The "educated finger" is the reloader's best tool for sensing defects in primer seating.

A friend suggested the title for this column should read, "The Reloader Versus The Ammo Factory," but that would be wrong. We're not at war. On the contrary, what each does has been influenced by the other.

The Big Difference
We may as well start with the major difference: where the ammo is used. The handloader typially assembles cartridges that need to fit and function in only one or two firearms. Those firearms are right there to make fit-checking easy. The ammo factory has to ship large quantities of ammo that must fit and function in every standard firearm chambered for that cartridge, and it must do so with complete safety and reliability over a wide range of environmental conditions.

"Standard" means firearms built to the voluntary standards of the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI) and its European counterpart, the Commission Internationale Permanente (CIP). The primary reason these organizations exist is to pro-vide dimensional and pressure standards so a firearm maker will know that his design will safely accept member companies' ammo and so an ammo maker knows his product will safely function in members' firearms. All dimensions have a maximum and a minimum value.

The standards for ammo have minimum values set to be the smallest dimensions that will safely function. Likewise, firearm chambers are more often than not set nearer the maximum dimension standard. This ensures the "one size fits all" model of factory ammunition but is anything but custom-fitted. The moderate to advanced reloader can fine-tune fit issues to his firearm and, in the process, truly has custom-fitted ammo. A big factory lacks this luxury.

Case Preparation
The big factory will either make its cases or get them from a trusted vendor, so case preparation is in the case-making process. The factory will specify materials and dimensions based on the machines that will turn those cases into loaded cartridges. The resulting cases are ready for the first loading stage with no further preparation.

The reloader may be starting with fired cases, possibly some that were fired in more than one gun. Getting consistent results means the hobbyist will spend time making these cases as uniform as possible before the process continues.

This could be trimming, sorting, and most importantly, inspection. A pre-loading inspection station is part of commercial reloading too. In mass production, a case that is out of spec may stop the machines, so a pre-load station may check for dimensional consistency, splits, or things like missing flash holes. Today, this commercial inspection is likely to be digital camera imaging, possibly combined with laser measurements--pretty slick when you consider how many cases we longtime reloaders have checked by hand. The reloader must be as diligent in case inspection. Getting rid of the "problem children" before loading starts makes sense no matter who you are.

Priming
For safety in handling thousands of primers, the factory will usually prime cases off-line, commonly in isolation cells for safety. It's common for priming to be done hours or days before loading to give the lacquer primer sealant time to dry. Reloaders can also prime ahead for later loading. I usually prime separately to avoid handling primers with greasy fingers. I guess other people do this too; the reloading equipment companies sure sell a lot of hand-priming tools and other "off-press" priming gadgets. If you prime ahead for later loading, be sure to label the container so there is no doubt what primer type you inserted.