Which Is The Best Way To Prime Pistol Brass

[Tamitch]

I know there are several ways to prime the brass. What I'm looking for is advice on the best and the fastest way. There are hand tools, bench tool and the reloading press. Years ago I used the press, but things have changed in the past 20 years.

Terry Mitchell
Danville, IL.

[Bwana]

I use the old Lee round tray Lee Auto Prime 2 with one of my Lee Hand Loader presses for all my priming.

[John Allen]

I use the handheld RCBS. I have used this for over 20 years and have been very happy with it.

[williamwaco]

For a separate tool, I use the Forster.

In normal use, I use the loading press and re-prime with the priming arm.
It saves one complete step in the process.

.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Terry,

This is of course just this Ol'Coot's opinion, but the best priming tool i have used is the RCBS bench mount tool.

I think the RCBS and Hornady hand primer tools are good. I'm not big on Lee, but if you can keep the Lee hand primer from braking ans dome seem to, it is OK.

I used the priming system on my RCBS Rock Chucker for years, and it was always, no matter how many times it was adjusted, a pain. Just tended to throw out primers every so oftern especially towards the end of a primer tube full.

I tried the Forester bench mount tool and couldn't get it back to Cabala's fast enough.

Then paid the extra and did like I should have in the first place and paid the difference for the RCBS usit.

It is fast and positive. I have used this unit for 10 - 15 years and highly recommend it.

All my reloading tools are mounted to my under bench receiver system for use, and the bench mount priming tool is one that I "C" clamp to an extra flat plate along with my shot shell loader, case timmers, cast bullet luber/sizers or any other tool that does not have a deadicated mounting plate.

You can see this system by googling, "Under Bench Receiver System."

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[badboyparamedic]

Just my preference, I hand prime.

[j_dude77]

I started with the press priming system, then upgraded to the RCBS Hand Prime. That made a huge difference. I could watch TV and prime cases. Now I only use the RCBS for loading rounds for development. When I am loading in batches, I let the Dillon 650 do its job.

[W.R.Buchanan]

If you don't have a progressive press then using a RCBS Hand or bench type priming system is a good way to go.

For loading high volumn pistol ammo like .45's 9's or .40's a Square Deal is about as efficient a system as you can get. It primes for you.

Randy

[ACrowe25]

I like the way my Lee challenger does it with Lee dies. Except I deprime with the Lee universal die to keep my caliber dies from getting dirty. But it (deprimes) sizes, and primes in one step. Talk about efficient...

[jmorris]

Out of the progressives, the 1050 is the best. Only because it allows you to precisely set the seating depth and also swages the pocket.

If you are loading on a single stage or multiple passes on any machine "fastest" wouldn't be a word I would use to describe the process. Maybe just do it during leisure time like sitting outside talking with the wife, any hand primer will do and it won't matter how long it takes you.

[DxieLandMan]

Lee auto prime for me. I prime pistol and rifle calibers with it.

[mdi]

Well, after nearly 30 years of experimenting I use a ram prime. I rarely do over a hundred cases at a time and I have a press set up for priming, I usually just ram prime. I like the "feel" of a ram prime and it takes very little effort to completely seat a primer. I have a couple hand primers (Hornady and Lee "ergonomic"), but my thumbs get tired after 60 or 70 cases, and I'm in no hurry at all...

[Doc_Stihl]

RCBS APS Strip primer.

I use these on my Pro 2000 and have a press mounted primer. Primers are loaded into strips and feed automatically into the primer. Clean, Fast, and VERY repeatable.

[novalty]

RCBS Automatic Bench Primer, probably my most treasured reloading tool.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/040_zps47fc967e.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/040_zps47fc967e.jpg.html)

[trixter]

I have a Lee Classic Turret press and I prime on the press I also have the older Lee hand prime tool with the round primer holder, and use it 'once in a blue moon'. Priming on the press eliminates a separate step and keeps the process going smoothly.

[Bonz]

I don't like priming with the press because you really can't feel what you are doing. I do my case inspections and hand prime at the same time. I started out with the RCBS hand primer but was not happy with outcome. The priming shaft diameter is much smaller than the primer and usually makes a crease on the primer cup. After several months, I decided to try the RCBS Automatic Priming Tool which is the bench mount. It didn't work very well out of the box but after some customization by me, it works great. The installed primers look the same as factory installed.

