November 9th, 2021 Tips by Glen Zediker on Case Priming
The anvil is a thin, tripod-shaped piece of metal that protrudes above the bottom the primer cup. It is important to feel the progress of primer seating so that the primer sits flush on the bottom. Glen Zediker died in October 2020. His writings continue to share his insights. This feature is based upon Glen’s popular reloading books as well as his articles for Midsouth Blog. Glen Zediker provides helpful tips on priming in two informative Midsouth Blog posts. First, he discusses what happens to the primer when it is placed in the cup. Glen explains why some “crush”, and why you should never leave a high primer. Glen also reviews a number of priming tools, including his favourite — the Forster Co-Ax Bench Primer Seater. He then provides some safety tips. Glen offers solid advice on priming. Glen Zediker’s book Top-Grade Ammo has more great reloading tips. We highly recommend it. Priming Precision vs. Speed
Glen writes: “The best priming tools have less leverage. This is because we can feel the progress in that very short span of depth between start to finish. As is so often the case, there is a balance between speed and precision in tool selections. Benchtop Priming Tools — The Forster Co – Ax
Glen believes that the benchtop, stand-alone, priming station is the best option, in terms of both “feel” as well as productivity. The one shown below is my favorite because it is reliable in feeding and has a feel that is good enough to do a perfect primer seat. It strikes the perfect balance between speed and precision. Primers and Load Tuning
Glen warns that you should reduce your load whenever you switch to a not-yet tested primer type. “The primer, in my opinion, is the greatest variable that can affect the performance of a load combination. This is mostly to say, ‘pressure’. Never, ever switch primer brands without backing off your propellant charge and proving to you how far to take it back down or to back it off even more. When I try a new primer brand, I back off one grain of propellant. Priming Safety Tips by Zediker Use a good primer flip tray to fill the feeding tube tubes of some systems. Double-damn sure that each primer is fed correctly, either up or down, depending on how you look at it. Unintentional detonation can be caused by trying to fill a stuffed magazine with too much food. Keep track of your progress and count. 2. Do not try to place a high primer deeper on a finished round. It may be possible to explode the high primer by applying enough pressure to overcome inertia and re-initiate motion. 3. Do not punch out a live primer! This can cause a lot of panic. Spray or squirt a little oil onto the primer to kill it. This renders the compound inert. 4. Keep the cup clean. This is the little piece into which the primer sits. Any little piece of brass can be a firing pin. It has happened! These tips on priming are based on Glen’s Zediker’s excellent book Top Grade Ammo, which is a great resource for precision handloaders. Midsouth Shooters Supply also has Glen’s Competitive AR-15 Book. Similar Posts
