Off press priming?

[TexasGrunt]

Since I've had no success selling my Hornady LnL AP setup I'm going to keep it. This means I'll need to find a off press priming solution. This is going to slow me down a bit but I've got lots of time on my hands.

What's the best/cost effective off press priming solution out there? I've got one of the Hornady hand primers and it gives me blisters after a 100 rounds or so. I wish I still had my old Lee Auto Prime.

[Kevin Rohrer]

Did you do a search for this answer, as we get this same question once a week.

Lee still makes handheld primers and they work fine. The Lyman unit is also good.

[Dan Cash]

Bonanza Co-Ax. Easy, fast, functional. No shell holders required.

[380AUTO]

RCBS bench prime works great for me

[eric123]

Buy another Lee Auto Prime...Been using the same one for over 20 years...

[2011redrider]

Another vote for the RCBS bench primer. Had it for many years w no problems. Mine is mounted to a Inline Fabrication quick change mount.

[Pee Wee]

Lee also has a bench prime unit now.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Or you could get a BPM Hand Press and use a Lee Ram Prime Die in it. You could also do a lot of other operations on the press so it would serve more than one purpose and it is completely portable and usable anywhere. You'd find yourself using it more than the Hornady Press very quickly.

See the video showing the Ram Prime installed and used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEpYQMdnxHY&t=5s

I have several different tools to prime with. I have found that the simplest ways are usually the best ways.

I use the Lee Ram Prime and my 40 year old Lee Hand Priming tool most of all. You don't have to load tubes with primers to use these tools. Loading the tubes gives back all the time you saved using the Priming Tool itself.

Randy

[15meter]

Another vote for the RCBS bench primer. Had it for many years w no problems. Mine is mounted to a Inline Fabrication quick change mount.

Vote 3, I have used several hand held primers, Lee (2) RCBS, I think two variations over the years, Lee ram prime, priming arm on Lyman and RCBS presses.
I got a RCBS bench primer with a bunch of dead guy reloading stuff I bought ~ 10 years ago. I would have never purchased it at the retail price, once I had used it, I decided that that was a foolish notion. Much better feel when seating primers.

[OS OK]

Since you didn't complain about loading priming tubes for the LnL...I'd suggest the RCBS Bench Prime.

I don't use the little battery powered tube loading gadgets, I just load out of the flip tray...it takes all of 2 minutes. I've had a good fart last longer than that! :bigsmyl2:

[Grmps]

TG, I have looked into this but haven't pulled the trigger yet since I have a progressive. I liked

LEE Auto Bench Prime $28.99 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5CSkxpomJk
Lee Precision Auto Prime Shell Holders $15.99
from Amazon with prime and

FOLDING PRIMER TRAY (2-PACK) 90606 $5.00 x 2 = $10.00 + $5.63 shipping from Lee
this way you have 5 primer trays and don't have to keep switching primers
$60.61 total shipped

RCBS 9460 Auto Priming Tool $63.77 amazon prime https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-638LgQp4gc

[ReloaderFred]

Hand priming tools are out of the question for me, since I've been at this reloading game for just over 54 years and my hands can't do all that squeezing anymore. Besides, I never liked them, anyway.

I've tried just about all the off press priming methods and have settled on the RCBS and Lyman Ram Prime method. It's the most precise for me and the easiest to use. You just use your regular shell holder and prime away, knowing each and every primer is going to be seated the same.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[blikseme300]

Another recommendation for the RCBS bench primer. Yes, the Lee and other hand prime units work well but if using them causes discomfort or downright pain, then the RCBS is just the ticket.

[W.R.Buchanan]

it takes all of 2 minutes. I've had a good fart last longer than that! :bigsmyl2:

I'm impressed, and I'd pay $20 to see that !!! Wasn't "Electric" was it?

Randy

[OS OK]

I'm impressed, and I'd pay $20 to see that !!! Wasn't "Electric" was it?

Randy

It twas a 'rumbler'!

[lightman]

I use a Sinclair hand priming tool. Its a little pricy but its very exact and the feel is great. Before that I used the original Lee tool. I actually have worn out several of those. I like to hand prime vs bench prime because I can do it while in the den watching tv with the family.

[Moonie]

I really like the Lee auto bench prime.

[jmort]

I really like the Lee auto bench prime.

