priming issues....

[Sniper338]

I cant figure out if the lapua brass primer pockets are that tight... or if its my rcbs hand priming tool or what the deal is... i primed some 338 lapua brass a few weeks ago and it was an absolute bit** i had to use both hands and squeese as hard as i could to get the primer to seat... then today i was just priming some lapua 308 brass and again it was hard to seat a primer... had to use both hands and squeese way more than its normally taken.... before these issues its only taken one hand to squeeze the tool to seat a primer... and not even full strength... but now it is taking all i got to get primers seated...

my curve ball is i have nothing to comare it to... i dont have another priming tool or anything but lapua brass...


the brass was prepped all the way... im using the right primers...

the rbcs tool is easy breezy to squeese with nothing in it.. no brass on it... but it has started making a clicking sound sometimes thats not normal... still leads me to think the brass is abnormally tight... but different caliber.. different lots... im lost...

 

[bsumoba]

Lapua brass is very tight to start out with. I stopped using my little Lee priming hand tool for my 6.5x284 brass and started to use the priming system on my Forster Co-Ax for more mechanical advantage.

After about 3-4 firings, you'll see the pockets loosen a bit and you'll be able to start using a hand priming tool.

 

[broncman]

Which primers? I use Tula in my Lapua 308 brass. Tight but not two hand by any means. I just primed 200 new cases with my Lee ergo prime.

 

[Sniper338]

Federal and cci primers

 

['Freak]

Outside diameter varies a bit amongst the different brands of primers and it can vary between different lots carrying the same name, same deal with primer pocket inside diameters. Uniform the primer pockets of new brass and then after each firing, clean the pockets using the same uniformer tool.

 

[Patch700]

Being that you mentioned that your brass is fully prepped one would assume you used a depth cutting reamer for the primer pockets... If so how did the cutter feel with respect to entering the pocket , if it felt snug but no real force was required then I would say you are having a problem with your priming tool.

Perhaps something has happened with the linkage and it is allowing the ram to bind slightly giving a false sense of effort required to push the primer.

By the sounds of it you should almost be seeing some type of deformity to the face of the primer where the ram makes contact such as a concave or dished face. If not then I would beg , borrow another priming tool to test.

Good luck.

 

[LCazador]

Outside diameter varies a bit amongst the different brands of primers and it can vary between different lots carrying the same name, same deal with primer pocket inside diameters. Uniform the primer pockets of new brass and then after each firing, clean the pockets using the same uniformer tool.

+1 on this. Sounds like you have a combo of tight pockets and oversize primers. Use a K&M primer pocket uniformer adjusted to your Lapua brass and follow up with it to clean the pockets and keep the seating depth the same as you reload each time.

 

[expiper]

OP,,this is common with most ctg brass and especillay with Lapua,,,,I use WW primers for the first fireing because they are "usually" smaller and insert easier,,,,Roger

 

[amamnn]

In over 50 years of doing this Lapua 6mmBR Norma brass is the only case with which I have had this same problem. I even bought a pocket/flash hole tool specifically designed for Lapua 6ppc and 6br priming prep. I use Lapua .223 rem brass with no problem, but I have switched to Norma brass for my 6BR. As mentioned above, the problem goes away after a couple of primings. On the plus side, I have never had a loose primer in a Lapua case.


My experience is not quite as bad as the OP's but for someone with arthritis in the thumb joint it can be painful. I also do my initial priming on the Co-ax press and with my K&M seater thereafter. I don't really worry about the crush for the first two loadings since those will be for fire forming. I use magtech or remington primers for the FF and Federal 205GM for the match rounds. I have not tried Tula rifle primers after a very bad experience with them (both large and small) in my handguns. It seems to me that the Tula might not be the best choice of primer--since you went to a premium grade case----sort of like putting cheap, off brand oil for your Ferarri.........

 

[SmokinJoe]

Sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with Tula/Wolf primers, but please believe me, if you get it right with them, they are wonderful primers. They usually require a bit different seating technique.

 

[wapiti25]

I would say that it is the Lapua brass andsmall/tight primer pockets.

 

[Sniper338]

Being that you mentioned that your brass is fully prepped one would assume you used a depth cutting reamer for the primer pockets... If so how did the cutter feel with respect to entering the pocket , if it felt snug but no real force was required then I would say you are having a problem with your priming tool.

Perhaps something has happened with the linkage and it is allowing the ram to bind slightly giving a false sense of effort required to push the primer.

By the sounds of it you should almost be seeing some type of deformity to the face of the primer where the ram makes contact such as a concave or dished face. If not then I would beg , borrow another priming tool to test.

Good luck.

i use the sinclair primer pocket cutters, those stainless steel bits that have the green handled tool... they work great as far as ive seen... while doing that the primer pockets all feel fine... normal as can be...

i was watching he primers close after seating them to see if i was flattening them out... but they werent.. as much force as it takes they should be flat as a sheet of paper... im still thinking iys the tool... that tool is the same one ived used since i started reloading... no telling how many tens of thousands of rounds its primed... got my moneys worth two fold easy haha..

 

[21shooter]

Hi , To seat primers in tight primer pockets try this http://www.21stcenturyshooting.com/S.S_FQUY.php
To uniform the primer pockets (works with the new lapua tighter pockets) try this http://www.21stcenturyshooting.com/Primer_Pocket_Uniformer.php
It will make you thanks, John

 

[Sniper338]

Hi , To seat primers in tight primer pockets try this http://www.21stcenturyshooting.com/S.S_FQUY.php
To uniform the primer pockets (works with the new lapua tighter pockets) try this http://www.21stcenturyshooting.com/Primer_Pocket_Uniformer.php
It will make you thanks, John

lol john i already have your website opened up and a few things in the cart ready to order...... but no money to buy it just yet!!!

I did want to check with you and find out if that primer seater tool was single loading only or if a primer tray would attach to it somehow... im pretty partial to having a tray full of em to knock out 100 to 1000 cases in one sitting...

(1000 cases being handgun brass) i dont have a dillon yet so ive always loaded handgun single stage...

 

[Joe Salt]

Sniper you'd be surprised how fast you can go with that primer seater one at a time!

Joe Salt

 

[rvn1968]

I agree,one at a time in the Forster goes pretty quickly.Slowing down the whole process and thinking about what you are doing right now makes for better consistency,IMHO. When I want to load a bunch of .45's,I'll fire up the old Dillon,but when I want the best that I'm capable of; it's time for the Forster with no distractions. Tom

 

[Bob with the 66]

I just had the same issue loading Federal primers in my Nosler .308 brass. It took two hands to use my RCBS priming tool, maybe the Federal primers are the issue.

My RCBS priming tool is only been used on 300 rounds.

Bob

 

[Sniper338]

I just had the same issue loading Federal primers in my Nosler .308 brass. It took two hands to use my RCBS priming tool, maybe the Federal primers are the issue.

My RCBS priming tool is only been used on 300 rounds.

Bob

cci primers were really rough.. federls were a bit easier... i donno.. im gonna take apart my priming tool and polish it up real good and see if that helps before i gotta spend more money...

 

[rvn1968]

Sniper338,If your name tag is accurate;long range with a 338;then you really have to find a friend with a Forster set-up.You will never look back. Just my opinion,Tom.