Priming Tool Recommendations

[Lance Boyle]

I use one of these. I have used hand riming tools and the one mounted on my presses. The RCBS Automatic Priming Tool works the best for me. Actually have two. https://shop.rcbs.com/automatic-priming-tool/

This what I use if it’s not loaded on a Dillon, for hand gun that means my .32 guns. Most of my rifles too.

I made a base that has two trays to the left of the machine for brass. It’s just a 1” pine board with screwed and glue lips for the trays and the actual priming tool is on a wood block mounted to the board.

 

[Donnie805]

After trying pretty much everything, I’ve settled in on the Lee Auto prime myself. Once you get used to it and can understand all the parts, and have purchased a set of special shell holders for it, I’ve come to really enjoy sitting back and priming 50 to 100 cases at a time. It’s just part of my hobby and it’s something I want to enjoy in my retirement and to not be frustrated with an activity that is supposed to be relaxing for me. I’ve been married for 47 years …… I need SOMETHING to be relaxing.

 

[Bayou52]

My favorite hand primer is the RCBS Posi Prime which has been out of production for decades. It’s manual load, no tray, and primes very quickly. Used models come up on flea bay from time to time.

 

[Reloader Fred]

I use both the Lyman and RCBS Ram Prime tools on a Rockchucker press. Precise adjustments and precise priming. Every caliber I load (35 at the present time) gets primed that way, no matter which press I'll ultimately load it on, even the progressives. At my age, using a hand priming tool is out of the question, and I never liked them anyway.

Hope this helps.
Fred

 

[Inkgardener]

I use the RCBS hand primer that uses regular shell holders. It always works great.

I have a dedicated sizing press setup for rifle and it has the primer arm setup as well and I use it on small load development batches. Works great.

Of course all handgun and semi auto gets primed on the 550.

 

[Abnormal]

For many years I've used only a RCBS Hand Priming Tool. Anymore I spend more time fighting it to get primers to feed smoothly than actually priming brass which dramatically reduces the enjoyment of reloading.

Anybody have a different model that works without drama?

My $0.02 worth. I've always used a LEE single stage press with their AutoPrime tool (the black one). After redesigning their primer head internal spring so it works like a spring it's never failed me. That was the problem with that thing. LEE put a spring in it that always broke because it was made all wrong. I fixed that with a new design and I'm still running with the prototype after more than 10 years now. I move right along priming brass at about 1 per 2-3 seconds each. Sometimes I hit snags when I get moving too fast but not very often. Pinched my finger once and that hurt like hell for a week. My press is mounted on a collapsible WorkMate so it's also portable. I've thought about upgrading to a progressive press but just can't break away from the old habits. If I shot more maybe it would be worth it. But the mental therapy the single stage offers out weighs the speed of it all. I use a portable prime tool by LEE for only rifle brass since it's fully processed/sized before priming. I process my pistol brass a lot different than rifle. Pistol brass still needs flaring before loading so I do that when I prime it just before use.

 

[Scriv]

I used the rcbs bench mounted tool for years. Recently I have been using the forster priming tool for pistol, and the k&m tool for rifle as I don't produce as many of those. Both are top notch.

 

[Lance Boyle]

I use both the Lyman and RCBS Ram Prime tools on a Rockchucker press. Precise adjustments and precise priming. Every caliber I load (35 at the present time) gets primed that way, no matter which press I'll ultimately load it on, even the progressives. At my age, using a hand priming tool is out of the question, and I never liked them anyway.

Hope this helps.
Fred

I started out using the RCBS Ram prime unit on that came with My Reloader Special three that was my first press. It’s a great unit other than it doesn’t have a primer feeding tube set up.

In many ways it is similar to the bench priming tools. The bonus the Ram Primer has is that is it is threaded and you can set it up to a positive stop instead of by feel.

 

[Green Frog]

For years I used the original Lee Hand Priming Tool (screw in shell holders, no auto feed) and thought that was the finest tool out there for simple hand priming. Recently a friend who was retiring from shooting gifted me with a K&M hand priming tool. It uses inexpensive Lee Priming Tool Shell Holders and is made ergonomically using all steel working parts. It will outlast me by a long shot, and is as comfortable to use as any I’ve held.

 

[FlyFish]

Another vote for the RCBS bench tool. I got one when I started reloading over 50 years ago and it's still going strong. Never saw a need to explore anything else.

