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Thread: Primer Tool

  1. #1
    Boolit Man mjac's Avatar
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    Primer Tool

    My Lee hand primer, an old one with a square plastic tray, has seen better days and want to have a replacement on hand before it completely fails me at the wrong time.

    It has, of course, been discontinued and I have been unable to find a replacement clear lid for the large tray.

    Recommend a replacement, please. Bench or hand.
    "My two most favorite people are Navy Corpsmen and Marine medivac helicopter pilots" - MEJ 1967.

    "Pick up a rifle and you change instantly from a subject to a citizen." Col Jeff Cooper, USMC.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    The RCBS bench primer, love the thing, simple and it works well and will last forever.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master


    Nueces's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JimB.. View Post
    The RCBS bench primer, love the thing, simple and it works well and will last forever.
    I agree, the one with the long hand lever. I c-clamp mine to the bench edge, primer handle hanging out in space, and enjoy using my shoulder and weight to seat primers with lots of feel.

    I don't use the late model with the primer feed, but dump primers onto a flipper tray and use my fingers, with a finger cot, to load the tool. Faster overall than taking time to load the tubes.

  4. #4
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    I like my RCBS bench primer, a solid piece of equipment but --- I find myslelf always reaching for my

    LEE PRECISION 90700, Auto Bench Priming Tool


    I built a padded stop for the RCBS primer which helps keep the tube from flopping so much but the Lee is quicker and easier to use -- My 2¢


  5. #5
    Boolit Master

    alamogunr's Avatar
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    I like that idea. I never thought too much about the feed tube flopping back and forth until I ran across this post. I'm going to set mine up that way.

    I was also wondering why press manufacturers still provide primer assembly on their presses. I've only tried it once many years ago and immediately went to a hand primer(RCBS). Found the bench on S&S, and never looked back.
    John
    W.TN

  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    RCBS Universal hand primer, I have two, one set for large, one set for small. No more swapping parts.

    Hand operated, no shell holders needed, no fuss swapping calibers as long as they are the same size primers.
    They are not cheap, spent over 60$ for my first, a bit less for the second one well used.

    A smear of Imp sizing wax on the main push rod keeps them working smooth and easy.

    I had an older friend, long time reloader look at a 100 round box of my ammo and he was seriously puzzled.
    "I've never seen that many rounds primed so consistently perfect. No high ones, no low ones. They are all exactly the same and all perfect"

    So my next trip I took it along to show him, let him prime up some 9mm brass.

    He was impressed. And he's a hard guy to impress.

    Love mine, would never change to anything else.

    I truly believe we need to get back to basics.

    Get right with the Lord.
    Get back to the land.
    Get back to thinking like our forefathers thought.


    May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you
    and give you His peace. Let all of the earth – all of His creation – worship and praise His name! Make His
    praise glorious!

  7. #7
    Boolit Master

    rancher1913's Avatar
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    the old style turn up sometimes in the swap and sell area, just have to keep an eye out. sometimes georgeonedollar has parts for the old stuff, he just needs to know what somebody needs.
    if you are ever being chased by a taxidermist, don't play dead

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy Static line's Avatar
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    My lids on the Lee hand primer tool have some of the tips broke off, I have a rubber band holding it on and still use it. I do , however have the RCBS bench mount primer system and the only downside to that is going through the process of loading the tubes first. I do hate that process. I also have the RCBS hand priming tool but in all honesty, because of the arthritis in my hand, the Lee seems to be more friendly to me.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    The RCBS bench primer, love the thing, simple and it works well and will last forever, I got mine in the late 1970's and it is still good as new.

  10. #10
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    mdi's Avatar
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    Truth be told and just facts, no product fans. The RCBS bench primer works, but the designer was probably drunk when he designed it. It cannot be used on a bench unless it is on a stand at least 4" off the bench top. Then you have the tubes flopping back and forth just a few inches from your face. I used ram primes for many years then tried hand primers, nope, none fit my hand and all are clumsy. I thought I'd try "moving up" to an RCBS Bench Prime. Poor choice. The tool has to be mounted so the handle extends out past the bench top edge ot you will bang your hand or cannot get the full swing of the handle. I mounted mine on a 2x4 on top of a 1x12 to use with my t-nut mounting system but unless the handle is sticking out beyond the bench, I can't grasp the handle. Even mounted 3 1/2" above the bench top one can only push with the palm of their hand because the handle swings way below the base "plain". Save your money and get a priming system that is user friendly...

