Press Mounted Priming

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
I guess I'm in the wrong forum. I reload because I like to and my "rudimentary" reloading methods don't fit with the general population here. I'm a "black and white", common sense, K.I.S.S. reloader and I keep things basic which works for my shooting style (my best 308 load gave me 7/8" at 200. My Garand will occasionally give me 3 1/2"-4" on a good eye day, and I have loads for my Dan Wesson 44 Mag. that keeps them all around 2" @ 50'). Thanks for the time the members took to help with (correct) my posts...

Not the wrong forum at all. Everyone here loads for their own reasons, some for simplicity, some for utmost bench accuracy and just about everywhere in between. Some load on a progressive for the highest volume, some for match ammo, some for plinking and some for just about everything I've listed here. None of them are wrong and all of them are right if they are happy with their results. Nobody here will come down on anyone for their preferred way. Especially with casting there are nearly as many ways of doing things as there are people casting. None are wrong if they are getting the results they are happy with.

None of my posts are meant to tell anyone else how they should be doing things. My posts are how I do it and why, if anyone picks up a tip they would like to try great, if not they are content with what they have been doing which is also great.
 

Ian

Notorious member
None of my posts are meant to tell anyone else how they should be doing things. My posts are how I do it and why, if anyone picks up a tip they would like to try great, if not they are content with what they have been doing.

Well said. I didn't get anything other than that from any post on this thread, either.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Not the wrong forum at all.

We all have our own way of doing things. I do what works for me and meets my needs.

Do what makes you happy and never apologize for it.
 

mikld

New Member
Thanks fellers, but most of my K.I.S.S. responses have been corrected by long term members. I have been safely and successfully reloading for 30+ years (this time, I actually started in '69) and am a lifelong machinist/mechanic well versed in hand tool use. No I'm not offended, but each time my posts are corrected with advanced theory on reloading and alloying...

Prolly won't be back...
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Thanks fellers, but most of my K.I.S.S. responses have been corrected by long term members. I have been safely and successfully reloading for 30+ years (this time, I actually started in '69) and am a lifelong machinist/mechanic well versed in hand tool use. No I'm not offended, but each time my posts are corrected with advanced theory on reloading and alloying...

Prolly won't be back...

That's quite unfortunate. Your putting the responses in the wrong light. NO ONE was "correcting" you. NO ONE was saying you did/do anything wrong or incorrectly. They are simply posting on what or how they themselves do things. Because it is or isn't the same as you do it doesn't make you or them wrong.

Then add in the notorious thread drift that's so common by page three the topic could be about the mating habits of petunias.

Stick around, chime in when ya feel like it. I am pretty set in my ways but looking back over 15+ years reading & posting on these forums there are numerous times I've picked up tips and altered and changed how I go about different things. Your input here is every bit as valuable as any/everyone else here.

You weren't being corrected. Nobody is looking down their nose at you and length of time on the forum is meaningless. There can on the other hand be little doubt a good many things that you do with loading and casting that is quite similar to how I do it. Many things most likely differently. Neither of us are wrong.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
if you meant me I was responding to Rick's post.
I can guarantee there is no one here with lower tech tools than I have.

I don't own a M-die or anything even close to one, I don't own a micrometer of any sort, not even a micrometer seating tool.
I don't have a bench vise or a drill press, if something needs to be made smaller or a different shape I file it by hand.
heck I cut at least half of my fire wood with a Bow saw.
 

Intheshop

Banned
Don't "think" it was me? Heck,if it was..... oops,sorry.

I just think it's so cool that Creeker and Waco take the time and effort to share vids.... shows a lot of good juju in my book.
 

Creeker

Well-Known Member
I don't have a bench vise or a drill press, if something needs to be made smaller or a different shape I file it by hand.
heck I cut at least half of my fire wood with a Bow saw.

Same here but I cut it all with a Stihl. :)
 

Creeker

Well-Known Member
Looks like a nice tool, but what is the advantage over the priming arms the press is equipped with? I do prime on the press, prefer it to a hand tool.

When I prime on this press I always feed the primers by hand whether using the priming arm or the RCBS Ram Tool so for what I do I see no advantage. I will say I can feel the primer seat home better with the RCBS Tool. But that's just me.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
the one major advantage is it gives you some practice at getting a feel through the press handle.
that comes in handy when seating the bullets, and believe it or not you can feel the anneal difference in many cases when neck or FL sizing.
 
