Primer Seating Depth Issue

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bydabeav

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Ok so I have been reloading .45ACP for a while now with no issues. I reloaded my first couple of 30/30 rounds the other night and have an issue. When reloading I noticed the primer (Winschester large rifle primer) did not exactly sit flush with the case, but I did not think this was a big issue. I loaded the first one into my marlin 336 last night and noticed the lever did not close 100%, it was closed but it did not click the way it normally does. I pulled trigger and it would not move. I opened the action and tried again, same thing but this time the trigger was free. The round went off fine but the lever popped open. I tried a second round and the same thing happened. I tried a few factory loads and the gun fired perfectly.

How can I ensure the primer is flush? I am pushing it in as far as it will go with my Hornady AP Press.
Might there be another issue?
Am I using the wrong primer?


Thanks in advance for your help

Steve
 
"...did not exactly sit flush..." Not a good thing at all. High primers are a very bad thing in a semi-auto. Like 07blackwater says, clean the primer pockets. The .30-30 uses regular large rifle primers, so you're fine there.
 
I do not know what kind of priming system is on your press but you either have to use more force or if it is adjustable adjust it so it pushes the primer further in. I do not use the priming systems on the press as the ones I have used only work by feel and I do not like that.

Graydog
 
daman2270 said:
Try a primer pocket uniformer. I have found my priming results more consistent after purchasing one....I uniform all my cases now.
Click to expand...

I was just going to say the same thing. For the extra time it takes I think it's worth it and it makes cleaning the pockets easier later. I just put the uniformer in a cordless drill and have at it.
 
07blackwater said:
I was just going to say the same thing. For the extra time it takes I think it's worth it and it makes cleaning the pockets easier later. I just put the uniformer in a cordless drill and have at it.
Click to expand...

I do this too. I have had a few high primers take down my revolvers too.
 
07blackwater said:
I was just going to say the same thing. For the extra time it takes I think it's worth it and it makes cleaning the pockets easier later. I just put the uniformer in a cordless drill and have at it.
Click to expand...

x2 on this. Worst brass I've ever run across for shallow pockets was Lakecity, I'm sure there are some batches of other manufactures that somehow miss the quality control. Inconsistent pockets must be common otherwise there wouldn't be a market for uniformers.
 
Ok home, I ran a few rounds through the press (none with powder) some with out primers, some with, some with heavy crimp, some with no crimp. I measured everything, case diameter and length in various places and all measurements perfectly match the factory Hornady ammo is was born as. Everything fed through the rifle perfectly except for the rounds with a primer. The primer pocket is spotless. I notice the factory round's primer is slightly below the face of the head and the winchester primers are "proud". I then measured the height of the primers. The factory Hornady measure a height of .115 and the Winchester measure in at .129, this difference makes all the difference in the world it would seem.

This unitizer you all speak of, will it safely remove enough material from the brass to solve this problem or should I be looking at different primers?
 
Mine is a Lyman as well and yes it does remove an amount of material from the pocket which may very well fix your issue. It did make my seating depths much more uniform. I use a lot of Winchester primers, never had them sit too proud to be a problem but they definately sit down further as a whole I would say....worth a try anyway. Some cases have hardly any brass come out of the pocket some do just depends how out of whack they are.
 
bydabeav said:
Ok home, I ran a few rounds through the press (none with powder) some with out primers, some with, some with heavy crimp, some with no crimp. I measured everything, case diameter and length in various places and all measurements perfectly match the factory Hornady ammo is was born as. Everything fed through the rifle perfectly except for the rounds with a primer. The primer pocket is spotless. I notice the factory round's primer is slightly below the face of the head and the winchester primers are "proud". I then measured the height of the primers. The factory Hornady measure a height of .115 and the Winchester measure in at .129, this difference makes all the difference in the world it would seem.

This unitizer you all speak of, will it safely remove enough material from the brass to solve this problem or should I be looking at different primers?
Click to expand...

I really beleive that this is an issue with the tool that you are using to prime with. I have used thousands of Winchester primers and they have never been an issue. Is the priming tool that you are using adjustable?

Graydog
 
See first post....using my Hornady AP Press

Its absolutely not the press, with no primer in place the primer "ram" enters the case deep enough to completely crush a primer, in fact it goes deep enough I think it is bottoming out inside the primer hole. The Primer is bottomed out, if I press on the lever very hard it will actually cave in the primer. I am convinced the Hornady brass pockets are not deep enough for these Winchester primers. I can't understand why but it is what it is. See my earlier post, the Winchester primers are taller than the Hornady Primers. I plan on visiting my local gun shop tomorrow and ask to see a few different brand of primers, I also will discuss a unitizer tool mentioned above.

