Tula LR Primers

[browninghunter86]

I have read they are tougher to seat and I measured some of my Lapua 308 primer pockets and then the primers and there is about 003 difference. Hence the tough hand priming with these primers.

What should I do to seat them easier? Ream primer pockets?

Thanks

[rogn]

Try some. Use a firm steady push. You should be able to feel them seat. Should be 3-8 thousandths below case head. I ve not had problems seating fully, just takes effort, However use judgement. They can produce superb accuracy.

[browninghunter86]

I got the 30 I used for development but using hand primer was very hard on the hand. Just wandering how to make them seat more easily

[Unclenick]

It's a maximum difference. We are used to primers with about .0018" average difference between the primer and pocket. That's based on the Remington primer pocket and primer specs I've seen. But the maximum, even using Remington's tolerances is .0029" difference. So it sounds like that's what you've got.

The primer pocket profile cutter made for the Wilson trimmer does the best job of providing a smooth entry for a primer. In part its because of the radius it puts on the lip of the pocket. But you do need to own the Wilson trimmer to use it and it is slow work. However, I've had tight pockets from IMI pistol brass before and found that running them through my Dillon primer pocket swager significantly eased the problem. So that's a possible option for you, too. The hand reamers may work out for you to. I just haven't tried those for this issue since I own the other two tools I mentioned.

[browninghunter86]

Thanks Nick. I do have the Wilson trimmer so that may be what I need to get. I just hate doing anything to the Lapua brass but I know this won't ruin the b brass

[Unclenick]

Right. The only drawback will be for someone firing loads pushed so near the pressure limit that the primer pockets loosen prematurely. With the Tula primers that won't be a problem, though. This is just like making the pockets more normal for them.

[browninghunter86]

I think the new load I have is on up there in pressure. Going to run it over chrony soon to get actual #s but I should still get 8-9 firings before pockets get loose

**I did 75 cases last night and noticed that on about 25 of them primer when it good and could feel it seat. The others were tough. 2 didn't seat them and had to redo them to get them seated. My hands sure were hurting last night after I got done

[Unclenick]

Yeah, the knurls on that tool are pretty hard on the finger tips. I should have thought to mention wearing a thin leather glove.

[browninghunter86]

have you used the K&m priming tool or the 21st century tool?

[Unclenick]

I have the K&M and Sinclair among my hand priming tools (which include old Lee tools). The 21st Century tool was unfamiliar, so I looked it up. The click head idea looks good, but I wish it were twice as fine an adjustment. Still, if you uniform your primer pocket seating depth that should get you consistency. What the K&M Primer Gage tool does that is different from everyone else's is locate the bottom of the primer pocket to include its individual depth in zeroing the gage for setting the bridge. That makes pocket depth less critical, though, to get identical firing pin strike depth you still need to uniform primer pocket depth or select your cases for uniform primer pocket depth.

[browninghunter86]

I have a primer pocket uniformer but all I have seen online says not to do anything to the pockets or flash holes on Lapua because they don't need it.

I wander if I should uniform the pockets?

[Unclenick]

I've not noticed that its necessary. Take the depth probe on your caliper (or used a depth mic if you have one) to see how uniform the bottom depths are. The ones I have are all within a thousandth, so I don't bother. Nor do any of mine have visible flash hole burrs, though there was at least one lot about ten years back that did and a lot of complaints got that fixed. Anyway, it's not a "shouldn't" so much as a matter of "why bother". But getting the profile radiused always helps with mine.

If you look closely at the Tula primers, you'll see the top edges of the cups have grinding marks that all run in one directions from trimming the height of the cups. Feel for any kind of burr on one side of the ends of those marks. If you find one you can take a very fine file or a flat hone and strike it off without affecting the length or touching the anvil feet. It's rather a lot of bother, but if you try it with a few and find it makes a difference in seating force, then that's your issue. Burrs. I would call TulAmmo to let them know, in that instance.

In the 1980's, CCI primers were always noticeably harder to seat than others, and burrs turned out to be the main cause. The fact some of their cups were a little thicker than some other brands was a secondary factor. They revamped their line to get rid of the burr part of the problem at one point, and they seat more easily now, regardless of cup thickness.

[trapper300RUM]

I have quit using all hand priming my hands have old man author in them so i bought me the RCBS Bench Priming Tool I have had not one primer that is hard to seat even Wolf & Tula primers seat good with this tool