Hand Seating Primers

[RevolverJockey]

I recently sold my 1050 which was my press set up to load for revolver. It could seat below flush, and I never had a need to hand seat. I will be loading .38 for my new revolver (assuming I find one) on a 550 so I am crossing the bridge of hand seating. I have a RCBS hand priming tool and can adequately seat with it. My question is, do you guys normally hand seat the primed brass then finish the loading process or just hand seat the loaded ammo. I can't see how you could possibly set one off, but it doesn't exactly see safe either. Thoughts?

Lee

[alecmc]

something I made for my 650

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=177795&view=&hl=&fromsearch=1

[ede]

Pre1050 I hand primed loaded ammo. As it turned out I had a lot loaded before I really got into revolver shooting so by default it was loaded when I started handpriming.

[No.343]

I hand seated many thousands of loaded rounds.

[PatJones]

I'm a sucker for punishment, I load all of my ammo single stage. I use a K&M primer tool to hand seat all of my primers after resizing and flaring the case neck. I wouldn't dare seat primers after completely assembling the cartridge. And you will find powder leaks out thru the flash hole if you forget a primer.

Does the 550 not seat primers as well as the 1050? On a progressive it seems you would have to decap, hand-prime and then load. It adds enough steps that single stage isn't that much slower.

[RevolverJockey]

I'm a sucker for punishment, I load all of my ammo single stage. I use a K&M primer tool to hand seat all of my primers after resizing and flaring the case neck. I wouldn't dare seat primers after completely assembling the cartridge. And you will find powder leaks out thru the flash hole if you forget a primer.

Does the 550 not seat primers as well as the 1050? On a progressive it seems you would have to decap, hand-prime and then load. It adds enough steps that single stage isn't that much slower.

The 1050 has mechanical seating on the downstroke. It can be set in thousandths.

Another thought I had was to set up a tool head with the sizing die only and decap, size and prime only. Hand seat the primers then send them back through to load them the rest of the way.

[RevolverJockey]

something I made for my 650

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=177795&view=&hl=&fromsearch=1

This is a good idea. I have my 550 set up on a strong mount but I am sure there is a way to set up something like this. I also have a monoset grinder and could fabricate a longer seating punch for the primer slider.

[jeremy kemlo]

I load on a Dillon square deal. I have never hand primed and don't have any problems. I shoot a 627 that has been worked over by apex. It has a light trigger. Sets off federal primer all the time.

[Toolguy]

Mine seat fine on the 550 with no other operations needed. I lean on the lever firmly about the same every time and don't have any problems.

[RevolverJockey]

Good information to know. I will probably set my trigger to about 6lbs with the spur still on.

[Waltermitty]

I put a shim under the primer anvil on my 550 and set primers consistently below flush.

[basman]

Hand seat loaded ammo.

[Tom E]

I hand seat loaded ammo as the final step with a K+M Precision http://www.kmshooting.com/catalog/primer-seater-tools/primer-deluxe.html tool. I load on a Square Deal B and have tried shimming the primer seater but there's no way it will "fully" seat the primer. In it's defense it's a 20 yr old press with lots of rds thru it so there probably is some accumulated slop.

[9146gt]

I load on two Square deals, one small primer one large. The press setup for small primers will seat large and small primers below flush the one setup for large primers will not seat large or small primers below flush.

For my RCBS hand primimg tool we made the seating rods +.010" longer,with that I can seat all primers well below flush.

Tom

[warpspeed]

I hand seat loaded ammo as the final step with a K+M Precision http://www.kmshooting.com/catalog/primer-seater-tools/primer-deluxe.html tool. I load on a Square Deal B and have tried shimming the primer seater but there's no way it will "fully" seat the primer. In it's defense it's a 20 yr old press with lots of rds thru it so there probably is some accumulated slop.

If you are going to hand prime, the K&M is the tool you want.

[Carmoney]

I hand seat loaded ammo as the final step with a K+M Precision http://www.kmshooting.com/catalog/primer-seater-tools/primer-deluxe.html tool. I load on a Square Deal B and have tried shimming the primer seater but there's no way it will "fully" seat the primer. In it's defense it's a 20 yr old press with lots of rds thru it so there probably is some accumulated slop.

This has been my exact same experience also.

[chirpy]

When I load for revo I seat the primer, turn the round 180 deg. and seat again.

FWIW

Richard

[hearthco]

I hand seat loaded ammo as the final step with a K+M Precision http://www.kmshooting.com/catalog/primer-seater-tools/primer-deluxe.html tool. I load on a Square Deal B and have tried shimming the primer seater but there's no way it will "fully" seat the primer. In it's defense it's a 20 yr old press with lots of rds thru it so there probably is some accumulated slop.

Put a small chamfer on the pin that seats the primer

[buckaroo45]

+1 on hearthco chamfer suggestion.

[seanc]

something I made for my 650

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=177795&view=&hl=&fromsearch=1

I had the opposite issue with my 650. I have made about 80k rounds or so on it though so maybe there is some wear issues with mine.

I run the shell plate very tight, but lubricated so it moves freely but snug, there is almost no visible flex in the plate though at the end of the stroke. I loosen the punch support bracket and it turns out a heartcho competition clip is the exact thickness to keep it braced in the raised position. I run the handle till it stops, no lean, and I get excellent consistent .008 primer seating with starline brass which is all I bother with.

I still want a 1050 though...its hard so swallow the spend though...

[RevolverJockey]

something I made for my 650http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=177795&view=&hl=&fromsearch=1

I had the opposite issue with my 650. I have made about 80k rounds or so on it though so maybe there is some wear issues with mine.

I run the shell plate very tight, but lubricated so it moves freely but snug, there is almost no visible flex in the plate though at the end of the stroke. I loosen the punch support bracket and it turns out a heartcho competition clip is the exact thickness to keep it braced in the raised position. I run the handle till it stops, no lean, and I get excellent consistent .008 primer seating with starline brass which is all I bother with.

I still want a 1050 though...its hard so swallow the spend though...

The are nice. The best part was the ease of loading. I could load around 1,400 rounds an hour alone but I can't say the ammo came out any better with the 1050. I guess I just didn't "need" it. Now that I am shifting to a 627 I don't plan on shooting the 610 anymore. I don't know what I am going to do with the 2,700 rounds I have sitting on the shelf.

Lee

[captain037]

Hand seat everything on a old Lee hand primer. Never have primer problems.

[RevolverJockey]

Hand seat everything on a old Lee hand primer. Never have primer problems.

Is this of just brass or loaded ammo?

[Brian Gonsalves]

I've seated 1000's of small and large primers in loaded rounds using at first a Lee tool, it didn't make it very long before the lever/handle broke. I've since used the K&M tool but is about to give up, the linkage is worn badly. Going to try the Sinclair next.

[coldchar]

The 550 shell plate for the 38 special is cut to accommodate both a 38 with a sammi spec .058 rim and a .357 which specs .060. If you are not worried about .357 you can shave a few thousands of an inch off the bottom of the shell plate and get a more positive seating. That accompanied with turning the shell 180 degrees and pressing the primer a second time eliminated having to hand seat the loaded rounds. FYI, I did set off a Federal primer on the 550 once. Therefore I assume it can be done with a hand priming tool. Just something to think about.

JIM