Just started priming new Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor brass and having hard time pushing the primer all the way in. I use lee primer and federal large rifle primers. Its my first time loading large rifle primers. before this time I only loaded up 223 and had no problems pushing primers in. Any suggestions to make my loading easier?
- Thread starter odessit
- Start date
You might try the RCBS hand tool, I think it is camed better so it goes in easier. I used the lee for years and some brass/primer combinations are tough. RCBS make a single feed tool and a multiple feed that has the tray on it.
While I have no experience with the hornady brass. New brass = tighter pockets in general. You may want to take apart your primer tool. clean it and put some anti seize or hi pressure grease on the friction parts. For me this gave better feedback for fully seated vs just a tight pocket.
I had some once fired Hornady that had a crimped primer pocket. Are you sure yours are not crimped? Mine were from some .308 though, not sure about the 6.5 Creedmore.
^^^ This is why you use a primer pocket uniforming tool on new brass. 
I ended just switching to the rcbs tool. The Lee tool's handle would just end up bending or breaking on me using it on tight primer pockets. The rcbs tool seems easier on my hands too.
That sounds like crimped pockets to me, but it is new brass....maybe try a crimp reamer to open up the lip of the cup a bit.
I've been thinking about getting the RCBS. Like DJ, my Lee has had the handle broken many times.....enough so that I now have 2 Lee hand primers (1 large primer, 1 small) plus a couple of extra handles for when (not if) it happens again.
As far as the primers not going in far enough to get the shell out of the holder, I've had that happen to me even using 1x fired Hornady brass. Most of the time, I just put a little more pressure on it and it goes on in. But there have been a couple of times when I've had to take the shell holder out of the priming tool and then set it on top of the ram in my press. Then using the Lee universal depriming die, slowly press the primer out, take out the case, and continue on priming.
Before everybody goes to screaming about this not being an accepted practice,... it's dangerous,... yada, yada, yada,...I'm not recommending that anyone do this. I'm just telling you what I've done when it happens to me. But then again, I've also punched out 1,000's of live primers and reused them,...tumbled live rounds,.... ran with scissor,...gone out with "loose" women,....and never had a problem (and I'm 57 so there's been plenty of "opportunity").
I understand there's always a 1st time and it could be the next time so if you decide to try it, make sure you wear your safety glasses (which you should be wearing anyway).
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