Frankford Arsenal Hand Primer - Anyone have/use one?

[bedbugbilly]

I did a search on here but didn't come up with anything - came up with a couple threats on the Frankford Arsenal de-priming hand tool but not the hand primer. Anyway . . . .

I have seen some of the Frankford Arsenal items - I own two of their powder trickles that I really love - heavy base - don't tip - and they work fine for me.

I have always primed with a Lee ergo hand primer and it has worked fine but I had some issues with one of the square priming trays with a piece breaking off. I was going to order a new set of the square SP/LP trays and it seems that I can't find any since Lee has redesigned their trays to the folding type trays? These are supposed to fit the ergo hand primer so will probably order a set from Titan.

BUT . . . I decided that I was also ready to try a different brand of hand primer. After looking, I ran across the Frankford Arsenal one and it looked pretty good. It uses the same shell holders as Lee's ergo hand primer and it comes with a set - which is fine as I'm adding another three or four cartridges to my reloading round up and would have had to buy for the ergo primer anyway.

Just wondering . . . anybody have a Frankford Arsenal hand primer? If so . . . your thoughts/experiences?

Just a couple of reviews on the Midway site but they were pretty good. If it were to go "kerplunk" - I'd at least have the shell holders to use or sell so figured I'd take a chance and see how it works. LOL Most every place I looked they were either sold out or on back order - found one on Cabelas and will get it in a week or so by mail.

And . . . if you have a Lee ergo hand primer and have the new style folding trays and use them . . . feel free to chime in on those as well.

I thought about getting a bench top primer but have seen mixed reviews on the new Lee - I like RCBS but have also seen mixed reviews on several of their models - both the tube feed and the plastic strip feed. Everyone is different ands different "likes and dislikes" so I'm not knocking any brand - just decided to stick to a hand primer as they have worked pretty good for me.

[jmort]

It looks like a good tool. I like the Lee Bench primer, but have Ergo, old style Lee Auto Prime, RCBS bench, ram prime.
Right now I have been using the Lee bench primer and have settled on it. But I may pick one of these up based on the good reviews.

[SARuger]

I got mine two weeks ago.

I purchased it for my portable reloading box. I wanted to be able to prime off press since I carry two single stage presses in the box.

I tried them out and I'm impressed! They are well built, heavy duty, look very durable.

I primed 100 .38spcl in no time and this tool might just get used a whole lot. It's quick and easy.

[bedbugbilly]

I was kind of surprised that there was only 2 responses to my injury as I thought there may be a few out there that use the Frankford Armory hand primer. But I suppose that many prime on the press, use a bench primer, etc.

I received my Frankford Arsenal hand primer yesterday from Cabelas. Just as a short review - I am very impressed with this hand primer Heavy duty and well built - comes with the Lee type hand primer shell holders, a large and small primer pin and guide assembly and a primer tray. The weight and feel of this hand primer makes my old Lee ergo primer seem like a toy (and that is not a Lee knock as it served me well). The FA hand primer is solid and well made.

One of my concerns with the FA hand primer was the plastic primer tray - which is square - in regards to if it should get damaged, cracked, etc. - it's pretty much constructed similar to the square plastic trays of the Lee ergo. BUT . . . I did some searching and there are some videos on the FA hand primer - and the good news is not only does it use the same shell holders as the Lee ergo - the new Lee folding primer trays work with the FA hand primer as well! So, I'll be ordering several of the new Lee folding primer trays from Titan to replace the old plastic trays on my Lee ergo and to have some spares for my new Frankford Arsenal hand primer. I'll order enough of them so I can just have separate ones for all the different size primes I use.

Everybody has their favorites as far as hand primers go - Lee, Lyman, RCBS, etc. - but if you are thinking of getting a new hand primer - you owe it to yourself to at least check out the FA hand primer and look at a couple of the videos on them that are out there. Forgot to mention - the FA comes in a nice hard shell type case for storage which will keep all the parts together as well as the shell holders in one place. MidwayUSA carries them but they are out and accepting back orders, I found mine at Cabelas and had it in just a few days.

[jmort]

Nice review
Think I will try one out

[w5pv]

After seeing photos of a guys' fore finger and thumb after a primer went off I strictly use the press to prime with and try to keep enough brass ahead as not to worry about hand priming.

[jmort]

Saw something worse, far more often, with a Glock Kaboom. Never use those Glocks.
Never

[bedbugbilly]

I got kicked by one of our Holsteins once whenI was a kid so we cut the legs off of all the cows in our herd . . . . had to shorten the legs on the milking stools after that though . . .

Yep . . . a primer can certainly go off in a hand primer . . just like it can in a press when priming or like it's supposed to do when a firing pin hits it. That's why you pay attention and make sure your equipment is working the way it should be . . . accidents happen and that's why they call them accidents. And while an accident can happen due to equipment failure . . most often it is "human failure".

jmort - thanks for the warning on the Glocks. I am getting ready to switch my CCW and go up to 45ACP and had narrowed it down to a Glock. Now that I know they are so dangerous I have abandoned the idea and will stick with my old S & W revolver as I know none of them have ever blown up before. :-) Have to run as it's getting towards milking time and I have to go pick up the cows out in the pasture and move them into the milking parlor . . . they don't move as fast as they did when they had legs! :-)

[SARuger]

I got kicked by one of our Holsteins once whenI was a kid so we cut the legs off of all the cows in our herd . . . . had to shorten the legs on the milking stools after that though . . .

Yep . . . a primer can certainly go off in a hand primer . . just like it can in a press when priming or like it's supposed to do when a firing pin hits it. That's why you pay attention and make sure your equipment is working the way it should be . . . accidents happen and that's why they call them accidents. And while an accident can happen due to equipment failure . . most often it is "human failure".

jmort - thanks for the warning on the Glocks. I am getting ready to switch my CCW and go up to 45ACP and had narrowed it down to a Glock. Now that I know they are so dangerous I have abandoned the idea and will stick with my old S & W revolver as I know none of them have ever blown up before. :-) Have to run as it's getting towards milking time and I have to go pick up the cows out in the pasture and move them into the milking parlor . . . they don't move as fast as they did when they had legs! :-)
Great response!
:-)

[Smk SHoe]

Never had a single primer (yet) go off in a hand primer and I have been using the Lee for years. I work the arm slow with the case pointed away. I did have a fresh sleeve of small pistol primers blow in a dillion 650. System worked just as designed. Blown primers bouncing off the ceiling and messed up a lot of the 650 equipment. Dillion replaced everything damaged except my shorts.

[drkphibr]

I picked one up and did a few YT video reviews and "improvements" on it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0layqAVnwE


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc8KyDujix0


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP5WpCIV988

[SharuLady]

Hi, I have been looking at the RCB Universal hand Primer and the FA hand primer but I like the FA unit better. But..... I do have a question as to the degree of comfort and the amt. of hand strength that is needed to operate this. Does it also wear one out using it?
TYIA, SharuLady

[jmort]

"jmort - thanks for the warning on the Glocks."

Your were wise to take my advice so seriously.:smile: