Better way to prime - Two broken tools in two days!

[fast ronnie]

RCBS makes two different bench primers. One loads one at a time. The automatic bench primer hold maybe 50 or so primers in a tube like the press mounted tube. Shell holders are the same ones for the press. Push down on the handle to put a primer in the cup, lift handle a couple inches and put case in shell holder, then push down handle to seat primer. It has a very easy to judge feel. I used a friend's and was so impressed that I won't do primers any other way. The only way you can do them faster is on a progressive, but then you don't really know if that primer is going in right side up or sideways, or even upside down. With the RCBS automatic, you're looking at the primer as you put the case in the holder. I lost my lee hand primer and spent a LOT of time looking for it. I should have spent my time trying to find the automatic bench primer. Never again will I prime any other way. AND it's fast!

[MtGun44]

Used a couple of Lee autoprimes for decades, about three decades. Broke a main housing
where the shellholder is retained once. Bought the new "safety version" a while back with
square trays and double feed on the primers. Works OK, but can't see it's any big improvement
over the old model, flipper tray works better though.

Bill

[Fergie]

I'll be trying out my new RCBS today...should be a decent improvement.

Thanks for all the advice on products, gentlemen.

[Gillie Dog]

I use the press mounted Lee auto prime II, 20 plus years, simple, fast, never fails, never breaks. If anyone has one to sell PM me I will buy it.

+1

Agreed, that tool is best thing going for priming. Good feel, 100% feed, no flipped or tipped.

One suggestion though, I use the RCBS primer plastic bushings from bench top primer. For small primers I glue a small plastic RCBS bushing in the large primer bushing and put it in bottom of shell holder. Amazing how well it works and centers primer dead center.

Really a great tool, no clue what legal reason forced stop in production, fleabay has one once in a while.

Current Pro1000, I think, primer troughs fit if you break one.

I have used original Auto Prime and new Ergo Prime and Auto Prime II is superior.


GD

[xman777]

http://www.21stcenturyshooting.com/P...ool_Square.php


This tool is a little pricey but damn if its not my new go-to for priming. Call me fiddly, but it works very smoothly and you're not breaking it.... ever.

[jmort]

That is cool. Learned something new. Thanks

[rbuck351]

I have an older Lee round hopper hand primer that works fine but I rarely use it. Almost all of my priming is done on one of my three primary presses. I use a Dillon 550b an old Star for my 38spl and a Lyman All American for load development. All three prime very nicely and I find it faster to just prime on the press rather than priming in a separate step. I'm not at all delicate when priming and ram them in pretty hard and it's never been a problem. I don't see a need for hand priming unless I'm at the range with my Lee hand press.

[Rich/WIS]

I'm with Dragonrider and Gillie Dog, have used the Auto Prime II for 20 years without problems. Only issue is getting the last couple of primers down the feed trough. Easy solution, cut the end off a plastic cable tie and slide down trough and push feed the last few. Have gotten two off of E-bay cheap, but last few I saw were getting pricey.

[r1kk1]

I've ordered a couple of 21st Century shellholders to see if they work in my K&M primer seating tool. I believe they are the ones from Possum Hollow who is Eric Sinclair.

take care

r1kk1

[nitro-express]

Guess I am dating myself but I still use a lachmiller bench tool -- It is the for-runner of the RCBS tool
Shellholders are a mite scarce though -- uses a holder similar to the herters #3
I use the 310 tool quite a bit as well, or the regular arm on the herters press.
I also have the rcbs ram prime which works fine -- just too lazy to set it up -

I believe RCBS still make an adapter kit for this priming tool. I have the RCBS basic which was so similar. I've had to tune it up several times, but it works well, I hope it never breaks.

[dudel]

The round cover Lee primers work great. You just have to remember to lube/grease the pivot points on the handle every so often. I have one that's 20+ years old and doing fine. I prefer them over the square lid "improved" version.

Were you trying to seat a primer on a case that still had a crimp? If it doesn't feel right, more force is not always the answer. One of the reasons I sort brass by headstamp. That way they all have pretty much the same feel. A primer pocket that's too loose or too tight really stands out.

[.30Calibre]

...round cover Lee primers work great...

+1 for the old style Lee hand primer; maybe I'm just lucky mine hasn't broke yet. Had a few times when the primer I squeezed into the brass was too loose for the primer pocket it sat in; I had immediately felt a difference with the hand primer. (Recoil later jolted that primer out of the pocket and left me a magazine full of smokeless granules.) I hand prime for the sensitivity since then.

[jcwit]

I have a dedicated old style Lee hand primer with the screw in shell holders for most of the sizes of calibers I reload for. Remember 1 shell holder will fit more than one caliber.

For the few sizes that I do not have a Lee old style for I use a K & M priming tool.

Take a close look at the K & M, similar to the Sinclair tool, 1/2 the price, and I doubt you can break it.

[Mohillbilly]

For hand priming which I do very little of , I use a lee hand press and their ram prime . I usually take a die set and an electric scale for load development , at the range .

[vwpieces]

I hand prime everything. Had the lee Ergo prime & all the covers broke, used rubber bands after that. Then a sliding wall got bent in one tray & I fixed it. Then the rodthingy that pushes the wall on the tray broke. & Finally the main housing cracked where the holders slide in. Granted this was 10,000 & a couple years of use. I finally threw it away. I do not miss the jams & upside-down primers. I do admit that the lee trays have the best design for getting all primers flipped over. Those tiny pins work well.

Keep it lubed, a drop of oil will keep your hands happy.

I ended up buying the RCBS hand primer that uses shell holders. What an uncomfortable ***. Off to the shop for some reforming, filing sanding & polished it back up. Some serious re-contouring of the shape. Now I am happy with it & minimal hand fatigue. Havent broke anything on it yet, 5000 cases later. Also bought 5 extra trays for all different primers I use & labeled each. The newer universal hand tool looks to have better ergonomics but read lesser reviews about it holding cases well enough.

I just sit in front of the TV & can prime 500 pistol cases an hour. I load pistol on a progressive but removed all the priming stuff. I have yet to have a primer related malfunction at the range. No more upside down primed cases get loaded, no missed primer cases & no crushed primers ever make it to the range. All the primers get fully seated. Usually keep several hundred rifle brass for each caliber ready to go. Also while hand priming I rarely have to swage military rifle brass. Most do not need it however some do. While hand priming it is very easy to detect a case with a primer hole that is too big & it gets discarded before loading.

[jmort]

"...can prime 500 pistol cases an hour."

I use the older round tray Lee hand primers, but regardless, it is nice to hand prime. It goes fast that way.

[vwpieces]

"...can prime 500 pistol cases an hour."

I use the older round tray Lee hand primers, but regardless, it is nice to hand prime. It goes fast that way.

Yes.
New square RCBS trays "can" hold 300 SPP in a tray & 200 LPP. But not that I do that as it's "not safe".
500/hr & I am still running my finger across each to check depth. Picking up 3 at a time... click, click, click... Fast & flawless.
I still want to get a couple more trays to have at least 2 of each type primer loaded & ready before I kick back & watch a movie.

[Garyshome]

I prime on my Dillon! Just keep everything clean.

[retread]

I have both the old round and the new square versions of the Lee. The handle on the old one is weaker for sure( I broke one), however the handle for the new version fits on the old style. If you want to stay with the old style just order a replacement handle intended for the new one.

[Bored1]

http://www.titanreloading.com/service-parts/priming-system-parts/lee-pt1879-auto-prime-xr-lever