Priming Issues

[Joseph Dawson]

I have the Lee Auto prime. I reload .38 Special and .357 Magnum. I use CCI 500 Small pistol primers. I have no issues priming .38 special it primes the cases very well but when I try to prime the .357 brass the primer gets stuck and I have to move the case around and crush the primer then decap it on my press, which I hate doing because of the risks involved. I reloaded about 26 .357 cartridges yesterday and I got 10 primers stuck in the case that I have to remove from just that one loading session.

The brass I'm using is brand new Starline brass. Is this something that the Lee Auto primes are known for? Am I doing something wrong, I am following the instructions to the letter. It just seems totally random, I can prime 10 cases easily and then randomly I get one stuck, then I can prime 7 more and get 2 stuck. It just seems random.

 

[Blue68f100]

New brass can have tight primer pockets. Not all primers are the same size. If you have another brand given them a try. I believe BDS published a table showing the actual dia of the primers, they can vary by a 0.001" between mfg.

Take a close look at the pocket and see if it has a square edge at the mouth. If so take a deburing/counter sink/primer pocket tool and just knock off the sharp edge and no more. This will aid in the primer starting easier.

I use Starline brass exclusively for my 357 Mag and never had a problem, priming on my LNL-AP.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

With new brass sometimes although rarely, there are some very small imperfections left behind. You might try using a primer pocket cleaner before seating the primers. It might help and no harm is done to the brass.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1064599554/lyman-primer-pocket-cleaner

I use a Lee Auto-Prime and highly doubt it's the problem.

 

[Joseph Dawson]

With new brass sometimes although rarely, there are some very small imperfections left behind. You might try using a primer pocket cleaner before seating the primers. It might help and no harm is done to the brass.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1064599554/lyman-primer-pocket-cleaner

I use a Lee Auto-Prime and highly doubt it's the problem.

New brass can have tight primer pockets. Not all primers are the same size. If you have another brand given them a try. I believe BDS published a table showing the actual dia of the primers, they can vary by a 0.001" between mfg.

Take a close look at the pocket and see if it has a square edge at the mouth. If so take a deburing/counter sink/primer pocket tool and just knock off the sharp edge and no more. This will aid in the primer starting easier.

I use Starline brass exclusively for my 357 Mag and never had a problem, priming on my LNL-AP.

Thank you. I didn't want to go and buy a case uniformer or deburring tool because at the moment I'm only using pistol calibers and didn't think I need one. I do have a Lyman primer pocket cleaner and I just used it on 40 cases. All of them primed easily. I didn't think you needed to clean the primer pockets on brand new brass. Thank you very much.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I didn't think you needed to clean the primer pockets on brand new brass.

You are correct, it is very rare but it does happen sometimes. Who knows, the tooling might have been on its last batch or the adjustments just ever so slightly off.

In all the years I have been loading I only had to address primer pockets on new brass once. It was on a bag of 100 Winchester .38 Special brass. Having to clean up the necks from banging around in transport is much more prevalent.

I'm glad everything worked out.

 

[murf]

I don't think you can "crush" the primer with your lee autoprime. I prime all my cases with a lee autoprime and have never had to decap because I pushed on the autoprime handle too much. in fact, I push on the handle as hard as I can when I seat all my primers. I also rotate the case and push a couple times to make sure the primer is seated evenly and all the way to the bottom of the pocket.

an aside: lubricate the lee autoprime often (I use petroleum jelly) and it will last a very long time.

as to the extra force required on some of your cases, don't worry about it. the primer going all the way to the bottom of the pocket is the important part. and the primer body is tough enough to survive any force you can apply with that little autoprime.

luck,

murf

 

[Joseph Dawson]

I don't think you can "crush" the primer with your lee autoprime. I prime all my cases with a lee autoprime and have never had to decap because I pushed on the autoprime handle too much. in fact, I push on the handle as hard as I can when I seat all my primers. I also rotate the case and push a couple times to make sure the primer is seated evenly and all the way to the bottom of the pocket.

an aside: lubricate the lee autoprime often (I use petroleum jelly) and it will last a very long time.

as to the extra force required on some of your cases, don't worry about it. the primer going all the way to the bottom of the pocket is the important part. and the primer body is tough enough to survive any force you can apply with that little autoprime.

luck,

murf

What I meant by crushing the primer is when I went to seat the primer it only went a quarter of the way in and stopped and got stuck and stopped me from removing the case from the case holder. In order to remove the case from the holder I had to wiggle the case around in the holder in order to find a weak spot to crush the primer down.

