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Thread: How many still use the handheld reloading equipment . . .

  1. #41
    Boolit Master 1bluehorse's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dverna View Post
    The only hand held stuff I have are priming tools but after getting tge RCBS bench prime they never get used.



    I totally agree with this one. Hand primers are NOT as good as a priming system with a set primer seating depth. I don't care how much "feel" you think you have in your hands while squeezing a couple handles together with your forearm torque setting. A set depth is definite. And IF, I were going/want to use hand tools to reload the only one out there now I would use would be the Lee Hand Press. I've had a couple 310 tools and like a lot here I started with a Lee Loader (30-06) and have zero desire to ever use either one again. That's why I "upgraded" to all this reloading gear/presses I have filling up this room of so called reloading "hobby stuff". And of course as in all things reloading YMMV......

  2. #42
    Boolit Buddy Knightflyer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Walter Laich View Post
    just because it is a reminder to the good old days
    I suspect I'll keep using mine to make up extra plinking cartridges at the range on the fly.
    Knightflyer - Pesky newbie with a 30-30 & a zillion questions
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  3. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1bluehorse View Post
    I totally agree with this one. Hand primers are NOT as good as a priming system with a set primer seating depth. I don't care how much "feel" you think you have in your hands while squeezing a couple handles together with your forearm torque setting. A set depth is definite. And IF, I were going/want to use hand tools to reload the only one out there now I would use would be the Lee Hand Press. I've had a couple 310 tools and like a lot here I started with a Lee Loader (30-06) and have zero desire to ever use either one again. That's why I "upgraded" to all this reloading gear/presses I have filling up this room of so called reloading "hobby stuff". And of course as in all things reloading YMMV......
    Oddly enough, I regard the adjustment of the PC on my 310 as one of its strengths... I can adjust the die so that when the tool is all the way closed, the primer depth is right where I want it.

    The Pope-type and other of the Schuetzen-era re- and decappers are designed so that when "closed" all the way, the primer is fully seated... no calibration necessary.

    Finally, the currently produced Sinclair unit is awful popular among bench resters, and those guys don't generally use anything that introduces variation into their round to round consistency.

    I guess there's one thing we agree on though, "YMMV....."

    Froggie
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  4. #44
    Boolit Buddy
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    De prime & neck expand on old Lee 3 - die head ,, for my 40/60 ( chappy ),,, prime- powder- seat bullet's - crimp on a 1884 Ideal loader w/ bullet mould on the end. ( I made a de primer & expander for the 1884 tool ) some times I just use it to do it all.

    coffee's ready ,,, Hootmix.

  5. #45
    Boolit Master 1bluehorse's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Green Frog View Post
    Oddly enough, I regard the adjustment of the PC on my 310 as one of its strengths... I can adjust the die so that when the tool is all the way closed, the primer depth is right where I want it.

    The Pope-type and other of the Schuetzen-era re- and decappers are designed so that when "closed" all the way, the primer is fully seated... no calibration necessary.

    Finally, the currently produced Sinclair unit is awful popular among bench resters, and those guys don't generally use anything that introduces variation into their round to round consistency.

    I guess there's one thing we agree on though, "YMMV....."

    Froggie
    I've never used (actually never seen the units you mention) so my experience would be limited to the, I guess, "run of the mill" hand priming units (Lee, RCBS, Franfort Arsenal) so I'm down to using the RCBS bench unit or the one on the CO-AX for rifle cases. As far as handgun stuff, prime on the press. I am glad to see we do agree on one thing though....

  6. #46
    Boolit Grand Master
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    That’s one of the strengths of this forum; we all bring our experiences to the thread while getting to benefit from those of others. It’s amazing how many differences occur within our hobby, and virtual knowledge brings more to each of us. I’ve been collecting (accumulating?) various priming tools, both antique and modern, for nearly 30 years and still hear about different ones regularly. Oddly enough, a favorite uncle gifted me one of those RCBS bench units you like and I’ve never even had it out of the box. On your suggestion, I guess I’ll have to try it out.

    Best regards,
    Green Frog
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  7. #47
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    I am curious about all this talk about primer seating depth.

    I thought you shove the primer in until it bottoms out in the primer pocket? That's what I have been doing for the last 50 years.

    I can see that if you apply excessive pressure to the primer once it bottoms out that you may squash it a little more but it is pretty easy to feel when it bottoms out. I do it on my Hand Press (See videos on You Tube) or with a variety of hand and bench mounted tools. It's pretty hard to get wrong.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
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  8. #48
    Boolit Buddy Landy88's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by W.R.Buchanan View Post
    I am curious about all this talk about primer seating depth.

    I thought you shove the primer in until it bottoms out in the primer pocket? That's what I have been doing for the last 50 years.

    I can see that if you apply excessive pressure to the primer once it bottoms out that you may squash it a little more but it is pretty easy to feel when it bottoms out. I do it on my Hand Press (See videos on You Tube) or with a variety of hand and bench mounted tools. It's pretty hard to get wrong.

    Randy
    Me too.

    Seating to a set fixed depth, rather than bottoming the primer in the pocket, provides no allowances for tolerances. Minimum primer in max pocket to a depth set for the median would mean letting the firing pin do the seating, if it can.
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  9. #49
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    I probably load more on my Lee Hand Press than all of the other presses combined, well maybe not quite that much, but I use it a lot.

