priming my cases, back to the press mounted arm method

[frkelly74]

I have gone back to basics so to speak. I am currently back to using my old RCBS JR2 that I got in the 60's when I was in high school and just starting out, or rather just getting tired of not being able to chamber rounds loaded with the old lee loader that had been fired in someones garand. And I find that the original style primer arm and tube type primer feeder works just fine. I had gotten one of the old style Lee Priming tools with the round tray, Back when they were new and had worn out the toggle and replaced it and finally broke the handle. Then I got the new style with the square tray and found that I did not like it. It made my hand hurt to use it and was not as smooth as the original,. Then I got the press mounted auto prime and learned to use it, I found that it just did not work easily and I was always making it work by gingerly wiggling this or that, and it would stop feeding primers with about 15 left in the chute. So then I tried the ergo prime which I can use without the arthritis kicking up but it is still not smooth and must be babied so that it won't mis-feed and jam. So now I have come back to the original priming system that came as part of the press and, aside from having to flip the primers over and picking them up with the feed tube, find that I like it better than any of the other methods I have tried. In conjunction with this I have converted the press to apply pressure on the up stroke and this seems to be very comfortable to use. Anything that needs to really be forced I can do with the much newer Rock Chucker. But most things will be dealt with by the JR2 for the forseeable future.

[MT Chambers]

I've tried alot of ways to seat primers, hand primers, bench mounted primers, my Rockhucker, but nothing beats my Coax for seating primers.

[Ken in Iowa]

It sure is interesting that a lot of older tools work just fine.

I still use a Lyman 310 tool to prime 30/40 and my press to prime 45 AR.

My hand primer of choice is the current RCBS. After learning it's idiosyncrasies I have found it to be great for volume work.

[Petrol & Powder]

Single stage presses with priming arms work! They are not fast but they get the job done. I often find myself reverting back to the press when I just need to prime a few cases. When I break my last old Lee Auto Prime (round tray model) I'll probably be forced to use the press mounted system even more.
I use a Dillon 550B for handgun cartridges and keep it set up for small primers and occasionally convert it to large primer mode to run a batch of large primer cartridges. However, for just a few rounds I still go back to the single stage press. It's just quicker. There is NOTHING wrong with old gear!

[GhostHawk]

I use the RCBS Universal, no shell holders, my only complaint is that I have yet to be able to afford 2.

It just plain works. Granted there is a range of "angle" it likes to be held at. But it isn't written in stone, tilt to get primers to flow then back almost straight up for 3-5 primers then a little tilt again. In the last year I've thrown everything at it from 7.62x25 to .444 Marlin and .303 british. No problems. The only thing it didn't like was the .410 brass magtech cases.

[soldierbilly1]

I've tried alot of ways to seat primers, hand primers, bench mounted primers, my Rockhucker, but nothing beats my Coax for seating primers.

The Coax is super for seating primers! the only thing I do not like is that it is at eyeball level. But it does get 'em in the pocket.
My Classic single stage (on the press ram) does a nice job too!
Priming on my Lee progressive or my old Dillon...nah, they gets a gentleman's C!
billboy

[Bayou52]

The universal priming arm works adequately, and I've used miine for many years. However, for me, it does not equal hand priming. The reason I prefer hand priming is that unique "feel" associated with inserting the primer by hand. In short, I can feel the primer setting to the bottom of the primer pocket.

I prefer two old style hand primers:

1. The old screw-in Lee hand held priming tool, and

2. The now out of production RCBS Posi-Prime hand held priming tool.

Of the two, I prefer the Posi-Prime, but both work well. It sets well in the hand, and seats primers just right. Posi -Prime shown in pic:


http://i1244.photobucket.com/albums/gg578/Bayou413/r_zps5gasa0fs.jpg (http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/Bayou413/media/r_zps5gasa0fs.jpg.html)


Bayou52

[mdi]

I have never been able to get a hand priming tool that "fits" my hand. I have tried an old style Lee (one that loads one primer at a time, and one with the round tray), a Hornady, and a new Lee. I am a lifelong machinist/mechanic (close to 50 years) and know very well how to use hand tools, but a hand primer jes don't work consistently. I have to reset the tool, reposition it in my hand every time I squeezed it. I discovered a ram prime tool and for me, it works perfectly. Good "feel", consistent, easy on my old hands. I keep one on a Lee turret and when I prime it's quite easy to swap turrets. The stock priming arms on my old Pacific single stage and my cast iron brute C-H press work just fine too...

[littlejack]

I used my presses (RCBS junior and RC) to prime my cases for decades. Been loading for 50+ years, and just started using the "old" lee hand priming tool about 3 - 4 years ago. It is some faster with the hand prime, but I was very efficient with my press priming procedure. The presses worked just fine for me. The only reason I switched, was I heard lots of positive talk about the hand priming systems. Now that I have all the parts and pieces for the LEE, I will stay with it. But, if it was to ever break, I will be ok reverting back.
Jack