WHAT'S THE BEST WEAY TO SEAT PRIMERS

[ronemus]

I found a good combination of speed and feel using APS primer strips in a hand-held RCBS tool (no longer made). I also have the press to load strips, so I can use whatever primers work best. It only takes a couple of minutes to load 100 primers in strips, and priming speed is limited by how fast I can move the brass on and off the tool.

I modified the tool to improve feel by replacing the return spring with a much lighter one (AR-15 Buffer retaining pin spring IIRC); that makes the feel nearly equal that of my Sinclair.

Last time I looked, RCBS still sells the bench-mounted version of the tool, but I have no experience with it,

 

[D-4297]

I got the chance to buy a very old R.C.B.S. A-2 / A-12 five years ago , and it had the complete Primer Tool attachment still in place , in beautiful condition . Got both rods and cups with extra cup springs . I shoot TR , and average around 3,500 to 4,000 rounds a year , and this tool has done every bit of my priming since day one . I do run a pocket tool on all new brass to get that nice corner in the bottom , and do a quick pass to get the junk out before wet tumble for reloading . My SD runs average of 7 to 9 , and I'm running mid to high 190's , so I guess the Press Primer Tool Attachment is working .

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I like to watch Gunsmoke while priming with my old Lee's(2) one small,one large.

 

[1shot]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

Lloyd

 

[RickyK]

I bought a Primal Rights CPS Primer . Have not tried it yet as Im waiting on my .284 rifle . If i didnt find it like new but used , i would not have spent what a new one cost .

 

[RickyK]

A little bit on primer crush !!!

 

[centershot]

I have been having a bit of trouble with my old Lee priming tool to get the primers flush. Sometimes when this happens, I use a Lee Ram Prime. Fits in a loading press where the die goes. Slow, but it gets them flush.

 

[RickyK]

 

[Calgary Bill]

Thanks everyone for your very informative comments.
Firstly, I need to defend my friends suggestion to use a hand priming tool. He was taught by a benchrest shooting associate and it seems that most benchrest shooters prime with hand tools. He doesn't reload as many rounds as I do and the extra time to use hand tools isn't an issue.
The subject of priming came as a result of some recent misfires in my 22 BR. A few shells didn't fire the first time and left a tiny mark by the firing pin. But, they all fired upon my second attempt. This leads me to believe the primers were not seated as deep as they should.
I just loaded up 50 22 BR cases and noticed that the Rem 71/2 primers were somewhat heavy to seat in the Lapua brass which I had prepped with my electric prep RCBS tool. So, I took extra care seating the primers and seated many a second time as an added precaution.
The Primal Rights primer tool looks intriquing but is costly.
Net result is that I will continue using my trusty old RCBS tool but with added caution to get better seating depth.
Thanks, again everyone.

 

[okie]

ball peen and a drift pin

 

[PhilC]

As has been said, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

I primed with a Sinclair hand primer for years, still do sometimes. A couple years ago I bought an RCBS bench primer, first time I used it asked myself why I didn't get one years ago. If I'm loading 50 or more at a time, I use the RCBS unit.

 

[bozo699]

ball peen and a drift pin

You mean like the old Lee hand die sets lol
Wayne

 

[okie]

You mean like the old Lee hand die sets lol
Wayne

yeah exactly

 

[BlueWater]

I've nowhere near the length of time reloading as most folks on the forum, but ...

I would think that so long as the primer pocket's fine, and so long as there's not much variation between the primers themselves, the last remaining thing is consistent seating depth (of the primers). Myself, I find a simple, quality hand primer works quite well for setting a fairly close seating depth. (I seat by setting and via consistent seating pressure, then verify depth by feel.) Isn't perfect, but I haven't yet seen any variation of POI on paper to suggest it's insufficient.

If you're tool's consistent and working well, and if you can find little to no variation in seating depth and quality of seating, particularly if looking at POI/paper, I'd agree with others that it ain't broke so don't fix it.

 

[ebb]

If the depth was meant to be adjustable the primer pocket would not have a bottom.

 

[M-61]

Fully seated in a clean primer pocket.
Never found this to be tricky.
Like most people I use a tool(s) I like, do the job, and have stuck with them ( or the same basic design) for many decades.

 

[Minshooter]

Thanks everyone for your very informative comments.
Firstly, I need to defend my friends suggestion to use a hand priming tool. He was taught by a benchrest shooting associate and it seems that most benchrest shooters prime with hand tools. He doesn't reload as many rounds as I do and the extra time to use hand tools isn't an issue.
The subject of priming came as a result of some recent misfires in my 22 BR. A few shells didn't fire the first time and left a tiny mark by the firing pin. But, they all fired upon my second attempt. This leads me to believe the primers were not seated as deep as they should.
I just loaded up 50 22 BR cases and noticed that the Rem 71/2 primers were somewhat heavy to seat in the Lapua brass which I had prepped with my electric prep RCBS tool. So, I took extra care seating the primers and seated many a second time as an added precaution.
The Primal Rights primer tool looks intriquing but is costly.
Net result is that I will continue using my trusty old RCBS tool but with added caution to get better seating depth.
Thanks, again everyone.

You've hit on an issue with the fixed stop/adjustable depth priming tools.
They work great, IF you first uniform the depth of the pockets.
If you don't, they don't.
You could measure some pockets, and see what variations you're working with.
My guess is the "Seat till they bottom out" method is probably 99%+ of reloaders.
The <1% who do it all, including razor blading a single powder granule -more power to them; enjoy!

 

[jelenko]

but is costly

Yeah!

 

[Surgeonwithagun]

I have used a variety of tools and "the good ones" have worked pretty well. I have not noticed a difference between functional and accurate to tell the truth. If the primer has functioned in the weapon, the accuracy has been good given the load choice and materials were good.

Some reloaders can be a bit superstitious as far as I am concerned, but to each their own.

John

 

[Dave Zander]

Have a Lee , dillon 550 works for me.