    BF
    "The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men."--Plato

  10. #50
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    TNsailorman's Avatar
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    I use the old Lee hand prime tool with the screw in shell holders(I have six) and RCBS Posi-Prime hand tools(I have four) and almost never prime on a press. As has been said before, I can tell the instant a primer bottoms out in the primer pocket. I even uniform my primer pockets before priming to make sure the primer seats level and to the correct depth. I started hand loading in 1962 I don't remember crushing a primer in all that time. my experience anyway, james

  11. #51
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Randy and Landy88,

    For me it's not really a matter of consistent depth so much as full depth. With most presses, especially some of the progressives, I have a hard time feeling when I have moved the handle far enough, and years ago I used to get some high primers that needed the first hit to seat and a second to actually fire. So in that respect, I guess I’m looking for the ability to consistently put the primer into the bottom of the pocket... no more, but no less. I guess like all things reloading we have to make sure our technique works for us.

    Froggie
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  12. #52
    Boolit Master 1bluehorse's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by W.R.Buchanan View Post
    I am curious about all this talk about primer seating depth.

    I thought you shove the primer in until it bottoms out in the primer pocket? That's what I have been doing for the last 50 years.

    I can see that if you apply excessive pressure to the primer once it bottoms out that you may squash it a little more but it is pretty easy to feel when it bottoms out. I do it on my Hand Press (See videos on You Tube) or with a variety of hand and bench mounted tools. It's pretty hard to get wrong.

    Randy

    Recommended primer seating depths (Army Marksmanship unit) are from .003 to .005 with a max of .006 and min. of .002. A lot of leeway there. A lot of this is probably in conjunction with the "variances" in primer pockets "as built". That alone is a good reason to uniform primer pockets at least for your rifle brass. I do not do this on handgun brass but I do clean the pockets. "This is to improve ballistic uniformity as proper primer compression helps reduce possible misfires and or slam fires". So whether or not it actually makes a difference for most of us I guess is up to the individual reloader. As long as the primer is seated below the case head we're probably just fine.

  13. #53
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1bluehorse View Post
    Recommended primer seating depths (Army Marksmanship unit) are from .003 to .005 with a max of .006 and min. of .002. A lot of leeway there.
    is this "Seated below the case base? "

    If you don't seat a primer all the way to the bottom of the pocket, then the firing pins has to shove it home before it starts to indent the cup. It relies on the non movement of the primer cup to insure consistent ignition.

    The numbers you mention appear to be the difference between the depth of the Primer Pocket and the height of the primer cup? If that is true then the primer must still be fully seated in the pocket.

    Froggie: when the primer hits the bottom of the pocket it stops the press handle unless you decide to reef on it which usually smashes the primer flatter and in extreme cases will set it off.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  14. #54
    Boolit Master Bayou52's Avatar
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    For my part, I occasionally use the Lee Hand Held Press to deprime when I want to do it on the couch rather than on the bench.

    For priming, however, I exclusively use the old RCBS Posi-Prime hand held primer. This priming tool has a great feel to it, and not having a tray, in my view, is a plus...

    Bayou52
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  15. #55
    Boolit Bub rvenneman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Green Frog View Post
    Since I retired, I no longer have time to do all the things I had hoped and planned to do. If that statement sounds strange to you, you probably aren't retired. I have a pile of reloading equipment in the basement and whenever I get a little time to reload, I don't want to spend a lot of time on setup, so I keep a few presses set for what I use the most and use hand tools (especially my 310 tools) for the short runs of lesser used calibers at those times when I need to load them. I find that my time is more valuable to me than the money I could get for my "unused" equipment, so I keep it all and add more.

    BTW, hand priming has been mentioned a time or two in this thread. Other than when I go full progressive, priming is done almost 100% with hand tools, especially my Simmons Tool for rifles and my first model Lee priming tool with screw in shell holders for everything else. Like others have said, this can be done while watching TV or at the kitchen table.

    I may have to go back to work so I'll have time for my hobbies!

    Froggie
    I know the feeling about time. I got more done at home working one and one-half jobs and raising 3 kids than I do now being retired

  16. #56
    Boolit Bub rvenneman's Avatar
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    I use my Lee Hand Press and my RCBS priming tool in the House. We live in Yuma Arizona and it was 111 yesterday and the shed gets a bit warm this time of year. I try to get up a 5 am and out by 6 to some casting or reloading but it can get warm quick.

  17. #57
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    A fixed setting priming tool will never give the best results seating primers. By definition rim thicknesses vary causing variation in primer seating when using a fixed depth seating tool.

    If you use the seating instructions for percussion primers from Remington and Winchester they call for the reconsolidation of the primer anvil against the priming compound. They specify that the anvil is crushed into the priming compound .002" to .006" for both Remington and Winchester primers.
    They do NOT specify the primer below the case head.
    You can verify these requirements with the McDonnell Douglas document on pages A3 TO A13 at the end of the document.
    See link below.

    https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...EarauW5B7B_Hcm
    Last edited by EDG; 06-04-2018 at 10:09 PM.
    EDG

  18. #58
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    GONRA had NO IDEA that "hand tools" were this popular! Go Get'em Guys!

  19. #59
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    Well my turret or C press are certainly not automated or power tools!?! I can load on my Lee hand press but really don't enjoy sizing brass on it all that much. Ok for seating and crimping. I still keep a Lee wack-a-mole kit for .38 special around. Maybe one for 45 colt. And couple of Lee Loaders in shotgun gauges. I will say they are enjoyable enough to use, just not as productive. However all the hand held or mallet driven presses have an advantage in terms of space taken up and the speed they can be deployed for a few rounds and then tucked away.
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  20. #60
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    I’ve been using Randy’s press for awhile now. I travel for work and it allows me to load in hotel rooms. I have a kit made up that fits into a smaller Pelican case to keep it protected. Would be great if I could fly w/ it. Unfortunately I can only bring it when I’m driving to a job.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check