Priming tools

[alamogunr]

Another thread here is questioning expensive Sinclair equipment. I have a question along those lines:

I use a RCBS hand priming tool I got free when I bought something else(don't remember what). Sinclair has a hand priming tool that looks very simple. Does anyone know if it is easier to use, does a better job, etc.?

OR! Is the RCBS bench priming tool a better solution?

Priming is an aggravation for me. I don't really know why unless it is caused by the RCBS tool.

[mtgrs737]

I enjoy sitting in my easy chair watching the TV and priming large amounts of cases with my Lee hand priming tool. I have primed many thousands of cases this way over the past 20 years and have never had any problems. I use the older style Lee unit but I do have one of the newer two stage Lee units but have not used it yet, the older ones work just fine for me.

[cptuap]

Originally I used the Lee hand primer seater. When they were discontinued I found additional heads on the used market untill I could no longer find the ones I needed. I do not like the auto feed type so looked into the Sinclair. I know the price is high but since I have purchased Sinlair items I have found them to all be high quality and that is what I like. I now have the Sinclair hand primer seater that I use for all my seating. I like the way it locks the case into position, alligning the primer to pocket. It may be a little slower and a bit expensive but I am very happy with it. I'm not shot in the butt with silver dollars so saved up and treated myself to a good tool. I think you get a better feel with the hand tool over the bench but how much value there is in that is only up to you. Charlie

[Moondawg]

To answer your question, I have shot benchrest for over 10 years. I have never seen a competitor using a RCBS or other bench mounted priming tool. There is a reason for that, their lack of sensetivity. If all you want is to stick a primer into a plinking round or a short range deer cartridge they are OK. If you are shoting competition and and wanting to win in an extreme accuracy driven sport, you use tools that produce extremely accurate ammunition, and don't worry about the cost. Sinclair hand priming tools are extremely sensetive and repeatable. So are other hand priming tools, and they are also fairly expensive. Actually I prefer K&M's priming tool. They run around $45-$50. Lee's hand primer is very inexpensive and works OK, except they are made of potmetal and tend to break at the wrong time. It all depends on what your needs are,

[beagle]

Probably the best compromise is the old Lachmiller/RCBS tool. Lachmiller made these and then RCBS took over. They're not being made anymore but you can occasionally find one on E-bone.

I used an old Lachmiller for years and gave it to #2 son and this year, he gave it back and it's still in use. Bought in California in 1969 and still going strong.

It's small enough to lap prime in front of the TV and also mounts on the bench. IMO, the best compromise for both uses and I have a RCBS hand primer and the bench model with tubes and the old Lachmiller is the one that I go to over those two./beagle

[winelover]

I find nothing wrong with the RCBS hand primer. Comparing to the Lee, it is probably over built. I use them both. Lee for pistol, RCBS for rifle. Why you ask? Probably, cause I have both and I want to make use of them and less shellholder changing. Use to prime on my RCBS JR, but found I prefer hand priming. I can take it anywhere and have done lots of priming outdoors.

Winelover

[Moondawg]

BTW, Sinclair and the products it sells are geared toward the competative shooter, not the weekend plinker and deer hunter. Shooting serious competition is expensive and winning is even more expensive. The rifles, or pistols, tend to be custom, the sights these weapons use tend to be the very best quality that can be produced and often semi-custom in nature, accessories tend to top quality, as well as the tools used to produce the ammunition fired in these firearms. Real competition shooting is not inexpensive or for the budget minded, neither are the tools needed to win at organized shooting competitions. Sinclair provides some of those tools.

[Longwood]

I used a Lee hand primer for years and have a pile of broken and worn out parts to prove it. I see that I can get one of their new ones, that will probably break too, if I send in the broken parts and some money.
I used a Dillon press for several years and liked immensely how trouble free it was, how well it worked, and did much of my priming with it.
I sold my stuff then decided to do reloading again after several years.
I bought a Loadmaster.......
I won't get into that argument but I will say this. I sure wish I had found this site before I bought it.
Soon after that, even though I have some Lee hand primers, I began looking into better methods of hand priming.
I saw a RCBS, APS, bench mounted primer, on ebay that for some strange reason, no one was bidding on. I will just say I got a great deal on it and I am extremely happy with it. It has a good feel and I have tried three different brands of primers with it , including Wolf and all of the brands Lee says not to use in the Loadmaster, and have yet to have a missfire.
The RCBS Auto prime tool looks like a simpler design that is a little simpler to work with too.
Two times this year, I contacted RCBS to see how much parts were for an Item I had lost parts too or had purchased on line. I did not hear back from them either time. Instead, I got a package in the mail a few days later which had new and free parts in them. RCBS has my business from now on.

