primer seater driving me nuts

I do all my priming with an RCBS hand primer. Priming on my turret press sucks.

In my experience, the priming system is the weakest link on *any* reloading machine with the exception of the RockChucker.

I wish I could give you advice on your Lyman, but all I can tell you is that I processed several hundred .223 cases today on my 650 w/o any hitch at all. . .Thank you Mike Dillon.

Cut some coils

I had the same problem with my press, single stage Pacific. Thirty years old etc.
Cut or replace the spring on the primer arm.
Less spring, will have less chance to pop the primer over.
A little polish on the shell holder bottom helps. 320/400 grit on a wood dowel rotated on a drill press or hand drill will take out the machine marks.

I use a Lee Pro 1000 so I only have 3 spots for dies. So, I prime off press with a handheld Lee primer. Now I have room for my Lee Factory Crimp Die. I also dont have any prime problems. I just dump the primed cases in the case feeder and load away.

When loading singly, I use an RCBS bench mounted priming tool. that way, your oily fingers never touch the primer.


And the RCBS bench tool has no mechanical advantage so it's easy to "feel" the primer seat on the bottom of the pocket.

Hand priming works for me, cant stand the priming arm on my Lee turret

I do all my priming with an RCBS hand primer. Priming on my turret press sucks.

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+1. Priming on any press sucks, compared to a hand primer.

Don

Priming on a turret is not the "funest" thing to have to do. I use a Lee single stage "C" press and the Lee Auto Prime II system. Absolutely trouble free...

Priming on a turret is not the "funest" thing to have to do. I use a Lee single stage "C" press and the Lee Auto Prime II system. Absolutely trouble free...

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+1

Agd--It should not touch the shellholder when you push it in to the ram. I suspect the primeing punch is either a smidgen too long or you don't have it pushed completely into the primer arm. Sometimes the little allen set screw that holds the punch loosens and the punch will extend. If it's too long simply file enough off the bottom of the punch to clear the shell holder. P.S. I have used the auto primer feed on two Lyman Spar T turrets for over 30 years and maybe 30k plus rounds with no problems.

Hand seating primers is best unless you are in a heck of a hurry. I use a Lee Autoprime exclusively.

I'm a reloading newbie, but can (Lee) hand prime 200 cases at a comfortable pace in 30 minutes. So far I don't see the need to automate this part of the process. Sometimes simpler is better...and safer.

I'm a reloading newbie, but can (Lee) hand prime 200 cases at a comfortable pace in 30 minutes.

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Yep. The trick is to get set up -- be sure you have the right shell holder and ram on the Autoloader (you can set it up for large or small primers) and -- like the reloading press, you need a shell holder.

Now sit down in a comfortable place, with plenty of primers handy and plenty of cases. Take off the lid of the Autoloader and open the primer box halfway -- use the slipcover of the primer box to keep the other half from spilling out. Hold the Autoprimer upside down, press the box of primers to the corrugated surface of the primer trayh, and flip the whole assembly over, then put the primer box aside. Odds are all your primers will be face up. If not, put the cover loosely over the Autoprimer and shake gently until they're all face up. Tighten the cover and begin priming -- you can easily achieve a rate of one case every three seconds or so.

Repeat reloading the primer tray every 50 rounds.

The RCBS bench mounted priming tool can do well over 200 in 30 minutes.

Rockchucker ROCKS

"In my experience, the priming system is the weakest link on *any* reloading machine with the exception of the RockChucker."

Amen to that! The Rock Chucker made a believer outta me. ten years and counting. Beat my Dillon 650 poopey loader (sorry Dillon fans)

The primer system has never failed on my rock chucker

Oh, BTW...the rock chucker is a single stage loader.

Thanks, I changed the spring with one from a pen and it works better but still catches.

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I'm not certain if your catching on your shellplate bottom or some part of your press assembly. Either way, the primer is being guided through a hole to the primer pocket, correct?

I would use a countersink bit or a dremel and bevel the underside of my shellholder. However, they are likely very hard metal, dremel may be the only route with a stone attachment. If it is catching before the shellholder I would round over, ease, fillet, what have you, the portion of the press where the "catch" is occurring if you can reach it.

Fine wet/dry type sandpaper taped to a small drill bit or bamboo shishkabob skewer in a drill should do the trick. You can wobble the bit/skewer back and forth where it catches while simultaneously plunging the bit in and out of the guide hole to ease the offending catch even if you cannot directly reach it to remove your burr. You should just be removing a burr somewhere I suspect or rounding an edge that is flipping your primer.

Also, make sure it is the primer that is catching, if the driver assembly is fouled up (driving rod that presses the primer in) it could be catching on something and be in need of a little rounding of it's edges also. Also, the spring itself could be catching, popping your primer over or on it's side in it's delivery path.

"Thanks, I changed the spring with one from a pen and it works better but still catches. I think I will get a hand priming tool as soon as funds permit."
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A simple fix is just take the priming punch out of the priming arm as you did when you changed the spring. Take a file and file off enough off the end that goes into the arm so that it clears your shell holder. The length of that punch is not critical as you pull the shell holder back down on it to prime. Should be an easy 10 minute fix. Good luck Nick

This really has not a thing to do with helping with your problem. However being new to guns,reloading, and casting ( all hobbies i've picked up in the past year), I have to laugh at all the Lee bashing that goes on . I started with a Dillon SQ. Deal, loaded 200 rounds and decided that I would soon go broke changing dies and shell buttons ect. for different calibers. (Sq Deal is for sale contact me if of interest).
Bought a loadmaster, primes every time , as long as you shake the feed holding the primers. Have done 1500 round of 3000 s/w 40 this week and it has not missed once. Where can you buy a progressive press, case feeder,5 stations,accurate powder measure for $200.00 delivered on sale? I think as I buy more guns and more dies that my small investment in my LoadMaster will more than pay for itself.
I also have loded over 4,000 rounds since Nov. and broken nothing on the press. Am I the only satisfied Lee buyer? Also have their molds, bottom pour pot,bullet sizer dies, and single stage press to size.

Priming

RCBS bench tool.....for volume, Sinclair hand tool for smaller volume

I think now the question is do you have a defective ram or shellholder. Do you have any other shellholders and if so does the primer cup center up on them. If thats the case the shellhoder is out of spec. If you get the same problem with a different holder than I would guess the slot in the ram for the shellholder is cut too deep. If you have a micrometer or caliper the part of the shellholder that fits into the slot in the ram should measure .557-.560 in diameter. The primer hole in one of my RCBS holders measures .300 and the Lyman holes measure .250. I take it by what you are saying about the tape is that you are keeping the shellholder from seating fully to the rear in the ram and that without the tape the edge of the cup that surrounds the primer catches the front edge of the hole in the bottom of the shellholder. One other thing, is the primer punch bent?? Shellholder should be interchangeable, they are on my Lyman Spar T turret.