High primers in a 44 spl.

[gonoles_1980]

A couple of questions.

Recently I have been getting 1 or 2 high primers in a batch of 50 44 spl. The cylinder won't move because the primer wasn't pushed in all the way. This just started happening recently. Doesn't happen when prime 44 mag cases. I am using the Lee hand primer for large primers.

1) Any thoughts on how I can catch these somewhat easily before I load the power and seat the bullet?

2) Any chance, I can push the primer in using my press on the bullets that have the high primer? I am assuming that's too dangerous with a loaded bullet, but thought I'd ask. I figure I will have to pull the bullet, then reseat the primer.

 

[ReloaderFred]

That's one of the reasons I use the RCBS and LYMAN Ram Prime units. They have mechanical stops and I know every primer is set to .004" below flush, and my primers go off every time. Besides, my hands are 73 years old and can't do that hand priming thing any longer, but I never liked them anyway.

If you're going to continue to use the hand priming tool, then place your cases upside down in a cartridge tray after priming and run your index finger lightly across the rows of primers. Once you get the feel, you'll pick out a high primer right away.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Blue68f100]

If you set the cartridge primer down on a hard flat surface, a primer not below flush will rock. One seated properly will sit flat with no rock. When you set the primers down do it so it's not flat so it will rock some. Makes it easier to find. Another way is to use a straight edge and rake it across the base. It will hang if high.

Once loaded it's better off to break them down. All it takes is some powder to get in the wrong place when you try to reseat them for something bad to happen. If you want to do it with out breaking them down, use a hand primer with the bullet pointed down. Tap the bullet several times to try to move any powder that is in the flash hole and primer. Then very gingerly seat the primer.

Personally I would not attempt it.

 

[Walkalong]

1) Any thoughts on how I can catch these somewhat easily before I load the power and seat the bullet?

Run your thumb over each primer you seat if you are hand priming. If you are priming on the press on a progressive, you'll just have to figure out what you are doing wrong, or what needs to be adjusted.

While the primer would not go off 99 times out of a hundred, or more, and it would just go pop and scare you (Not bang), I cannot recommend seating a primer on a loaded round.

 

[gonoles_1980]

It's a hand primer, I'll a combo of the running a finger over the case, and put on a flat surface to double check. Since these are for my wife, don't like have the cylinder not being able to turn. Takes me away from my shooting . Naw, I just like her to have a time. The second question, I sorta knew the answer too, but was hoping I might be wrong.

 

[Walkalong]

You can use the straight edge of your calipers instead of a counter.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

If you have only a few high primers there us no read on to pull the bullets and reseat the primers. I would just give the ones that don't fire a second hit and that will usually fire them. The first hit usually seats the primer and that's why the second hit fires the round.

 

[redbullitt]

Not sure how your particular hand primer works, but mine uses different shell holders just like my press does.
If yours is similar, there is a chance there is an issue with your shell holder? I had a shellholder that caused maybe 5 or 10 percent of my primers to do something like that. Got a new one just to see and it quite happening... so might be worth a look

 

[Swampman]

Just to be sure that I fully understand your problem, the high primers are locking up the cylinder BEFORE they're fired, correct?

In other words, you load the cylinder and then attempt to index it, but you're unable to do so because the high primer from an UNFIRED round pushes against the recoil plate and ties up the revolver, correct?

 

[gonoles_1980]

Swampman, you are correct. It's not a misfire, (not sure what you call it), it won't allow the cylinder to advance to that particular round. It is possible the hand primer is starting to show signs of wear, I have primed about 20,000 rounds with it.

Redbullit, I use the same shell holder for priming the 44mag and don't have any issues there. I'm going to start check the case types. I've had some case types for my 38 spl that I have to do a second primer push with my presser primer to make them not mis-fire. When I figured that out, haven't had issues since. I just prime those cases in both the hand primer and in my press primer.

 

[Crunchy Frog]

You might have a few cases with irregular primer pockets. If so, you might want to use a primer pocket "uniformer" on your .44 Special cases.

I would not recommend trying to re-seat a primer of a loaded cartridge. The likelihood of detonation is probably low, but the effect of a detonation is not something I want to risk.

 

[greyling22]

****Do Not Reseat Primers On Loaded Rounds****
They can and will detonate. It happened to my uncle. Blew brass into his face, chest and a large sliver into the bone of the trigger finger.

 

[mdi]

If you primed 20,000 cases on your Lee hand primer, you got your money's worth, and I'd suggest you get a ram prime. Lyman states ram priming is the most consistent and positive priming method. Hand primer tools never fit my hands well, I have to reset them in my hand after every squeeze and they were always inconsistent (I started reloading in '69 so I know how to seat primers, just experienced a "different feel" with some hand primer tools). Inspection plays a very important role in reloading and should be done after each operation and high primers should never reach your gun. You've gotten a few methods to check for high primers, and if you are hand priming you already have the case in your hand so when you have removed the case from the tool, run your finger across the case head...

