nicholst55
08-31-2014, 03:26 PM
Has anyone had good results using one? I've been struggling along with mine for about 18 months, and I've about reached the limit of my patience with the thing. I bought it used, and discovered that it was missing one of the priming punches. I contacted Hornady and they said to send it in so they could ensure that it was the latest, new-and-improved version - strike one. I already paid for shipping once, now I get to pay shipping a second time?
So, I reluctantly mailed it to them. It was returned shortly, supposedly all up to snuff, so I put it to work priming some .40 S&W. Let's just say that I did NOT have good results, and wound up using it to single-load primers. I understand that my difficulty with small primers is fairly common. I have since used i to prime a fair quantity of .223 brass with similar results.
I've also used it to prime a bunch of (large primer) .45 ACP brass, including a 300-round session yesterday. I managed to seat one primer sideways, and one upside-down. And before anyone asks, yes, I am using the correct primer tray for my shell holders.
I also encountered a new-to-me problem. The unit fails to feed a primer about 5-10% of the time, and when I squeeze the handle, not realizing that theere's no primer in place ready to seat, the priming punch becomes lodged in the primer pocket. I had to take a pin punch small enough to slip through the flash hole and tap the primer punch out. This marred the end of the priming punch, so now I get to disassemble the unit and stone the marks off the primer punch. :evil:
I honestly prefer to use the ram prime unit that I have to this thing - it's slow, and I have to handle each primer individually, but once adjusted, it works every time.
So all told, I'm about ready to either 1) throw the thing in the trash, or 2) gift it to some neophyte reloader who cannot yet afford a priming tool - with full disclosure. I'm not sure that I want to afflict someone else with the thing, though.
I think I'm going to try this one (http://www.21stcenturyshooting.com/Priming_Tool_Square.php) next.
So, I reluctantly mailed it to them. It was returned shortly, supposedly all up to snuff, so I put it to work priming some .40 S&W. Let's just say that I did NOT have good results, and wound up using it to single-load primers. I understand that my difficulty with small primers is fairly common. I have since used i to prime a fair quantity of .223 brass with similar results.
I've also used it to prime a bunch of (large primer) .45 ACP brass, including a 300-round session yesterday. I managed to seat one primer sideways, and one upside-down. And before anyone asks, yes, I am using the correct primer tray for my shell holders.
I also encountered a new-to-me problem. The unit fails to feed a primer about 5-10% of the time, and when I squeeze the handle, not realizing that theere's no primer in place ready to seat, the priming punch becomes lodged in the primer pocket. I had to take a pin punch small enough to slip through the flash hole and tap the primer punch out. This marred the end of the priming punch, so now I get to disassemble the unit and stone the marks off the primer punch. :evil:
I honestly prefer to use the ram prime unit that I have to this thing - it's slow, and I have to handle each primer individually, but once adjusted, it works every time.
So all told, I'm about ready to either 1) throw the thing in the trash, or 2) gift it to some neophyte reloader who cannot yet afford a priming tool - with full disclosure. I'm not sure that I want to afflict someone else with the thing, though.
I think I'm going to try this one (http://www.21stcenturyshooting.com/Priming_Tool_Square.php) next.