Seating Primers

[murf]

gunboat57,

are you using a lee shell holder?

murf

 

[gunboat57]

Murf, My 44 mag dies are a mixture of RCBS and Lee components. I think the shell holder is RCBS. Maybe the Lee shell holder is shorter? Do you happen to have a Lee 44 mag shell holder you could measure?

Added info: my die set is all RCBS except for the expansion die. It's an old RCBS set I think. The RCBS shell holder (#18) is knurled and I don't think they still make 'em that way.

 

[murf]

yah, give me a sec on the measurements. i do believe there are differences in the dimensions. but, for six bucks, why mess with it.

i'll check and get back 2u.

murf

 

[murf]

yes, a couple critical measurements are different.

the case rim headspace (slack of case rim and shell holder) is .013" for the lee #11, and .007" for the rcbs #18.

the rim cutout (where the rim fits into the holder) is: lee - .070", rcbs - .065".

primer recess depth (cutout, i assume, for high primer allowance) is: lee - .028", rcbs - .035".

all other measurements are within a couple thou.

suggest you spend the six bucks on a lee shell holder.

murf

 

[gunboat57]

I might as well go all the way and get a full set of Lee dies. I probably wouldn't want to have an RCBS sizer die and Lee shell holder. It might not make any difference with straight sided cartridges but you never know.

 

[murf]

i don't think the different reloading dies will matter. they are adjustable and shouldn't have this kind of problem.

the primer seating feature is built into the press and has fixed dimensions.

i think a lee shell holder will do in this case.

by the way, you said there were no problems with your other calibers. do you use lee shell holders for those calibers, also?

murf

 

[gunboat57]

I've had some trouble seating primers with my 303 British die set. It's 100% Lee.

I told the Lee company about my situation and they recommended putting a big washer down around the ram. Apparently they've encountered this minor issue before.

 

[NeuseRvrRat]

Lee seems to suggest a lot of "rigged" fixes.

i ran out of seater plug adjustment loading hornady FTX bullets in .30-30. i couldn't get them seated to the cannelure without over-crimping. their technician said they'd make me a longer custom seater plug or i could just cram aluminum foil up in the seater plug adjustment knob.

 

[murf]

apparently, it's a "crap shoot" with this setup. good luck with the washer thing!

fyi, i always use a hand-held priming tool. want to guess who makes it?

murf

 

[gunboat57]

Well, I just bought a washer big enough to go around the ram. Cost me close to $10 to get. The washer was only about 30 cents but I hadn't had lunch yet and there's a McDonalds right next to Tractor Supply. You know how it goes.

I know RCBS and Lee make hand priming tools. I'd probably get the RCBS so I wouldn't have to buy another set of special shell holders.

 

[murf]

let us know if the washer fixes the problem.

wasn't suggesting you go out and buy an hand priming tool. thought the "lee" part was funny in this situation.

murf

 

[gunboat57]

Washer's in place, no problem priming 50 rounds of 44 mag this afternoon, all seated a few thousandths below flush. Popsickle stick went into the trash can.

 

[Slamfire]

Anyway, long story short, I had two high primers I didn't catch until the reloading (of 50 rounds) was done, and I was ready to shoot the rifle at a range. I didn't pay serious attention to them, thinking so what...most likely nothing's going to happen.

Well it did, first try. I loaded up a magazine. First high primer was the third one from the top. Bam............BamBam. I was glad it was on a bench rest, but it's still a bit unnerving....and more than a bit embarrassing.

You are very fortunate you did not have an out of battery slamfire.

According to CCI high primers are the number cause of misfires, but as you read in this article, that is because the primer anvil has to be hard seated on something, and it has to be pushed into the primer cake.

http://www.shootingtimes.com/2011/01/04/ammunition_st_mamotaip_200909/



If these conditions are not met, misfires happen.

Wayne Faatz could not get high primers to slamfire in his Garand, he tried high rifle primers and high pistol primers and the only thing that happened was that the bolt seated them. Then he put a flattened pistol anvil in the pocket, hard seated the primer, and that high primer slamfired when he dropped the bolt. http://www.mtssa.org/olofson/slamfire/index.html

I reamed the primer pockets of this case too deep. The rounds fired fine in my M1a but in my M70 on some cases all I would get is a dent.



All of these rounds misfired in a long range match in my M70, then I chambered nine of them in my M1a and they fired.

But I had one which I had tried many times in the M70 to get the thing to go off. I think I busted the primer cake because even though the primer would not ignite, when I removed that primer and put it on a hot burner, it for sure ignited.

So I think it is possible to crush the primer cake and get a misfire.

 

[1SOW]

FWIW: I've got my single stage mounted to a 20" piece of treated 2X12.
That is clamped to the top of a Black & Decker 'Workmate". The minimum overhang is used. It's dead rigid with no spring or give.