Rcbs aps priming tool

[edsmith]

Has any here have or has used the bench or press mounted priming tool ? if so, how did you like it ? is it worth the money ? I am not interrested in the hand held one.thanks guys

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Those that have one, appear to really like them. They ain't cheap though.

[cp478]

I just recieved the bench mounted aps for christmas from my father. Although I havent used mine yet, my dad has one also. The system works great once you get used to it.

[375supermag]

Hi...

I have been using the APS sytem from RCBS since they were first introduced. I bought the bench-mounted unit. I have used it to prime tens of thousands of cases with complete satisfaction.

One thing to keep in mind...the system uses plastic bushings to guide the primer ram into position when seating a primer.

After using mine for several years, it began to crush the small bushing while priming small pistol cases. This necessitates disassembling the entire unit to remove the crushed bushing...not difficult, just slows things down and causes frustration.

I called RCBS and explained the problem...their solution was to insert the small bushing inside the large bushing when seating small primers. Works great...no further issues.

I bought the unit because I dislike the various hand-held priming tools, do not like progressive presses and do not want to prime on my RockChucker.

I like having a dedicated tool mounted to the bench that is ready to prime with little hassle.
This tool fulfills that requirement...all I need do, is select the appropriate shell holder, insert a strip of pre-loaded primers, put an unprimed case in the shell holder and operate the seating handle.

I can prime hundreds of cases in short order, as long as I have pre-loaded primer strips on hand.

I do not anticipate needing to replace this tool. It works great.

[cajun shooter]

I purchased the press model about 4 years ago. You also need the strip loader to put the primers in the strips.
Once mine was up and running it was a pleasure to use. There is however one problem that I had. The area that the priming punch goes through to push in the primer is made of plastic and fails too often for me. You have to strip the loader down and change the piece which I purchased in lots of 10.
I decided to go back to my RCBS hand tool and I'm fine now.

[scb]

I bought one when they first came out. I guess because they were the "latest and greatest". I think I ran 500 primers thru it and went back to this
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/27944f00887a85709.jpg(from RCBS wed site)
which I had used for about 20 years prior. At the time preloaded strips were unobtainable and that strip loader is a cluster flop. It takes about 4 times longer to load 100 primers into strips than it does to load a tube. Sold it on ebay and only lost a couple of bucks. My $.02. BTW that primer system is what is holding me back from buying a Pro2000. I know you can buy a tube fed primer system for it but the fact it's a $150.00 "upgrade" should tell you something about their APS system.

[ReloaderFred]

I have the press mounted APS system and love it. It makes quick work of priming a thousand cases.

As noted, you'll need the strip loader as well. I don't have any trouble loading the strips, just shake it a little bit to fill all the holes and pull the handle. I do keep a very small screwdriver handy to nudge any primer that doesn't want to fall into a hole by itself. As long as you don't try to force anything, it works great.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[seagiant]

Hi,
I started out with a LEE hand prime and it is a good system. I wanted a RCBS bench primer but it was expennsive to buy and then decide I didn't like it. A few years ago a fellow shooter at my club wanted to sale some reloading stuff cheap and one of the items was the bench mount with the primer tubes. I retired the Lee in a box under my bench and it has stayed there. The RCBS for me is just a more solid mouse trap!

[buckndee]

I like the RCBS bench mounted priming tool for doing large batches of brass due to arthritic thumbs. Still us the Lee hand priming tool for smaller loading tasks. Best of both worlds.

Buck

[Dan Cash]

Bonanza/Co-Ax bench tool. No shell holders. no plastic strips, quick loading primer tubes.
$60 or $70 last time I looked. Won't wear out.

[Jaybird62]

I've used the old and new Lee hand priming tools for 10 years, the RCBS APS press-mounted system on my RCBS Pro 2000 progressive for almost 10 years, the RCBS Auto Priming Tool since the mid-80s and a handful of others. I only use the APS when I'm loading pistol rounds on the Pro 2000. Hands down, the RCBS Auto Priming Tool gets the most use owing to speed, efficiency and lack of hand fatigue associated with the Lee units.

[Doc Highwall]

I have the old bench mounted priming tool and it works great for speed, but does nothing for primer depth except what you feel when you think it is seated.

I have the new press mounted APS priming tool and if you set it up correctly will seat primer depth precisely.

CCI primers come packaged with or without the primer strips.

Other brands of primers will require you to purchase the primer strip loader.

I give it two thumbe up.

[eniku40]

Anyone know if I can get the little plastic tips for the Bench mounted Auto Primer tubes somewhere? I picked up a used one for $25 and the large primer tube is missing the tip.

[Dennis Eugene]

+1 on the bench mounted RCBS with the tubes. Never tried the strips so can't comment, had the bench mounted with the tubes for 20 years and never saw the need to replace it. Eniku40 this is just a guess but call RCBS I'm betting theywill just send you new tubes free of charge and pay the freight themselves. Dennis

[eniku40]

Thanks Dennis. Will call RCBS.

[abunaitoo]

I've been using the RCBS aps, press mounted, since it first came out.
I was using the tube type, but filling the tube was such a pain.
Dillion has a neat tool for filling the primer tubes. They didn't have it when the aps came out, or I might have gone that way.
Also had problems with the plastic guide bushing on the aps smashing.
I tried it without the bushing and had no problems since.
I just use the small primer ram, without any bushing, for both small and large primers.
If you set the ram depth correctly, the small ram will work without any problems.
If it's not set correctly, you'll get a dent in a large primer.

[dromia]

Got one with the strip loader and a wheen of strips from a fellow member on the Swap and Sell here at a very friendly price.

It does take a bit of getting used to especially the strip feeder but once you have learned its foibles its a great and speedy tool.

Doesn't seem to have the same leverage as the Auto Priming tool so it doesn't work on hard to seat primers like PPU.

[Doc_Stihl]

I've been using the APS strips in a Pro2000 and a press mounted APS primer and I absolutely love both.

Read the instructions on how they work before you use them, take your time the first time, and you'll be set for life.

[cp478]

My new one works great.