fiftybmg
member
A long time ago I experienced difficulty seating small pistol primers in S&B brass on my Honady LnL. Primers would not seat fully, no matter how hard I pushed on the lever.
I assumed that the brass was somehow not to spec, because it was just that make of brass giving me trouble, and I got rid of all my S&B pistol brass.
Over time, I noticed a greater frequency of primers not being fully seated with other makes of brass, after checking each batch of reloads. I also began to experience the same problem priming my 38 special brass, which is when I realised the problem may not be the brass, because I've reloaded many thousands of 38 special and I have the most diverse selection of head-stamps in that caliber.
Examining the press I noticed this.
Over time, the primer punch wore a hole in the press body, reducing the travel of the primer punch, effectively reducing the pressure able to be applied to seating primers. Obviously, S&B pistol brass has the tightest primer pockets.
I stuck a steel washer over the hole with superglue which increases the travel of the primer punch. This has the effect of increasing the pressure able to be applied to primer seating, and my problem has gone away.
This is an easy product enhancement for Hornady, they just need to add a removable [ threaded ] carbon steel button to the press at that spot.
I assumed that the brass was somehow not to spec, because it was just that make of brass giving me trouble, and I got rid of all my S&B pistol brass.
Over time, I noticed a greater frequency of primers not being fully seated with other makes of brass, after checking each batch of reloads. I also began to experience the same problem priming my 38 special brass, which is when I realised the problem may not be the brass, because I've reloaded many thousands of 38 special and I have the most diverse selection of head-stamps in that caliber.
Examining the press I noticed this.
Over time, the primer punch wore a hole in the press body, reducing the travel of the primer punch, effectively reducing the pressure able to be applied to seating primers. Obviously, S&B pistol brass has the tightest primer pockets.
I stuck a steel washer over the hole with superglue which increases the travel of the primer punch. This has the effect of increasing the pressure able to be applied to primer seating, and my problem has gone away.
This is an easy product enhancement for Hornady, they just need to add a removable [ threaded ] carbon steel button to the press at that spot.