Lyman Ram Prime review

[Bazoo]

I purchased a ram prime from another member here that had been setting since the mid 1990s. Well overall the design is better than the Lee ram prime and the materials is better. I've had to tweak it a bit to get it where I want it but it should serve for many years now.

First I didn't like that I had to change the large and small primer plungers. So I contacted Lyman and was sent a spare punch holder with set screw and spring. Well the new one had the hole drilled about 3/32 deeper than the original, this caused the punch to bottom out on the spring and not allow the cup the needed clearance. Well I thought a while on how to remedy this. I finally decided to add a small piece of rod in the bottom of the hole. I trimmed a piece off a drill bit, cleaned it and used thread locker to glue it in place. Should never give me an issue.

Then when I first used the small primer punch I noticed it was dished for the old style primers. I'm not sure if that's because it's almost 30 years old and they were using old stock or what. Well I didn't want round primers so I flattened that by spinning it in my drill and facing it with my dremel.

So overall, I'm happy. It ain't perfect but with my tweaks it's very serviceable.

Bazoo

[onelight]

I think many of the old Lyman's came with punches for both kinds of primers I have one I bought in the mid 70s and it had both flat and round large and small . I think you wound up with just part of the set. But sounds like you got if fixed

[curiousgeorge]

Mine is about 10 yrs newer than yours and came with just the flat punches. Has always worked well and I like it better than the Lee I had for a while. Kinda wish I had a spare. One to leave in the hand press bag and another to leave set up in extra bench press.

[Green Frog]

Mine is about 10 yrs newer than yours and came with just the flat punches. Has always worked well and I like it better than the Lee I had for a while. Kinda wish I had a spare. One to leave in the hand press bag and another to leave set up in extra bench press.

You sound like me... I find a piece of equipment I like and I end up wanting two (or six )so I can leave them set up for different apps. I guess I’m just a hoarder at heart!

Froggie

[mdi]

I used ram primer for many years. They are positive, I had good feel, and I never had a misfire from any primer seating issue. I tries hand primers, bench primers and used the OEM priming systems on a few presses but always came back to the ram prime. I have a small C press I used and I put a ram prime on one (two?)of my turrets for my Lee press. The ones I had were from Lee and from my first use of one in the early '80s to just a year or so ago, no modifications nor "tweeking" was necessary, so I can't comment on your fixes, but if I ever wind up with a Lyman ram prime I'll know what to look for....

[ReloaderFred]

You sound like me... I find a piece of equipment I like and I end up wanting two (or six )so I can leave them set up for different apps. I guess I’m just a hoarder at heart!

Froggie

You're not alone in that. I have two of the RCBS Ram Prime units, and one of the Lyman Ram Prime units. Each one is set up for a "class" of calibers, with dedicated shellholders. I love how precise they are for setting seating depth and the amount of feel when mounted on one of my Rockchucker presses. They just work for me.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Rebel Dave]

Ram prime is the only way I prime, it has been for many years, can't beat it for the "feel". I have Lee, RCBS. and Lyman, and now the newer Lee Breech lock ram prime. The newer Lee is a big improovement from the old Lee ram prime.

Dave

[EDG]

Most of my priming is done with the old Lee screw in shell holder hand tool. However there are a few calibers that I do not have the shell holders for. So I use the standard shell holder with the RCBS or Lee Ram prime units. I like the exact control the ram prime units give over seating depth and pressure.

[Ozark mike]

I use the primer holder on my lyman t mag got a lee ram prime never used it

[Mr Peabody]

I've used the Lyman units for so long I don't remember when I got them. I bought one for small primers and one for large primers. I like them better than any other way of seating primers.

[Bazoo]

Well I have found another thing that the Lyman ram prime does, the setscrew comes loose during use. Guess I'll have to grind a small flat where it touches. It primes good though, even though it's needed a bit of tweaking. Once it gets there, I think it'll be a system that will last the rest of my loading career.