RCBS Hand primer with SPP

[au_prospector]

I hand primed some .38 special brass using my RCBS hand primer with the small primer insert. I am wondering if I use too much pressure to seat the primers?
The result is a seated primer obviously recessed into the brass. The seating rod in the hand primer is making an indentation in the seated primer in the shape of a crescent moon.

Didnt think anything of it until I shot a box of my reloads and had 3 FTF with Remington primers. I had used Winchester primers before without a hitch. Two of the FTF took multiple strikes to fire. The third will need to be pulled. Possible I using too much force to seat the primers crushing them? I make sure to press all the way to the stop. Some brass is easy, some brass takes two hands occasionally to force it to the stop.

 

[kfelder]

I had the same issue with mine. Contacted RCBS, explained the problem and they sent me a new SP rod.

 

[buck460XVR]

The multiple strikes to ignite is generally a sign that the primers are not seated deeply enough. Primers set below flush are the general rule and it is almost impossible to "crush" a primer with a handprimer. Do you have the rod in correctly? The rounded end goes down and the square end is the end that seats the primer. You should be able to "feel" the primer when it is seated. As long as the primer is slightly below flush, you do not have to take two hands and force it to the "stop".