Problem seating primers

semi_problomatic · March 2, 2011, 11:21 PM

I'm using a rcbs hand primer seating...thing-a-ma-bob. Can't think of the word. And when I try to seat primers they stick out .008 in, according to my calipers. When I seat them it leaves a small dimple in the primer. I clean the primer pockets and uniform the flash holes of all my brass.

Now, if I were shooting a magazine fed or single shot rifle this wouldn't be a problem, but I'm shooting high recoil rounds out of a lever-action rifle. I'd rather not have it blow up on me and I don't want to destroy a rifle to find out if it will.

So is this a problem? I'm using beartooth mountain pile drivers, so huge flat nose. Right now my lever gun is a 2 shooter.

hk33ka1 · March 2, 2011, 11:34 PM

I would work on getting the primers seated to flush or slightly below the base of the case before firing any of these.

What calibre are you loading?
What brand of brass, and what brand of primer?
Also what brand of shellholder are you using in your RCBS hand priming tool?

Flash hole deburring won't affect primer seating, but primer pocket uniforming can. I like the Sinclair uniformer for my brass. That said, you don't normally have to uniform them.

semi_problomatic · March 2, 2011, 11:42 PM

45-70
Winchester, hornady, CCI primers
RCBS

I don't want to squeeze too hard and detonate the primers while seating them, and its already leaving a dimple in the primers when I seat them.

Doodlebugger45 · March 3, 2011, 01:29 AM

I have one of the RCBS hand primers. I don't use it hardly any more. My first thought when you mention the dimple, which end of the priming rod are you putting in the "up" position? One end is flat. That is the end that is supposed to contact the primer. The other end is domed. It is supposed to go down into the interior of the mechanism. Other than that, I can't think of why you would get a dimple.

700cdl · March 3, 2011, 02:58 PM

Is this the first time you've used this priming tool? If so I would make sure you don't have it backwards. The surface of the primer ram on the bottom end is much smaller than the top end that is supposed to have the priming tip on it, which should be either the large tip or the small tip. Obviously one is for large pistol or large rifle priming, and the other for small pistol or small rifle priming. You wouldn't have a dimple present with the correct tip, no way, no how.

semi_problomatic · March 3, 2011, 03:45 PM

I think its the rod. Maybe when it was machined? Its not perfectly flat, there's a small bump on it that leaves the dimple.

hk33ka1 · March 5, 2011, 11:51 PM

One end of the rod is flat in the RCBS hand priming tool and one end is rounded. You want the flat end up towards the primer. There is a small rod and a large rod for this tool. You want the large rod for your large rifle primers in the .45-70. Large rod for large primers, small rod for small primers.

rg1 · March 6, 2011, 12:12 AM

Not familiar with your Priming tool but I have seen primer punches that had a tooling mark left in the center of the punch. If you've got the punch in correctly as already mentioned above, take a stone and stone down the little tooling mark left high in the center of your punch.

wncchester · March 6, 2011, 02:01 PM

Primers should be seated 3-4 thou below flush with the case head, never proud of the head.

chasep255 · March 6, 2011, 02:23 PM

This used to happen all the time when I used my hand held lee auto-prime. If I use my actual press to prime however I get to exert a lot more force and therefore can fully seat the primer each time. Try this.

airdrop · March 6, 2011, 06:18 PM

pocket uniformer to square and bring the pocket to correct depth. I've had problems with military brass an this cures the problem for me.

Farmland · March 6, 2011, 06:48 PM

I will double on looking at which end of the rod you are using.

Bamashooter · March 6, 2011, 08:15 PM

It s sounds like its in the wrong way to me. I use mine exclusively and havent had any issues with it.

