"Best" Stand Alone Priming Tool?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I prefer the Lee Safety Prime over all others. I know it's press mounted but it's the quickest and easiest to use for me. I have four different version of the Lee hand primer. I have the RCBS hand primer. I think I have a few others. I don't like any of them. I'm young and it hurts my hands over long sessions. I can't imagine someone w/ arthritis using them.

Of the few different tools I've tried, I also prefer the Lee safety Prime, mounted on the Classic cast turret or the classic cast single stage. The handle is adjustable 360º, so I have found that if I adjust it, just so, where the handle ends up near the rear support post when the primer is being seated, you can grasp that post with your fingers, while your palm is still on the handle, you get incredible good "feel" during seating and all the machanical advantage of the linkage to eliminate any fatigue.

But, as far as the OP's question, I prefer the Lee hand primer with round tray for "off-press" priming...is it the BEST? IDK? I do know it's obsolete as far as Lee is concerned, and they no longer sell replacement parts that were specific to that design, so I will buy up any of those units, when I see them at the gunshows...I've probably accumulated a lifetime supply...especially since I do 99% of my primer installation on the Lee classic Turret.

[Sakoluvr]

My priming tools.



Have a blessed day.

No need to clamp the primer down with that set-up Ole Joe? I have mine screwed to a piece of wood but C clamp it to my bench when I use it. Great idea that I may just have to copy.

[Drew P]

No need to clamp the primer down with that set-up Ole Joe? I have mine screwed to a piece of wood but C clamp it to my bench when I use it. Great idea that I may just have to copy.

Nope, that's how mine is too. Makes it handy to use, store, etc. Doesn't need to be mounted, and in fact doesn't want to be!

[Sakoluvr]

Drew, just saw your purple heart set up. Sweet. Going to go the same route. Looks like a handle length base will take care of the leverage. Thanks!

[robg]

I've always used the round Lee hand tool .got 2 repaired the broken lever on them as you can't get them now .if I have to replace them i fancy the Lee bench tool as I've got all the shell holders I'm likely to need .

[jmort]

I have heard that the handle for the square tray will work, but Lee will not confrim as they want all the round trays to disappear.

[MT Chambers]

I'm in no hurry and like priming on my Co-ax, lots of feel when bottoming out primer, sometimes I like to use my 310 tool if I'm watching tv, again...good feel.

[salpal48]

My two Favorite primer seaters are The Gun Clinic. and then The Vamco. The gun Clinic is Flawless and There is a Change over process from Large to small.
Vamco again Is simple push the slide and press the handle. Self Adjustable shell holder . minor change Over to small so I have 2

[castalott]

The RCBS bench mount is very,very good. I bought mine abused and had to add some weight to the pivoting primer tube arm to stop the 'bounce'. It now works close to perfect. It doesn't have the leverage to seat like the new Lee bench mount. I use the Hornady vibrator 'pistol' to load my primer tubes. Get that figured out and loading the tubes is fast and efficient.

The lee Bench mount is fast and powerful. And eccentric! Works great one time and not the next. I went back to the RCBS unit.

I have bits and pieces of most of the hand prime systems. The oldest Lee and the newest RCBS are the best of these although I do not like to hand prime at all.

Somewhere I have 2 of the units that sit on top of the press and you use tweezers to put a single primer in and use the press ram power to seat. I have a Lee and an RCBS. I used to use these if I wanted to send the very best. They are a little slow but this priming is perfect.

[kryogen]

I try to prime all I can on the dillon xl650. (9mm, 223).
Precision 308 gets reloaded on the forster co-ax, so I either prime with the lee ergo prime, or the lee safety prime on the single stage press.
I am not very strong, so I dislike hand priming, it gets tiring very fast for me. Easier on the press with the lee safety prime.
I don't prime enough 308 rounds in a session to get a kit for the xl650, not worth it. I do just 50-100 at a time.

I do batches of 1000+ rounds of 223 of 9mm, so single priming is out of the question.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

I keep my RCBS under the table until I need it. I don't clamp it down, just use it as it's shown. Feel free to copy, glad I posted something that will help you.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[Lloyd Smale]

little bit of a learning curve to them but I wouldn't be without one. As a matter of fact I use two of them and have two more new ones stuck away in case they discontinue them again. I'm one that doesn't balk at spending money on loading tools that save me time and effort. I bought one of the Dillon fillers and all the parts to convert it from small and large primers. I fought that sob for a year. tried all of dillons suggestions like a adjustable rheostat, putting it on a rubber matt ect and it still never worked right. Even sent it back to them twice at there suggestion and it still never worked. I love Dillon stuff and this is the ONLY dillion product that was a waste of money in my opinion. For 300 bucks or more I could have bought 10 of those FA units. For under 50 bucks there is NO BETTER primer tube feeder made. Its not perfect but for less then 1/5 the price I can excuse the fact that there not flawless.

I've been looking at the vibra prime. Is it worth the money?

[David2011]

I've tried several but prefer the RCBS Bench Priming Tool. IMO the feel of it is as good as any dedicated priming tool I've used.

[308Jeff]

Those look like some serious priming tools, salpal.

[Sur-shot]

I use the RCBS bench model priming tool, mounted, when using a single stage press. For the money, it is a best buy item.
Ed

[jmort]

I use the RCBS bench model priming tool, mounted, when using a single stage press. For the money, it is a best buy item.
Ed

I have two of the RCBS tools. For the $$$, it is not a "best buy." That is like saying the Pro Melt is a best buy for the $$$. I have a Pro Melt which cost three times as much as the Lee Pro 4, 20. I have a 4-20 as well. The Pro Melt and Automatic Bench Priming Tool are both expensive tools. Worth it, but quality that you pay full freight price for.
Lee Auto Bench Prime, $25
RCBS Automatic Bench Priming Tool $85
I have two Lee Auto Bench Primes that together cost less than of one of my two RCBS Automatic Bench priming Tools. Let's be real.

[Drew P]

I have two of the RCBS tools. For the $$$, it is not a "best buy." That is like saying the Pro Melt is a best buy for the $$$. I have a Pro Melt which cost three times as much as the Lee Pro 4, 20. I have a 4-20 as well. The Pro Melt and Automatic Bench Priming Tool are both expensive tools. Worth it, but quality that you pay full freight price for.
Lee Auto Bench Prime, $25
RCBS Automatic Bench Priming Tool $85
I have two Lee Auto Bench Primes that together cost less than of one of my two RCBS Automatic Bench priming Tools. Let's be real.

You lost me J. Is the lee auto bench prime as good as the rcbs tool? Is the rcbs the most expensive option? No, as I posted a 600$ priming tool.
To me it seems like a priming tool is one of the most important tools we have in this hobby because priming is:

fussy
requires "feel"
dangerous
necessary on literally every round we load for all calibers

so, 85$ doesn't seem like a lot for a quality tool that does the job. Not that I wouldn't rather it was less, but cmon, lets be real as you say, is a priming tool where we want to skimp? For the OP, obviously not, or he wouldn't have posted the question.

What I can't figure out is how people can use hand primers for very long, seems like a lot harder on the hands than I'd like. Heck I can almost get a blister using my RCBS bench primer.

[dragon813gt]

"Best Buy" can only be determined by the individual paying for the tool. Price isn't a consideration for me when we're discussing "best buy." To me it means the best tool regardless of price. Buy once, cry once is usually the best option.

[jmort]

We all have opinions. For $25 the Lee tool is a best buy as that term is commonly understood. I have two of each of the tools in questions so I can at least compare from experience. If someone considers the $85 RCBS a best buy so be it. I much prefer a tray as opposed to tubes. I much prefer the smaller foot print of the Lee tool. I have all four mounted on Inline Quick Change Plates. I find myself liking and using the Lee tool more often. I have around 10 Lee Round Tray hand primers that I still use as well. Regardless, I will always prime off the press.

[VHoward]

The round tray I have from Lee fits the Ergo hand primer from Lee that takes those horrible folding trays.