I didn't like handling one primer at a time. Upgraded that to a 21st Century first version that used the round Lee tray, still have it, good unit, hard to adj, but, that was ok, it worked for my purposes at the time, and I liked the ability to adjust it. So, when my hands let me know the handprimer wasn't going to fly anymore, and my having tried a few other makes & styles of tools, I decided to splurge and get a Derraco micro adj. That was a good move for me, like using it a lot, and it helps me to keep one variable somewhat under control, it's easy to do what little measuring that is necessary to setup to accomplish the purpose. It eliminates a doubt in my mind, it cost me a few bucks, but, after using it, wished I'd had it for the last 45 yrs.
A good adjustable priming tool is close to or over 100.00 these days, for that kind of money, may as well invest in a good one and have the ability to do it right. It's not for everyone, a guy loading for cowboy action doesn't need it, lots of folk banging steel don't need it, most hunters don't need it. Derraco also has a non-micro version that adjusts like a sizing die, around 100.00, use it once and you'll likely quit handprimers, most bench units too. Down the road, buy a Forster or Whidden graduated lockring for it.

 

[Retired shooter]

Just as using PRECISION measuring equipment, you either have the touch , or still learning.

 

[Tommie]

What is the point of bringing up this subject yet again?

 

[6MMsteve]

never worried about primer seating, mainly reticle and trigger focus exacting

 

[Pete Wass]

What is the point of bringing up this subject yet again?

A lot of people, perhaps new, didn't participate in the previous discussions, likely. We owe it to them to share what we know, or not. Just depends on one's patience and willingness to SHARE

 

[Pete Wass]

I would opine there are many other things to worry about before this one.