Primer Tool

[jonp]

Wife bought me an RCBS Hand Primer for Christmas and it works fine. I can see it not working so well if you have arthritis, though.

[gpidaho]

I've had very good service from my Hornady hand held priming tool. In general I'm not a big fan of Hornady tooling (Still mad about my Apex shotgun press 25yrs. later. LOL) but their primer tool works well with good feel when using. Gp

[hermans]

Another RCBS bench primer vote....love the "feel" it gives you when priming.
Have mounted mine on a piece of wood, so it is totally portable and stable without being clamped to the bench....not my idea, got it from a member here!

[fgd135]

I started using the RCBS bench primer just a few years ago after 25 years of using a Lee auto prime; would never go back to one except for a few special instances--anyway, I already was using an Inline Fabrication Ultramount and got a plate for the bench primer. Excellent.

[Sailormilan2]

A couple of weeks ago I dug out my old Lee Auto Prime Hand Priming tool with the circular primer trays and I've started using it again. Seems faster and smoother than the one on my progressive press. I think that I have had it for 35 plus years.

[Mk42gunner]

I've never liked priming on the press, too many good primers got knocked out when raising the case to let the priming arm get out of the way. I've never used a ram prime unit.

When I was living in the barracks and loading at various friends houses in the early 1990's, I used both the Lee (I think it was the round tray version) and the RCBS hand priming tool (the one that takes standard shellholders).

The RCBS fits my hand better, and has lasted for almost thirty years. Its not all that difficult to change from small to large, you are more than halfway there when you change shell holders any way.

If you can , try a few different versions before you buy.

Robert

[fast ronnie]

I don't like hand primers. Someone borrowed my Lee and did me a favor by not bringing it back. When not using my Dillons, I use an RCBS automatic bench prime. To me, it is worth it's weight (as they say), in gold.

[robg]

still use the lee round tray tool but used a friends new lee bench tool ,thinking off getting one as it was so easy to use and my thumbs get sore theses days.its also cheap.

[mongo40]

I also vote for the RCBS universal hand primer, no changing for different cases like the Lee, and its easier to squeeze than my Lee, I just use my Lee for small rifle now and the RCBS for everything else.

[Three44s]

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

I acquired the early bench tool made by RCBS (the Standard) after RCBS bought out Lachmiller out. I seat my primers with an RCBS hand tool that uses the regular shell holders and if more squeezing is required I break out the “Standard”.

Three44s

[Green Frog]

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

I’m getting closer to dragging out my Lachmiller bench primer and having one of the blank shell holders in my chowder box cut to a caliber I shoot often and “having at it.” I haven’t branched out on regular use of a different priming tool since getting committed to the Gen 1 Lee tool several years ago. I’ve got a K&M Hand tool intended for the benchrest crowd, but like my Simmons tool from my Schuetzen days, the shell holder heads become a bit prohibitive to buy.

Froggie

[Maven]

I’m getting closer to dragging out my Lachmiller bench primer ...Green Frog

I wish I still had mine, but I gave it to a new reloader years ago. It was an excellent device.

[JimB..]

On a slight tangent, what is your pick for priming in the field?
Not sure that I’ll need it, but I’m putting together a traveling kit and was looking at the Sinclair because of it’s size, or the K&W because of it’s cost. I’d love not to have to handle single primers, but toting a plastic thing into the field is a recipe for an end to a day of shooting.

[Green Frog]

JimB, you might consider the first gen Lee (screw in shell holders, no auto feed) or a Lyman 310 tool with a couple of priming chambers for the calibers you need. Of course if you could find the “Pope Style” like those made by Jerry Cleave or the late Jake Simmons, you could decap and recap with one tool. I’ll try to post a couple of pictures later.

Froggie

[Green Frog]

I took a quick picture of the three tools I suggested. Note that with the Lee tool on the left you will also need a punch, mallet and anvil to remove expended primers. For the Lyman tool in the center I’ve included the tool, a decapping die and a priming chamber. The old Jake Simmons tool on the right decaps with the shaft toward the camera, then the case is placed in the shell holder and the handles are squeezed again to seat the primer. The cases are a 30-06 and a 38 Spl and along with the yardstick provide size perspective.

Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and if you want to treat multiple calibers, this could be a concern as well. BTW, what caliber(s) would you want to process in the field?

Froggie

[JimB..]

I took a quick picture of the three tools I suggested. Note that with the Lee tool on the left you will also need a punch, mallet and anvil to remove expended primers. For the Lyman tool in the center I’ve included the tool, a decapping die and a priming chamber. The old Jake Simmons tool on the right decaps with the shaft toward the camera, then the case is placed in the shell holder and the handles are squeezed again to seat the primer. The cases are a 30-06 and a 38 Spl and along with the yardstick provide size perspective.

Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and if you want to treat multiple calibers, this could be a concern as well. BTW, what caliber(s) would you want to process in the field?

Froggie

Thanks Froggie!

Right now I’m thinking 223 and 38spcl.

Plan was to use a standard sizing die with decapping pin in a hand press to deprime, so was just thinking about priming. I’ve used a punch in the past and probably a good add to the field kit just in case.

Of those three, the Lee looks to be the most compact. I don’t know anything about the 310 tools except that they have been discontinued and prices have begun getting silly. The old Jake Simmons tool is the most interesting, I’ll keep an eye out for one.

This morning I thought for a few minutes that the RCBS hand primer for APS strips would be an interesting solution, but it’s been discontinued and the plastic strips apparently don’t last all that long, so it’ll be a relic fairly soon.

[Green Frog]

Jim b,

The Lee is certainly the most compact, and you would only need one unit with the two shell holders (since both cartridges use small primers.) but you would still need a decapping rod, an anvil, and some sort of mallet.

Jerry Cleave still makes a version of the "Pope Tool" and if you go over to the forum discussions on ASSRA.com you can find out how to order them, not cheap but elegant. Again, you would need two shell holder heads and could get by with one decapping stem.

For the 310 tool, one set of "tongs" and a universal decapping die along with two of the most common priming chambers and you would have all you needed. In spite of current crazy prices, this might actually be the cheapest way to go.

There are some more obscure units that might be better, but these are the most commonly available. I've used all three more than just a little and can say without fear of contradiction they all work well for what you are proposing. Add a pill bottle full of primers, put it all into a small bag or box and you're good to go.

Froggie

[Wayne Smith]

+1 on what Froggie said, BUT I would never shake primers around in a pill bottle! The containers they are in are designed for safety and are small enough to put in a kit easily as they are.

A pill bottle may be OK to store them on a shelf, not for a travel kit.

[Green Frog]

Wayne, unless you’re carrying the kit in saddlebags on horseback (and probably not then) the danger from primer detonation would be unlikely. Think about cowboys carrying theirs around in those little tins they came in 100 years ago! If you really are concerned, stuffing the container with a couple of cotton balls to prevent excessive movement will eliminate most if not all danger.

Your Phibian Phriend

[JimB..]

Thanks all.

I have a way to transport primers safely, let’s not go further down that rabbit hole!