Primer Seating

[Catpop]

When seating primers with the Lee Auto Hand primer, I can feel two distinct stops as the primer seats. I don't get this feeling with my Lyman Spartan or my Dillon SDB. Both seatings seem to fire fine. Has anyone else experienced this? Thanks, catpop

 

[floydster]

Not me.

 

[FROGO207]

I think that the hand held primer allows me a better "feel". I would say the first is when the bottom of the anvil hits the bottom of the primer pocket. The second is when the cup itself hits the bottom of the primer pocket. That is how I see it with my hand priming tool anyways.

 

[witchhunter]

Make sure you don't have a bump in the cam inside the primer, I had one that needed sanding down to be smooth. I bought mine before electricity and it needed a touch up. The second one is ok. I keep one set up for large primers and one for small. I like Lee stuff, I just wish he would use better quality materials, like some of the other manufacturers.

 

[Catpop]

Thanks Frog 0207, thats what I though also.
So, should one seat to the first stop of the anvil or the second stop of the cup when seating primers?

Thanks Witchhunter, no bumps and I also have two set up on bench, one small and one large.

 

[Walkalong]

So, should one seat to the first stop of the anvil or the second stop of the cup when seating primers?

Th cup, and harder is better than softer.

 

[LiveLife]

So, should one seat to the first stop of the anvil or the second stop of the cup when seating primers?

You should prime to the second resistance. The first resistance you feel is the anvil feet hitting the bottom of the primer pocket, but this does not mean the tip of the anvil is set against the priming compound. The second resistance you feel is the anvil feet pushed up in the cup while the tip sets against the priming compound.

Forster website has a nice illustration on primer seating depths (scroll down to "Primer On Primer Seating" on the link - http://www.forsterproducts.com/store.asp?pid=24822


The primer at the bottom shows properly seated primer below flush with the anvil feet inside the primer cup and anvil tip in contact with the priming compound. The middle picture shows a "high" primer with anvil feet below the bottom of primer cup. The top picture shows a "crushed/flattened" primer cup with anvil tip piercing the priming compound.

Comparison picture of different brand primers with different amount of anvil feet sticking below the primer cup and varying dome shapes.

Priming compound is contained by sealant/cup which the anvil tip sets against during priming - notice different anvil tip shapes and heights (BTW, the color you see is not the actual color of the priming compound but rather the color of the sealant/cup).

 

[matrem]

Been seating primers by hand for quite a while, as it is more precise.

In between that first and second stage, is likely the optimum, but I'm usually guilty of pushing it until that next feel.
Zero negative effects in thousands of rounds doing such.

 

[Catpop]

I guess when using the Dillon and Spatan, I am not feeling the anvil hit the bottom of the case pocket, but rather the second stop as the anvil seats against the bottom of the cup. I do not seem to be crushing the primers and they are seated a tad lower than the case based. The Lee auto primers are really very sensitive or I probably would have never noticed this.
Thanks men! Catpop