Hi primers

[Stickbowjoe]

Hi All. Wondering if any one is familiar with live ammo disassembly to salvage components. My progressive press is inconsistent at fully seating primers. I have a a bunch of rejects with high seated primers. Just seems risk above reward as they pile up. Once the bullet and charge is pulled. I would still need to finish seating the live primer or decap a live primer.
Thoughts without a severe whack to the head for even asking lol?

 

[jelenko]

Yeah. Pull the bullets, save the power, reset the primers.
That said, I'm thinking you should find out what is causing some primers to be seated high.
First thought is residue left in the pockets or pockets need uniforming.

Which press, brass and primers are you using? I found my Dillon 550 wasn't real consistent. There is a mod that improved it, but I now seat everything by hand.

 

[Ron-S]

Stickbowjoe. My question would be what kind of brass are you reloading and caliber? If its military, once fired, then uniforming the pockets may be necessary. I've found LC-04 brass (5.56 x 45) to have deeper pockets than WCC, but both have been too shallow for civilian primers. Good idea to check pocket depths before seating any primers, unless you're already familiar with your brass. I use the tail end of a good digital caliper for that. Once the depths are correct you shouldn't have to mess with them again, other than, perhaps, cleaning. For small rifle primer pockets .122" depth should be plenty. I do a strong .120" to a weak .121", just to be safe. My LC brass has been showing anywhere from .1175" to .1190" before uniforming and would leave my primers about flush with the case head or very slightly recessed. The WCC brass even shallower at .115" to .118" would leave primers protrude (not good!), especially with CCi #41. Remember; recommended primer pocket depths vary with what you are shooting. Regarding the dismantling of live ammo, I'll let others tackle that problem. By the way, I'm still a novice at this world of reloading, but have discovered some interesting things that the reloading books don't seem to address. I also want to thank people for asking questions and giving answers on this forum.

Ron

 

[edwardware]

I've decapped lots of live primers, with no excitement; go slow, wear glasses. They may not be as perfectly reliable on second use, but I've never had one skip a beat.

 

[danny]

Stickbowjoe. My question would be what kind of brass are you reloading and caliber? If its military, once fired, then uniforming the pockets may be necessary. I've found LC-04 brass (5.56 x 45) to have deeper pockets than WCC, but both have been too shallow for civilian primers. Good idea to check pocket depths before seating any primers, unless you're already familiar with your brass. I use the tail end of a good digital caliper for that. Once the depths are correct you shouldn't have to mess with them again, other than, perhaps, cleaning. For small rifle primer pockets .122" depth should be plenty. I do a strong .120" to a weak .121", just to be safe. My LC brass has been showing anywhere from .1175" to .1190" before uniforming and would leave my primers about flush with the case head or very slightly recessed. The WCC brass even shallower at .115" to .118" would leave primers protrude (not good!), especially with CCi #43. Remember; recommended primer pocket depths vary with what you are shooting. Regarding the dismantling of live ammo, I'll let others tackle that problem. By the way, I'm still a novice at this world of reloading, but have discovered some interesting things that the reloading books don't seem to address. I also want to thank people for asking questions and giving answers on this forum.

Ron

Measuring seems like a lot of work to do that doesn't really actually do anything, when you can check the depth with a uniformer, which is something you should be doing always, especially with an autoloader. What are you going to do when you measure them as too short? Will you then have to go back over them with a uniformer, or are you just priming them and smashing the primers in?

Danny

 

[Ron-S]

Measuring seems like a lot of work to do that doesn't really actually do anything, when you can check the depth with a uniformer, which is something you should be doing always, especially with an autoloader. What are you going to do when you measure them as too short? Will you then have to go back over them with a uniformer, or are you just priming them and smashing the primers in?

Danny

Your definitely right about the time consumption thing! I have considered using the fixed-depth uniformer. The only problem I see with those is they'll cut at a slower and slower rate as you approach the maximum cutting depth. I may cave in eventually and go to that. Appreciate your input.

 

[Dave M.]

Hi All. Wondering if any one is familiar with live ammo disassembly to salvage components. My progressive press is inconsistent at fully seating primers. I have a a bunch of rejects with high seated primers. Just seems risk above reward as they pile up. Once the bullet and charge is pulled. I would still need to finish seating the live primer or decap a live primer.
Thoughts without a severe whack to the head for even asking lol?

I’ve deprimed hundreds of live primers without any issue. Just apply slow and steady pressure to pop the primer out and make sure it doesn’t fall on the floor and get contaminated.
dave

 

[hpshooter]

Your definitely right about the time consumption thing! I have considered using the fixed-depth uniformer. The only problem I see with those is they'll cut at a slower and slower rate as you approach the maximum cutting depth. I may cave in eventually and go to that. Appreciate your input.

I use solid carbide fixed depth uniformers purchased from Sinclair years ago. Run them in a battery powered drill. Have never thought they were slow cutting, takes longer to pick the case up and set it back down than to uniform the pocket.

 

[drop_point]

Your definitely right about the time consumption thing! I have considered using the fixed-depth uniformer. The only problem I see with those is they'll cut at a slower and slower rate as you approach the maximum cutting depth. I may cave in eventually and go to that. Appreciate your input.

I had a set and the problem I had was they would get extremely tight if you cut too fast because the debris from the uniforming process. I actually had one get stuck and couldn't get it out. Finally I put the brass in a vice and took a plastic hammer to the cutter. The cutter actually cracked in two at some point, causing it to lock up.