 

[Sunray]

1) Do a visual inspection of the loaded ammo.
2) Yep. Isn't dangerous in the least. There's nothing remotely pointy whacking the primer to even come close to setting off primer. Just run 'em through the press and give 'em a shove.
"...will detonate..." Smokeless powder does not explode. And your uncle's tragedy wasn't caused by reseating the primers.

 

[greyling22]

I agree, in theory they shouldn't, and they don't always. In theory it should be just like seating the primer the first time. And I've pulled a few apart to reset the primer. But they can detonate and I've seen it. It's not pretty. Don't do it.

 

[gonoles_1980]

Question on the RAM primer. It looks like you have to manually load each primer one at a time, like you have to do on the side primer that fits in the shaft. Is there some type of auto feeder you can get with it? At this point I will probably just feel each primer, won't take up anymore time than using the gauge on the semi-auto rounds.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Yes, the Ram Prime is fed one primer at a time, but the trade off is that each and every primer is seated the same. I've got several different priming methods available to me (equipment on my shelves), but I only prime with the Ram Prime units anymore.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[kerreckt]

I can "feel" when the primer is seated to the correct depth. I first feel it hit bottom, then can feel the final scrunch, as the primer seats properly. If it didn't feel right, it usual isn't right. They must be set to the proper (below the plane of the bottom) depth to assure reliable ignition. That's been my experience.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

Sounds like you have problems with just 44 spl brass. Is this new, all one manufacturer? If so the pockets are a tad tight. A primer pocket reamer is the tool to correct this. My favorite is from K&M.
http://kmshooting.com/primer-tools/primer-pocket-correction.html

 

[Walkalong]

It is possible the hand primer is starting to show signs of wear, I have primed about 20,000 rounds with it.

My RCBS hand primer wore to the point i was getting some primers not being seated deep enough. I made a new seater stem for large pistol and large rifle primers that cured the problem. My small diameter rod works for pistol primers, but was not seating small rifle primers deep enough to suit me, so I made a new one of those. I only use it for SR and the original for SP. I use my new larger diameter for both LP & LR.

New large rod



Old small rod on left, new one on right


Old small rod on top, new one on bottom.

 

[Walkalong]

My favorite is from K&M.

That tool is designed to square up the bottom of the primer pocket for more uniform/positive seating. It doesn't normally touch the sides of the primer pocket. I guess it would if the primer pocket was really too small in diameter. I've never had any brass/primer combo that my RCBS hand primer could not work with.

Great tools though, I have one for Large rifle. My old small rifle uniformer is form Whitetail Design & Engineering. (Not my photo)

 

[murf]

A couple of questions.

Recently I have been getting 1 or 2 high primers in a batch of 50 44 spl. The cylinder won't move because the primer wasn't pushed in all the way. This just started happening recently. Doesn't happen when prime 44 mag cases. I am using the Lee hand primer for large primers.

1) Any thoughts on how I can catch these somewhat easily before I load the power and seat the bullet?

2) Any chance, I can push the primer in using my press on the bullets that have the high primer? I am assuming that's too dangerous with a loaded bullet, but thought I'd ask. I figure I will have to pull the bullet, then reseat the primer.

are these winchester cases?

i uniform the primer pockets in all my cases (new and used). i have found that all pistol cases, with the exception of starline cases, have rounded primer pocket corners and have a large primer pocket depth variance.

so, maybe your high primers are caused by shallow primer pocket depth, and/or rounded corners.

i use rcbs primer pocket uniformers. they do the job quite well.

luck,

murf

 

[gonoles_1980]

Murf, I do use Winchester primers. The last case is a Starline case. I assume the Lee Primer Pocket Cleaner isn't good enough to fix the primer pockets. I have several things to look at.

 

[murf]

Murf, I do use Winchester primers. The last case is a Starline case. I assume the Lee Primer Pocket Cleaner isn't good enough to fix the primer pockets. I have several things to look at.

winchester pistol cases are the worst for consistent primer pocket depth, imo.

a pocket cleaner won't fix this. a primer pocket uniformer tool is what is needed, here. brownells has a selection: https://www.brownells.com/search/index.htm?k=primer+pocket+uniforming+tool&ksubmit=y .

starline cases are usually good-to-go, but i did have one case with a shallow primer pocket (out of 47 cases).

luck,

murf

p.s. most people don't uniform pistol primer pockets. i'm one that does.

 

[gonoles_1980]

I mis-read you're post you said Winchester cases, not primers, sorry, I use mainly Starline, but I do have a mix of some others.