Cd662 Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 I did not find this on the search, apologies if it has been covered. I am curently using a factory main spring with full tension so I have no worries about light strikes, but over the winter I am hoping to improve the action of my guns. I know people on this forum are large advocates of seating primers below flush. I currently load mixed brass on a single stage press with either a hand primer (just got a new one) or the press mounted. I notice that pocket depth seems to vary. Some primers load very easily, smoothly, and below flush. Others, especially with tight pockets like S&B, are harder and don't go as far down. I know the primer pocket reamers are generally to bring the pocket into spec and to remove crimp (someone inadvertantly gave me some military crimped 38 brass, what a pain!) but do these cut deep enough so that I can seat primers consistently, at the same below flush level, regardless of brass type? I plan on upgrading to a Dillon in the very near future but I could still do this on the single stage if I had to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPatterson Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 I have a severe case of OCD so my Revo only got fed 1 brand of anything, brass - Starline, primers - Federal, moonclips - Ranch Products SS for matches. Primers were hand seated with a RCBS hand tool ~ .005 below flush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
granderojo Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Primer pockets vary between mfgs. The only way I know of to get same depth below the case rim is to stay w/same headstamp. Most folks don't mess w/S&B for the same reason you said. Pain! You didn't mention what caliber you are refering to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amerflyer48 Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 I use my RCBS deburring tool and just a turn or 2 to remove crimp... fits everything and works slick as anything I have tried,..but with a high brass count it can be tedious so I just do a few here and there as a sort of side project. Ignition with a proper trigger job won't be affected by seating depth variance however if you go for the 5 second S&W job of backing out the mainspring strain screw,.. you will have issues.. of course for ultimate accuracy ( PPC and Bullseye) folks will get into the esoteric art of Lot #'s and uniforming reamers etc. some folks need that kind of reassurance,..try it and see if you need to or not.. Pretty much just keep headstamp the same and use consistent motions on your reloading press when making ammo and you will be fine John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R112mercer Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 RCBS makes a primer pocket uniformer, it has a high carbon cutter that cuts the bottom of the primer pocket. You can adjust how deep it cuts and it leaves the bottom perfectly square. I think it's about $15-20 bucks and there's one for small primers and one for large. You just chuck it into a drill and cut away. Look HERE. For removing military crimp I went to home despot and bought the widest angle countersink I could find, chuck it into a drill, and have at it. Make sure to get the one that's ONLY a countersink, not one with a drill bit or such in it. They're about $10. Look HERE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirpy Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 (edited) I will add to what Amerflyer48 said. If you choose his suggestion, Foster (I believe) has a little hand crank that you can install the neck deburring tool into and it makes taking the mil crimp off a lot quicker. Also makes inside/outside neck chamfering of rifle brass a lot easier. FWIW Richard PS: I use mixed brass with a light action 686 and seat Fed. primers on my 550 and it is 100%. No need to mess w/primer pockets. Edited October 3, 2011 by chirpy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cd662 Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 (edited) I am loading for 38 Special. When I sort by headstamp, I still run into variation with a hand primer; some primers seat perfectly, others do not go as far and I cannot "force" them any farther. I don't have a lot of military crimp 38 brass and I am inclined to dispose of it when I come across it; sometimes, if I load it by accident, the primer goes in a little funky and is distorted but still goes in and generally fires, but not something I'd like to bother with if I catch it. Edited October 4, 2011 by Cd662 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruggiero Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 After a few years of dealing with high-primers in my reloads, I decided to fix the problem instead of just hoping that it wouldn't keep happening. Here's what I've learned: Adjustable primer pocket cutters? BAD. Spend a few extra dollars, do it right and buy three fixed depth cutters. Mine are from Sinclair and work extremely well. You'll need THREE different cutters and they all should be non-adjustable. Small pistol and small rifle can use the same tool. Large rifle and large pistol are two different depths. Is it more work to cut each pocket? Yep, but you really do 'reap what you sow.' There's no gettin' around it. Generally, you only have to uniform the primer pocket once for the lifetime of the case. I've