Anyone here using a Hornady AP and having issues seating primers. It seems to take a lot of handle pressure, especially when seating primers in 45 ACP military cases. Even with the crimp reamed out, on about 50%, they won't seat flush but my Lee Auto Prime will push it down with ease.
I placed a dime under the primer seater to cover the indentation on the press frame and it helps but it seems like there isn't enough mechanical advantage to get the job done.
I have used a Hornady progressive press since the ear
Y 1980,s.
I am wondering if it is a timing issue or an easy thing to try is loosening the shell plate more
I have used a Hornady progressive press since the ear
Y 1980,s.
I am wondering if it is a timing issue or an easy thing to try is loosening the shell plate more
I've been using the AP for almost 10 years and it's never been great pressing primers home. The timing is spot on but priming seems to have gotten worse.
Think I'll use some spray on dry lube on the entire priming system and see what that does. On the priming stroke, I believe the press in entering the lowest point in mechanical advantage, I would guess that's just the nature of all presses.
I load so many 45's I just hate to go through a separate priming cycle.
They appear to be but the ones that seem to stick before they're seated have a military head stamp. I ream the crimp out but they could be undersized. Probably of foreign manufacture.
Anyhow, Hornady just replied and they're sending me a new large primer punch. New punch and a good lubing may fix it.
I think most of my issue may have been self inflicted by a maintenance lapse.
I pulled the priming punch and hosed it down good with Hornady Gun Cleaner and Dry Lube. Things are working much better now. Looks like the punch was binding, gonna replace it because never having lubed it, there appears to be some wear.
The primer punch is very susceptible to dirt/powder/etc. falling in and interfering. Cleanliness is VERY important for ALL progressive presses.
The only progressive press I have used that is better is the Dillon 1050--it has a rocker that forces the primer to a fixed depth and everything, including priming, is done on the downstroke with all the leverage available.
The shell plate must be "tight," and the bench must be rigid.
Swage the primer pockets to the right dimension.
Oh, military cases have crimped primers and you have to swage the primer pocket to size or actually remove the primer crimp metal before seating primers.
This should be covered in every manual and might be in your User Manual.
Any progressive press that primer on raising the handle loses leverage--this is so you can feel the primer being seated.
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