Primer should be flush . . . right?

P

Prof Young

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Loaders:
A primer should be absolutely flush with the rest of the head . . . right?
I'm asking because I ran into some 223 with primer pocket crimp, at least that is what I assume it to be, and while some of them primed, they didn't prime flush.

I have a primer pocket crimp remover tool ordered and on it's way. In the mean time I thought I'd ask. I'm guessing I need to de-prime those that aren't flush and start over? Let me know.

Live well, be safe
Prof Young
 
Deprime and use over at your discretion. If you have a Chamfering tool, they work great for removing the crimp also. 2 or 3 spins and your done.
 
Same here on the chamfer tool. I really don't understand the need for anything expensive.

Let us know what tool you got and how it works out for you.
 
Take a look at the inside of the primer You'll see that the anvil extends beyond the end of the primer cup .When you insert the primer it is to be ALL THE WAY IN. In the process the anvil will squeeze the primer compound against the against the primer thus sensitizing the compound !!! Better ignition !
Notice that I didn't say anything about where the head of the primer should be !!:p
 
Actually you should be seating the primers slightly deeper than flush. How much deeper is about the bare minimum detectable by your eye.
Flush primers can fail to fire (FTF) because the firing pin strike drives the primer deeper into the cup, using up the energy needed to actually fire the primer.

You must remove the crimp from that brass first, that is what is causing you trouble. I use a countersink drill bit in a drill. About one second on the drill trigger while you hold the case on the bit with your hand. You want to remove the crimp and bevel the primer pocket. Then your primers will slide right in to a firm stop when they are pressed in to the bottom of the primer pocket.
 

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Prof Young,

Four thousandths below flush is the standard compromise number. You want the feet of the primer anvil to be at least slightly compressed.


"There is some debate about how deeply primers should be seated. I don’t pretend to have all the answers about this, but I have experimented with seating primers to different depths and seeing what happens on the chronograph and target paper, and so far I’ve obtained my best results seating them hard, pushing them in past the point where the anvil can be felt hitting the bottom of the pocket. Doing this, I can almost always get velocity standard deviations of less than 10 feet per second, even with magnum cartridges and long-bodied standards on the ’06 case, and I haven’t been able to accomplish that seating primers to lesser depths."

Dan Hackett
Precision Shooting Reloading Guide, Precision Shooting Inc., Pub. (R.I.P.), Manchester, CT, 1995, p. 271.
​
 
Thanks . . . and now . . .

Loaders
Thanks for the info. And now to answer the questions and respond.

I am pushing with all the force I can. I have a Lee primer seating tool and use all the force I can.

I've got a Hornady Primer Pocket Reamer Package on order. Apparently it has a large and small reamer head. I'll let you know how it works.

Live well, be safe
Prof Young
 
Seat by "feel," not by measurement, The primer should be resting on the bottom of the pocket.

Generally speaking, when American brass is properly loaded, the primer will be .005-.006 below flush. But brass varies from lot to lot.

I've loaded Military brass where the primer was flush when bottomed out, and some where it was as deep as .010. It really doesn't matter as long as they bottom out.
 
For sure a primer should not be Loose!

The WLR & WLRM primers I have that they did not plate are too small in diameter and fit loose in good primer pockets.

They did not allow for the thickness of the plating when then left it off of the 'brass' only finish.

Junk.
 
I would suggest; don't fret over numbers. Just seat the primers all the way to the bottom of the pocket. Below flush? Cool! Are you using a hand primer? Perhaps you're not putting even/consistent pressure on the tool handle. I tried several different method to insert primers and found a ram prime to be the best; most sensitive and easiest.

When I first encountered military crimped primers/pockets I immediately thought of a countersink (life long machinist/mechanic). I used a 60 degree HS Steel countersink and it works perfectly. 20 years later, even after I purchased a Lyman primer pocket tool, I use a countersink; 60 degree carbide...

Carefully run the cases through your sizer die and closely inspect the primers (nope they won't pop). Forcing them through a crimp may have distorted them, and I wouldn't use them then.
 
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The primer should be bottomed out in the pocket, seat them in until they stop. If the primer is not resting on the pocket bottom the first firing pin blow might not detonate it, just seat it, then a second strike will fire the primer.
Don't seat them so hard as to crush the primer but they have to be all the way in. A little below flush is ok.
Gary
 
Primers need to be seated firmly to the bottom of the pocket, preferably a clean pocket. Forget about a depth number.

Mikld is correct, a 60 degree countersink is much better than a 45 degree countersink for removing pocket crimps, I like to swage mine though.

The various ram prime units all work great, and the Forster press comes with what is basically a "ram prime" built in.

The RCBS bench mounted priming tool works fast and has great feel, but it is a little expensive nowadays, I think I paid less than 30.00 for mine, 40 years ago.

Never saw the attraction of handhelds.
 
"A hair less than flush and set firmly into the pocket. That's what works for me."

A hair UNDER flush and set firmly into the pocket, should work for everybody else too.
 
Actually, it should be seated so the anvil is firmly pressed against the bottom of the primer pocket.

In addition, it needs to be flush to minus to the base.
 
CH4D swage tool. Problems solved. Quick, easy, exactly right every time. Check them out on you tube. No worries about over reaming, to less reaming and, ruining a primer or, not getting the primers deep enough. if you are shooting military brass with crimped pockets the first reload, it is invaluable. God Bless
 
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