Priming Tools

[WR Moore]

I don't like the hand primers. Part of that is having spent decades loading military brass and before I got the Dillon Primer Pocket Swager. The other part is that the factories don't worry about "feeling" when the primer hits bottom in the pocket.

This is another example of bench rest practices of dubious value becoming mainstreamed.

 

[imakmst]

And I've seen the Sinclair mentioned before in these discussions. I'm a batch loader, for pistol, 50-100 at a wack. I don't see the utility of handling individual primers one at a time to load the tool. Just gettin' that out there.

 

[LAA]

RCBS Universal hand priming tool has worked very well for me. Looks like it does for others on this thread too. For all loading I do on the Dillon 650, I use it's priming system. For everything I do on the single press, I use the hand primer instead of the press. It goes fast for small & large primers. I just lay back in a recliner, watch a good movie, and prime a 100 or so. The RCBS has worked perfectly, and requires no shell holders.

 

[iPac]

When I got my reloading setup years ago, all RCBS, I seen the primer loading thing that was on the Rockchucker. I didn't even consider figuring out how it worked as it just looked slow and a pain.

I immediately went for a hand held primer. I wanted to get the RCBS to match the rest of my stuff, which is all top notch quality, but I think Midway was back-ordered on them. So I went with the Lee AutoPrime and couldn't be happier. Yes, you have to get specific shellholders just for it, but they are guaranteed to work unlike the one RCBS tool, plus you can buy the whole set cheap.

They tray is sturdy and wide enough to match the primer tray. There is a positive stop for seating depth. Changing the tray and holders is really simple. You can't beat it for the price, which was $20 when I bought.

However, I see where Lee has gotten rid of the old AutoPrime, and now has some new fangled one with horrible reviews. If mine ever breaks, I will be going with the RCBS universal hand held. That one seems like a good replacement. I don't understand why companies need to fix what isn't broken.

 

[iPac]

Looks like GOOD hand primers have not been mentioned yet.
They are expensive but will last a lifetime (or more) and provide way more leverage and feel than the Lee.
I used the Lee for years until, yes, it broke.
And I started to develop arthritis in my thumb joints.
I looked around and got the Sinclair primer.
SINCLAIR PRIMING TOOL
I have used it now for a several years and love it.
It is adjustable for depth of stroke (all the good ones are) and is built like a tank/battleship.
Also has a long, metal, arm to ease the stroke.
(And uses your Lee priming shell holders although the Sinclair ones are better made).
Recommended.

I don't doubt the quality of the Sinclair primer one bit after seeing it. Being made here in USA is fantastic. Brownells/Sinclair always stand behind their products too.

However: put each tiny primer in there 1 at a time by hand, put in shell, twist to lock, squeeze to seat primer, twist to unlock, remove shell, repeat.

Ain't nobody got time for that!

I can bust though a few hundred shells with a $20 Auto Prime in about 30 minutes. Not to mention the $120 price tag.

If it works for you, then by all means use it.

 

[Nemo288]

I don't like the hand primers. Part of that is having spent decades loading military brass and before I got the Dillon Primer Pocket Swager. The other part is that the factories don't worry about "feeling" when the primer hits bottom in the pocket.

This is another example of bench rest practices of dubious value becoming mainstreamed.

You may never have used a quality hand primer.
I have tried several times to make the reverse stroke on my press prime brass and there is so little feel you can easily crush the primers.
I can see hand priming being a drag with mil brass.

As for those that claim it's slower, once you get in the groove it isn't really much slower.
I can prime a box of 50 in just a few minutes.
I also feel it's MUCH safer than having all those primers just waiting to ignite each other in the tray.
Now those who shoot several hundred rounds a week are going to need something faster
but to just write something off because it is a "benchrest" routine is a little harsh IMHO.

 

[Dennis]

I still use my old RCBS JR. press with the tube feed. But i have a good "feel" for when they seat. But I am old and it works for me.

