Proper primer seating per Remington and Olin

As clear and concise as that article is, the seating of small arms ammunition primers is covered in most every reloading book in easy to understand language.
 
Perhaps in a tightly controlled environment, with precise machinery that's OK. But I'm a handloader, that uses hand tools, so I just seat all my primers firmly against the bottom of the primer pocket. Haven't had a FTF or excessive velocity variations in 25+ years...:p
 
As clear and concise as that article is, the seating of small arms ammunition primers is covered in most every reloading book in easy to understand language.
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Yep.
Perhaps in a tightly controlled environment, with precise machinery that's OK. But I'm a handloader, that uses hand tools, so I just seat all my primers firmly against the bottom of the primer pocket.
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When I first started reloading, I tried various ways to make sure I was seating my primers .002 to .006 based on what I found on the Internet. I hand prime, and after about 50 primers, I gave up the measuring and began looking for some other way to do things. Got the Lee and Lyman reloading manuals. Lee said something about seating until you get to a good, full stop, but not gorilla-grip stop. Lyman suggested hand seating twice, seat once then turn the case 180 degrees and seat again to ensure the primer is seated level. Been doing it way ever since without a single bad primer.
 
Lyman suggested hand seating twice, seat once then turn the case 180 degrees and seat again to ensure the primer is seated level. Been doing it way ever since without a single bad primer.
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I was able to seat my primers using the arm on my RCBS press to flush. Just about 100%. But I started doing this two-stroke method with the 180° turn.

Now I think the primers not only seat flush but actually go a tiny bit below. I like it.
 
ShootistPRS
It is NOT an article. It is an engineering requirements document. It coveys the workmanship requirements defined by both Remington and Olin, the actual manufacturers of primers. Remember they manufacture the primers and the loading manual companies do not manufacture primers. So guess who knows the most about seating their own primers.

I suspect that you did not read the document because had you done so you would have found the requirement for reconsolidation of the primer. That word is NOT in any manual you have ever read.
 
I suspect that you did not read the document because had you done so you would have found the requirement for reconsolidation of the primer. That word is NOT in any manual you have ever read
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It wouldn't make sense to put in in a reloading manual since it's a meaningless term in the context of simply seating the primers.

If you just follow the directions in the manual any "reconsolidation" is done without having to worry over it.

At best it's mildly interesting trivia.
 
No I didn't read the entire article, but I did read "See Appendix pages A-3 to A-13 of this McAir document", and figgered it is something like a manufacturing directive/directions. I have researched how primers work (I took a bunch apart 30+ years ago) and it's easy to see how they should be seated. I don't study SAAMI drawings or specs. on pressures, and I have safely reloaded, off and on, since 1969 without any primer problems nor over pressure problems, so I figger the "document" referred to is just a FWIW, and little interest to most...

But thanks for thinking about us...:p
 
Maybe if I thought more about how to seat a primer, I'd have more problems with them :p.

I've used the Lee hand primer in its various incarnations since 1984. I push them in until they seat; then push a little further. The result is a primer that appears slightly flattened, sits below the headstamp level, and works perfectly every single time.

Next topic . . .
 
Interesting read for those into that sort of material, I found it interesting enough. I think the moral of the story is know how primers function and know how to correctly use primers including storage and installing them. I believe the latter got beat up fairly well in another recent thread. Primers in themselves are really a pretty cool little explosive bundle and the use of pyrotechnic devices like this extends well beyond the needs of the average hand loader / reloader.

Ron
 
Definitely 'Nerd' trivia & 'Geek Chow'...
(Nerd: Know It All, Can't actually DO anything they talk about,
Geek: Can't wait to find out more information and put it to use)

I struggled with primer 'Myth & Lore' for a while,
Got the low down in a paper written by an engineer at CCI, called him and asked questions, no struggles now.

The gist of what he said was when the primer FULLY SEATS the anvil doesn't quite contact the bottom of the case primer pocket since the anvil is INSIDE the primer cup,
Pre-Loading (slight 'Crush') of the primer cup seats the anvil on the primer pocket face, and primer issues dissapear. PERIOD.

He was more concerned with firing pin protrusion & firing pin strike force than seating, since at that time the industry was scrambling to deal with common primers standing up to full floating firing pins (Popularity of ARs was exploding),
And the ''Tupperware' pistols that had odd shaped strikers (Glock style) rather than spherical nose firing pins.

If you have very much experience with reloading, you have seen the terms like 'Hard' primers, 'Military' Primers, 'Bench Rest' primers, etc.
Spreading the force out on 'Bar' shaped firing pins (striker) pistols was causing the primer manufacturers to scramble,
And AR style rifles with floating firing pins (bolt length not properly sized to firing pin length) putting a dimple in the primer WITHOUT going off or knocking the anvil loose was the issue.

Guys that reloaded many years ago can attest to this,
Primer packages USED to have a lot of 'Powder' in them from the priming compound,
Today's primers don't 'Powder', the priming compound stays put, and that is because primer compound was about totally re-engineered, no small feat!

I saw some primer batch testing, and the manufacturer (Federal) left no stone unturned, each batch was tested for moisture resistance, 'Bristance', cup crush, side load, etc, more things than I understood.

What primer engineers do is just short of 'FM'! (Freaking Magic)
 
Many years ago I'd get some primer's I hadn't seated deep enough. Then read an article on it and it said that after you seat the primer sit it on the bench and see if the case wobble's. If it does, the primer is not in deep enough. If it doesn't wobble, your good to go! I haven't used the wobble test in years but I'd bet it's still good!
 
Meh... Seat primer and them move to the next step.

I opened the document and saw it was from 1970. How much you wanna bet primer technology has changed in the last 50 years?
 
1. Cleaning out the pocket is the best way to start.. I use an ultrasound cleaner with some dish soap (dawn) and a fresh squeezed lemon with the rind thrown in. The rind is where the super cleaning comes from. I haven't had good luck with Lemi shine and dish soap.

2. The best way to insure a primer is seated properly is to swage a clean pocket correctly. Cutting with a reamer is not a good idea. You can bet any reamed pocket is out of round.. not good. The filing mess is a pain in the ass too.
Not cool....
 
Meh... Seat primer and them move to the next step.

I opened the document and saw it was from 1970. How much you wanna bet primer technology has changed in the last 50 years?
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Probably not much change over the last 50 years. Following WW II we left all corrosive priming compounds behind and just recently went to lead free non toxic priming. With the exception of the NT primers they haven't changed much over the last 50 years. The first primers I load were 45 years ago and I haven't seen much change.

I do agree as to seat and move along.

Ron
 
That's a lot of info. So to have a primer failure with todays primers either they are not seated properly, moisture over a long time could cause failure. Example store primers in a damp garage for years might be a moisture failure or storage in a attic where moisture and high and low temperatures for years could cause a failure.

simple enough
 
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