seen big variations in once-fired brass. The strategy of sticking to just one brand probably isn't going to 'get er' done.' How strongly do I feel about it? Well, if for some strange reason I was unable to uniform each and every primer pocket that I reload, then I'd either go on to some new hobby or I'd buy factory rounds exclusively (Yuk!) The last match I shot in had two competitors with FTF's and I got to see each failed round. You guessed it: High primers. So is it really worth the extra time? It sure is for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No.343 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Welcome to the forums, ruggiero. What can of pistol and ammo are you talking about? I would like to see some pictures of your work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 I don't want to come across too strong here, but I really think you guys are putting the effort into the wrong things. My competition guns all have light (under 6#) DA pulls, and I use an assortment of mixed brass that I've accumulated over the last 24 years. All you really have to do is make sure the primers are fully-seated. Personally, I use a good quality hand-priming tool to re-squeeze the primers after loading the ammo. That's all you need to do. All the rest is masturbatory ritual. (And of course I mean that in a nice, respectful way.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_Z Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 A man that reloaded for many many years taught me something that has stuck with me for a long time. He said that "the cartridge case is a barrier between thousands of pounds of pressure and my gun. Do I want to remove some of it [ream primer pockets], or put it back where it belongs [swaging]? I have chosen to do the latter. Dillon makes a neat little tool that I have used many times, that works really well.RCBS also makes a setup that works in the Rockchucker for lower levels of production. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 I give up. Wish I had the extra time you guys obviously have! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skizeks Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 OK I get it. It don't matter how deep the primer pocket is, Just that the primer is seated to the bottom of it. What is a good hand primmer? I was at a match Saturday, about 120 rds. and had only 1 rd. that wouldn't fire. That is much better than the gun was(Thanks Mike) I have a RCBS Hand Primming Tool now. Anyone think a different make would get ride of that one Rd. Or do I have to just except that one in 120? Thanks Duane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlockCanMan Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 A lot of trouble for very little benefit. I agree that S&B is a crappy case to use when reloading. I use mixed brass and just make sure my primers are fully seated. I shoot both the .38 special and .45acp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No.343 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Mike did the action on my 625. I use an RCBS Hand Primming Tool to seat the primers after I load the ammo. The combination has been flawless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregg K Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 What is a good hand primmer? I like this one since it's easy on my hands and is quality. K&M Primer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Hello: I just load on my Dillon RL1050 and it seats the primers just fine Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmoney Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 What is a good hand primmer? I like this one since it's easy on my hands and is quality. K&M Primer Yep, good choice. That's the one I use, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bones Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 (edited) Chris, Toss the S&B and AMERC brass when you come across it. It's junk. Better yet, give it to your competition. You do not need to ream primer pocket holes on handgun ammunition to be used for 25 yd shots at 8" circles. Get the Dillon 550 (or a 1050 if you can), use Federal primers and your "primer seating" problems will go away. I have never reamed a single primer pocket on any 38 Special IDPA or ICORE load. Not one - ever. For those sports, your time is best spent elsewhere. Let me know when you have a hour or 2 and we'll slick up that 66 of yours. Craig Occasionally I'll use my grandfathers Lyman 310 tool to check the primer seating on some ammunition as a nostalgic relaxation exercise at big matches (Mike used one syllable less and many fewer letters with his term), but it has absolutely no practical value. Edited October 22, 2011 by Bones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Z Sr Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 I know most will see it as a waste of time, but I single stage deprime all my revo brass (.38/.45/.41) and clean the primer pockets on RCBS case prep machine. Then hand prime them with Federal primers on a Lee hand primer. Then the primed brass gets loaded on my 550 with no die in station 1. Never have a light hit. I think it just is a way for me to make sure I've done all I can for my match ammo, so when I screw up it's all me, no blame on ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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