Primer question/Federal LR match primers hard to seat

[Beretta391]

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.
Has anyone else ever had this problem with Federal primers?

 

[Hogpatrol]

Electronic calipers only give a ballpark measurement, i.e. not to one ten thousandths of an inch.

Compare diameters and heights on this chart.

 

[Fred Gunner]

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?

 

[Beretta391]

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.

 

[Fred Gunner]

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

 

[meigsbucks]

I use Fed 210 and 210 Match in Hornady brass. Not a problem. Some Winchester WLR primers give me occasional issues.

 

[shootist~]

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.

 

[Beretta391]

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!!

 

[TerryBlauwkamp]

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.

 

[Beretta391]

You are correct. I reamed the primer pocket and they work fine now

 

[TerryBlauwkamp]

Yea... something so simple.