Thanks
 
bydabeav said:
See first post....using my Hornady AP Press

Its absolutely not the press, with no primer in place the primer "ram" enters the case deep enough to completely crush a primer, in fact it goes deep enough I think it is bottoming out inside the primer hole. The Primer is bottomed out, if I press on the lever very hard it will actually cave in the primer. I am convinced the Hornady brass pockets are not deep enough for these Winchester primers. I can't understand why but it is what it is. See my earlier post, the Winchester primers are taller than the Hornady Primers. I plan on visiting my local gun shop tomorrow and ask to see a few different brand of primers, I also will discuss a unitizer tool mentioned above.

Thanks
Click to expand...

I am not trying to pi$$ you off here. I do not know what system your press uses as I have never used one. I have been loading shells for 40 plus years and I know that does not make me an expert but what you are telling me does not make any sence. You say you can crush a primer with the press! Well if the primers are to tall or the brass primer pockets are to shallow then why is it that you are not crushing them when you put them in? If they were two tall then according to you that is what should be happening correct? Yet you say it is not but rather the primer is not going deep enought in the casing. That leads me to beleive that for what ever reason your priming devise is not set correctly or you are not using enought forse. In closing when someone is trying to help you be a little more polite. You do not know what the problem is and other people are only trying to guess what it might be as well.

Graydog
 
graydog said:
I am not trying to pi$$ you off here. I do not know what system your press uses as I have never used one. I have been loading shells for 40 plus years and I know that does not make me an expert but what you are telling me does not make any sence. You say you can crush a primer with the press! Well if the primers are to tall or the brass primer pockets are to shallow then why is it that you are not crushing them when you put them in? If they were two tall then according to you that is what should be happening correct? Yet you say it is not but rather the primer is not going deep enought in the casing. That leads me to beleive that for what ever reason your priming devise is not set correctly or you are not using enought forse. In closing when someone is trying to help you be a little more polite. You do not know what the problem is and other people are only trying to guess what it might be as well.

Graydog
Click to expand...

Was not pissed off at all, I am sorry you took my reply that way. It is so hard to understand tone and attitude from text. You mention "Well if the primers are to tall or the brass primer pockets are to shallow then why is it that you are not crushing them when you put them in?" Well, I am....if I push on the lever hard enough. From what I can see and measure the Primer is going in as deep as it possibly can, it is just not deep enough, the press is capable of pushing it in further but there is no more "depth" in the case.

Thank you for your suggestion, again I am sorry you felt I was being impolite, I assure you this was not the intention.

Steve
 
bydabeav said:
See first post....using my Hornady AP Press

Its absolutely not the press, with no primer in place the primer "ram" enters the case deep enough to completely crush a primer, in fact it goes deep enough I think it is bottoming out inside the primer hole. The Primer is bottomed out, if I press on the lever very hard it will actually cave in the primer. I am convinced the Hornady brass pockets are not deep enough for these Winchester primers. I can't understand why but it is what it is. See my earlier post, the Winchester primers are taller than the Hornady Primers. I plan on visiting my local gun shop tomorrow and ask to see a few different brand of primers, I also will discuss a unitizer tool mentioned above.

Thanks
Click to expand...

These "Hornady" primers, are they new in box, unfired and removed from brass, or fired primers removed from the brass?

What you are looking for is a Primer Pocket Uniformer. It is a cutter with a stop collar on it so that it cannot cut too deep. Here is one, on the left, in its wooden handle. It can be unscrewed and put into the hand crank tool too.
Lyman%20Unifier%20and%20case%20care%20kit.jpg


I had problems using S&B brass, and eventually figured out that the primer pockets were too shallow.
Once the pockets had been "uniformed" I had no problem seating primers.
 
bydabeav said:
Was not pissed off at all, I am sorry you took my reply that way. It is so hard to understand tone and attitude from text. You mention "Well if the primers are to tall or the brass primer pockets are to shallow then why is it that you are not crushing them when you put them in?" Well, I am....if I push on the lever hard enough. From what I can see and measure the Primer is going in as deep as it possibly can, it is just not deep enough, the press is capable of pushing it in further but there is no more "depth" in the case.

Thank you for your suggestion, again I am sorry you felt I was being impolite, I assure you this was not the intention.

Steve
Click to expand...

Can you tske a picture of what the primer looks like in the case after you try seating them? Here is a thought try seating one of the primers in one of your 45 ACP pieces of brass. If it works fine in that then you know it is the brass, if it doesn't then you truly might have gotten some primers that are to tall. It would be a first for me but hey the world is full of firsts.

Graydog
 
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