"Don't use Federal primers with Lee......"

Wow! Gregmercurio, you reaffirmed what I already think of you and your opinions. I didn't post this to blame anything or anyone, I posted it to get some ideas from experienced reloaders, not to get snarky comments from someone who comes across as the smartest guy in the room. As for me not blaming my "ignorance", it's the acknowledgement of my ignorance that prompted me to make the post, so maybe I could understand what was happening. I don't think that a know it all like you could ever make such an admission.

I'm done squabbling with you, you don't even merit the attention I've given you to this point.
 
OP: Perhaps you should re-read your original post and tell us all how much advice you were asking for. As for who/what I am, I'm at least smart enough to not libel 2 blameless manufacturers for my errors.

Ciao.
 
Should I be looking at each bullet I make,
Click to expand...

You said you were making ammo, now you're making bullets? Which is it?

You came to us with your mind made up, then when we said you had some junk on the primer punch, you said I just looked, and no there was nothing on it. I believe you, but there WAS some crap on it when you were pressing those primers into the pockets. It fell off after you loaded that ammo.

Those shells rounds ammo will fire just fine. The cups of the Federal primers are a bit softer, but they are not damaged other than how they look.

You had better grow some thicker skin if you stay here. Or get rid of the chip on your shoulder. We will help those that approach with humility and really want to learn.
 
Most priming systems from Lee does have a problem feeding primers properly. That is why some reloaders put a vibrating device at the back of the Lee primer tray when loading from a press. The hand prime models is well in use by many reloaders with great appreciation.

Personally I also think that the priming rod was dirty. Federal makes excellent primers. You are going to regret selling them. Federal primers are high on the list of Championship wins if not on top of the list. Yes the cups are softer than other primer brands, but they are still the primer brand with the best Standard Deviation according to my experience. They are excellent in hunting rifles, revolvers and pistol loads. Never had any misfire from any Federel Primer in 30 years of reloading. But I had misfires on other brands. Due to the cups of the Federal being softer than other brands they are not recommended in semi auto rifles.
 
There was nothng wrong with the primers. The dimple was all operator error. Reloading ammunition is serious and with primers such as that it is clear that the OP needs tp re access when they are doing.
 
I appreciate the constructive criticism, and I will learn from it, regarding the primer issue as well as my interaction with the community here.

David
 
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Post #39 says it all in the fewest words.
In my observation of the picture in the OP, I noticed half a dozen mixed head stamps. I almost never do that, perhaps only with odds and ends for a light plinker load not intended for precision. I assume that's what's going on there. I sort my brass by headstamp before priming for consistency's sake, if not safety. It's a good practice, even necessary for truly accurate and maximum loads. I encourage others to do the same.
I use some Lee products as well as other brands. I especially like their Factory Crimp Die and also their double cavity moulds.
I only use three brands of primers: CCI, Federal, and Winchester. If your equipment doesn't like Federal primers, I would say, look at fine-tuning that equipment, since Federal primers are among the best.
 
Pathfinder....you sure must waste many hours sorting pistol cases. There simply is not enough difference in modern pistol cases to warrant seperating headstamps UNLESS you have some really old brass with folded caseheads.
 
It may not matter as much for pistol ammo. I guess your expectations are pretty low with a pistol anyway. I started my reloading a bit over 40 years ago with 270 Winchester. If you want something like that to shoot consistently well at 300 or more yards you end up with a specific recipe where, yes, it does matter which brand of brass you use, as well as the rest of the components. A lot of the fellows that do really well at long range, "waste", a lot more time with their brass, even weighing every case, and then some. Some of these kind of folks aren't very good shots at all. They are phenomenal shots. The guys that win matches at 600 to 1,000 yards with reloads are meticulous with their components. Every round is like a polished arrow in Robinhood's quiver. But if you're just blasting away with a 9mm pistol where sheer volume of rounds sent downrange matters most, then sorting brass is likely wasting your time. Trying to get smaller groups at 50 or more yards with a 44 magnum in hope of taking a deer with it? I strongly suggest sorting your brass.
 
I do it also, 100% of the time. It is most definitely not wasted time. Typically sort brass in front of the TV, makes my ammo look better and gives me more confidence in my ammo and I get to see the results every time I shoot. Works for him, works for me, definitely not wasted time. 15-20k a year.
 
I sort my head stamps. When being really OCD I also weigh the empty brass and only take ones that weigh with in .1 grains of the most common weight.

Honestly I doubt it helps butit makes me feel more accurate lol
 
I don't alter my load by headstamp, but all 50 rounds in every box of ammo has the same head stamp. Pick up an adjacent box of ammo and you may find a different head stamp.
 
I have 4 powder kegs full of 9mm cases, i'll be d&mned if I am going to hand separate 20 thousand cases. I do it for .223 sometimes if working highpower loads and always for 54R and 300blk. I have multiple dozens of different headstamps on 9mm, how many containers do you have for sorting out every different head stamp, and what are on earth do you do differently for a WIN stamp that you do a Speer stamp? I am just curious, not being rude
 
i have been using federal 210M primers with a Lee primer seating die in .308 win and 6.5-55 se for ten years.I have never ever had a problem at all
 
Skizzums, if I had 20,000 pieces of mixed brass it would look, seem and -BE- a nightmare to consider sorting it, I would easily agree. But that isn't my situation at all. I have been bringing brass home with each range trip -- usually all or mosy of my brass and on some days, brass that was left there by other shooters and I have been doing that for 25+ years.


So I come home with a few hundred pieces of 9/.40/.45 at the most. And my .38 is in a bag, .327 Fed in a different bag, .357 in a bag, .44 Mag in a bag...

As to what I do differently by head stamp?
Already explained: I do nothing different, but each box of my ammo has the same stamp. All the ammo in the same box is as similar as I can make it, which makes for consistency, as much as I can make it. Consistency is what I am after, and for -ME- it provides a mental "chip" that my ammo is going to be the same shot-to-shot as it can be, so I can trust the ammo to do it's part while I focus on my shooting and not on my ammo.

I am not telling others they must do it. But this is my proces, it is IRRATIONALLY well tested and I am quite certain that the way I do it works extremely well for me.

Do I trim handgun brass? No way.
Do I clean primer pockets? Never!
Wet or sonic tumble with steel pins? Nope.
Buy new brass?! Never gonna be my first choice.

We all have our way. I know by demonstrated fact that my way works. I didn't just come up with my methods last week, I've got a lot of bench and trigger time backing up my process.
 
I absolutely sort 9mm head stamps. There is no melodrama needed about quantity in ones collection, because you sort as needed. The "S&B" go right in the scrap brass jug. Life is too short to rework the primer pockets. Otherwise, you will crush a primer or at least have an interruption on a progressive press with this caliber and random used brass.
 
Should have mentioned one other part of my process...

While I use a progressive to prep all my brass, I meter all my powder and I seat all my bullets single stage. And experience has shown me that there is definitely DIFFERENT feedback in the press lever when changing some headstamps.

I like that when I do a box of 50, press lever feels nice and consistent as I'm seating them all with same headstamp, but I can feel a difference when I change headstamps.

Consistency is what I am after.
 
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