    I got my review "style" from the Lee Haters that occasionally pop up. Let the flames begin...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  11. #11
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    alamogunr's Avatar
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    I love my RCBS bench primer. I have it mounted to a piece of Micarta that I C-clamp to the bench when I want to use it. Yes! the handle extends out in front of the bench. When I'm not using it, I store it on a shelf above the bench.
    John
    W.TN

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by mdi View Post
    Truth be told and just facts, no product fans. The RCBS bench primer works, but the designer was probably drunk when he designed it. It cannot be used on a bench unless it is on a stand at least 4" off the bench top. Then you have the tubes flopping back and forth just a few inches from your face. I used ram primes for many years then tried hand primers, nope, none fit my hand and all are clumsy. I thought I'd try "moving up" to an RCBS Bench Prime. Poor choice. The tool has to be mounted so the handle extends out past the bench top edge ot you will bang your hand or cannot get the full swing of the handle. I mounted mine on a 2x4 on top of a 1x12 to use with my t-nut mounting system but unless the handle is sticking out beyond the bench, I can't grasp the handle. Even mounted 3 1/2" above the bench top one can only push with the palm of their hand because the handle swings way below the base "plain". Save your money and get a priming system that is user friendly...

    I got my review "style" from the Lee Haters that occasionally pop up. Let the flames begin...
    Why not just cut the handle off and weld it back on pointing up.

    It is designed to be mounted close to the edge of the bench, one might wonder why you didn’t build your track system to accommodate such an obvious requirement

    (Post styled after Lee fan boy)

  13. #13
    Boolit Man mjac's Avatar
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    Wow.
    Thanks for all the clear and informative comments. The pictures were great aids to my feelable understanding of primer tools.
    I was and am still leaning towards the RCBS bench tool but they are unavailable at the several retailers I checked. Until I find one, I guess I'll keep priming away with what I have.


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    Last edited by mjac; 10-03-2020 at 01:34 PM.
    "My two most favorite people are Navy Corpsmen and Marine medivac helicopter pilots" - MEJ 1967.

    "Pick up a rifle and you change instantly from a subject to a citizen." Col Jeff Cooper, USMC.

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master
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    As you’ve no doubt gathered from the responses so far, favorite priming tools are as personal as favorite anything else. I favor the original Lee priming tool (aluminum with screw-in shell holders) especially for pistol cartridges, but then I’ve never seen the need for automatic primer feed. The ultimate may well be the tool Sinclair sells to the bench rest clan... but they are also single fed and vey pricey! I used the original, round plate Auto Prime from Lee quite a bit when loading with my father, and I think there me one or two of them still floating around in the family. The snobs seemed to think they were superior to your square plate version for some reason... I could never understand why as I never really warmed up to either.

    Two big factors in choosing the “best” hand or bench priming tool are the caliber(s) being loaded and the volume of reloading you plan to do. Match the tool to the job for best results.

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    I have an old or should I say ancient Lachmiller priming tool. Put a shell holder in and tighten the setscrew and pop a primer in the center of the shell holder and slowley lower the handle. Small setscrew to dajust the depth of the primer. The other one is a K&M benchrest style that takes Lee auto prime shell holders. Either one lets you feel the primer as its being seated. Frank

  16. #16
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I've always found the old Lee, round and square tray hand prime, so much easier to press.
    I have the RCBS APS, and it takes way more pressure that the Lee's.
    I've not tried any other hand prime.
    My go to is an RCBS APS press mount primer.
    I like it much better than the tube primer.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by alamogunr View Post
    I love my RCBS bench primer. I have it mounted to a piece of Micarta that I C-clamp to the bench when I want to use it. Yes! the handle extends out in front of the bench. When I'm not using it, I store it on a shelf above the bench.
    This is also how I use my RCBS bench primer tool, I stand up while seating primers so my face is not close to the primers.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    Never liked the original prime on the up-stroke system and having arthritis issues in my hands the LEE/RCBS type hand primers are out of the question. The ram prime type works best for me and particularly like the old and long discontinued LEE Auto Prime II with the tray. Use it with the little LEE C press bolted to a 1X4 and C-clamped on the end of my loading bench. When not needed easy to remove and leave the bench less cluttered. Bought several off E-bay for my son and son-in-law and have a spare "just in case", as well a a selection of spare parts purchased from LEE before they dried up.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    Another vote for the RCBS bench priming tool.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    I use the RCBS Hand Primer for most of my priming. I have the one that uses standard shellholders. Using it 15 plus years. I've got some older LEE Hand Primers, round and square trays; the more recent Frankford Arsenal, which I find heavy, very old Lee threaded hand primers, and a K&M. Mostly the RCBS gets used, I keep one with a .308/-06 shellholder and another for .223. I try to avoid primer setup that requires filling tubes with primers before use.

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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