changing seating depth with a hand primer...

[Dingo]

I'm having issues with light strikes on my 9mm loads. Will always go off after a second attempt, but on inspection I'm able to discern a very slight cant to all of the primers. This is a new problem, I've primed thousands of cases successfully and uniformly with this tool before. (RCBS universal hand primer). Appears to be limited to my hammer guns - Fraulein Glock eats anything I feed her without complaining.

I think with slightly more distance to the throw, the tool will seat the primer correctly. My idea was to shim the seating rod in it's cup with one or two thicknesses of paper, but wanted to get the go ahead from heads more knowledgable than mine first. Ideas?

[ray1970]

I'm not familiar with the RCBS, but if I need my primers seated farther I just squeeze a little harder.

[J]

What primers? My obvious question would be: have you tried a different primer?

[sabot_round]

Everything that is mechanical is prone to failure. Maybe is just that time to overhaul it. IMHO Lee is a better choice maintenance wise. I've had the same one since 2000 and it have never given me problems after well over 20k seating's.

[cstone]

I use the same universal from RCBS. It's nice not thinking about shell holders. I am about to start using Tula primers and expect there to be some differences from the normal CCI primers I have been using. Like Ray said, if I need it deeper, I squeeze harder. I expect to die with a Popeye forearm, what with my hand priming and uh...other activities [Flower]

[sabot_round]

I think that the RCBS will work fine as long as the operator maintains it properly. You have to lube that thing every 500 rds or it might start going south on you. It is the same concept with all mechanical things that we use to reload. Maintenance is the key!!

[anomad]

If you decide to seat a primed case with a hand tool a little deeper be prepared with proper PPE for it to go off in your hand. I've never done it but a close friend of mine touched off a 45 in his reloading room doing just that.. be safe

[Dingo]

They are CCI primers, and I've been priming them on a full stroke until the handle won't compress further (or thought I was.) Will try putting a little extra force behind it, and maybe wear some gloves. Thanks for the suggestions, will update.

[BuffCyclist]

I know that notebook paper on average is 0.0035" thick, because we use that as shims often at work. Manilla folders are 0.011" (fyi). While seating, the primer should be 0.004" below the rim of the case, and if they're just seating flush with the case, i could see how they would fail to ignite when hit with the firing pin.

For the record, I have TRIED igniting a primer on my press while priming the cases and couldn't. While a beginner reloader, I wanted to see how easy it would be. I found that I can not ignite a primer by putting too much force on the lever. And thats with a Lee Classic Cast Breach Lock press.

I am not familiar with that hand primer, but there could be some dirt or something on it preventing it from cycling fully. Other scenario is there could be cleaning media, or built up carbon around the flash hole, that prevent the primer from seating fully.

But don't take my word for it, I still consider myself a beginner reloader and only have about 500 reloads under my belt.

[Dingo]

BC,

Yeah, the flash hole was my first idea for a culprit as well, but they look reasonably clean to me. Gonna prime a few more later tonight and see if I'm accidentally short-stroking the prime. If not, onto the shimming...

Short-stroking and shimming..... mayhap this belongs in the PW thread....

[anomad]

I know that notebook paper on average is 0.0035" thick, because we use that as shims often at work. Manilla folders are 0.011" (fyi). While seating, the primer should be 0.004" below the rim of the case, and if they're just seating flush with the case, i could see how they would fail to ignite when hit with the firing pin.

For the record, I have TRIED igniting a primer on my press while priming the cases and couldn't. While a beginner reloader, I wanted to see how easy it would be. I found that I can not ignite a primer by putting too much force on the lever. And thats with a Lee Classic Cast Breach Lock press.

I am not familiar with that hand primer, but there could be some dirt or something on it preventing it from cycling fully. Other scenario is there could be cleaning media, or built up carbon around the flash hole, that prevent the primer from seating fully.

But don't take my word for it, I still consider myself a beginner reloader and only have about 500 reloads under my belt.

My friend is an accomplished gunsmith in your area. Old, cantankerous, and a damn fine man who has forgotten more about reloading than I'll probably ever know.

Shit happens. Be prepared. He wasn't injured beyond more hearing loss...