[wallenba]

Sounds like a mundane question to some, but I have been chasing that answer for years. I started with the one at a time with the fingers press unit type that you get with all presses. Quickly decided I did not like it, and bought an RCBS bench mounted unit. I went the Lee route with their setups, then some time later the RCBS APS. I always go back to the old RCBS bench mounted unit. I use the new Lee ergo hand unit as well for when I just want to get in front of the TV.
The APS system is very good, but you have to take time to load the strips, and the tool for that is another expense. Mine is a press mounted APS, which means a lot of arm movements from the bench up to the press and back down. I have arthritis, so that is bothersome. In the end, my bench mounted RCBS gets the most use. It's mounted down low on my Rock-Dock, and keeps the movement to a minimum. Kept chasing the new girls, but always came back to the old gal.

[jmort]

Hand Prime - Lee Precision Auto Prime and Ergo Prime. Love the flexibility - prime where ever, in my Barcalounger, La-Z-Boy.... Last thing I would want is an expensive bench-mounted contraption/space eater.

[DougGuy]

I used the original Lee hand primer for years but now am using the auto prime on the Lee Load Master press. I run all the brass through a carbide sizer die and use just the die body of a taper crimp die as a guide to hold the brass in line over the priming arm. After priming and inspecting the depth of the primer on each case, I take the primer feeder off, screw the primer arm down and adjust it out of the cycle, then run the primed brass back through the case feeder to load progressive.

It's faster than hand priming, and since I am -only- priming in that one operation I can feel the ram and the primer as good as I could with a hand primer. Best of both worlds.

[dancingbear41]

RCBS Automatic Bench Primer, probably my most treasured reloading tool.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/040_zps47fc967e.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/040_zps47fc967e.jpg.html)

Nice set up. How do you keep a bench that tidy?

To answer the question. I mainly use the Lee Auto Prime. They do wear out and they do break, but they do the job and are convenient. I also have a Lee Auto Prime II an RCBS hand prime and bench primer and a Forster bench primer. They all have their place for certain appliocations but it is the Lee Auto Prime that sees most use.

Simon.

[Egturbo02]

For pistol I just primer on my Lee Pro 1000 and for rifle I prime with Lee Auto Prime.

[Bonz]

I'd post a picture of my loading bench but I'm afraid it would get condemned...

[375supermag]

I use the RCBS APS bench-mounted system.
I typically prepare cases in batches of at least 100, but more often in batches of 500.
I just load up a bunch of strips and prime away.

A couple of tips...if your strip gets damaged, throw it away(they tend to not want to advance if the are even slightly damaged).
When priming small pistol cases, use the small red plastic bushing inside a large red plastic bushing.
After I have primed a few hundred or thousand cases, I spray compressed air through the tool. it seems to help.

My APS tool has loaded tens of thousands of primers with very little trouble over the years. I have probably thrown away a dozen strips over the years because of damage(they are cheap) and ruined about 20-25 bushings(RCBS sends me replacements free...which is as cheap as you can get anything).

You will probably need to buy the primer strip loader,. Nobody seems to stock pre-loaded strips.

[opos]

Old Lee Auto prime (round one)...and I've bought a couple of Flea Bay as "back ups" (never had one break but the way they work...I don't want to be without one)...I occasionally will use the little lee "one at a time" primer seater that fits in the Lee hand press when I'm just puttering around and making up just a few test loads...I had a Rock Chucker a long time ago with the tube feed and I was never comfortable with all those primers in a stack and they didn't feel as positive as the Lee Autoload.

[pistolshooter]

Another vote for the RCBS Automatic Priming Tool. Bought it back in the 70s and still using it. I can feel the primers seat, something I couldn't feel on the rockchucker.

[anotherred]

Got this one and loving it. No swapping shell holder, just pick up and prime.

68466

[jmorris]

Oh, I think I like that one, quite a bit different than the RCBS that I have.

Any details on how it works?

The spring holds the "teeth" in the extractor grove so you just slide in any diameter case?

What is needed to swap from large to small?

[gunoil]

i use lee ergo prime very lil' , i prime on press's.

[marlin39a]

RCBS Hand Priming Tool, for everything. Run my finger over every primed round to feel for high primers.

[armedmoose]

I use the priming function on my Hornady Lock and Load AP.

[km101]

I prime off the press because I like the "feel" of the hand priming unit better than the press. I use a couple of the old style Lee Auto Prime hand primer. I keep one set up for LP and one for SP. I have not had any problems with breakage in over 25 years. I have experienced some wear, but nothing excessive considering the many thousands of handgun and rifle rounds that I have primed with these units.

[David2011]

Best? Probably the Forster.
Best at a reasonable speed? The RCBS bench mounted tool is my favorite.
Fastest? A Dillon 650 is my fastest way and has more feel than you might think. Certainly it has less feel than the handhelds like the Lee Auto-Prime or other handhelds but it isn't bad because even with 5 stations on the head, when you prime that is the only thing happening.

David