 

[murf]

try pushing harder on your autoprime. any imperfection in the primer pocket sidewall will "stick" the primer during seating. I've come across this various times and just push harder on the tool.

luck,

murf

 

[MEHavey]

If it seats hard, pushing harder [with the limited leverage of an AutoPrime] won't solve the problem.
It's a brass/primer dimensional mismatch that needs something like the RCBS bench primer.
https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/4...j8ZT8HzBT21tMuBXm4E-Jx_Kzz5Y4ydoaAt9CEALw_wcB
Clamp it on the table with a single C-Clamp and you're good to go for anything.

 

[murf]

If it seats hard, pushing harder [with the limited leverage of an AutoPrime] won't solve the problem.
It's a brass/primer dimensional mismatch that needs something like the RCBS bench primer.
https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/4...j8ZT8HzBT21tMuBXm4E-Jx_Kzz5Y4ydoaAt9CEALw_wcB
Clamp it on the table with a single C-Clamp and you're good to go for anything.

yes, it does solve the problem. I use a lee autoprime and when a primer "sticks", I push harder and the primer seats.

murf

 

[MEHavey]

And I've broken the thumb-lever socket connection on the autoprime -- two of them.

Like a knife that you have to push hard on to cut . . . Don't
Get a tool with req'd leverage.

 

[murf]

and I haven't broken the lever on my old round-tray autoprime. keep it lubed up and it works quite a while.

the op had a problem getting a partially seated primer out of the autoprime. if the partial seating problem persists, I agree with your recommendation. the autoprime isn't for everyone. I use it because I like to feel the primer seat all the way to the bottom of the pocket and because I can't push hard enough with the autoprime to damage the primer.

to each their own,

murf

 

[entropy]

And I've broken the thumb-lever socket connection on the autoprime -- two of them.

Like a knife that you have to push hard on to cut . . . Don't
Get a tool with req'd leverage.

I've broken many of them. Used to go through about a half dozen a year. Certain brass/primer combinations go in like butter, certain ones you have to build a callus on your thumb for. CCIs tend to be harder to insert in some brass, particularly if it is new. (Sellier & Bellot comes to mind) You can use the new levers and arms on the old Auto-Primes, and keep them running. I broke the last arm for my second one, ordered the new parts without even looking at them, tried to put them in, and realized something had changed. Went on Midways site, and found out there is a new Auto-Prime! So I had to adapt what I had, because I didn't like the looks or the goofy tray they have on the new one. I posted it here, https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...at-you-can-share.218188/page-62#post-11084646 , post #1541.
I don't think I'll be breaking any of the new levers, I think my thumb would break first!

 

[Rule3]

I don't see what a primer pocket "cleaner" would do? If is NEW brass the primer pocket is not dirty?

A primer pocket reamer would seem to be better to just clean up any imperfections. JMO

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1064643126/lyman-primer-pocket-reamer-tool

 

[murf]

I've broken many of them. Used to go through about a half dozen a year. Certain brass/primer combinations go in like butter, certain ones you have to build a callus on your thumb for. CCIs tend to be harder to insert in some brass, particularly if it is new. (Sellier & Bellot comes to mind) You can use the new levers and arms on the old Auto-Primes, and keep them running. I broke the last arm for my second one, ordered the new parts without even looking at them, tried to put them in, and realized something had changed. Went on Midways site, and found out there is a new Auto-Prime! So I had to adapt what I had, because I didn't like the looks or the goofy tray they have on the new one. I posted it here, https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...at-you-can-share.218188/page-62#post-11084646 , post #1541.
I don't think I'll be breaking any of the new levers, I think my thumb would break first!

I use a heavy leather glove on my "lever" hand to prevent blisters. good advise on the new handles fitting the old body. I don't have a clue why I haven't busted my auto prime yet. I have read about broken autoprimes from numerous sources. I really think that frequent lubrication of the pivoting surfaces is why mine still works.

murf