 

[Cdog]

With the original Lee tool being as inexpensive as it was I'd many times buy one just to fill in an order. Seems like they were many times $10.00 or $12.00 on sale?

As mentioned in earlier post I keep them setup for different apps. I disassemble clean and lithium grease the friction areas and have been using some of them for around 30 years. I did have to open the mouth on one to accommodate the WSM cartridges.

I'm a little embarrassed to ask, what breaks?

 

[mfoley]

Lee to RCBS Transision

For many years I used a Lee hand priming tool and it worked well until it would not seat primers deep enough due to wear.

I bought and tried one of the newer lee tools with all the shielding and it to me appears that the press handle is too short so it is hard to prime with it.

I went to the RCBS Bench Priming tool mounted to some short sections of 2X4s that I then C-Clamp to my bench when I need it and it works very well for me.

 

[BUFF]

I use an RCBS bench-mounted priming tool. It has two hollow tubes that each hold either 50 or 100 primers (I forgot which) and the primer ram is switchable between large and small primer. It uses the same shell holder the press do The tubes are easy to load with the RCBS primer flipper.

The flipper is a round plastic plate with little circular ridges in it. You dump a box of primers into the tray and gently shape them a little, keeping the bottom of the flipper on the bench top. The primers encounter the ribs and the ones with the anvil on top flip over to shiny side down, so they all face the same way. You then pick them up in the tube, which also has a wire through and around the perimeter of the tube to hold the bottom primer in place after you have pushed the end of the tube down on the primer. You repeat for each primer until the tube is full. Then you turn the tube 180 degrees and put it in the primer tool.

You tip the primer tube up and the bottom primer drops into the shell holder, shiny side down. Release the tube and it pivots back out of the was. Put an empty case in the shell holder and press down on a substantial lever, which raises the ram up against the shell holder and waiting case. When the ram and it's primer reach the bottom of the case, you push the lever and the ram pushes in the primer. Raise the lever and it lowers the priming ram. Remove the now-rimed case and insert the next one. Tip the tube forward and it will drop another primer on top of the ram and repeat.

Much simpler than I described. You can feel the force being exerted by the ram on the primer and feel the force necessary to seat the primer and when the primer reached the proper place.

Mine has lasted me 30 years. I don't like to use the priming arm on my presses as there isn't much feel transmitted through the operating lever and I crushed a few primers when I tried.

I even use the tool when I use my Hornaday progressive, I prime first and remove the decapping pin from the decapping/neck bellimg die .

 

[classichunter]

I've been using the RCBS universal hand priming tool. Works great.

Thats what I've used since the 90's. Works great
I lost a part to it and they sent me another at no charge even when I offered to pay. Great customer service.

 

[ggibson511960]

Forster Tool

I will toss in a vote for the Forster tool. It's a bit more rugged than some, and a little trickier to set up and load primers in the feeder tube, but that big lever and paddle are sure nice to mash on. Zero hand/finger fatigue, and no shell holders to keep track of. I've tried them all and settled on the Forster. If you don't mind handling each primer, the priming fixture on a Forster Co-Ax press has better feel than other tools, priming on the downstroke at the point of maximum leverage. My big problem with all the small Lee and RCBS tools is the plastic and die-cast zinc construction. Mine either wore out prematurely or developed cuts and scores on the bearing surfaces that degraded feel. I polished and lubed with moly grease, but cheap metal castings just don't hold up long term. Heavy cast iron works if weight doesn't matter.

 

[2011redrider]

I use the RCBS bench primer, but have the APS strip model. Also have the APS hand primer. Both work great. The hand primer is much smoother than the lee i started with. My main press is a Pro 2000 which also feeds the strips, but, prefer to prime off press. Plus RCBS backs up their products, Lee is hit or miss. Last dealing with Lee, they wanted a receipt to show the decap die was less than 2 yrs old or they won't cover it.

 

[AveragEd]

You gets what you pays for... The pain of a higher price fades in comparison to the agony of lesser quality.

Ed