Bonanza Primer

[RedRabbit]

I have this old Bonanza Primer,I've had it for years and never got around to using it. It has 3 offset wheels on the front for a shell holder,which I figured out after a while,but my problem is that the primers keep turning sideway after they fall from the tube ??Its really kind of neat it has a tray built into the back for loading the primer tubes. Looks like a good Idea.Probably have to dig deep into our senior minds to remember this tool.Any help or should I just deep six it ???? It might make a good wall hanger cause no one would know what it is....

[Dan Cash]

Deep six it! I have the rubbish bin for proper disposal.
As far as the primers turning sideways, first ensure that you are using the proper size primer ram assembly. Next, check that you have the proper size magazine or feed tube and that the tube is fully seated for operation. Finally, look at the discharge end of the primer magazine to see if it has been bent or damaged and correct as needed. The device is so robust and simple there is little to go wrong.
Dan

[salpal48]

I have the same one with the circular jaws. You should have 2 sets of Circles 1 set for rimless and the other set for rimmed. The adjustment and the right circles are the key. Constant changing mean constant adj. The older Bonanza used only 1 lube for both large and small. The new replacement tubes Forster sells will not fit. You have to file them down on the sides to fit your machine. That will work and makes the small primer go in better and stay straight. Don,t loose or toss out the original tube
If your looking to dump it Mine can use a mate
Sal

[Pressman]

I had the same problem with the new model. I became so tired of digging smashed primers out of primer pockets that I gave the darn thin away. Then I called Forster and gripped about how I did not like the tool. Whom ever I talked to was on his game that day. By the time the conversation ended he had my card number and a new one was in the mail, at cost. I still have it along with the older model with the disk shellholder.

My solution for the primer drop issue was to by an RCBS tool that never misses no matter how fast I cycle the handle. The Bonnanza is just to finicky and slow.
Ken

[RedRabbit]

Thanks guys,I have 2 tubes and they are the same except one is shorter than the other,I think they are original.I'm going to play around with it for a while,I'm in no hurry while reloading,but I don't want to waste primer's either.

[Wayne Smith]

I've still got one at the back of the bench. I also had problems getting those disks adjusted so the the case didn't pop out when I set a primer.

[Guardian]

I bought the newer version thinking it looked like a better mousetrap. It now sits unused on the back of my bench. Loading the primer magazines was just too much of a pain. The self contained primer tray has no flipper, and then you have to slide each one into the tube with a pencil if you mount the thing to the bench. I tried taking a square RCBS primer flipper tray and making a notch for the primer magazine. While that worked better, I wasn't able to get an exact fit and it still had issues. The primer magazines only hold 40 primers! Who thought that was a good idea?

I did have a few primers get turned sideways. Somehow, it was pushing the primer magazine up from in the casting and allowing the primer to fall over sideways in the bigger hole in the casting. If I pushed down on the primer magazine about every second primer, I didn't have the problem. A weight attached to the top of the primer magazine may also eliminate the problem.

The design has potential, it just seems to need more work. I like that the brass is oriented horizontally when being primed so that I'm not inadvertently placing my head over the piece being primed. The square jaws for holding the case worked well for me as long as I tightened the bolts sufficiently. The mechanical advantage is nice when seating the primers.

I ended up going back to a Lee Auto Prime 2. It has its quirks, but they are easier to deal with than the Bonanza/Forster Co-Ax primer to me. The RCBS strip priming system that mounts in a press is the next on my list to try.