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Federal Primer Problem


Lash Toru

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I load .32 S&W  Starline Brass on a Dillion 650. The last box of Federal Primers I purchased has been giving me problems loading. About 6 out of every 100 will not seat in the brass (new starline Brass). (That means about 300 out of 5000 want seat) You can feel it when you push the 650 handle to set the primer, a lot of resistance. If they do seat they are all smashed in the pocket. I called Federal and they had me send a few brass with primers that would not seat. They called back and said it was the brass. I loaded about 300 (same new brass) with primers I bought 3 years ago, no issues. Any body else having any issues?

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You may have some tight primer pockets.  This gauge will identify the problem cases.  I used one to check .223 brass for swaged primer pockets.  

 

https://ballistictools.com/store/reloading-products/swage-gage-small-primer-pocket

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Did you tumble the new brass first? New brass can be hard to reload because of residue from the manufacturing process. 

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2 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Don't blame the primers..... ;)

Could be your machine. 

How much up/down play do you have in the shell plate? You want ZERO.

I’ll check that out, but it’s funny I didn’t have any problem with the older primers. Same press same brass! Just strange. 

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1 hour ago, Lash Toru said:

I’ll check that out, but it’s funny I didn’t have any problem with the older primers. Same press same brass! Just strange. 

That is always that first thing every says when a problem props up.  I have had this happen several times over the years.  Ammo loaded fine the last time I run a batch and then problems.  The last time this happened I was having the exact same problem as you are having.  Six or seven primers out of a hundred were getting squashed.  Turns out it was a broken index ring and the break was not visible just inspecting the press.  It is highly unlikely the problem is the primers.  Check your machine very carefully as it is most likely something has gotten out of wack.

 

Scroll down a few posts and look for the thread XL 650 “old faithful” broke.

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A couple years ago I had one sleeve of Federal large pistol primers that had a few that were too big to fit in the pick- up tube! Drove me nuts trying to find which one! Finally just put them on the primer punch one at a time and felt no difference seating them. The rest of the brick were as usual. Even tried all 6 of my pick up tubes and all of sudden ya couldn't pick up anymore. Had to know (knock) them out with a wood dowel and try again. Had to be one or more that just weren't sized right 

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14 hours ago, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

That is always that first thing every says when a problem props up.  I have had this happen several times over the years.  Ammo loaded fine the last time I run a batch and then problems.  The last time this happened I was having the exact same problem as you are having.  Six or seven primers out of a hundred were getting squashed.  Turns out it was a broken index ring and the break was not visible just inspecting the press.  It is highly unlikely the problem is the primers.  Check your machine very carefully as it is most likely something has gotten out of wack.

 

Scroll down a few posts and look for the thread XL 650 “old faithful” broke.

Thanks! Very helpful post. Now to get home from EOT and take the press apart and check it all out. Think I’ll stop by Dillon while I’m so close. 

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21 hours ago, Lash Toru said:

I load .32 S&W  Starline Brass on a Dillion 650. The last box of Federal Primers I purchased has been giving me problems loading. About 6 out of every 100 will not seat in the brass (new starline Brass). (That means about 300 out of 5000 want seat) You can feel it when you push the 650 handle to set the primer, a lot of resistance. If they do seat they are all smashed in the pocket. I called Federal and they had me send a few brass with primers that would not seat. They called back and said it was the brass. I loaded about 300 (same new brass) with primers I bought 3 years ago, no issues. Any body else having any issues?

I had a different problem with Fed LG Primers about 5or 6 years ago and I contacted the people at Federal and  I found that the people at federal don't have a clue !!!!!!!!!!!!! V.D.

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Yes! Lash - I have had some issues… some get stuck in the primer tubes when I’m dropping them in… some don’t seat well - feel funny - but I’m not organized enough to keep a record… of course Federal said it was the brass. I’m surprised you got a response. I and others have also had failures to fire…. Now, Federal has sold out to a Czech Group for $1.9 Billion. I don’t really trust them anymore… 

 

Super big hugs!  See you at EOT! 
 

Scarlett

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On 2/21/2024 at 10:12 PM, Lash Toru said:

I’ll check that out, but it’s funny I didn’t have any problem with the older primers. Same press same brass! Just strange. 

 

Same here.  Same press, same brass, different brand of primers when my press stopped auto indexing!

 

Got to be the primers right?  That's the only variable that changed.  Wrong.  Part broke on the press.  :(

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