CCI primers
- Thread starter BillBro
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Thomas M. Black
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- Dec 4, 2010
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I’ve been reloading for 49 years now. Probably 97% of the ammo loaded have been with CCI primers. I’ve never had a problem with CCI primers or for that matter Winchester or Remington’s.
Tom
Tom
OK guys, I didn't phrase that well at all. Mea culpa. The dogs were hassling me about their dinner and I didn't proof read like I should have. YES! I feel when primers bottom out. I was-very badly-trying to make the point that obsessing over needing special tools to prevent primers from being somehow overly distressed during the seating process is gilding the lily. The factories appear to seat to a mechanical limit, My Dillon 300 (Yeah, I'm a really old fart) came with said adjustable mechanical limit. In short, I feel it's much ado about not much.
I also wasn't able to get in my qualifier that, in factory, non crimped brass, the very few (2) loads I use CCI SP primers because they're what's specified present no primer seating problems.
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Wow!! Lots of answers. Sorry I got so busy and couldn't see what advice I got. Let me read through and I'll get back to y'all.
OK, I'm in no way bashing CCI or any other primer. I really dont have much brand loyalty. These CCIs though are screwed up in some way though. I'll mix some when I'm home and see what they measure. The priming tool I'm using, as I said in the OP is just the RCBS hand priming tool, nothing fancy but it DOES work and I've not seen a need for anything else. I have right around 4 thousand rounds of 5.56 ammo that I have stashed that I primed with it , using cci primers by the way, and every piece of that brass had a crimp, which was removed. This is not to mention the thousands of rounds of 5.56 and 6.8 I primed, loaded and shot using the same priming tool. 9mm, 38spl, 357mag, 10mm and 44mag and spl rounds also all number in the thousands, again, all primed with the same cheapo priming tool. So the priming tool I own is not the problem, sorry CCI fans.
Brass? All different brands as well. Some new, some range brass. Also sated in OP is the fact that I did swage the pockets if the several types of brass I tried to prime with these particular CCI primers. The pockets were already clean, and when I say clean I mean clean. Also stated in the OP is the fact that I even tried reaming and dreaming the pockets of several different brands of brass and that the primers would still crush going in.
I have not tried the priming feature on my press but I definitely will.
I agree that those S&B cases have just about the tightest pockets of any brass brands I've lo loaded, great brass though. Their 6.8 brass is the best there is. Pistol brass I dont know but I do use it. I've never had an issue with WW brass, in fact it's some of my most used brass for pistol.
OK, I'm in no way bashing CCI or any other primer. I really dont have much brand loyalty. These CCIs though are screwed up in some way though. I'll mix some when I'm home and see what they measure. The priming tool I'm using, as I said in the OP is just the RCBS hand priming tool, nothing fancy but it DOES work and I've not seen a need for anything else. I have right around 4 thousand rounds of 5.56 ammo that I have stashed that I primed with it , using cci primers by the way, and every piece of that brass had a crimp, which was removed. This is not to mention the thousands of rounds of 5.56 and 6.8 I primed, loaded and shot using the same priming tool. 9mm, 38spl, 357mag, 10mm and 44mag and spl rounds also all number in the thousands, again, all primed with the same cheapo priming tool. So the priming tool I own is not the problem, sorry CCI fans.
Brass? All different brands as well. Some new, some range brass. Also sated in OP is the fact that I did swage the pockets if the several types of brass I tried to prime with these particular CCI primers. The pockets were already clean, and when I say clean I mean clean. Also stated in the OP is the fact that I even tried reaming and dreaming the pockets of several different brands of brass and that the primers would still crush going in.
I have not tried the priming feature on my press but I definitely will.
I agree that those S&B cases have just about the tightest pockets of any brass brands I've lo loaded, great brass though. Their 6.8 brass is the best there is. Pistol brass I dont know but I do use it. I've never had an issue with WW brass, in fact it's some of my most used brass for pistol.
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samnev
Member
Same here. The issues I've had have always been with the primer pocket. But since you've already tried several types of brass I'd measure the diameter of the CCI primers and compare it to other LP primers you have on hand.
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If I could offer a suggestion. I use CCI primers almost exclusively, and with rifle ammo, I use an RCBS hand priming tool. When I prime 99% of my pistol brass, it is on my Dillion 550B. When I experienced crushed primers via either device, it is either one of two culprits. The first offender is buggered case rims that prevent the cartridge rim from seating fully in the shell holder, thereby causing misalignment of the primer pocket and the primer ram. The second offender is fouling under the lip of the shell holder, which also prevents the case from completely aligning with the primer ram! It took me a good portion of this past summer to identify the poor alignment between primer pocket and primer ram!
As always, it makes no difference to me how another person makes their ammo. But I'll take Priming On The Press for $2000, Alex (Ken).
The press is set to a specific point and it seats there every time, no matter how tight or loose the primer pocket is.
The press is set to a specific point and it seats there every time, no matter how tight or loose the primer pocket is.
So I'm guessing that CCI primer cups are not made of a little thicker material therefore increasing the diameter of their primers even to the slightest degree. That basically was what I was wondering. I wasnt trying to insult anyone's primer choices. I honestly didnt know anyone cared about that, I dont. All I was wanting to know was if their primers were normally harder to seat than were most other brands. This made sense to me because after smashing about 20 cci I abandoned those for my trusty Rem 2 1/2s and using the same el cheapo priming tool they seated just fine.
