New to .223 reloading

[mac86951]

I'll toss my experience in the ring. Sinclair uniformer; rcbs primer pocket swager, and ultimately I now go with the 45 degree case mouth deburring tool and cut the crimp. Mines already powered on the case prep center. Takes the least set-up time and doesn't care about web thicknesses.

Swaging is good too; I'd recommend the Dillon tool if you want to set up for large qty of brass.

-Mac

 

[Cemetery21]

I'm priming using the Hornady hand primer

I use the Hornady primer for bulk 223 and it seats below flush with a full stroke. Make sure you have the small primer stud in the tool. If it still won't seat deep enough, try a different shell holder. If no joy then, I'd contact Hornady. I've had excellent service from any reloading tool maker I've tried.

 

[wkdickinson]

I stopped swaging primer pockets years ago when I was shooting a 308. It was to difficult, slow (RCBS tool) and about 25% either had to be run a second time or the crimp had to be cut anyway. For many years after that I used a Wilson "Case Mouth Reamer" mounted in a Lyman (I think) power adapter in my drill press. Just turn it on and bump the cases up against the cutter - fast and works great. However, after shooting an AR for a while, I finally I decided my time was more valuable and bought 1,000 pieces of new Lake City brass.

For depth I have always used a Sinclair "Primer Pocket Uniformer" and never saw any reason to change.

 

[Hohn]

Proud primers are more likely to cause misfires than slam fires because you still have to compress the anvil and if you run out of firing pin travel before that happens, no bang. I've had a few high-ish primers without any any major issues. But it's not a good thing and if you can remedy it, you should.

 

[Texas10]

Don't worry about it and I appreciate everybody looking out for the new guy. Onward...

Shooting an AR. Something else--I'm priming using the Hornady hand primer that came with my Lock-n-Load. Are they known for not seating primers deep enough? Thanks.

Yes, it's possible. A reloading friend had that exact same problem. A call to Hornaday resulted in they wanting the tool sent back, instead of identifying the special bit required to adjust the seating depth. I just gave him a whole new unit. Try a different shell holder, might find one that it will work better with, especially if you've got another brand besides Hornaday.

 

[boltman13]

Lyman makes a little crank device that a Sinclair Primer Pocket uniformer fits into that makes the job sooo much easier. Mine is mounted on my bench but could be on a small piece of wood and clamped to the bench if space is a problem. If you take down these loads you might try using your press to seat a primer deeper. The press gives you much greater leverage than a hand primer. If that works you probably still have some restriction from the crimp and need to get rid of it before you load those cases again. If the press won't get the primer slightly below flush you need to uniform the primer pocket or trash that brass. In the future try to form the habit of running your finger across the base of your primed case to check that the primer is below flush before you go any further. Good luck.

 

[joshb]

Please tell us what you're shooting. If a gas operated gun and you're loading 20+ round magazines full of soft primers that are sitting proud, I want to be somewhere far, far away from you when it goes full auto or out of battery. Not being hard on you, I'm an old cat and just don't have 9 lives left anymore. If you're not shooting an AR, then no problem.

Edit: I think I came off a bit snotty. With apologies to the OP.

“snotty”? You got the virus?

 

[JAlfred]

I have used the Hornady reamer, the Sinclair uniformer and the RCBS swager, they all can do the job if used properly. Tolerances can stack up and make life complicated, best to be a little proactive and always check at each step in the process and make sure everything is as it should be. That beats the hell out of taking a bunch of loaded rounds apart with a puller.

Varget is a pain in most powder measures, the best I have found is the Lee "perfect" powder measure. Cheap and it sucks for ball powders, but I keep one around just for Varget and H4895.

What do you want to do with the reloads? Blasting ammo? Precision? Varmint hunting?

 

[Texas10]

“snotty”? You got the virus?

Apparently! Yes, NO! Well, I'm not really sure. I may be one of the zombies walking around spreading the disease but not knowing I'm infected. How do you tell? Do I wait until people around me start dropping before I suspect something? In my county, I can't get tested unless I have fever, coughing, and shortness of breath, none of which I am experiencing so far. So yea, under testing keeps the official numbers low. Don't ask, dont' tell.

 

[Rsadams]

If your going to load alot of LC brass for .223 plan on buying a case prep station.... Once you do you will kick yourself for not getting one ASAP.... Although varget and stick powders will work no problem I would suggest going to a ball powder , it makes life easier and your powder thrower will work with no problems.... Either way you can always throw a lighter than wanted charge and trickle up to what you want.... I do not uniform pockets on .223 for the AR platform....

 

[RegionRat]

Don't worry about it and I appreciate everybody looking out for the new guy. Onward...

Shooting an AR. Something else--I'm priming using the Hornady hand primer that came with my Lock-n-Load. Are they known for not seating primers deep enough? Thanks.

You may have a little detail problem with the shell holder, or you may just have to make sure you are completing the stroke, hard to know for sure because you mentioned only some of them were sticking up, not most of them.

I would take the ones that stick up, and decap them, and try again after a close exam of the brass. If they seat below flush, you know it was just bad luck and you didn't push hard enough. If they still won't go in, then you have something to go after to divide the problem between the tool or the brass because at that point you have eliminated the operator.