Resizing and Priming - The Firearms Forum

tomstib · 01-19-2011, 07:29 PM

Hello again,
I just finished resizing and priming 50 .45 acp cartridges. My questions are:
I purchased a rcbs shell holder because Cabelas did not stock Lee. I noticed that after I place the empty cartridge in the shell holder and resize and deprime I hear a thud as the ram goes up and my cartridge moves a little bit in the shell holder which requires me to push it back into the holder in order to insert the new primer. Is this normal? I have the shell holder facing front and I also tried it facing sideways with no difference Also the primer did not seat correctly in some of the new cartridges could I deprime (gently) the live primer?
Thanks

Tom

noylj · 01-19-2011, 07:42 PM

For the most part, shell holders are interchangeable. However, each manufacturer has their own tolerances and yours may be per RCBS but not to Lee. Each manufacturer I have seen makes the same recommendation--they should work, but...
If you buy Lee dies, they come with Lee shell holder. If you bought RCBS dies, then the RCBS should be a "perfect" match.
You can purchase a set of 12 shell holders made by Lee. Look to MidwayUSA or Graf and Sons or others. It should be well under $18 for the set.
My brass doesn't move much at all and I have never really noticed any slop/misalignment, but I could also simply be on automatic and after 35 years I simply push the case into the shell holder as the ram comes down--after to check that out.
Yes, I can deprime a live primer--slowly. It could go bang (never happened to me, but it could happen), but the noise and surprise would be the only concern--my eyes and such aren't really in the way and the primer is not likely to throw the anvil out from around the die and shell holder. However, no one can tell you to do it since something might go wrong and you might want to sue for false information.

gdmoody · 01-19-2011, 08:15 PM

The movement in the brass should be no problem, just push it back in. That is not a big worry, I don't think is should be happening, but nonetheless, no big problem.

I'm not sure of what you mean about not seated correctly. If you mean not deep enough, you should not have to de-prime them if they are not seated properly, just put more pressure when seating them! If you have them seated up-side-down,then you can de-prime them, but very, very gently.

The only other thing I can think of if you still cannot get them to seat is that you are using large rifle primers which I believe are a couple of thousands of an inch longer than large pistol.

tomstib · 01-19-2011, 08:48 PM

Hi,
Thanks for the replies. On some of my cartridges the shell moved a little in the shell holder,therefore the new primer did not seat properly or went in on a slight angle.

tomstib · 01-19-2011, 08:50 PM

I do have Lee dies that came from my Lee Pro 1000. When I bought the Lee Challenger it took me a while before I realized that the shell holders that came with the press were for hand priming not press priming therefore I ended up at Cabelas which only had RCBS shell holders.

gdmoody · 01-19-2011, 11:56 PM

If they went in on an angle, they are probably not worth salvaging. I would just count them as being a lost cause. I suggest that you de-prime and resize the cases again, and get rid of the damaged primers.

312shooter · 01-20-2011, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomstib

Hi,
Thanks for the replies. On some of my cartridges the shell moved a little in the shell holder,therefore the new primer did not seat properly or went in on a slight angle.

I use the tip of my index finger to apply slight rearward pressure to seat the case to the back of the shellholder, while simultaneously moving the press handle with the other hand, you will get the hang of it after a few attempts, priming goes much smoother for me using this technique. If you find yourself getting frustrated priming on the press I highly recommend a hand primer.

johnlives4christ · 01-20-2011, 02:44 AM

dunno if you made certain the shell holder you got is right for the cartridge. rcbs and lee holders both have numbers. but the numbers do not co-elate

01-19-2011, 07:29 PM	#1
tomstib Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 21	Resizing and Priming Hello again, I just finished resizing and priming 50 .45 acp cartridges. My questions are: I purchased a rcbs shell holder because Cabelas did not stock Lee. I noticed that after I place the empty cartridge in the shell holder and resize and deprime I hear a thud as the ram goes up and my cartridge moves a little bit in the shell holder which requires me to push it back into the holder in order to insert the new primer. Is this normal? I have the shell holder facing front and I also tried it facing sideways with no difference Also the primer did not seat correctly in some of the new cartridges could I deprime (gently) the live primer? Thanks Tom -->

01-19-2011, 07:42 PM	#2
noylj V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 116	Re: Resizing and Priming For the most part, shell holders are interchangeable. However, each manufacturer has their own tolerances and yours may be per RCBS but not to Lee. Each manufacturer I have seen makes the same recommendation--they should work, but... If you buy Lee dies, they come with Lee shell holder. If you bought RCBS dies, then the RCBS should be a "perfect" match. You can purchase a set of 12 shell holders made by Lee. Look to MidwayUSA or Graf and Sons or others. It should be well under $18 for the set. My brass doesn't move much at all and I have never really noticed any slop/misalignment, but I could also simply be on automatic and after 35 years I simply push the case into the shell holder as the ram comes down--after to check that out. Yes, I can deprime a live primer--slowly. It could go bang (never happened to me, but it could happen), but the noise and surprise would be the only concern--my eyes and such aren't really in the way and the primer is not likely to throw the anvil out from around the die and shell holder. However, no one can tell you to do it since something might go wrong and you might want to sue for false information.

01-19-2011, 08:15 PM	#3
gdmoody Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northeast Georgia Contributor Posts: 6,407	Re: Resizing and Priming The movement in the brass should be no problem, just push it back in. That is not a big worry, I don't think is should be happening, but nonetheless, no big problem. I'm not sure of what you mean about not seated correctly. If you mean not deep enough, you should not have to de-prime them if they are not seated properly, just put more pressure when seating them! If you have them seated up-side-down,then you can de-prime them, but very, very gently. The only other thing I can think of if you still cannot get them to seat is that you are using large rifle primers which I believe are a couple of thousands of an inch longer than large pistol. __________________ NRA Endowment Member GeorgiaCarry.Org Member Retired US Army Postal Worker Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'.....author unknown (but obviously brilliant)

01-19-2011, 08:48 PM	#4
tomstib Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 21	Re: Resizing and Priming Hi, Thanks for the replies. On some of my cartridges the shell moved a little in the shell holder,therefore the new primer did not seat properly or went in on a slight angle.

01-19-2011, 08:50 PM	#5
tomstib Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 21	Re: Resizing and Priming I do have Lee dies that came from my Lee Pro 1000. When I bought the Lee Challenger it took me a while before I realized that the shell holders that came with the press were for hand priming not press priming therefore I ended up at Cabelas which only had RCBS shell holders.

01-19-2011, 11:56 PM	#6
gdmoody Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northeast Georgia Contributor Posts: 6,407	Re: Resizing and Priming If they went in on an angle, they are probably not worth salvaging. I would just count them as being a lost cause. I suggest that you de-prime and resize the cases again, and get rid of the damaged primers. __________________ NRA Endowment Member GeorgiaCarry.Org Member Retired US Army Postal Worker Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'.....author unknown (but obviously brilliant)

01-20-2011, 02:44 AM	#8
johnlives4christ Former Guest Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,828	Re: Resizing and Priming dunno if you made certain the shell holder you got is right for the cartridge. rcbs and lee holders both have numbers. but the numbers do not co-elate