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Eutectic

Active Member
Plus one, used on my RCBS Summit press.
Ric......... Along with priming with the press; what do you think of the RCBS Summit press??? Its design has had a 'luring' affect on me since I saw it...

Ric (or others) could you please give us the pros and cons of this new design? ..... Thanks

Pete
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Pete,

Presses that swing up from the floor are hard for me to use since destroying my right elbow as a firefighter. So I really like the over head swing design. Second, it takes very little top surface space because most of the force is down and does not require a wide deep base. Very convenient to use if you have drawers mounted just below top, as there is nothing that sticks down below the top. Platen is adjustable for straightness.

Cons: You have so much mechanical advantage and long lever that you can overstress the cast piece the handle screws into to point of failure. Not happened to mine, but I use Imperial seizing die wax and it is very easy.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
it presses the bullet down into the case instead of the case up into the bullet.
as sturdy as it looks it takes some effort to full length size many cases.
there is some side to side slop in the design.
you can get a short handle for them which is super handy [unless your trying to re-size 7 mauser cases then you want the long one back in there]
the primer catcher cup suxks donkey nuts, someone out there makes a replacement which is marginally better, but it still hangs out over the front of the bench asking to be broken [like you'd notice it not catching primers]

I still like mine and mostly use it for bullet seating it doesn't jar the bench like an 0-frame does, but you don't want to just drop the handle either.
even with the little side wiggle it does turn out some pretty straight ammo.
it has grease fittings.... I don't know if this is good or bad.
on one hand I like things to work smooth, and on the other I don't want a 3" ram covered in grease where I'm trying to reach back and forth past it.

would I buy another one?
probably a nice turret press or the MEC big boy press or something like that would be on my list first unless I needed/wanted a fairly small foot print on the bench.
which I did, and still do,,,, so yeah I would.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
there is some side to side slop in the design.

the primer catcher cup suxks donkey nuts, someone out there makes a replacement which is marginally better, but it still hangs out over the front of the bench asking to be broken [like you'd notice it not catching primers]

I still like mine and mostly use it for bullet seating it doesn't jar the bench like an 0-frame does, but you don't want to just drop the handle either.
even with the little side wiggle it does turn out some pretty straight ammo.
it has grease fittings.... I don't know if this is good or bad.
on one hand I like things to work smooth, and on the other I don't want a 3" ram covered in grease where I'm trying to reach back and forth past it.

would I buy another one?
.

Wobble, yep even when I adjusted the platen set screw on the back it has some side to side. A master machinist tells me that is not all bad as the misalignment in the threading and dies allow some self centering.

Picture below show I have my catcher set up the other way, works perfect except it will only hold 75 LR primers.

IMG_0617.JPG
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
yep.
I set my dies up to tighten them down then just break the 'seal' so they float a little.
I also pay attention to how I lower the handle and don't push sideways on it.
I also seat in 3 or 4 steps rolling the case as I go.
it seems to work as my run out is under control and is usually under .003 on the outer end with average run of the mill cases.
 

Eutectic

Active Member
I also seat in 3 or 4 steps rolling the case as I go.
This is a good idea. I've used this technique for many years..... One of the RCBS 'field specialists' I know several years ago started doing this as well after he questioning it.;) While not a perfect fix.... it does seem to help concentric run-out with dies having 'racing clearance' as the modern world thinks as a requirement to be included in just about everything......

Pete
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
The old Ideal Handbooks in the 1890 recommended rotating the case during seating both primer and bullet. It was a requirement with the hand plier type tools that worked at an angle rather than in line. .
 

Eutectic

Active Member
The old Ideal Handbooks in the 1890 recommended rotating the case during seating both primer and bullet. It was a requirement with the hand plier type tools that worked at an angle rather than in line. .
WOW! I loaded my first shells in 1950 under the close eye of my father. .45-70 they were.... I was using his Lyman 310 tool.... My Dad called it a "Nutcracker"......
My Dad also taught me to rotate the case bullet seating! (He said primers too!) Funny.... I still rotate on primer seating with Lee or RCBS hand primers as well as seating over 65 years later!
Thanks for the tidbit Ric!

Pete
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
nobody taught me to rotate for either procedure but I do, even when I feel the primer seat I turn it and give it another firm press.