seating primers

[Visionz45]

Ive been using a K&M pocket uniformer in conjunction with Hornady's hand priming system. I have experienced primer pocket leak on new cases that weren't loose. I can feel two distinct point while squeezing my hand primer. The handle will depress 3/4 of total travel and then hit a slight bit of resistance. I can then fully depress the handle without any difference in primer appearance. I de-capped a primer that had been seated with a full squeeze of the handle and it appears that the anvil was slightly pressed into the cup and I would assume that the cup fully engaged the primer pocket. The primers look to be seated deeper that any factory round I compared them to, I really don't want to create a situation where this fall I go to pull the trigger on a nice whitetail and hear click. Any thoughts?

 

[ReloaderFred]

For hunting ammunition I don't uniform pockets on new brass. I've never found the need, and I've never had a misfire.

Ideally, primers should be seated .004" below flush. This is done to fully seat the anvil against the primer pellet and ensure ignition when the firing pin strikes it.

For new brass, I just tumble, full length size and trim. Then I load it and make sure it will chamber, which is never a problem.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[moxie]

Test a few. See if they work.

 

[LiveLife]

I can feel two distinct point while squeezing my hand primer. The handle will depress 3/4 of total travel and then hit a slight bit of resistance. I can then fully depress the handle without any difference in primer appearance.

What you are feeling first is the anvil hitting the bottom of the primer pocket (this is where most reloaders find the primer cups flush with the case bottom). Then when you depress the handle more without crushing the cup, you are "setting" the anvil against the primer cup/compound and the primer cup is below the case bottom. You are doing it right.

When you hand prime, you can better notice this "feel". If you are flattening the primer cup, you are crushing the primer.

A Primer On Primer Seating

The following three drawings illustrate the critical nature of accurate primer seating.

1: IMPROPERLY SEATED - This primer is improperly seated, preventing the cups of the primers from resting solidly on the bottom of the primer. Some primer cups measure .120” in height, and if seated with crowns more than .004” below the case head, the anvil would be forced through the crown, rendering the primer useless.

2: IMPROPERLY SEATED - This primer is improperly seated too high. A high primer is erratic in performance. It is also dangerous and could explode in the chamber of a rifle when the breech block closes on it before it is locked.

3: PROPERLY SEATED - This primer is properly seated, exactly as it would be with our Co-Ax® Reloading Press. The crown is .004” below the surface of the case head; the anvils are on the bottom of the primer well; and the primer mix is properly stressed by the anvil for sensitivity. It is also much safer than either of the two seated primers shown above.

 

[Visionz45]

Thank you, I will stick to the deeper seating. I tend to dwell on these things and my brass prep seems to be an outlet for OCD. I'm sure others feel the same.

 

[SifuGun]

Hello Forum,

Does it look like i set primer correctly?

 

[rcmodel]

Your pictures are not showing up.
Just a box with a big red X in it.

rc

 

[Hondo 60]

I can see the pics - but it's too hard to tell if the primers are seated deep enough

 

[raddiver]

Just by looking im going to say no, but i agree with hondo, its hard to tell.
Can you get us another shot looking almost full on from the side?