Does Anyone Prime on Their Single Stage Press Anymore???

[Doc Highwall]

Hi,
Ok, I'm confused (as usual) why would the LEE Ram Prime be better than the RCBS Bench Primer???

I also uniform my primer pockets on rifle cases and do a 120' turn around as I prime!

Seagiant, the reason the ram prime is better is that when it gets to the top of the stroke it can no longer seat the primer deeper, and the RCBS bench priming tool can seat the primer deeper by applying more force.

I am sure you and others like myself have seated primers both high and too deep with the RCBS bench tool. It is easy enough to reseat a high primer flush, but what about one that is too deep, and I look as this being a variable. The variation in primer seating is controlled by the Ram prime unit when the press reaches the top of it's stroke/TDC and can no longer apply seating force. The only variation that can exist now in primer depths with uniformed primer pockets is the variation in rim thickness of the case where it is held by the shell holder. A thicker case rim will hold the case down below where the shell holder catches the rim causing the primer to be seated deeper.

[seagiant]

Seagiant, the reason the ram prime is better is that when it gets to the top of the stroke it can no longer seat the primer deeper, and the RCBS bench priming tool can seat the primer deeper by applying more force.

I am sure you and others like myself have seated primers both high and too deep with the RCBS bench tool. It is easy enough to reseat a high primer flush, but what about one that is too deep, and I look as this being a variable. The variation in primer seating is controlled by the Ram prime unit when the press reaches the top of it's stroke/TDC and can no longer apply seating force. The only variation that can exist now in primer depths with uniformed primer pockets is the variation in rim thickness of the case where it is held by the shell holder. A thicker case rim will hold the case down below where the shell holder catches the rim causing the primer to be seated deeper.

Hi,
Well...the primer does not "float" it is pushed till it bottoms in the case primer pocket. There is no "to deep". I use a pocket uniformer that squares the bottom of the pocket so the primer seats squarely when it is seated to the bottom of the pocket!

Whether it is done by a bench primer,on a press or with a ram prime really does not matter! IMO!

[rmark]

Lee ram prime on my 35 year old Pacific press.

[Doc Highwall]

Seagiant, I should have said you can crush the primer by trying to seat it too deep due to no positive stop on the bench priming tool. I am sure that any body that has reloaded for a while notices that when seating primers that some go in harder then others which is why I like using the end of the stroke of the ram to seat the primers to their final depth.

[seagiant]

Seagiant, I should have said you can crush the primer by trying to seat it too deep due to no positive stop on the bench priming tool. I am sure that any body that has reloaded for a while notices that when seating primers that some go in harder then others which is why I like using the end of the stroke of the ram to seat the primers to their final depth.

Hi,
Ok, I was trying to figure out what was going on! I guess it is posible to crush a primer but my experience and my opinion is it would be hard to do FOR ME,but maybe others might have a problem especially new reloaders!

FOR ME I have found the RCBS Bench Primer to be excellent and the only thing with better "feel" would be my Lachmiller, but it is single primer only!

Sorry for the misunderstanding!

[bigjake]

I use the rcbs primer arms for priming rifle shells because the pockets are tight after i de-crimp them. i can feel how much pressure it needs to seat the primer. i purposely make the pocket a bit on the small side so the brass last longer. For pistol brass, I use the hand primer.

[bandsmoyer]

likewise

[Char-Gar]

It is possible to crush the primer cake causing erratic ignition. That is why we seat primers by feel when they touch the bottom of the pocket. You don't want the firing pin of the firearm to do the final primer seating as could be quite a blow to the primer cake.

[HangFireW8]

Compound leverage presses (RCBS RC) are much more likely to crush primers. Lee promotes the Classic Cast as having more feel at the top and bottom of the stroke, which is better for priming, but harder for sizing.

I own both and use them for the roles where they shine, RC for sizing and Lee Classic for priming and seating.

[Char-Gar]

When priming on the press, I prefer the old upstroke Pacific due to the feel is gives. But if a fellow is paying attention, he can use even the big RCBS A2 and not crush the primer.

[Doc Highwall]

When a press gets to the top of it's stroke or TDC it has tremendous force meaning your feel is short changed.


When I set up the ram prime unit using cases with uniformed primer pockets, I slowly screw down the 7/8-14 die (.0714" travel per full turn) till I can see that the primer is below flush, then I set the lock ring to hold that depth. You have to make sure you use the same shell holder as there are a slight variation in them. For a fine adjustment you could use shims under the lock ring. I know this is bordering on being anal but it is a variable in our reloading that can be controlled.

[Char-Gar]

When a press gets to the top of it's stroke or TDC it has tremendous force meaning your feel is short changed.


When I set up the ram prime unit using cases with uniformed primer pockets, I slowly screw down the 7/8-14 die (.0714" travel per full turn) till I can see that the primer is below flush, then I set the lock ring to hold that depth. You have to make sure you use the same shell holder as there are a slight variation in them. For a fine adjustment you could use shims under the lock ring. I know this is bordering on being anal but it is a variable in our reloading that can be controlled.

I have noticed in life that just about everybody thinks they way to do things is the best way to do it. That seems to be pretty set in human nature. That aside, I prime with many different tools and in over 55 years of handloading have never damaged a primer in seating, so I am not convinced there is a better way to do this. Just about any of the methods will produce good results if a fellow is careful and pays attention to the seating of each primer.

There has been lots of reloading gizmos and gadgets that have come on the market since 1958 when I got started and each one of them claim to be an improvement. Most of them work just fine and create profit for the makers and sellers of such things, But most really don't change the alignment of the stars and planets as far as producing high quality reloads go. When it is comes to producing high quality reloads the man is far more important that the hardware. Good hardware helps, but it won't replace knowledge and skill with the tools.

[Taylor810]

I prime on my Lee Challenger press

[DavZee]

I prime rifle cases and small batches of pistol cases on my Hornady single stage. The primer feed system works great.

[skyegod]

Nope, I have 3 Lee hand Primers, and use those

[Drdarrin]

I haven't primed on my single stage for a couple years now; since I bought my RCBS hand primer.
Still have several primer arms, all of the sleeves and the auto primer feed & tubes pictured in the OP. Just don't use them any longer.

[bbqncigars]

The only ram priming I do is on my uniformed 50BMG cases. AFAIK there is no 'hand primer' for this round. The fifty is unique in that a certain amount of primer 'crush' (.050") is recommended to seat it. This turns a rounded primer to mostly flattened. The best way I've found to do this is by using dual stop collars on the Lee ram prime shaft. Judicious use of feeler gauges can give a repeatable amount of crush in uniformed pockets. Lesser rounds do not merit such attention.

[44Vaquero]

I also prime on my Tri-Line Jr., and the Lee Turret using the T-Bar!

[WallyM3]

I also prime on my Tri-Line Jr., and the Lee Turret using the T-Bar!

Great minds... I like your TruLine Jr handle!



I've never seen that "T" bar before now. Where is it installed and how does it work? Looks great.

[44Vaquero]

The bent handle has a great back story! I happened to have an old Crosman .177 rifle barrel laying on the shelf, it was exactly the same diameter as the original handle. So I shipped it off to my neighbors machine shop the next day, he brought it back bent as seen in the picture. The funny part was they 1st tried to bend it in a 5-ton bottle jack press no luck! They ended up using a something like a 25 ton hydraulic press!! He said the damned thing did not want to bend. The ball is a extra Lee unit I had laying around. The original handle and turret are stored in original box.

The T-Bar priming arm is Old school Lee from their original 3 hole turret press. Back in the days when Re-loaders were not so scared of toughing primers! LOL