Another vote for checking the primer pockets with a reamer. I am confident your primers are the right size. I am in the ammo manufacturing business and we use tens of millions of primers every month (mostly CCI) and I don’t recall seeing an out of spec primer. The only time I’ve had trouble seating primers is when I neglect to check/ream a crimped primer pocket.
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Scharfschuetzer
Member
I'd bet that those .212" diameter primers are the issue. I measured several LR primers and they all came in at .210 to .2105." One CCI 200 went .211" though.
As posted above, you can use an RCBS primer swage tool on your press to put a slight bevel on your primer pockets which will ease any oversize primer's entry into the primer pocket.
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If the tool & die makers know their business, a thicker material would use the same size die, but a very slightly smaller punch to produce a primer cup with the proper OD and a very, very slightly smaller ID so it would still make OD specs. Now, if someone is not keeping an eye on the QC and is slow changing the forming dies promptly/per schedule, oversize primers could result.
There was a thread on here where a guy had checked material thickness with all the folks who made primers and posted the results. Off the top of my head, I believe they were all (but one) the same thickness.
One thing not mentioned, probably considered proprietary information, was ductility of the metal involved. Also the range of ductility considered acceptable. That's basically the measurement of how easily the metal can be worked. A harder than normal primer cup of proper dimensions just might present a seating problem in a primer pocket just a wee bit out of spec.
I have just dipped my toe into the 223/556 reloading arena. I have obtained Federal LEO ammo and found that the pockets have extra material in the primer pocket. I would guess that is some kind of crimp but, it is a pain in the backside. I have had to use a pocket reamer in order to get the primers in. I have been using the Remington 7 1/2 Small rifle bench rest primers. After reaming they fit just fine.
I have always had good luck with CCI. I would rather use them but, not willing to spend $$$$$$ for a couple hundred.
Try using a reamer to open up the pocket a little. be careful not to take out too much.
I have always had good luck with CCI. I would rather use them but, not willing to spend $$$$$$ for a couple hundred.
Try using a reamer to open up the pocket a little. be careful not to take out too much.
nbedford
Member
Some Federal white box .223 I have had military crimps. Had to swage them. Only times I have had trouble with CCI or any primers was immediately before I discovered I was using the wrong size in my Lee Auto Prime.
Alright folks, why do we developed routines? Any routine while doing any activity? I do it to make sure I check all the boxes, take all the needed gear, achieve my best result etc. And I'm not just talking about reloading. I have a process while tackling a job at work, planning a kayaking trip, camping whatever.
But sometimes I suppose zim blinded to new and possibly better ways to do whatever, better or more appropriate gear or a more efficient procedure that might produce a better result and sometimes these options are right in front of me but my routine has become so ingrained to how I approach what I'm doing I miss them. So thanks to the poster above who suggested hey dummy, try the priming arm on your press! Lo and behold, it worked beautifully.
I've only been at this endeavor for about 5 years now and I guess I'm a little too proud of my meager knowledge base, hey, it gets me by but barely it seems.
When I got my press and supplies it was with the intention of just making accuracy rounds for my Mk12, well naturally this evolved into other really expensive barrier blind rounds I couldn't afford and then to pistol rounds but that little priming arm on the press always got in my way and since I didnt think I'd ever NEED it I took it off and forgot about it. Aldo, due to some nasty surgeries involving my hand I do not possess the same amount of dexterity I used to and those primers are awfully small. Grabbing one and getting it into that tiny cup at a sort of odd angle, in an odd location using my non dominant hand and getting it home just seemed like something I wanted to mess with.
As it turns out though this will allow me to not have to waste a thousand primers, all because the routine I'd developed blinded me to options and it took someone from outside to point out an obvious solution. Thank you very much.
CCI primers still aren't my favorite primers though.����
Just kidding, I dont really have a favorite brand I guess.
But sometimes I suppose zim blinded to new and possibly better ways to do whatever, better or more appropriate gear or a more efficient procedure that might produce a better result and sometimes these options are right in front of me but my routine has become so ingrained to how I approach what I'm doing I miss them. So thanks to the poster above who suggested hey dummy, try the priming arm on your press! Lo and behold, it worked beautifully.
I've only been at this endeavor for about 5 years now and I guess I'm a little too proud of my meager knowledge base, hey, it gets me by but barely it seems.
When I got my press and supplies it was with the intention of just making accuracy rounds for my Mk12, well naturally this evolved into other really expensive barrier blind rounds I couldn't afford and then to pistol rounds but that little priming arm on the press always got in my way and since I didnt think I'd ever NEED it I took it off and forgot about it. Aldo, due to some nasty surgeries involving my hand I do not possess the same amount of dexterity I used to and those primers are awfully small. Grabbing one and getting it into that tiny cup at a sort of odd angle, in an odd location using my non dominant hand and getting it home just seemed like something I wanted to mess with.
As it turns out though this will allow me to not have to waste a thousand primers, all because the routine I'd developed blinded me to options and it took someone from outside to point out an obvious solution. Thank you very much.
CCI primers still aren't my favorite primers though.����
Just kidding, I dont really have a favorite brand I guess.
sinclair primer pocket uniformer
Hello.I use a sinclair primer pocket uniformer on all my brass and I have never had a problem. I have run across some tight primer pockets (especially lapua) but the uniformer will cut the primer pockets to the correct depth and allow me to seat the primers. I use quite a lot of cci primers with no problems so far.
Hello.I use a sinclair primer pocket uniformer on all my brass and I have never had a problem. I have run across some tight primer pockets (especially lapua) but the uniformer will cut the primer pockets to the correct depth and allow me to seat the primers. I use quite a lot of cci primers with no problems so far.
