Primer check after loading on progressive

[sinbad339]

I currently load 9x19 and 45ACP on a turret press. As each round comes off the press, I place it bullet down in an ammo box. After each "lot" of 100, I look over all the primers for any issues. Then they go into zip-lock bags with a label including date, powder, charge, etc.

Now I'm looking at upgrading to a progressive, and considering the Loadmaster among others. I've been researching progressives for a while now, and think I'm aware of the trade-offs. My question concerns the issues of bad primer seating; flipped, missing, "crushed", etc. on the Loadmaster. Can one feel a bad primer seat (since it primes on the upstroke, while resizing, one cannot feel the primer seating)? Or, does one have to look over each completed round for good primer seating?

As stated, I've read a lot on different progressives, and I don't want to start another bashing thread. I'm OK with a bad primer rate of 1 or 2 per 100 reloads, so long as they can easily be culled out before being stored as "good" rounds.

 

[Red Cent]

The LoadMaster primer problem continues. I used to have three Lee Pro 1000s running and they did well. High maintenance. As a SASS shooter, I have friends that really like the LoadMaster but the have the primer problem. They hand prime. Lee brought out a fix but I don't think it fixed the problem. I have a LoadMaster that was given to me because a friend/shooter had so much problems with it. Needs about $50.00 in parts.
As an owner and a die hard blue KoolAid fan, I would go for a Dillon 550 at least, if not for the 650. And the 650 will hold value. I recently sold two 650s (kept one) for $850.00 each (FTF).

 

[sinbad339]

Red Cent, do you check the primers of your reloads?

 

[rogerstg]

I put mine in boxes bullet down. In the rare circumstances that the primer is not correctly seated, it's obvious. Usually I can feel when it doesn't seat right and address it immediately.

 

[rdtompki]

I wouldn't put up with 1 or 2 bad primer insertions per 100. Either the press is not set up correctly or it's a bad design.

 

[Schwing]

I am far from a Lee detractor. Most of my reloading equipment is Lee. Having said that, I cannot stress enough how much I would advise against the Loadmaster. The pro 1000 is, IMHO, the way to go if you are going to stick with Lee progressives.

Here is an older thread with my Loadmaster experience. What was an early love affair turned into a bitter divorce

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=768696

 

[jmorris]

Preset depth of primers is a good idea but without a swage station you will miss the imperfect cases. That said there is a big difference between the Lee and a 1050.

 

[sinbad339]

Thanks rogerstg; thanks for answerong my original question. I was hoping that with the rounds flipped into a box, I wouldn't have to do this extra step.

And Schwing; I read that thread previously. Its frustrating that some claim they can run Loadmasters with few issues but many, like you, get a press that can't be made reliable.

 

[gamestalker]

Maybe your ok with a rate of 1 or 2 per 100, but I think I speak for most of us when I say this is a big problem. For example, I've only been reloading for a bit over 30 yrs., and in that time, I've had zero primer problems, in other words, I've never had a mis-fire or any other type primer issue.

That said, even 1 in every 1000 would be considered a very high rate of failure. IMO, honestly, the only time a primer should fail, is if it is plain and simple, a bad primer, which is something I've never come across, though I do know they exist.

One way to solve this problem, would be to use a separate priming tool. Though I know that this probably throws a monkey wrench into your process, it will fix the primer problem.

GS

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm OK with a bad primer rate of 1 or 2 per 100 reloads, so long as they can easily be culled out before being stored as "good" rounds.

Sorry but 1 or 2 in 1,000 would be totally unacceptable to me!

No matter what press you use you can easily check the primers by turning them bullet down into a plastic case and rubbing your finger over the primer as you do. I have done that no matter which press the ammo was made on.

 

[Red Cent]

SinBad339, I do check the primers. I put them in 50 count MTM boxes and will hold each box up so they reflect light. Very unusual to find a high primer.

Reading some of the responses makes me wonder. I have loaded for competition for about 30-40 years and I have ran into a number of dud primers. And I have ran into a primer that I may not have fully seated. Stuff happens.

I have loaded all my 38s, 45 ACP, and 45 Colt on my three 650s. And I turned out thousands and thousands of rounds each year. I guess the amount of rounds loaded equates to running into "stuff".

GameStalker, what press do you use?

 

[LiveLife]

Whether I load on Lee Pro 1000 or the Dillon 650, I always fill factory ammo trays with finished rounds and visually inspect the primers and run my finger tip over the primers to detect higher than flush seated primers.

Any higher than flush primers will be readily felt by the finger tip and I either hand prime or press prime the high primers.

I don't use LoadMaster so I can't comment.

 

[StrutStopper]

Whether I load on Lee Pro 1000 or the Dillon 650, I always fill factory ammo trays with finished rounds and visually inspect the primers and run my finger tip over the primers to detect higher than flush seated primers.

Any higher than flush primers will be readily felt by the finger tip and I either hand prime or press prime the high primers.

I don't use LoadMaster so I can't comment.

You put charged rounds with high primers back in the press to make the primers flush?

 

[GLOOB]

On my SS press, I don't check primers. I feel for the primer to bottom out. On a lot of progressives, you prime on the upstroke of the lever, and I assume you can feel for this on those progressives, as well.

 

[joem1945]

I hand prime all my cases before using my 650. Seems to work out better for me to prime with Lee Auto Prime or RCBS bench primer tool.

 

[LiveLife]

You put charged rounds with high primers back in the press to make the primers flush?

Yes. But keep in mind that these are very slightly higher than flush "felt" by the finger tips (I usually aim for .004" below flush or flush at the most when using larger cup primers).

Any higher than flush primers will be readily felt by the finger tip and I either hand prime or press prime the high primers.

 

[anothernewb]

I've run into high primers here and there myself. after taking some notes on them, it was pretty easy to discover that it was always with a particular headstamp. I started setting those cases aside and found that the primer pockets must be tighter than those of other brass I had on hand, as it took considerably more force to seat them. since it was only a few cases out of several tens of pounds of brass I just have them set aside for now.

 

[txblackout]

I am new and have only loaded on my 650, but I can feel when the primer has seated properly on the upstroke. The roller handle gives much more leverage than the ball handle

 

[savanahsdad]

"Can one FEEL a bad primer seat? "

yes and no .. if anything is wrong you will fell it at the end of the stroke , (barely) if your de-cap pin is lose and is catching the side of the flash hole you will feel it , if you get an off-center flash hole ,you will feel it, get some lead or lube build up in the seating die or a crooked bullet and you will fell it , or a side-ways primer , I have lost track of the cases I have pulled out at station #3 thinking the primer didn't seat right , and there was nothing wrong , sometimes it remains a mystery , sometimes I find a bulge in a case where a bullet didn't go in strait , If I do get a bad primer seat , you can bet another is soon to follow , do to some dirt , grit or powder that got in the priming system , , clean out the grit, and good to go another 1000 or so ,