Primer seating problem (newbie)

[Chris M]

I finally got some primers, and was going to put my first few rounds together tonight...but I immediately ran into a problem. I'm using the priming arm that came with my Lyman single stage press (inserts primer on downstroke). Problem is it didn't seat the primer all the way in. In fact, the first primer I seated was so high, that I couldn't even remove the case from the shell holder until I really put some pressure on the lever. I thought maybe it was a fluke, and tried another. It seated the primer to the same depth. At least it's consistent.



I'd like to use this press-mounted priming tool, but I'm starting to lean toward a hand-priming tool.

Any suggestions?

[thempopresense]

what type of round are you trying to load?

[Chris M]

30-06 w/ Federal primers.

[joelogic]

R-P shouldnt have a crimp. Anything blocking? Are you using enough force? You dont need to be gentle.

[Chris M]

No crimp. Primer pockets are free of debris. I used quite a bit more force trying to seat the primer than I was using to resize the brass. That doesn't seem right to me...

[Beelzy]

Common problem when priming on the downstroke.

I use a separate primer seater for priming cases.

Other than that, pull up harder.

Oh, yes of COURSE, make sure you have cleaned the primer pockets.

[scrat]

30-06 springfield. umm. ya all i had to do was read the case in the pictures.

so your not doing anything wrong. but you have several options. 1. deal with it and seat them hard. or get a hand primer. then prime them. if you can wait i would get a hand priming system. anyone will do. weather rcbs lee they are rather cheap and are very quick to use.

[sv_1]

Make sure those safety glasses are on!

[Mikeb]

I'd fill the primer pocket with wax and see if the anvil makes a little depression. Is there an adjustment?
Mike

[Triple R Munitions]

the federal primers are just a hair bigger then other primers... that could be it. also i had a problem with RP primers, believe it or not.... switch to CCI and have never looked back. not one problem. RP pockets are a little bigger and will accept that "larger" primer.

Do not use Privi 3006 cases with federal! privi cases are very tight.

R

[Chris M]

Thanks for the quick replies. I hadn't realized it, but there is an adjustment on the primer arm. It was set to not seat the primer all the way in - which is exactly what it was doing.

I adjusted it to seat it just below flush (~0.003" - just like the Lyman Reloading manual recommends), but it would only seat them to flush. I grabbed some factory ammo to make sure I was measuring correctly - Winchester factory ammo's primers are seated to 0.004" below flush according to my calipers.

I over-adjusted it to around double the thickness of my fingernail, and slowly seated the primers again. They remained at flush. I'm about to give up on this thing and just get a hand-priming tool.

Primer Arm:


WAY over adjusted...it should have seated the primer too deep...but didn't budge it past flush:


I may use a grinder and slightly bevel the edge of the part of this tool that presses the primer into the pocket (the piece that's exposed when I pull the 'collar' back in the above photo), because I believe that it having such a square edge may be the reason why it's not 'slipping' into the primer pocket. I'm thinking that this piece is simply catching on the brass - not lining up perfectly with the primer, which is why each primer is perfectly flush.

[NavDoc]

Before you go buggering the tool, are you sure the primer isn't already seated as far as it will go? What is the depth of the primer pocket compared to the length of the primer. You can't fit a 10lb sausage in a 5lb bag!

[ar15barrels]

WAY over adjusted...it should have seated the primer too deep...but didn't budge it past flush:

That spring loaded cup has more travel than it needs so that the spring does NOT go to coil-bind in normal use.

Check the travel of the primer ram into a case WITHOUT a primer.

[Beelzy]

Just throw that out.

Don't go grinding it, you will have un-even primer depth if you do that.

[Chris M]

Just throw that out.

That's what I was thinking. The primer feeding/seating system on the Lyman press just seems too cumbersome and sloppy, anyways. Oh well.