Re: Primer Seating Depth?
All I can say is WOW. If the BR community has decided that primer seating depth is critical, they are getting far along in the herd mentality. As with several sudden trends, this one has little merit for the average shooter and I am betting there are a few sane people left in benchrest.
Of course, I'm new here and I have noticed a little bit of the same type of group think. Probably because the majority shoot and compete in service rifles or some type? Could be wrong about that, but a few of the issues that crop up are endemic here, and I have not noticed them on other shooting boards....along with a distinct majority of relatively new shooters. Some things seem like "settled science" like co-ax forster, .0001 shoulder bumps, OAL, and a select few match bullets.
I am a big believer in uniforming the primer pockets, been doing it for years and I always seat to the bottom of the pocket since that is generally where the right angle proper seating is accomplished. Seating a primer until it is slightly distorted is a new one on me? I can't see any good come of it? Please feel free to continue, with my blessings, but this kid will opt out of that little trick. The problem is that in a few days, somebody will make a post seeking help having trouble flattening seated primers. That's just one example, of many issues I have seen here.
There is nothing wrong with being new to handloading, but the reader needs to stick with the essentials and forget about the nuances that may, or may not have proven value.
As far as the seated primer, the only real consideration is that it is at least flush with the case head. If it requires abnormal effort to accomplish this, plan B is indicated....which is the primer pocket uniforming tool. (it became standard with me more than ten years ago, for everything)
Anyway, at that point, until proven wrong, I suggest seating the primer to the bottom of the pocket. The value of seating to a particular depth pertains to .01% of the shooting public, and even then, I very much doubt that they could support the practice with concrete data? BB
edit: PS as far as flattening the primer goes, which is Mallard's business and I am not saying it is wrong, but. I think that you could disturb the compound possibly causing it to crumble and then, transporting along miles of washboard roads, (point down) this powder could (possibly) migrate into the case through the flash hole. Okay, I have zero proof, but I could see a problem developing. Okay, you can put me on ignore.