Derraco Engineering PCPS next gen precision primer seating system

[jasper2408]

Just saw this priming tool during my internet travels. Mounts on your press. Looks to be well built.
Does not include the primer tubes or the case holders. Does use the Lee priming tool shell holders but they also sell their own shell holders that are more precision made.
You can use the Lee, Hornady, or RCBS primer tubes.

Is about $300.00 if you order the primer tool, primer feeding tubes, and their shell holders off of Amazon. About 1/3 price of what the Primal Rights version is plus it mounts on your press.

The manufacturer has a website in Australia but this tool and all needed extra stuff can be bought on Amazon and shipped from the US instead of Australia. They also make an annealer and headspace kit.

Here is the Derraco Engineering website in Australia:

https://www.derraco.com/product/pcps-next-gen-precision-primer-seating-system-by-derraco-engineering-pre-order-link/

Here is the US Ugly Reloading USA website:

https://www.uglyreloadingusa.com/

Here is the Amazon page that sells all of their products:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Derraco+Engineering&ref=nb_sb_noss

Here is a couple of videos that show how to put it together and how to use it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj4JvqOy4pk&t=198s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPZFTrmJ6bs

[bmash]

So nobody using this? I have been considering trying it out.

[jasper2408]

So nobody using this? I have been considering trying it out.

I have one coming and it is supposed to be here today (Thursday, 3/21/24). I ordered the tool, their shell holders, and some RCBS primer tubes.

I will update this thread once I check it out.

[jasper2408]

The primer tool came today. Just to give a quick rundown.

Build quality of the tool is excellent.

Tried it on some Lapua and Starline cases (6.5 Grendel) just to check out the feed and insertion of the primers. Everything ran smooth and without any issues.

I am used to auto feed on my priming tools up to this point so this is gonna take some getting used to at running the slide for each primer. I also want to get a depth gauge so that I can check the depth of the primers I seat. I mean that is why I bought this tool so I could set the depth to whatever I wanted. The micrometer at the base of the die is solid and has clicks that you can feel.

So far I like the tool. Will post more as I get to using it.


Just some more info:
In the spare parts bag is an extra slide spring, 2 extra spring hooks for the slide, an extra screw for the spring hook. There is also 4 extra bolts for the top shell holder cover plus 2 allen/hex wrenches to fit all of the screws on the tool.

[bmash]

May not be the best tool, but you can use the end of you calipers to measure seating depth.

[jasper2408]

May not be the best tool, but you can use the end of you calipers to measure seating depth.

Yep, gonna have to use it until I can find something better.

Here is some info I found from the fella that makes the Primal Rights primer seater and thought it would be some good info to post.

Measure the primer pocket depths.
Measure the overall primer thickness. (From the top of the cup to the bottom of the anvils exposed below the cup)
Measure the anvil protrusion. (Measure the cup height and subtract it from the overall primer thickness)

So if your primer pocket depth is .130, and your primer thickness is .125, you'd need to be 5 thousandths below flush to have anvil contact. If your anvil protrudes 10 thousandths from the top of the cup, then you know you can go to 15 thousandths below flush before you have full crush and the cup contacts the bottom of the pocket. So there's your window.

So you start at anvil contact, shoot your test shots, then click the CPS one click (one thousandth) deeper. You'll often measure a linear movement in the primer that will equal your adjustment, but if you don't... don't sweat it because the primers tend to take a set and deform. So even though you have 10 thousandths or whatever of room, it might take more clicks than that to get it to the final adjustment. The key is, to test at each adjustment of the CPS, regardless whether it provides a measurable change in primer seating depth. So you fire your test rounds at each click of the CPS, until full crush or maybe a couple clicks past it.

Make sure to fire an appreciable number of rounds at each setting. Obviously the rest of your reloading, rifle, optic, and skills ecosystem must be fully tuned if you're to see a substantiated benefit here.

Here is a picture of a primer that is at full crush on the top and the bottom primer is a new unfired one with the anvil exposed below the cup before it is inserted.

[LR1955]

Will be interested in seeing if there is a correlation between depth and velocity SD.

Works the same as a Dillon 450 primer feed but I imagine this one seats a lot more uniformly.

[jasper2408]

Will be interested in seeing if there is a correlation between depth and velocity SD.

Saw a video showing that a certain depth gave the best group size. This test was performed on 5 different days and the same seating depth (.009") had the best groups after the 5 days. There were 5 shots per group each day. Another thing he noticed was that the groups at that depth did not have any fliers.

Edit: I went back and checked out the video and he did check SD and velocity. The .009" seating depth had the best SD and the lowest velocity.
Here is the video if anyone is interested in viewing it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUPp-9OzV3I

So far I am liking the primer seater. Not going to do any testing on seating depth stuff until I get a better way to measure everything. I am just going to seat my primers so the anvil touches for now. That is about .002" below the case rim on my Lapua brass using CCI450 primers. My calipers should be able to handle that for now.

[jasper2408]

Just some more info.

The micrometer on the primer seater moves .01mm per click.

.01mm = .0003937"
.0011" = 3 clicks on the micrometer
.001969" = 5 clicks
.002362" = 6 clicks
Flush with case head to .008"(about 20-21 clicks) below case head = SAAMI spec
.107" = primer cup height
.119" = primer height
.121" = primer pocket depth on case
.121"-.119"=.002" minimum seating depth to get anvil to touch
.119"-.107"=.012" possible total cup movement
.008"+.002"=.010" seating depth to seat primer to .008" crush
.012"+.002"=.014" seating depth is full crush