 

[DirtySteve]

What press are you using?

 

[Bill Norris]

Fairly common thing to just re-seat with a good hand or bench priming tool and load them back up and shoot. Priming on a press gives you no feel for actually bottoming out the primer in the pocket.

 

[bozo699]

I don’t like seating with a press but of course I have this almost certainly is not a primer pocket depth problem you simply wasn’t paying close enough attention and didn’t get them seated correctly. Pull the load and simply reseat them and put your load back together problem solved!…
P.S not being incentive or mean we have all made these types of mistakes.
Best of luck
Wayne

 

[Ron-S]

Fairly common thing to just re-seat with a good hand or bench priming tool and load them back up and shoot. Priming on a press gives you no feel for actually bottoming out the primer in the pocket.

You've got me thinking about hand priming now! It makes perfectly good sense. I have a Lee Breech Lock Hand Press that I've de-primed literally thousands of military once fired (crimped) cases without ever breaking a pin. The reason is simple; you can feel what you're doing. To install primers I need to get the optional priming tools but if it works as well as the de-priming process, it's a no-brainer. Thanks!!

Ron

 

[D-4297]

Every time I read the posts in these priming threads ; I look over at my sixty year old R.C.B.S , A-12 with the primer insertion attachment hardware and smile . Every new case gets the primer pocket cut with a Sinclair tool to depth and to cut the radiused corner to square . And every fired case gets the same tool used to get the junk out of the bottom of the pocket , before being run through my wet process , ( without pins ) . I hear many say they never clean primer pockets , and I ask myself why ? And I see these same folks having FTF's and other primer issues . I do shoot extensively ; ( avg. 4-5,000 rounds per year ) and haven't had a FTF , or primer issue in over five years . And that was a certain brand of primers I no longer use . Maybe getting back to the basics of re-loading isn't such a bad idea , considering the number of primer problem threads posted .

 

[Stickbowjoe]

Wow! Thanks everyone. Obviously there is a LOT more factors to consider beyond that first post. I just tried to stay sort of safety basic on my original inquiry about salvaging culls. Thanks for these excellent thoughts. Primer cup hardness has been a big factor in properly seating primers with my very old early progressive RCBS piggyback system. Most of my troubles are self inflicted injuries lol and have been touched on here already. Returning to the "hobby" during retirement. I will be picking your collective brains regularly.
Thank you all and God Bless America.

 

[Stickbowjoe]

Yeah. Pull the bullets, save the power, reset the primers.
That said, I'm thinking you should find out what is causing some primers to be seated high.
First thought is residue left in the pockets or pockets need uniforming.

Which press, brass and primers are you using? I found my Dillon 550 wasn't real consistent. There is a mod that improved it, but I now seat everything by hand.

Hey Jelenko. Soup to nuts on brass. I use an ancient RCBS rock chucker with Piggyback #1 edition progressive for production calibers. 223 45acp 9mm. Without attachment for hunting loads, one at a time. 270 win 270 wby mag. 300 wby mag 300 blackout and the like. Thanks for your read.
Aaron-

 

[Stickbowjoe]

Stickbowjoe. My question would be what kind of brass are you reloading and caliber? If its military, once fired, then uniforming the pockets may be necessary. I've found LC-04 brass (5.56 x 45) to have deeper pockets than WCC, but both have been too shallow for civilian primers. Good idea to check pocket depths before seating any primers, unless you're already familiar with your brass. I use the tail end of a good digital caliper for that. Once the depths are correct you shouldn't have to mess with them again, other than, perhaps, cleaning. For small rifle primer pockets .122" depth should be plenty. I do a strong .120" to a weak .121", just to be safe. My LC brass has been showing anywhere from .1175" to .1190" before uniforming and would leave my primers about flush with the case head or very slightly recessed. The WCC brass even shallower at .115" to .118" would leave primers protrude (not good!), especially with CCi #41. Remember; recommended primer pocket depths vary with what you are shooting. Regarding the dismantling of live ammo, I'll let others tackle that problem. By the way, I'm still a novice at this world of reloading, but have discovered some interesting things that the reloading books don't seem to address. I also want to thank people for asking questions and giving answers on this forum.

Ron

Thanks Ron. On track with you. Most of my troubles relate to trying to overcome these glitches with brute force rather than finesse. Returning to this hobby with all this new help (forums) is a beautiful thing! I am revisiting the fundamental importance of case preparation.
I am more patient later in life lol. Thank you .
Aaron-

 

[Stickbowjoe]

What press are you using?

Hey Steve. Most of my stuff is old RCBS. Do production loading on a Rock crusher with Piggyback conversion one. Accuracy stuff one at a time with the base r.c. press.
Thanks
Aaron-

 

[DirtySteve]

Ok I was wondering because some times on the Dillon 550 if the shell plate is not on low enough the primers sometimes don’t seat right.

 

[divingin]

Military brass may be a problem. You'll never get a primer to seat (without crushing it) unless you remove the crimp (either ream or swage it.) For rifle, some Winchester and some Hornady factory ammo is crimped (no idea why.)

That said, I've also had problems with S&B (Sellier & Bellot) factory (non-military, non-crimped) 45 ammo. Had to disassemble the progressive press a couple of times until I ID'd them as the culprit. Could just barely seat with a handprimer once I got them off the press. They weren't crimped, but the pockets were tight enough that I had to ream them out anyway (tossing that headstamp is another option.)