 

[roysha]

RCBS Bench mounted priming tool. . All I use with non progressive machines

Over the last 60 or so years I believe I have used virtually every brand and style of priming tool that has been available to the general public. Without a doubt, for me, the very best priming tool is the RCBS Bench Priming Tool. I do use the RCBS hand priming tool for doing a few cases, often in the evening while watching TV. However, for lots of cases done quickly, I have found nothing even close to the RCBS BPT.

 

[Ed333]

I am a big plus one on the 21st Century hand primer. Absolutely top notch material and workmanship and it fine tunes for depth of seating, with superb feedback, you know just where you are. Will last a couple of lifetimes, at least.

 

[1lnbrdg]

Dillon 550 makes a great priming tool.

 

[Eddie Southgate]

I have several , all old and none still on the market . The one I use the most is the old round tray Lee that is now over 20 years old and is the last such tool that I bought. I have a Hornady tool but found out that not every ones holders fit and I hate the swiveling tray to the point that it has only been used a few times and not at all in over 20 years. If I had someone I hated I might give it to them out of spite.

 

[Arizona5906]

For many years I've used only a RCBS Hand Priming Tool. Anymore I spend more time fighting it to get primers to feed smoothly than actually priming brass which dramatically reduces the enjoyment of reloading.

Anybody have a different model that works without drama?

Lee Ram Prime... set into a Lee Hand Press !

All metal , no feeding problems , no drama ...
and no flinsey plastic parts that don't work !

Try it ... You'll Like it .... I love mine !

Gary

I tried several tools over the years. Most were good but not great. Then in a moment of craziness I ordered a Primal Rights CPS. It's the most expensive primer tool I've ever seen and well worth the price. Very accurate adjustable seating depth, consistent auto feeding, low effort, and good feel. Nicely made too. It has to be the best priming tool available.

 

[Abnormal]

I've tried a lot of them. If the round tray Lee Auto Prime was made of good quality, long-lasting materials, it would be about perfect. It would also cost a lot more, but I'd be willing to pay the price and amortized over many years of use the cost wouldn't be much at all.

I wore out three or more of the Lee's over the years. I know many say they've had theirs for forty year or more and I don't doubt that, but if you really do a lot of priming, say 10,000 or 20,000 cases per year, parts wear out and the tools won't last very long. I don't want to be in the position of scrounging for parts here and there to keep a hand priming tool going.

The problem with that Auto Prime is the spring inside the Pez dispenser. See attached. I replaced their spring with my new design and 10+ years later I'm still working it. But you are right. 10-20,000/year is a lot by anyone's point of view.

 

[jem102]

Yet another vote for the RCBS bench tool. Don't know how many cases have been primed on mine over the years but it has been many, many thousands and the tool shows no appreciable signs of ware.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi
When I started reloading back in the early 1990's, I used a then new, Lee Hand Priming tool. If worked great for 20 years and the priming tray cover broke. The 2017 priming tool tray and covers seemed to be made of rock candy, not hard plastic. I gave up on them and bought an RCBS Hand Priming tool. I have several thousand rounds through it. I prime .45 ACP, .38 Special and several rifle rounds.

RCBS Hand Priming Tool

Since they were on sale, I also purchased a Frankford Arsenal Hand Priming tool from Midway, but it's never been out of the box. That's how bad the second Lee Hand Priming tool was.

Later

 

[Tabby Lynn]

For many years I've used only a RCBS Hand Priming Tool. Anymore I spend more time fighting it to get primers to feed smoothly than actually priming brass which dramatically reduces the enjoyment of reloading.

Anybody have a different model that works without drama?

All I use is the RCBS hand priming tool. I got the universal one so changing the shell holders is not required. I have had no issues with it and been using it for probably 20+ years now in one variation or another. I actually have two, one set up for small primers, the other for large.

 

[ggibson511960]

Never found anything better than a Forster. It is fussy to adjust, but that's okay for me as I reload a variety of calibers. All the old junky plastic stuff with special shell holders is gone. Can't beat the seating feel from that big paddle. I used to reverse the stroke linkage on my RCBS press to seat primers. It was almost as good as the Forster, but a bother to switch back and forth. The priming fixture on a Forster Co-Ax press is pretty good and universally adjustable, but you must handle each primer.