Military primers?

I picked up a pound of Varget & 500 pcs Lake City .223 brass today. The prices were not great, but I happily paid for the convenience & it's good for the LGS.

The only primers they had at this store were small rifle military primers. I didn't pick any up - not sure if they will be good for consistency. Any input?

Going to another store tomorrow and see what they have for primers & bullets. Will be looking for something in the 65-70 grain range.

Will also either be picking up a Lee Loader & small scale or ordering them tomorrow night.

Come hell or high water, I will start reloading within the next two weeks!

Were they the CCI mil spec? They just have harder cups to protect against slam fires from floating firing pin guns (ARs, SKS, M1s).

Can't say about quality - never used them (even in my ARs, SKS, M1s...).

Do you mean the "real" lee loader (whack the brass into the die with a rubber hammer?). Cool beans - you might also want to check out Lyman 310 tools (although you would have to find an old die set - they quit making the "sporting" round dies) or a lee hand press.

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Originally Posted by Eric in NC

Do you mean the "real" lee loader (whack the brass into the die with a rubber hammer?).

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Yep - the "real" Lee Loader. If I have to order it - so be it.

My problem is I'm living on the ship and only have a small locker at the local range to store things. I have several pistols there already. Not enough room for the new rifle - still working on that.

In order to reload I will have to do it out of my van. I don't have anyone locally with a bench set-up and I can't set one up at any of my co-worker's places. I have an older RCBS JR single-stage press at home, along with the RCBS ChargeMaster 1500 Scale/Dispenser Combo, RCBS 502 Magnetic Scale, RCBS Case Trimmer, and various die sets. Have never had the room/opportunity to get everything set at the same time.

Now it's time to make time.

I am ready to get started though - and will do what I have to do to get by.

Have you considered the Lee hand press instead of the old cracker jack set up. The hand press uses regular dies. The original Lee only neck sizes. Somewhere down the road your brass will grow enough to give sticking issues if you only neck size with the hand tool. I have a cousin who has the hand press and it works well on smaller brass. He sizes cases while watching tb.

Was just shown the Lee Hand Press last night. I may go with one of those as well.

I use the CCI Mil Spec Primers in my M1A, Mini 14 and AR. Work great and never had a problem.

Another LGS had Federal 205 small rifle primers - $3 & change per 100, limit three.

I picked up three packs and may run back over there tomorrow for three more.

Some of the benchrest shooters reload each round at the range as the match is running. The use a portable table that will fit into a receiver hitch or a fold down and secure it to the floor some sort of way. They will be driving a van or pickup with a camper shell.

They will have the press, dies, powder thrower and all in a tackle box and brass, bullets, powder and primers in an ammo can. Some of these fellas load like 10 pieces of brass the whole day but may reload them ten times.