Primer question/Federal LR match primers hard to seat

Beretta391

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I have never used Federal primers before. Since primers are so hard to find when I found these I bought them as I was almost out. I tried seating them into Hornady 6.5 creedmoor new brass. I use a lee hand primer. Almost killed my hand to seat 50! I’m thinking well they are new brass.
Fast forward to today. I was going to load some 308 ammo with once fired Hornady brass. 1st federal primer was a real b#tch to seat! Last week I found some CCI primers so I thought let’s give them a try. Seated just like they always did! Yippee!
I measured both kinds of primer with my electronic RCBS caliper. Both measured .210. :Jawdrop:
Has anyone else ever had this problem with Federal primers?
672A94A5-B8C1-4666-9E38-EC8FEA6B78ED.jpeg
 
Electronic calipers only give a ballpark measurement, i.e. not to one ten thousandths of an inch.

Compare diameters and heights on this chart.

calhoonprimers02.png
 
I use Federal LR (Standard & Magnum) match primers for all my rifle loads 308 win to 416 Rigby...I've loaded them in every brass case I can find with zero problems...

That is until I tried reloading Hornady LE .308 win brass... They simply won't go...Now I've noticed Hornady Law Enforcement Brass might be Mil-Spec cases so Primer Crimped??? Hornady has the DOD Contract for
6.5 creedmoor. But you're using new brass?
 
I made a mistake, it’s not new 6.5 brass. The 6.5 and 308 are both once fired hornady match ammo. When I reloaded the 6.5 ammo I didn’t have any cci primers to try. Just seems strange that the cci went into the 308 today.
 
both once fired hornady match ammo.
I’m not a Hornady Fan…But I can buy their Law Enforcement ammo for less than 1/2 price of their civilian match ammo some times under $10…

After this fiasco of having to sort through all my 308 brass I won’t bother ever again
 
I use Fed 210 and 210 Match in Hornady brass. Not a problem. Some Winchester WLR primers give me occasional issues.
 
Possibly the primer pockets were a little shallow?

I use F210s almost exclusively in the bolt guns with no issues. Brass is mostly Norma, Lapua, Federal and some Remington.

Hornady is not my favorite, but I don't recall any primer seating issues when I last used it - but I'm near positive I uniformed the primer pockets first.
 
Update to story. Went to reload some 280 rem ammo for wife this morning. Again once fired hornady brass. Federal br primers went right in!!
 
Are you sure the original primers were not "crimped" in like military?

I found quite a bit of the Hornady ammo to have this, then you need to ream and or swage out the crimp and all is well.
 
You are correct. I reamed the primer pocket and they work fine now
 

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