[Johnk454]

I REALLY like my RCBS bench-mount APS priming tool. Use it for BPCR priming & other stuff that I load on my Redding T-7. Other, volume-type ammo goes through the 550s or 1050. Also use the APS strip loader tool for other manufacturer's primers with no complaints.

Of course, it wouldn't likely be the optimal choice for a benchrester. Depends on your need. As always, YMMV.

[PbHurler]

I have both RCBS (Hand Primer) & Sinclair types. I usually pick the RCBS's when doing up 100's or more cases, usually handgun ammo. BUT, I've got to say, I LOVE the Sinclair's for any "precision" loading. The feel of the seating is so much better than the RCBS, and I've never deformed a primer while seating, as sometimes can happen with the RCBS. The Sinclair is indeed slower, you have to pick up each primer individually, but I don't mind since it's used primarily for 20 to 60 round batches of my "Pet" (Hunting) handgun & rifle loads. The Sinclair IS expensive, but it's stainless, built like a tank & should last for years.

[Longwood]

I mounted my APS Tool to a aluminum plate so I can clamp it to the bench.

[jcwit]

I think Moondawg hit it on the head, here is a link showing the K & M priming tool

http://www.kmshooting.com/catalog/primer-seater-tools/primer-deluxe.html

This is one of my favorite tools to prime with, the other I happen to like is the old style from Lee with the screw in shell holders.

[rugerdude]

I have no idea how many rounds I have primed with my old Lee hand primer, but it is waaaayyy up there.

That said, has anyone tried Lee's new ErgoPrime? Looks kind of like the illegitimate offspring of a Lee and RCBS getting together.:shock::smile:

[Green Frog]

The "best" priming tool is the one that does what you need it to do and fits into your reloading regimen. I have used the Sinclair-type tools and the ones more commonly used by schuetzen shooters by the likes of Simmons and Allen. I've also used the first two generations of Lee hand priming tools, the Lyman hand tool (pretty rare, actually) and their 310 tool, as well as a few press mounted types and also a little time on the RCBS bench mount. My preference? The Simmons or one of the other specialized ones (like Sinclair) for serious rifle work and my good old first type Lee for pistol class rounds. JMHO, YMMV, because it is personal.

Froggie

[Baja_Traveler]

This thread came along at a great time - my old lee hand prime tool broke and I need to replace it. I'm going to order the K&M since it uses all the lee shell holders I already have...

[altheating]

I picked up the RCBS Universal Hand Priming tool with the Universal Shell Holder last spring. I have used it on everything from 22 hornet to 350 Rem Mag. I'm going to get a second one so I don't have to swap the module out to go from Small to Large primers. Sure beats changing shell holders every time you switch calibers. I had a Lee priming tool for two weeks before it broke. Then I bought the RCBS. Some of the Lee stuff just is not worth bringing home.

[Sasquatch-1]

I use an old Lee Auto Prime 2 in my press. I am not into the ultra accuracy thing, so as long as my primers seat I am happy. The biggest problem with this system is when the primers get low in the feeder ramp you have to give them a little help. As long as you are careful at that point you should have no problems. The only thing I think they discontinued them.

[bbqncigars]

I haven't tried the new Lee ergo hand primer, but after trying the "improved" version, I bought a NIB old (round tray) version for backup in case my original breaks. The original has primed thousands of different cartridges without breaking and works very well. I can't understand how someone can break one unless they can crush rocks with their grip. ;-)

[ErikO]

So far my Lee Ram Prime hasn't casued me any trouble.

[Horace]

Anyone use the Hornady priming tool?

[Bullet Caster]

I prime on my press (Lee Breachlock) and have developed a "feel" for seating the primers. It would be nice to sit and watch the boob tube while priming but I've grown accustomed to priming on the press. That way I can devote all my attention to what I'm doing. BC

[Lloyd Smale]

I too have wore out many lee primer tools. They work just fine and dont break the bank. Its one thing lee has gotten right.

