primer seating

[DickN]

I am new to reloading for a 6BR, but I tried today to seat primers in new Laupua brass and had a really hard time doing it with my usual Lee primer seater. It was more like trying to seat a large primer in the hole. Is this normal, or should I have reamed the primer holes? Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Travelor]

What brand of primers were you using? Some are larger than others.

 

[DickN]

I'm using CCI 450's.

 

[jwv2001]

Remember the feeling. Now you will have a guage on the condition of the primer pockets. As long as the primers aren't deforming, you'll be OK.
Buy some Rem. 7 1/2 primers. I just switched from CCI to Rem with good results. Good Luck!

 

[Forum Boss]

Don't ream to increase the size of those primer pockets. Tight is good! CCIs do have harder cups that some other brands. As long as you can get them to proper seating depth without deformation.

For seating primers, I recommend the RCBS APS strip priming hand tool. It has good leverage with excellent control. You can purchase the CCIs preloaded in the strips. The tool features a spring-loaded universal shell holder.

Here is a recent review of the product from SavageShooters.com. The author was equally enthusiastic in his praise for the product: http://www.savageshooters.net/Reviews/RCBS_APS_PrimingTool.html

 

[DickN]

Thanks for the help. I have to go to the gunsmith tomorrow to beat on him some more,maybe he'll even have the gun ready??) and will pick up some different primers and see how they feel. It took both thumbs,and then some) with the CCI's. Will let you know. thanks again.

 

[GermanS1]

Dick, that really sounds like excessive pressure. I suspect that part of the problem might be your Lee tool. While you're visiting your gunsmith, try loading a few primers using whatever tool he has that might be different than yours. See what happens.

I've used a lot of CCI BR4 primers in Lapua and Norma 6BR cases; I don't know how much they differ from the CCI 450 as I've never tried 450s. However, the BR4s generally seat firmly but without excessive pressure using the Sinclair priming tool, the RCBS tabletop model and the RCBS hand priming tool.

If your primers look flattened after seating, you should carefully decap the cases and try again as they will definitely degrade accuracy.

I've made a long and painstaking study of primer manufacturing, primer types and variations and primer seating over the course of many years and have gathered a decent amount of industry and private documentation on the topic as well as a fair number of priming tools - none better than the Sinclair by the way. If there's anything I can add to this, please let me know and I'll be happy to chime in.

I'll close by saying that primers are vitally important to good load performance and are perhaps the component which we as reloaders most "take for granted" or from which we assume/expect a certain standard of performance without actually testing. Testing primers in a variety of ways can be quite an education.

German Salazar

 

[Cochran]

450s are very tight in current Lapua brass. Be careful. The Lee tool doesnt have alot of leverage and the handle can break off. They got away from pot metal for the camming part inside a few years ago but the lever is still pot metal as far as I know and can snap off.

Jeff

 

[Travelor]

Try Federal Match Primers. My experience with CCI primers has been that they are very "sticky" when trying to seat them in some brands of cases.

 

[DickN]

I picked up a box of Rem 7 1/2BR primers today...they seat firm but can do it one handed. My CCI's had been on the shelf quite a while...think that had anything to do with it???
Now if I only had a gun to shoot them in......

 

[terryb]

DickN,went through the primer issue,use 7 1/2 first firing,then most other brands seat easier after one firing.The remington are a bit smaller in diameter than most other brands,and WSR are next smallest in my findings.