Brass for testing seating depth of ram priming unit

[DeltaWhiskey64068]

I have mounted my press and want to test the seating depth of my RCBS ram prime unit. Do I need to use the brass I intend to reload, or will any 308 brass work? Might be a dumb question, but thought it was worth asking. Thx in advance

 

[Bc'z]

If you set the depth of the pockets on the brass 1st, sure it'll be fine.
Now if your pockets have varying depths no.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

just pull that long handle til they get where you want em

 

[BoydAllen]

Prime some real cases, that you plan on reloading, sneak up on the adjustment, seat by feel. You will be fine. I have had one for years. Properly adjusted, they give great feel for when the primer bottoms. Adjusting is so easy that I don't bother saving the setting. Seat by feel, not by depth.

 

[JFrank]

Prime some real cases, that you plan on reloading, sneak up on the adjustment, seat by feel. You will be fine. I have had one for years. Properly adjusted, they give great feel for when the primer bottoms. Adjusting is so easy that I don't bother saving the setting. Seat by feel, not by depth.

Boyd
I don’t understand how you set the depth on a ram primer attachment other than by feel.

What settings are you referring to?

 

[dolek]

Google is your friend....one example.

https://www.lymanproducts.com/ram-prime-die-system

 

[JFrank]

Google is your friend....one example.

https://www.lymanproducts.com/ram-prime-die-system

Thanks
I read the OP as using the RCBS mounted primer arm
Lyman looks interesting.

 

[dolek]

Thanks
I read the OP as using the RCBS mounted primer arm
Lyman looks interesting.

You are right,the Op was mentioning the RCBS,just wanted to show there are other ways . I think I saw somewhere there is a mod for the RCBS,not sure if it deals with depth or not though . I go by feel these days,tried a bunch of priming tools through the years.

Edit: Found it,right here on the bulletin. Looks very interesting .

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2018/10/darrell-holland-upgrade-for-rcbs-bench-priming-tool/

 

[JFrank]

I currently use the rcbs primer arm with the feeder tube.
For myself it works fine

 

[BoydAllen]

Fellows, the most accurate shooters that I know of, short range benchrest group competitors, seat by feel. There seems to be a fraction of reloaders who go by what seems to be rather than by proven results. Since a lot of folks that do not post read, let me be clear. I think that seating by depth is a mistake. Unless you can prove conclusively, by match or test results that I am wrong, you are proceeding based on what you think should be true, and IMO actual results trump you would think, or it seems to me, every time.

 

[Bc'z]

Fellows, the most accurate shooters that I know of, short range benchrest group competitors, seat by feel. There seems to be a fraction of reloaders who go by what seems to be rather than by proven results. Since a lot of folks that do not post read, let me be clear. I think that seating by depth is a mistake. Unless you can prove conclusively, by match or test results that I am wrong, you are proceeding based on what you think should be true, and IMO actual results trump you would think, or it seems to me, every time.

I actually do seat by feel with a hand primer.
And I set all my pockets to a uniform depth with a Lyman tool, same tool I use to clean my pockets with after every firing.
I've also noticed in using this method alot of time I see the corners of pockets get cleaned up a touch .
All primers seated below case consistent
No I haven't used a depth gauge
Never had a problem with ignition
No mis fires

 

[JFrank]

I have mounted my press and want to test the seating depth of my RCBS ram prime unit. Do I need to use the brass I intend to reload, or will any 308 brass work? Might be a dumb question, but thought it was worth asking. Thx in advance

To answer your question
IMO
Practicing with non match brass would be a good idea.
No magic to it, just pull the handle seat by feel

 

[BoydAllen]

This tool https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...7C527976BAAF24683B9F7C527976BAAF&&FORM=VRDGAR

 

[JFrank]

While discussing brass, the best advice I was given from @dmoran was to separate and save half my new brass. Test brass / match brass.
It’s common to screw up half your brass you’ll at least have another batch to start over.
J

 

[JFrank]

This tool https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...7C527976BAAF24683B9F7C527976BAAF&&FORM=VRDGAR

Interesting, what is the advantage over the standard attachment with the tube that holds 50 primer

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

Fellows, the most accurate shooters that I know of, short range benchrest group competitors, seat by feel. There seems to be a fraction of reloaders who go by what seems to be rather than by proven results. Since a lot of folks that do not post read, let me be clear. I think that seating by depth is a mistake. Unless you can prove conclusively, by match or test results that I am wrong, you are proceeding based on what you think should be true, and IMO actual results trump you would think, or it seems to me, every time.

Boyd
If I am reading you right, you are saying seating depth is not all that important. My method is to uniform the pockets one time and then seat the primer till it is fully inserted. While I have never measured for depth, They all seem to be fully inserted. Of course I do clean the pockets each time I reload and only occasionally reform the pockets as needed.

Am I doing this right????

 

[BoydAllen]

I am not sure what you mean by fully inserted, but if by that you mean to the point where you feel them touch the bottom of the primer pocket, you are. Bart Sauter did a shooting test and said that based on his results as long as the primer is bottomed you will have the best results.

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

I am not sure what you mean by fully inserted, but if by that you mean to the point where you feel them touch the bottom of the primer pocket, you are. Bart Sauter did a shooting test and said that based on his results as long as the primer is bottomed you will have the best results.

That's exactly what I mean.

 

[D-4297]

Ya'll ask me again why I love my old Rock-chucker with the swing out primer arm / cup , that goes into the slot in the ram . Up / In / Down , DONE . Seat by feel , and it works every time . Use a pocket tool to clean every time . Doesn't get all the crud on every case , but the nice little shiny corner ring in the bottom tells me they are all the same depth from the case face . And the same depth below the face . I've checked a few with a depth mic that didn't "feel" like they were deep enough . They were .... And they all seat the same , by FEEL .
It ain't broke . Why keep trying to fix something that works that well ? The only thing missing was the primer feeder tube , and the swing-arm with the primer insertion cup .

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

I have been using


LOCK-N-LOAD® IRON PRESS® KIT AUTO PRIME

I've found it to be very convenient. First I deprime the pockets and clean the cases. Then clean the pockets with my RCBS brass station. Pockets are unified when new and check once in a while to make sure the are good. Then I count the brass and load enough primer into the hopper so that there is none left over in the feed tube in case I want to change primer size for the next group of brass. I can feel the primers being inserted and have gotten use to the amount of force it takes to seat the primer. I also visually check ever piece of brass to make sure it is inserted properly.

I also have a Rock Chucker I have used extensively but found it is prone to screw up once in a while.