My high primers lowered

[hswaters]

When I switch from small to large primers or vice versa I tend to get some cartridges with high primers. So I built a tool that pushes them in and keeps me from pulling bullets or whatever. I have a video of it here.

High Primer tool for reloading - YouTube

 

[OKFC05]

All my reloading manuals contain the warning "A primer should never be seated in a loaded round."
Sounds like a good warning to heed.

 

[ralph7]

Well, I didn't subscribe, but I gave you a like.
Us old geezers gotta stick together.

 

[Rule3]

To the OP read what OKFCO5 posted above. I watched about 5 minutes of your video, Around 1:58 you said probably better not to make the mistake in the first place. It's not real difficult to seat a primer correctly. Certainly not enough to need a dangerous tool to correct it. Why not just seat them right the first time.??

If you want folks to watch a video turning of the loud blaring radio might help.

 

[hswaters]

All my reloading manuals contain the warning "A primer should never be seated in a loaded round."
Sounds like a good warning to heed.

I certainly would not encourage anyone to do anything that they feel is unsafe. I am simply acting on the basis that without being confined in the firing chamber of a weapon the cartridge becomes a large fire cracker, admittedly a relatively large one. That is why I added a heavy metal shield around the cartridge. I have seen several demonstrations of ammo detonated in the open air by heating with fire and they popped similar to a fire cracker. See the myth busters on YouTube demonstrate this. In another video for fireman hundreds of pounds of ammo is stored in a building which is then set fire. You would certainly not want to hold cartridge in your hand or even in an exposed position and press on the primer. If it went off you could certainly expect pieces of brass to hit you with some force. Please reexamine my video and you will see that the cartridge is suspended in a hole 8 tenths of an inch in diameter in a plate of 1/2 inch steel. And further what sticks through the steel plate is surrounded by a 1 1/2 inch pipe about 4inches long. So the possible pressure is limited to what a brass casing with a friction fit bullet can hold. Please forgive any mis spelled words, I am replying with an iPad and I don't have an easy way to go back and correct.

 

[Jellybean]

The safety warnings in the manuals are aimed at using priming tools to seat the primer deeper. This is because the primer plugs have the potential to crush the primers in the pockets. I've never had it happen to me in 35 years, but I have heard others that managed to do so. I have used a Lee Auto Prime 2 that ate primers for breakfast...lunch and dinner too, and never had one detonate. Again, that doesn't mean it won't happen.

Looking at the tool hswaters built, it looks like the ram that is pushing the primer in is larger than the primer pocket, which should make it a whole lot safer than any priming tool. If it can only push the primer in flush with the head and not deeper like other tools can, the legs of the anvil won't be forced against the primer pocket. While the tool may not guarantee against misfires, because it will not fully seat them, it should eliminate other problems with excessively high primers.

And he is absolutely right about the cases exploding uncontained. Thanks for the video hs, I like to think outside of the box and build my own stuff too.

 

[H Richard]

I don't know what loader you are using, but I have never had high primer problems with a Dillon or my single stage loader where I use a Lee Auto-prime by hand. I would concentrate on fixing the initial primer seating rather than re-seating a primer in a loaded round.

 

[rwsmith]

I can't see your machine....

I can't see the vid, but I appreciate any ingenuity even if it doesn't quite pan out.

I use a Lee priming tool and correct high primers on the spot, before anything gets loaded in them.

 

[shield]

The video is no longer available. I guess the OP felt pressured to remove it by those claiming all sorts of catastrophe that would ensue with it's use . I for one would have liked to have seen it in action.

 

[OKFC05]

The video is no longer available. I guess the OP felt pressured to remove it by those claiming all sorts of catastrophe that would ensue with it's use . I for one would have liked to have seen it in action.

Couldn't see much, and the blaring radio drowned out much of the narrative. Regardless of your opinion of the machine, the video needed to be redone.

 

[Jellybean]

I only watched about half the video, and the only thing that hit the floor was the cartridges he kept dropping. I did see several successful demonstrations that clearly showed how it worked, and it was quite simple.

I don't feel there is much need for it, as it is a solution to a problem that wouldn't exist if you are doing everything properly, just like the FCDs. But obviously that opinion isn't very popular.