March 2, 2011, 11:21 PM	#1
semi_problomatic Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 2009 Location: Ft. Polk Posts: 883	Problem seating primers I'm using a rcbs hand primer seating...thing-a-ma-bob. Can't think of the word. And when I try to seat primers they stick out .008 in, according to my calipers. When I seat them it leaves a small dimple in the primer. I clean the primer pockets and uniform the flash holes of all my brass. Now, if I were shooting a magazine fed or single shot rifle this wouldn't be a problem, but I'm shooting high recoil rounds out of a lever-action rifle. I'd rather not have it blow up on me and I don't want to destroy a rifle to find out if it will. So is this a problem? I'm using beartooth mountain pile drivers, so huge flat nose. Right now my lever gun is a 2 shooter. __________________ Freedom's just a word. If I'm gonna die for a word, my word is jello...

March 2, 2011, 11:42 PM	#3
semi_problomatic Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 2009 Location: Ft. Polk Posts: 883	45-70 Winchester, hornady, CCI primers RCBS I don't want to squeeze too hard and detonate the primers while seating them, and its already leaving a dimple in the primers when I seat them. __________________ Freedom's just a word. If I'm gonna die for a word, my word is jello... Last edited by semi_problomatic; March 2, 2011 at 11:48 PM.

March 3, 2011, 03:45 PM	#6
semi_problomatic Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 2009 Location: Ft. Polk Posts: 883	I think its the rod. Maybe when it was machined? Its not perfectly flat, there's a small bump on it that leaves the dimple. __________________ Freedom's just a word. If I'm gonna die for a word, my word is jello...

March 6, 2011, 06:18 PM	#11
airdrop Junior Member Join Date: February 21, 2011 Posts: 7	Try a primer pocket uniformer to square and bring the pocket to correct depth. I've had problems with military brass an this cures the problem for me.

March 2, 2011, 11:34 PM	#2
hk33ka1 Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2010 Posts: 275	I would work on getting the primers seated to flush or slightly below the base of the case before firing any of these. What calibre are you loading? What brand of brass, and what brand of primer? Also what brand of shellholder are you using in your RCBS hand priming tool? Flash hole deburring won't affect primer seating, but primer pocket uniforming can. I like the Sinclair uniformer for my brass. That said, you don't normally have to uniform them.

March 3, 2011, 01:29 AM	#4
Doodlebugger45 Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2009 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,717	I have one of the RCBS hand primers. I don't use it hardly any more. My first thought when you mention the dimple, which end of the priming rod are you putting in the "up" position? One end is flat. That is the end that is supposed to contact the primer. The other end is domed. It is supposed to go down into the interior of the mechanism. Other than that, I can't think of why you would get a dimple.

March 3, 2011, 02:58 PM	#5
700cdl Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2010 Posts: 216	Is this the first time you've used this priming tool? If so I would make sure you don't have it backwards. The surface of the primer ram on the bottom end is much smaller than the top end that is supposed to have the priming tip on it, which should be either the large tip or the small tip. Obviously one is for large pistol or large rifle priming, and the other for small pistol or small rifle priming. You wouldn't have a dimple present with the correct tip, no way, no how.

March 5, 2011, 11:51 PM	#7
hk33ka1 Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2010 Posts: 275	One end of the rod is flat in the RCBS hand priming tool and one end is rounded. You want the flat end up towards the primer. There is a small rod and a large rod for this tool. You want the large rod for your large rifle primers in the .45-70. Large rod for large primers, small rod for small primers.

March 6, 2011, 12:12 AM	#8
rg1 Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2001 Posts: 1,125	Not familiar with your Priming tool but I have seen primer punches that had a tooling mark left in the center of the punch. If you've got the punch in correctly as already mentioned above, take a stone and stone down the little tooling mark left high in the center of your punch.

March 6, 2011, 02:01 PM	#9
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	Primers should be seated 3-4 thou below flush with the case head, never proud of the head.

March 6, 2011, 02:23 PM	#10
chasep255 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2009 Location: NJ Posts: 727	This used to happen all the time when I used my hand held lee auto-prime. If I use my actual press to prime however I get to exert a lot more force and therefore can fully seat the primer each time. Try this.

March 6, 2011, 06:48 PM	#12
Farmland Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2009 Posts: 869	I will double on looking at which end of the rod you are using.

March 6, 2011, 08:15 PM	#13
Bamashooter Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2010 Posts: 1,860	It s sounds like its in the wrong way to me. I use mine exclusively and havent had any issues with it.