Wolf LR primer seating

[jhord]

I've searched and haven't really found a definitive answer. I am messing around with .30-06 load development for my M1 Garand, using up some Wolf LR primers. I have noticed that there are 2 "steps" to the seating process. Using my Hornady seating tool, when I seat the primer I feel the primer hit bottom lightly. This leaves about 3/8" of lever travel remaining on the seating tool. If I continue to pull on the lever, the primer continues to seat, and then has a firmer bottoming point. I have never noticed this with other brands of primer. The seating depth for the two steps is about -.004" and -.010". The pockets have been uniformed. Either way the rifle seems to shoot fine. I am, of course, worried about slam fires. It seems to me a slam fire might occur in either situation, from the primer seated too shallow, to being preloaded too much and overly "sensitized." Thoughts?

 

[stool]

ARE THE POCKETS TRUELY uniform..as in all the same depth?
how deep are they ?
10 thou sounds like someone got carried away...
6 thou between bottom and a lite crush is a bit much.

 

[amlevin]

If you take a look at the Wolf Primers, the anvil is set a little (or perhaps a lot) farther out of the cup than others.

What you're feeling first is the anvil coming in contact with the bottom of the primer pocket and second, the anvil being pressed up into the primer material until the cup itself hits the bottom of the primer pocket.

One thing you have to beware of with the Hornady hand priming tool is that the "punch" has a large radius on the tip where others are flat. This can cause you to push a "dish" in the face of the primer which is not good. I asked Hornady about this radius and got an answer of "the engineers tell us that there are dozens of reasons why it's there but the explanations are too lengthy to go into".

I just took the punch, ground it flat, smoothed it with an Arkansas stone, and prime away with no dished primers.

I'm almost out of the 10K of Wolf Primers I bought just before PVI changed to Tula. The new Tula's I have don't seem to have the same amount of anvil extending from the cup and I don't feel the "two stage seat" as bad as with the Wolf's. More like a CCI or Federal.

 

[jhord]

Pockets have been uniformed with a K&M tool. I whipped out some gauges and took measurements:

Primer pocket depth .129" +/- .0005"
Thickness of Wolf SR primer to anvil legs .127"-ish.
Thickness of cup only .122"-ish.

I guess there is my answer, I'm feeling the .005" of the anvil crushing. I hadn't noticed the legs stuck up that far, until I viewed it in my calipers. I suppose the rest is the cup deforming, I see it is slightly "domed" and then flattens when seated. FWIW my Hornady tool has a flat pin, I checked to make sure.

So the proper way to seat the Wolf is to crush the anvil?

Thanks!

 

[Dimwit Flathead]

In order to get consistent ignition the anvil has to be in contact with the pellet. Almost all primers are made with this in mind. The usual procedure is to set the primer until you feel the initial contact, then seat .004" more for LR and .003" more for SR primers.

 

[stool]

to each their own, but .002 crush is very nice.....as lomg as the cup is actually seated.

 

[2506]

amlevin hit the nail on the head. There is your answer.

Now about slam fire with an M1. Slam fire with these rifles does not necessary come from a too high primer. These rifles have a free floating firing pin what has no spring retainer. The firing pin actually floats forward with every cycle of the action and the firing pin hits the primer. If the primer cup is too soft or sensitive when the firing pin hits it will set it off. The only primers I have ever had slam fire in my M1 Garand are Federal 210 and 210M. It was years ago when I first started shooting an M1. I never had it slam fire when loading the first round it only would do it when a round was fired and the action worked. I had it double a few times and then it tripled a couple times. I thought something was amiss with the rifle itself. Just so happened an experienced M1 shooter was at the range one day when I had my LAST triple. He immediately came over to me calling a cease fire, and without knowing I was using Federal primers, told me "you can't use Federal primers in an M1 because they slam fire". I have used CCI LR and bench rest, Winchester, Remington and Wolf with no problems.

 

[SeabeeKen]

Slam fire is an issue as 2506 says. The CCI 34 military grade primers have a heavier cup to prevent slam fires

 

[amlevin]

Slam fire is an issue as 2506 says. The CCI 34 military grade primers have a heavier cup to prevent slam fires

You can get the same benefit from Wolf or Tula Primers at less cost.

 

[jhord]

Thanks everyone for the input. I had a box of Wolf stashed away and wanted to try them, they generally get good reviews. Just wanted to make sure I was seating them right, since the feel was so different. I normally use Winchester or CCI.