Primer Seating For 223 Question

7mmWSM · December 16, 2010, 11:10 AM

I have handloaded for years, but have never loaded for the 223. I have a hand held priming tool from Lee and have the die set up for Large Rifle and for the 357/38 pistol. Do I need to purchase a different set up for the 223 or will the pistol set up work for small rifle primers that the 223 takes? Thanks.

mehavey · December 16, 2010, 11:25 AM

The Lee hand priming tools only have two setups: Large primers and Small Primers. Given you have both, you have all you need for both Small and Large rifle/pistol of whatever cartridge/caliber

7mmWSM · December 16, 2010, 11:35 AM

Thank You very much. It is appreciated. Have a great day!

PA-Joe · December 16, 2010, 11:52 AM

The LEE tool should have a small primer tray and small plunger, and a large primer tray and large plunger. You havbe to switch the trays and plungers. Do you have both?

7mmWSM · December 16, 2010, 12:52 PM

Yes, I have both. I've been using the smaller one for 357/38 pistol and the larger one for LR and LRM cases. Thank You.

m&p45acp10+1 · December 16, 2010, 03:58 PM

As long as you have the shell #4 it works just fine. I just now finished priming 100 .223 cases a few minutes ago. Just remember if you feel heavy resistance not to force things. A lot of the handles have been broken that way. I can do 100 cases in a very short time without rushing it with mine.

rabbitrandy · January 23, 2011, 08:06 AM

I just started loading .223. I am having trouble getting some primers to seat. I have not cleaned or reamed the primer pocket. Is this the cause or are some cases different from others? I have never encountered this problem with larger calibers. I get my cases as hand-me-downs from the range. I tumble then I load. thanks randy

454PB · January 23, 2011, 03:12 PM

The most common cause of primer seating problems in .223 is crimped in primers. That can be cured by removing the crimp with either a primer pocket swager or even a chamfering tool such as the Wilson.

However, I occasionally run into shallow primer pockets. They can only be repaired by using a primer pocket uniformer.

amamnn · January 23, 2011, 05:04 PM

The crimped primer pockets are mainly retired military cases or sometimes foreign cases. If the headstamps on the cases are the common US manufacturers' like Winchester, etc. you need not worry about trying to cut out the crimp. If you see LC on the head, you have a crimped primer in all probability. If in addition to the Lee priming tool, you have the Lee caseneck chamfer tool, you have also a primer pocket crimp remover.

rabbitrandy · January 23, 2011, 07:01 PM

"The most common cause of primer seating problems in .223 is crimped in primers. That can be cured by removing the crimp with either a primer pocket swager or even a chamfering tool such as the Wilson.

However, I occasionally run into shallow primer pockets. They can only be repaired by using a primer pocket uniformer."

thanks--I'll give it a try... randy

December 16, 2010, 11:10 AM	#1
7mmWSM Member Join Date: November 16, 2009 Posts: 33	Primer Seating For 223 Question I have handloaded for years, but have never loaded for the 223. I have a hand held priming tool from Lee and have the die set up for Large Rifle and for the 357/38 pistol. Do I need to purchase a different set up for the 223 or will the pistol set up work for small rifle primers that the 223 takes? Thanks.

December 16, 2010, 03:58 PM	#6
m&p45acp10+1 Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 3,930	As long as you have the shell #4 it works just fine. I just now finished priming 100 .223 cases a few minutes ago. Just remember if you feel heavy resistance not to force things. A lot of the handles have been broken that way. I can do 100 cases in a very short time without rushing it with mine. __________________ No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

January 23, 2011, 05:04 PM	#9
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	The crimped primer pockets are mainly retired military cases or sometimes foreign cases. If the headstamps on the cases are the common US manufacturers' like Winchester, etc. you need not worry about trying to cut out the crimp. If you see LC on the head, you have a crimped primer in all probability. If in addition to the Lee priming tool, you have the Lee caseneck chamfer tool, you have also a primer pocket crimp remover. __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal

January 23, 2011, 07:01 PM	#10
rabbitrandy Junior Member Join Date: January 21, 2011 Location: Central Florida Posts: 9	"The most common cause of primer seating problems in .223 is crimped in primers. That can be cured by removing the crimp with either a primer pocket swager or even a chamfering tool such as the Wilson. However, I occasionally run into shallow primer pockets. They can only be repaired by using a primer pocket uniformer." thanks--I'll give it a try... randy Last edited by rabbitrandy; January 23, 2011 at 07:09 PM.

December 16, 2010, 11:25 AM	#2
mehavey Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 6,894	The Lee hand priming tools only have two setups: Large primers and Small Primers. Given you have both, you have all you need for both Small and Large rifle/pistol of whatever cartridge/caliber

December 16, 2010, 11:35 AM	#3
7mmWSM Member Join Date: November 16, 2009 Posts: 33	Thank You very much. It is appreciated. Have a great day!

December 16, 2010, 11:52 AM	#4
PA-Joe Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2010 Location: NEPA Posts: 909	The LEE tool should have a small primer tray and small plunger, and a large primer tray and large plunger. You havbe to switch the trays and plungers. Do you have both?

December 16, 2010, 12:52 PM	#5
7mmWSM Member Join Date: November 16, 2009 Posts: 33	Yes, I have both. I've been using the smaller one for 357/38 pistol and the larger one for LR and LRM cases. Thank You.

January 23, 2011, 08:06 AM	#7
rabbitrandy Junior Member Join Date: January 21, 2011 Location: Central Florida Posts: 9	I just started loading .223. I am having trouble getting some primers to seat. I have not cleaned or reamed the primer pocket. Is this the cause or are some cases different from others? I have never encountered this problem with larger calibers. I get my cases as hand-me-downs from the range. I tumble then I load. thanks randy

January 23, 2011, 03:12 PM	#8
454PB Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Location: Helena, Mt. Posts: 122	The most common cause of primer seating problems in .223 is crimped in primers. That can be cured by removing the crimp with either a primer pocket swager or even a chamfering tool such as the Wilson. However, I occasionally run into shallow primer pockets. They can only be repaired by using a primer pocket uniformer.