Another rabbit hole to go down. Primer seating depth.

[DizzyJ]

Being able to correctly read the wind will yield 1000X smaller groups at 1000 yards than navel gazing primer depths ffs.

ffs (first focal plane?)

 

[Katonk]

Hollands Primer Seater

Or, if you already have the RCBS Primer Tool:

Hollands Primer Adapter w/Depth Gauge

 

[Certaindeaf]

Hollands Primer Seater

I'd hope for $320 he'd have a better vocabulary than..

"You weigh bullet's outers and cases and yet neglect the importance of proper primer seating. Crushed primers for cushioned blows to the primer result in less than perfect primer performance. Once primer seaters and adapters allow you seat primers to the same perfection as you do on all other reloading steps."

 

[Katonk]

Sorry...I just assumed everyone used one of these.

K&M PRECISION PRIMER SEAT TOOL WITH GAUGE - Graf & Sons

Includes both large and small anvil assemblies. Requires Lee Auto-Prime series shell holders. If you want the ultimate in hand pocket priming tools – the K&M Primer/Gauge will fit the bill. Benchrest shooters seat the primer until they feel it touch the bottom of the primer pocket. Consistency...

www.grafs.com

View attachment 1195527

Had one of these, sold it...too many variables..i.e. primer pocket size, manufacturer difference in primers etc, all affecting the reading on the gauge

 

[DizzyJ]

Hollands Primer Seater

Or, if you already have the RCBS Primer Tool:

Hollands Primer Adapter w/Depth Gauge

Hadn't seen that one.

 

[flashpan]

I'm all ears! I'm sure others could benefit from your feedback as well.

Well here goes. The K&M tools does a couple things that most priming tools do not. First it actually measure the thickness of the primer, it measures the depth of the primer pocket and uses a gauge to quantify the the depth that the primer is seated. Yes is a bit complicated. This video describes how it works better than I can explain

My experience was:
It is cumbersome to use .... even after I got the hang of it.
Its slow... takes a while just to do 50 cases.
But with all its feature I do not believe it seats primers better that other high quality...here is why.
These tools are for high end precision loading mostly for competitive shooters that are anal about custom handloads (handloads are not the same as reloads.) These are shooters that start with the best brass, ie Lapua, Alpha, Peterson etc. same lot #
Then the flash holes are uniformed https://kmshooting.com/product/professional-flash-hole-uniformer/
Then the primer pockets are uniformed for depth. https://kmshooting.com/product/large-rifle-primer-pocket-correction-tool/...this is done every time the case is loaded.
So with great brass and these meticulous steps, the pockets are now very uniform...all you need a a quality hand seating tool that will set the primer to firmly touch the bottom of the pocket.
I switched to this tool and have not looked back http://www.xxicsi.com/super-precision-click-head-br-priming-tool.html. There are others that work well too.
Results may vary and I do hope this makes some sense and helps out.
And yes after all this you still need to dope the wind to shoot X's.

 

[Capn Jack]

My 3 primer seating rules are:
1.Don't put them in upside down.
2. Don't put them in sideways.
3. Above all, don't smush 'em.

Oh, and don't mix small rifle and small pistol in your "K" Hornet cases.

 

[DizzyJ]

Well here goes. The K&M tools does a couple things that most priming tools do not. First it actually measure the thickness of the primer, it measures the depth of the primer pocket and uses a gauge to quantify the the depth that the primer is seated. Yes is a bit complicated. This video describes how it works better than I can explain

My experience was:
It is cumbersome to use .... even after I got the hang of it.
Its slow... takes a while just to do 50 cases.
But with all its feature I do not believe it seats primers better that other high quality...here is why.
These tools are for high end precision loading mostly for competitive shooters that are anal about custom handloads (handloads are not the same as reloads.) These are shooters that start with the best brass, ie Lapua, Alpha, Peterson etc. same lot #
Then the flash holes are uniformed https://kmshooting.com/product/professional-flash-hole-uniformer/
Then the primer pockets are uniformed for depth. https://kmshooting.com/product/large-rifle-primer-pocket-correction-tool/...this is done every time the case is loaded.
So with great brass and these meticulous steps, the pockets are now very uniform...all you need a a quality hand seating tool that will set the primer to firmly touch the bottom of the pocket.
I switched to this tool and have not looked back http://www.xxicsi.com/super-precision-click-head-br-priming-tool.html. There are others that work well too.
Results may vary and I do hope this makes some sense and helps out.
And yes after all this you still need to dope the wind to shoot X's.

