When I loaded for HP Rifle competition, I tried all the tricks to squeeze the last drop of accuracy from my loads and target rifles. Case prep included case neck turning, flash hole and primer pocket uniforming & using lee hand priming tool.
I decided the benefit of all this case prep was greatest at long range, so I took the easy route and dropped all but the hand priming after I quit shooting competition. Accuracy didn’t seem to suffer noticeably at normal hunting distances (out to 300, maybe 350).
I watched the excellent set-up video before receiving the CPS, and realized that my old Herters press might not be conducive to ease of operation w/the CPS as the ram is up at rest with the handle down; exactly opposite of most newer presses. A full 170* stroke is required for full ram travel instead of the 45* of most modern presses. As it turned out, other than setting up backwards to instructions, operation was smooth as silk....more on that later.
I made good use of the time, while awaiting delivery of the CPS by running 350 Win 308 cases through the sizing die to straighten up any dented necks, then trimmed* and chamfered necks. *Trimming, while not necessary, did take a very light cut on probably 50% of the cases.
Measured the primer pockets in 10 or 12 new Win. 308 cases and found they varied .004” in depth (.127-.130”). This was not an issue with the Lee hand priming tool I have been using, as primers were seated by “feel”, but with the much greater leverage with the CPS in a press, I decided to uniform the primer pockets to take full advantage of the precise seating possible w/the mechanical stop of the CPS.
Guess I was a bit optimistic, as my arthritis cut the primer pocket uniforming short @ 150 rounds. Will have to finish up the rest later.
Next, two primers were seated “by feel”, using the old Lee hand tool to be used as “seating gauges” in setting up the CPS, as suggested in the video. Hand seating resulted in primer depth of .005” below case head.
The tool arrived this evening and setup was a snap, thanks to the video. This is where I strayed from the video by angling the primer arm slightly to my left, since Herters handle is centered and handle has to be held (up) off the stop to keep ram off of the CPS priming stem; otherwise the priming pin will not drop out of the way to allow priming arm to slide to pick up a new primer.
The tool functioned flawlessly allowing me to prime 150 cases in just over 19 minutes.
Out of curiosity, I switched over and primed a couple of 243 WSSM cases to see if any adjustment would be necessary. All that was required was to change shell holder, which took right at 3 minutes.
Then I switched to some LC 5.56 brass (another 3 minutes to switch) and seated 5 primers. Don't know if I just got lucky or what, but no adjustment was necessary! All primers were .005" below case heads. Thinking I might have just bottomed out, as I didn't measure primer pockets on the 223, I slipped a piece of paper between the primer ram stop and base of die with a primed case in the shell holder and couldn't move the paper.
I'm impressed. Thanks, Orkan and Primal Rights!
Regards,
hm
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