 

[hswaters]

I guess that the reason folks come up with odd tools is because they have done something wrong and need to correct it. And I do admit that if I did everything correct in the first place the idea would never have occured to me. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Jellybean]

In the video it looked like you were using a progressive press. There is nothing wrong with them per se, but they do take some getting used to in order to seat your primers correctly, especially since it's not easy, or expedient, to pull the cases out to check them in the middle of the operation.

Lee has come up with many great ideas that are based more or less on their products shortcomings, so don't take it the wrong way. Also, there are many opinions when it comes to reloading, mostly due to people looking for short cuts, so what is "right" or "wrong" is somewhat ambiguous. But please don't stop the inventing, for whatever reasons you do them. If it weren't for inventors like yourself, we would still be loading with tong tools. I'm sure as your experience at reloading grows, your inventions will grow too.

 

[hswaters]

In the video it looked like you were using a progressive press. There is nothing wrong with them per se, but they do take some getting used to in order to seat your primers correctly, especially since it's not easy, or expedient, to pull the cases out to check them in the middle of the operation.

Lee has come up with many great ideas that are based more or less on their products shortcomings, so don't take it the wrong way. Also, there are many opinions when it comes to reloading, mostly due to people looking for short cuts, so what is "right" or "wrong" is somewhat ambiguous. But please don't stop the inventing, for whatever reasons you do them. If it weren't for inventors like yourself, we would still be loading with tong tools. I'm sure as your experience at reloading grows, your inventions will grow too.

Thanks for the kind reply. I only get about a dozen high primers when I first change sizes. I do hate to pull the bullets just to correct them. I found a YouTube video that shows what should be a good method for faster initial adjustment and maybe make it possible to be right in a couple of rounds. I started with 9mm reloads and always have about 3 to 5 primers inserted sideways or some other improper way. After I got 45 dies I found that if I don't get any cases with small primers in with the large this press will load hundreds with no problems. I hate that some pervert has started to manufacture 45 ammo with small primers. I haw the shell feeder and the bullet feeder and thi is as close to total automation as manual can get. Sorry about the part of the video with outside sound. I did that part with a cell phone and it was just for some friends. Unfortunately I included it in the part made with the camera. It is removed now so no need to worry about it.

 

[dcxplant]

Sir,
My cousin lost an eye due to shrapnel emanating from a .270 that dropped onto a stone. A one-in-a-million chance of the tiny primer striking the sharp corner of a piece of gravel in a driveway took his left eye.

So, respectfully, I don't recommend advocating that an un-chambered round detonated out of a firearm chamber is as harmless as a paper-wrapped wad.

Please be careful.

I certainly would not encourage anyone to do anything that they feel is unsafe. I am simply acting on the basis that without being confined in the firing chamber of a weapon the cartridge becomes a large fire cracker, admittedly a relatively large one. That is why I added a heavy metal shield around the cartridge. I have seen several demonstrations of ammo detonated in the open air by heating with fire and they popped similar to a fire cracker. See the myth busters on YouTube demonstrate this. In another video for fireman hundreds of pounds of ammo is stored in a building which is then set fire. You would certainly not want to hold cartridge in your hand or even in an exposed position and press on the primer. If it went off you could certainly expect pieces of brass to hit you with some force. Please reexamine my video and you will see that the cartridge is suspended in a hole 8 tenths of an inch in diameter in a plate of 1/2 inch steel. And further what sticks through the steel plate is surrounded by a 1 1/2 inch pipe about 4inches long. So the possible pressure is limited to what a brass casing with a friction fit bullet can hold. Please forgive any mis spelled words, I am replying with an iPad and I don't have an easy way to go back and correct.

 

[Jellybean]

Thanks for the kind reply...I started with 9mm reloads and always have about 3 to 5 primers inserted sideways or some other improper way...

You're welcome.
You need to look at the primer feed system on your press. There shouldn't be any way for the primers to be seated sideways. Make sure it isn't set up to feed large primers instead of small.

 

[hswaters]

You're welcome.
You need to look at the primer feed system on your press. There shouldn't be any way for the primers to be seated sideways. Make sure it isn't set up to feed large primers instead of small.