Lots of great information! Thanks for the write up!

 

[Hemlock]

I thought primers had to be seated to the point that the anvil is pressed (seated) even with the outside rim of the primer cup to make it ignite properly. Any more or less and it's a crush or not seated properly and consistent ignition is lost. The depth from the primer face to the rim face would be governed by the depth of the primer pocket. That would make the milliseconds difference in firing pin travel to dent the primer for ignition.
One fine "rabbit hole" to go down.

 

[P7M13]

Was actually looking at one of those last night. WAY less expensive than some of the $650 bench mounted ones I looked at!

I was given a Primal Rights CPS because of my rheumatoid arthritis. When it hits, squeezing a hand priming unit is an extremely painful experience.
After using it, I'm never going back to the hand method. Easy to use, you can adjust/set primer depth and also have a good idea on the force needed to seat. With it, banging out 200 cases, even when I'm in a flare, is a breeze, where doing by hand would be a lot of Ibuprofin and DMSO.
For comparison, my Co-Ax has a primer seater that's quite cumbersome to use.

CPS - Competition Primer Seater

 

[Capn Jack]

This sure seems like a lot to do about nothing.
I've been reloading since the early '60s and have yet to suffer a primer failure with anything other than ComBlock ammo in my 7.62x39 AR.
Those were light primer strikes and the problem was cured with a firing pin modification.
On occasion, while priming cases my fat fingers have gotten in the way and tried to cause an inverted, or cocked primer, but these I caught right away.
I have always used my RCBS jr. press for seating primers.

 

[crstrode]

By definition, "seated" means all the way, touching the "seat". No more-no less.

 

[po18guy]

If the person who posted the article is not separating brass by maker and lot, not weighing each case, uniforming each pocket, separating cases by number of firings, not COAL trimming and neck-reaming, not using powder and primers from the same maker and lot, not measuring base-to-ogive when seated, not measuring bullet jump to the lands, and not measuring cartridge runout along with various other factors...

...he is engaging in pure academics. As well, his opening argument is not true - being purely hyperbolic in order to generate controversy, clicks and revenue. Other than that, it's fine.

All 'published' articles have at least some connection to monetizing and so must be read with a grain of salt.

 

[DizzyJ]

I was given a Primal Rights CPS because of my rheumatoid arthritis. When it hits, squeezing a hand priming unit is an extremely painful experience.
After using it, I'm never going back to the hand method. Easy to use, you can adjust/set primer depth and also have a good idea on the force needed to seat. With it, banging out 200 cases, even when I'm in a flare, is a breeze, where doing by hand would be a lot of Ibuprofin and DMSO.
For comparison, my Co-Ax has a primer seater that's quite cumbersome to use.

CPS - Competition Primer Seater

That's the one I looked at first time and whoowee! She's expensive! Sounds like a nice set up though!

 

[DizzyJ]

This sure seems like a lot to do about nothing.
I've been reloading since the early '60s and have yet to suffer a primer failure with anything other than ComBlock ammo in my 7.62x39 AR.
Those were light primer strikes and the problem was cured with a firing pin modification.
On occasion, while priming cases my fat fingers have gotten in the way and tried to cause an inverted, or cocked primer, but these I caught right away.
I have always used my RCBS jr. press for seating primers.

I think it's more along the lines of tuning a load than making sure the primer goes "bang" but I get it. Most people don't need or care to dive into such things.

 

[po18guy]

A few salient points about primers from someone whos been there.

 

[Whisky Tahoe]

Sorry...I just assumed everyone used one of these.

K&M PRECISION PRIMER SEAT TOOL WITH GAUGE - Graf & Sons

Includes both large and small anvil assemblies. Requires Lee Auto-Prime series shell holders. If you want the ultimate in hand pocket priming tools – the K&M Primer/Gauge will fit the bill. Benchrest shooters seat the primer until they feel it touch the bottom of the primer pocket. Consistency...

www.grafs.com

View attachment 1195527

There's one in the classifieds. From a great seller

What makes this tool special is it measures not only the depth of the specific primer pocket but the height of the specific primer. That's your zero, then you can seat to a specific depth like .002 or .004.

Not saying you need to but, if you want to, this tool is one way to go.

If you are going to uniform your primer pockets, make sure your tool has a shoulder so it won't go too deep.