[209jones]

I tossed a Hornady unit in the garbage a couple of months ago as the barrel was not finished properly. The tray would stick something fierce when pushed down to remove the shellholder. Likely one in a thousand, but, before buying one, assemble it and try it in the store.

[jimkim]

According to Lee the levers for the Auto Prime XR won't fit the old Auto Prime. The reviews say they will. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/272339/lee-auto-prime-xr-hand-priming-tool-replacement-lever Just throwing this out there in case you need a lever.

[303british.com]

http://media.midwayusa.com/productimages/medium/413/413473.jpg

I want to try this new priming tool as well. I like the idea that they made the tray square. No more fighting to get the primers onto a round tray or hunting around to pick them off the floor!

[max range]

No one likes the Co-ax bench primer. I recently bought and use one because I was inspecting a friends reloads at the range one day and was amazed to find how consistently perfect they were.

Prior to this tool I have used an old Lee round auto primer, and also have an RCBS which jams and sticks for no apparent reason. I have primed many thousands with the Lee and did replace a linkage part once.

But back to the Co-ax tool, it puts them in at the same depth with zero distortion. Each one identical to the next. One less factor to eliminate.

[303british.com]

...I can't understand how someone can break one unless they can crush rocks with their grip. ;-)

I've had two Auto Primes "wear out". Actually it was the connecting rod. The large round part that rested against the ram developed a flat spot. And yes, I kept it lubed. It took about ten years each for them to wear.

http://www.natchezss.com/images/products/_med/LEE90088_med.jpg

[3006guns]

I can't speak regarding the Sinclair or other precision tools, but I've used both the Lee and RCBS.

The Lee worked well, but I quickly found that "thumb priming" got tiring pretty quickly. I usually ended up using BOTH thumbs for long sessions, as the entire tool seemed to be a little small in my hands.

About ten years ago I bought an RCBS, mostly because I like the look of the ergonomically designed handle as opposed to the (older) Lee. The tool is slightly larger for a more comfortable grip and long priming sessions, although I still tend to use two thumbs! Just a few days ago it started to seat primers with great difficulty and several were "cockeyed" and ended up being mangled. I took it apart and determined that I had actually worn out the plastic primer tube that goes through the shell holder. That, plus the tray cover kept coming loose so a quick call to RCBS and replacements arrived two days later......should be good for another ten years.

Both tools seemed to be fairly sensitive and were much faster than priming on my Rockchucker.

[Casting_40S&W]

Anybody on here get their hands on a Lee Ergo Primer Yet?

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/962031/lee-auto-prime-ergo-prime-hand-priming-tool

[r1kk1]

I think Moondawg hit it on the head, here is a link showing the K & M priming tool

http://www.kmshooting.com/catalog/primer-seater-tools/primer-deluxe.html

This is one of my favorite tools to prime with, the other I happen to like is the old style from Lee with the screw in shell holders.

Mine is the older version of this before Ken sold the business. It is the most accurate priming tool made. 21st Century tools even makes some of the brass shell holders (Lee auto-prime copies). Great tool.

take care,

r1kk1

[Moonie]

According to Lee the levers for the Auto Prime XR won't fit the old Auto Prime. The reviews say they will. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/272339/lee-auto-prime-xr-hand-priming-tool-replacement-lever Just throwing this out there in case you need a lever.

I have both, the new ones will NOT fit the old, but I do like the XR.

[209jones]

I may break down and try this one from 21st century, it appears to answer the issue of all the old Lee pcs left over from wore out units;

http://www.21stcenturyshooting.com/Priming_Tool_Round.php

[40Super]

I've been using the same RCBS hand primer since around '97-'98ish.Works good,doesn't jam up or anything like some have said,I prime 500 to 1000 in an evening on the lazyboy. Used for both rifle and pistol,CCI,Fed,Win,and Tula primers.I like to be able to feel when the primer "sets" that last few thou.

[a.squibload]

I've had two Auto Primes "wear out". Actually it was the connecting rod. The large round part that rested against the ram developed a flat spot. And yes, I kept it lubed. It took about ten years each for them to wear.

http://www.natchezss.com/images/products/_med/LEE90088_med.jpg

Mine broke.
Next I guess the handle will break, but maybe I can replace that too:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HQHCU8Kc_g0/T1_WQoq4UfI/AAAAAAAAAY8/9Uu9IbP-DQ0/s640/primer%2520link.JPG