I haven't reloaded in a few years so I am rusty!! I'm loading 223/5.56 On a Hornady O single stage press. I verified i am using the correct shellholder and the correct primers. Primers are often not seated all the way or are not aligned correctly, resulting in a a mashed primer. The primer carrier under the ram is picking up the primer correctly from the tube.

To describe it, it feels like the primer carrier is too large for the small primer it carries and allows it too much movement?? As far as I can remember the Hornady single stage uses a one size fits both large and small primers, correct? Or am I wrong on this?

I am using 1x fired Federal LE brass that does have Mil crimp. I am using a Dillon swage for this. And I am working the primer pocket with a hand held drill to clean the primer pocket.

I'm looking at an issue with the press or maybe I am not properly swaging my cases? Any thoughts appreciated.

I would be surprised if the tool uses the same tube for both sizes. My Hornady progressive press used 2 different tubes and 2 different primer feeders. And I know (don't ask how) that if you try using the larger tube and feeder with small pistol primers it does not work well at all.
C.G.B.

Yes, Sir! I have the HDay progressive and there certainly are 2 sizes of primer seaters. I'm hopeful this is that simple a fix.

Have you tried using some factory .223 brass with your setup to see if that is where the problem lies?

I have not tried and 223 brass. Two reasons; I do not have any 223 brass and I would need more than a few as my current issue is some seat fine while others do not.

I either have an alignment issue or a swage issue. At least that is my initial thoughts.

Every other standard press I've seen with a primer arm and feeder tube uses two different size primer seaters and feed tubes. My current Pacific press does. I can use the large rifle seater to seat .217 Berdan primers but have to place them on the seater individually. Using the large rifle seater for small rifle primers will not work.

Crimped primer pockets?

Have you removed the crimp?

More .223 brass is crimped then not....

Federal is

2 plus different ''nots'' sure sounds like more than one problem.
I'd start with the correct primer ram, and move on to looking at the crimped primer pockets.

The OP says he is using a Dillon swage for removing the crimp on the primer pockets, presumably the Dillon swage can't be 'misused'.

He says "it feels like the primer carrier is too large for the small primer it carries and allows too much movement", most obviously using the large rifle seater stem and carrier.

The large rifle primer seater stem will only seat small primers flush to the case head, if it doesn't mash them first, as the seating stem will stop on the case head rather than seat the primer to the bottom of the primer pocket with the primer top slightly below the case head where it should be.

Of course a large rifle primer seater will mis-align and mash small rifle primers as the OP is discovering.

A photo will confirm the issue.

Spoke to Hornady this morning. There is indeed a small and large primer cup. Small primer cup in stock and being sent.

Thank you to Hornady for not charging me for the part or the shipping, which might have been more than the part

Good outcome

the Dillon swage tool is not infallible.

I use one and still double check the pockets before priming, it's saved me a lot of trouble.

quote:

Originally posted by eagle27:
Good outcome

I don't usually have this kind of good luck! Easy solution and didn't cost me anything but a little time. I'll take it and be grateful.

quote:

Originally posted by Lamar:
the Dillon swage tool is not infallible.

I use one and still double check the pockets before priming, it's saved me a lot of trouble.

My original thought was I was incorrectly using the swage. I spent extra time making sure I got all the crud and remnants of the crimp out of the primer pockets. Still an issue. Luckily it was only the size of the primer carrier.

quote:

Originally posted by Lamar:
the Dillon swage tool is not infallible.

I use one and still double check the pockets before priming, it's saved me a lot of trouble.

Agree
Plus is not the best way to remove a crinp