Primer Seating Depth
- Thread starter Area Man
- Start date
stool
yes you are correct. with a small crush in place.....
now if all your primer pockets are the same depth, you can adjust a tool to seat and crush the exact same....uniformity is a good thing.
the real problem is some people think seating all to say .002 below case head surface is "uniform"...not if there is space under some of those primers....
now if all your primer pockets are the same depth, you can adjust a tool to seat and crush the exact same....uniformity is a good thing.
the real problem is some people think seating all to say .002 below case head surface is "uniform"...not if there is space under some of those primers....
If the primers vary in heighth (base to top of anvils) and are not segregated and the reloader seats them to the same depth the crush will not be the same and some might not bottom out even if the primer pockets are cut to the same depth, a loader who has good feel that can seat the primer to bottom out and crush a little or a loader using the K&M primer seater w/gauge or a loader who is measuring primer heighth and segregating and setting his priming tool for that heighth are all getting uniform primer seating IMHO.
stool
yep////just a "bit' more ....straight from a primer manufacture...tho i cannot remember who....have seen it mention several times over the years......
Area Man said:
stool
tad..not fulll...it is just a slight crush
Area Man said:stool said:
Would that be a "tad bit" or a "full bit" more?
stool
i do not use an adjustable tool......i seat till they bottom and then a light crush. this is fine for small lots but your hand can tire and lead to poor seating in large lots...best to do in small lots.
i do not measure primers......you will have to provide DATA for me to worry about them.
ps ..you cannot weight sort primers...there is a sealant on top of the priming compound...how do you account for its variation ??
i do not measure primers......you will have to provide DATA for me to worry about them.
ps ..you cannot weight sort primers...there is a sealant on top of the priming compound...how do you account for its variation ??
DanConzo said:
Stool-- I didn't mention weight sorting them. The way you seat them you are getting uniform seating depth. I thought you wrote that if you have all primer pockets the same depth you can set the priming tool and seat primers uniformly (presumally w/o measuring their heighths), but looking back on the replies I think someone else stated this. Sorry my mistake. I have to look closer from now on.
Maybe someday a manufacturer will make a seating "punch" for a priming tool that matches the profile on the face of a primer. You can then seat the primer until the edge of the cup contacts the base of the primer pocket and any "crush" is a function of the internal design of he primer.
I've seen some people's idea of "a little crush" being a concave surface on the primer surface with the anvil point sometimes showing through. Others merely seat their primers until they get the magic .002" below case head and can't figure out why they get a delay (if the round fires at all) when the firing pin finishes the seating process before igniting it.
Want to see a good example of a bad primer tool "punch" take a look at the Hornady Hand Priming Tool. The face of the punch is convex and if you give a hard seating primer a little extra squeeze you "dish" the primer. Hornady insists that this is an important feature while the rest of the "primer tool" industry makes them with flat faced punches.
Like I suggested, maybe it's time to move to the "next generation" and come up with a seating punch that won't deform the primer, seat it fully, and give it just the right amount of "a little more".
I've seen some people's idea of "a little crush" being a concave surface on the primer surface with the anvil point sometimes showing through. Others merely seat their primers until they get the magic .002" below case head and can't figure out why they get a delay (if the round fires at all) when the firing pin finishes the seating process before igniting it.
Want to see a good example of a bad primer tool "punch" take a look at the Hornady Hand Priming Tool. The face of the punch is convex and if you give a hard seating primer a little extra squeeze you "dish" the primer. Hornady insists that this is an important feature while the rest of the "primer tool" industry makes them with flat faced punches.
Like I suggested, maybe it's time to move to the "next generation" and come up with a seating punch that won't deform the primer, seat it fully, and give it just the right amount of "a little more".
I uniform my pockets and with the 21st century single primer tool I have it adjusted so when the handle is fully closed I can just feel the primer touch the bottom of the pocket.
Keith Glasscock
Gold $$ Contributor
Got a silly question here.
With every priming tool I've used, the case is held by the front side of the rim, and the primer is pressed into the hole from behind. How can you cut (uniform) all of your primer pockets to the same depth so as to make primer seating a consistent and measurable process?
What I mean is, how can you use a tool with a stop and get equal results from case to case?
With every priming tool I've used, the case is held by the front side of the rim, and the primer is pressed into the hole from behind. How can you cut (uniform) all of your primer pockets to the same depth so as to make primer seating a consistent and measurable process?
What I mean is, how can you use a tool with a stop and get equal results from case to case?
BoydAllen
Gold $$ Contributor
I have the 21st century tool. The adjustability allows you to compensate for differences in primer pocket depth and front of rim locations so that you can have your handle stroke where you want it, far enough out so that it does not bottom on the tool body when seating by feel, yet close enough so that it is comfortable and has the best available leverage. For me, the adjustable seating depth thing is not an issue, because I seat by feel, but I like the feature a lot. I have an older Sinclair, that I have had to adjust for wear from time to time, and that adjustment is a lot less convenient. When properly adjusted, they both work just fine. The workmanship on the 21st Century is outstanding.
Skeetman59
Silver $$ Contributor
Dang! I’ve been seating mine to .006 using the K&M tool.
I’m using my caliper to measure it. Is there a better way to measure primer depth?
I’m using my caliper to measure it. Is there a better way to measure primer depth?
BoydAllen
Gold $$ Contributor
I guess my point is that the vast majority of the guys who shoot the best in the world at distances of 300 yards and less, seat their primers by FEEL, not by depth. I have mentioned this before. Some time back I called CCI and spoke to a tech. about how they recommend primers be seated. He told me that their recommendation is that the force be enough to result in the bottoms of the anvil feet FLUSH with the bottom of the cup. Depending on the primer, this can take quite a bit of force on a hand priming tool. The next time you have nothing better to do, with great care, and eye protection on, do an experiment, priming different ways and then carefully unpriming the cases and examining the primers under considerable magnification, as well as comparing before and after primer thicknesses, and of course seating depth.
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