The Lee Loadmaster uses two different sets of parts for seating large and small primers. That includes the feed chute, the little pushing tool that actually seats the primer and some other things I don't remember just now. You have to remove the shell plate and the primer seating equipment that you are using and install the setup you want to use. It does not have one all purpose primer seating setup. You also have to change the case feeder for larger or smaller cases such as when switching from 9mm to 45 acp. You have to change the shell plate as well as the dies. If you follow the link below you can see a fellow explain why he thinks the primer problem exists on the small primers and see his fix. As for the primers the only adjustment I can see is the one for the primer depth. So if it puts one in sideways I agree something is not right and I would be very grateful if you were to solve the problem. Probably I should have bought a more expensive brand but I know two people who have exploded a whole primer tube on their Dillon presses. One fellow told me his ceiling looked like it was hit by buck shot. The folks at Dillon had no doubt seen this before as the had a ready made list of replacement parts he would need when he called them. Please don't think I am saying anything bad about Dillon equipment as I am not, I am just pointing out that problems with progressive presses exist in more brands than just mine. Please watch the video so you can see what the problem actually is.

RJ's Lee Loadmaster Priming System- Part 1 - YouTube

 

[hangnoose]

HIGH PRIMERS

After 35 years of a rockchucker single stage, & shooting more pistol ammo lately, I got a deal on a lee pro 1,000 but old habits die hard & I only use it for the "less critical" sizing/de-capping/ expanding. I just don't trust (this) progressive for primer seating/ adding powder/ bullet seating, that still gets done 1 at a time with the single stage, a powder trickler/scale, and I can inspect ammo at any point. The time to correct a high primer is BEFORE the round has powder & a bullet. A primer pocket uniformer is cheap, only has to be done once, & should make seating easier, providing you use the correct parts on your press when changing from small to large primer calibers. I also clean my primer pockets out with a dremel with a small wire brush attachment (cant do that using all stages on a progressive press). Don't forget your eye protection.

 

[hswaters]

After 35 years of a rockchucker single stage, & shooting more pistol ammo lately, I got a deal on a lee pro 1,000 but old habits die hard & I only use it for the "less critical" sizing/de-capping/ expanding. I just don't trust (this) progressive for primer seating/ adding powder/ bullet seating, that still gets done 1 at a time with the single stage, a powder trickler/scale, and I can inspect ammo at any point. The time to correct a high primer is BEFORE the round has powder & a bullet. A primer pocket uniformer is cheap, only has to be done once, & should make seating easier, providing you use the correct parts on your press when changing from small to large primer calibers. I also clean my primer pockets out with a dremel with a small wire brush attachment (cant do that using all stages on a progressive press). Don't forget your eye protection.

Life is hazardous and I have survived 69 years of it. I have always worked with explosive, flammable, and poisonous materials in various chemical plants and refineries. I worked 50 years and managed to keep myself from injury in hazardous environments. Some of it was personal protection equipment, but most of it was understanding what I was working with and being cautious. I wore my chemical goggles when working in an area requiring that but was never sprayed in the face with any chemical because I was cautious and understood what I was working with. Only you can keep yourself safe and only you are responsible for doing so. Don't don your PE and turn off your brain because if you do you may not have enough PE to save you. Enough of the safety lesson.

But you have inspired me to speak on fear. Reloading is dangerous but I don't hear of very many people getting hurt, not saying the don't as we all know the world is full of dumbasses, I just don't see enough happening to make the news or even general gossip. Bathtubs are dangerous, hundreds fall and die in them every year. I hear that handling guns is dangerous and thousands die each year from some interaction with a gun mostly at the hands of their drug using customers or rival pushers. Cars are even more dangerous and we kill up 65,000 a year with them. Now you want to really get dangerous? Check your self into a hospital, now you are really in trouble. Medical mistakes kill about 195,000 people a year.

I reload, take baths, play with guns, drive a car and on very rare occasion go to the doctor. I am not hurt, crippled or dead. Being cautious seems to work for me. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Warren Sear]

Very well stated, Mr. hswaters.