.30 Carbine primer trouble

[7.65browning]

Sooo, I could really use some help form members more experienced in reloading as I'm starting to go bald with the issues I'm having priming .30 Carbine cases.

Cases are factory new S&B, primers are RWS small rifle, tool used is a Lee bench prime. I'm having incredible difficulty getting the primers to seat, so much so that the rims are getting deformed by the shellholder because of the force needed. Tried using a primer pocket uniformer, it helped a little but not much. Also tried using a pocket reamer, doesn't help at all.

At this stage I switched to a Lee ram prime for the added leverage and it seems to work better but I'm not sure if the primers are seated deep enough to be safe. Attached is a picture, could someone tell me if this case is fine or not?
I'd also appreciate any tips on how to loosen up those primer pockets.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[ArchAngelCD]

That primer looks fine from what I can see. Run your finger over the primer and you will feel if the primer is slightly below or above the case base.

 

[Laphroaig]

Another test is to set your primed case on a flat surface. If the case sits flat and doesn't wobble you are generally GTG.

 

[ReloaderFred]

S&B primer pockets have a sharper edge than domestic primer pockets, and they're slightly tighter, in most cases. I consider this a good thing, but others don't.

You might slightly chamfer the edge of the primer pocket to help with the primer entering the pocket. This is done with crimped primers to remove any crimp left after decapping, and sometimes helps when seating primers in pockets without the rounded edge.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[mdi]

With my background, I'd try and measure. Measure the pocket diameter, after using a chamfer tool, measure the diameter of the primers. Some of the S&B brass I've encountered had very little (no) chamfer on the primer pocket and all seemed to be on the tight side (CCI and Winchester primers). I've got some plug gauges, but a good supply of drills can be used (mike the OD of the drill shaft, small primer pocket diameter is .173"-.1745" and a #17 drill is .173")...

 

[Toprudder]

S&B primer pockets have a sharper edge than domestic primer pockets, and they're slightly tighter, in most cases. I consider this a good thing, but others don't.

You might slightly chamfer the edge of the primer pocket to help with the primer entering the pocket. This is done with crimped primers to remove any crimp left after decapping, and sometimes helps when seating primers in pockets without the rounded edge.

Hope this helps.

Fred

^^^^ This has been my experience. The primer pockets for S&B cases have almost no radius on the edge. I've used the military crimp remover bits from RCBS to improve priming on the S&B cases I've had problems with.

 

[7.65browning]

Thanks all! I've loaded up 25 test rounds with a 110gn FMJ and Vihtavuori N110 increasing the charge every 5 rounds from 12.1 to 14 grains. I'll see if the primer pockets loosen up a little with use.

 

[FROGO207]

The RWS, Tula, and Magtech brand primers are a bit larger diameter (have to squeeze the tool harder) than domestic brands when I seat them in my brass. This is a good thing with worn out primer pockets as I get another reload or two with those brass. As long as you can seat them flush they should work OK though. You might try getting some WIN or CCI primers to use with that brass though as they will seat easier IMHO.

 

[7.65browning]

The RWS, Tula, and Magtech brand primers are a bit larger diameter (have to squeeze the tool harder) than domestic brands when I seat them in my brass. This is a good thing with worn out primer pockets as I get another reload or two with those brass. As long as you can swat them flush they should work OK though. You might try getting some WIN or CCI primers to use with that brass though as they will seat easier IMHO.

I'm mostly tied to RWS primers, simply because that seems to be the only brand available locally. I don't mind applying force to the priming tool, the issue I had was buckling the rims because I had to push so hard. It even crossed my mind that my shellholder might be too loose, allowing the casing to tilt to one side due to pressure and then get stuck if I push to hard.

 

[FROGO207]

The Lee 30 carbine shell holder (#7- 30 carb &32 ACP) is a semi universal fit shell holder and is a bit oversized (read sloppy fit) for the rim. RCBS has a shell holder (#17) that is a better fit on my brass and what I use because I was ripping the rims off my brass trying to remove them from the sizing die when using the Lee. Also you said that you chamfered the primer pocket some. I would try doing it enough that you can see that it is beveled in easily with just your eye.
FWIW I have had problems with a tight fit using other S&B brass and a good chamfer on the primer pocket to funnel the primer in helped a lot even though they still went in tightly.

 

[7.65browning]

Thanks for all the tips, I ordered a Hornady shellholder that I'm hoping will be a better fit than the Lee. So far it seems I'm getting along with the ram prime, the added leverage seems to help with seating the primers and even after one firing the primer pocket loosens up some.

On another note, am I the only one who's less than impressed with the Lee Bench Prime? Despite the long lever I'm not getting "finger pressure" seating at all, the large primer unit was defective from the factory, and the primers always seem to get stuck in the primer tray during use. I had high hopes for this thing but more and more I'm using the ram prime or my old round tray Lee hand primer.

 

[Dudedog]

Does the bench prime use the shellholders with the "prong" on the bottom like the press or are the bases flush like the hand prime shell holders?

 

[hdwhit]

After reloading thousands of rounds of 30 carbine, I want to echo what Reloader Fred said in Post #4. Do what he says and your problems will most likely vanish.

 

[7.65browning]

Does the bench prime use the shellholders with the "prong" on the bottom like the press or are the bases flush like the hand prime shell holders?

It uses the hand prime shellholders. I bought it because I thought it would be an upgrade over the ram prime or the handheld priming tool.

 

[7.65browning]

After reloading thousands of rounds of 30 carbine, I want to echo what Reloader Fred said in Post #4. Do what he says and your problems will most likely vanish.

I did try chamfering but it didn't make it any easier to seat the primers. But anyway, it seems like the ram prime solved it mostly.

 

[FROGO207]

I have the old style Lee hand primer and it will not work with 300 WSM brass due to the size of the brass base. I have just used the ram prime to load those as I am not loading many at a time anyways. It does take longer that's for sure though.
Seems that even sizing the brass takes more effort so I just figure that's the way it is going to go. I would think chamfering the pocket would help with eliminating crushed primers even though they would still go in hard.