Me too

[Artful]

I'm still Loving on the original round tray LEE hand primers , got my last back up off eBay NOS for under $30 including shipping last year

[Hardcast416taylor]

After I up graded my Hornady Pro - 7 to a Pro-Jector style I didn`t like the way the on press priming cycle worked. So I started doing my priming off press with the LEE had priming tool. All these years later and 3 of the LEE tools worn out I now use an RCBS bench mounted priming tool. I have and still use rarely a Hornady priming tool and am not crazy about how it works. I bought a new style LEE priming tool and am not fond of the way that works either. I stopped using the RCBS priming arm on both my Jr. and RC press with a year of getting both presses. So I keep looking for LEE units at sales and other table sell affairs.Robert

[farmerjim]

RCBS hand Priming Tool

https://www.amazon.com/RCBS-90200-Hand-Priming-Tool/dp/B000PW71LO

Wear a soft leather driving glove and eye protection.
I set up 1-3,000 unprimed cases and do 1-300 every time I walk past them until they are all done.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I still think the original Lee tool was one of the best designs ever made. It's only drawback was the proprietary shell holders, and I keep and eye for them where ever I go. I have most of them I need but always looking still.

Randy

200153

[Grmps]

I also like my hand primer but, like the OP, some days I can tell the weather with my knuckles and a bench primer is much more comfortable

[kmw1954]

Hoping someone can educate and enlighten me as I've seen this question asked many times on many forums over the past year that I've been following reloading.

Now I can easily understand why and how someone would do this on a single stage press but doesn't it really defeat the purpose of a progressive or even a turret press? Most turret or progressive presses are three or more stations. So by doing this one is eliminating the sizing die and the primer seating from one of the stations and adding 2 more times that the case has to be handled and put into a shell holder.

[17nut]

I really like the Lee auto bench prime.

I hate mine but it's good on my old arthritis stricked hands.
I hate that i have to fiddle the primer tray to get a decent flow, that is/was but a flip of the wrist with the auto prime.
But i do love that i can hold a cold one without pain after priming 500 cases.

[Artful]

Hoping someone can educate and enlighten me as I've seen this question asked many times on many forums over the past year that I've been following reloading.

Now I can easily understand why and how someone would do this on a single stage press but doesn't it really defeat the purpose of a progressive or even a turret press? Most turret or progressive presses are three or more stations. So by doing this one is eliminating the sizing die and the primer seating from one of the stations and adding 2 more times that the case has to be handled and put into a shell holder.

Depends on how you processed , myself dirty brass comes in , goes thru universal decapper die ,goes thru cleaning , is hand inspected for cracks and length and then primed , then bagged, when I want to load it goes thru which h ever press to be either full sized or neck sized , powder dispensed and maybe flare the mouth, bullet seated and then crimp application. You can load faster on a progressive but you still have to hit all the steps along the way to do it right.

[TexasGrunt]

Hoping someone can educate and enlighten me as I've seen this question asked many times on many forums over the past year that I've been following reloading.

Now I can easily understand why and how someone would do this on a single stage press but doesn't it really defeat the purpose of a progressive or even a turret press? Most turret or progressive presses are three or more stations. So by doing this one is eliminating the sizing die and the primer seating from one of the stations and adding 2 more times that the case has to be handled and put into a shell holder.

Because, to put it bluntly, the priming on my Hornady LnL AP sucks. Also if I resize, then prime off the press I can seat and crimp in separate stations AND use an expander, Lyman M Die or Lee with NOE inserts.

If I could unload all this Hornady LnL AP stuff I'd get the conversions I need for my Dillon 650XL and do everything there. I wouldn't need to prime off the press then.

[kmw1954]

Because, to put it bluntly, the priming on my Hornady LnL AP sucks. Also if I resize, then prime off the press I can seat and crimp in separate stations AND use an expander, Lyman M Die or Lee with NOE inserts.

If I could unload all this Hornady LnL AP stuff I'd get the conversions I need for my Dillon 650XL and do everything there. I wouldn't need to prime off the press then.

Now that is an honest and fair answer!

[ReloaderFred]

Hoping someone can educate and enlighten me as I've seen this question asked many times on many forums over the past year that I've been following reloading.

Now I can easily understand why and how someone would do this on a single stage press but doesn't it really defeat the purpose of a progressive or even a turret press? Most turret or progressive presses are three or more stations. So by doing this one is eliminating the sizing die and the primer seating from one of the stations and adding 2 more times that the case has to be handled and put into a shell holder.

If you'll notice the number of problems reloaders have with primers that either won't go off, or require a second strike to make them go off, you'll soon realize that primer seating is critical. Without a functioning primer, the round becomes a fishing sinker.

I prefer to size and decap on a single stage press. I also clean each and every primer pocket, and I'm talking thousands per year, but I made a tool that makes cleaning them a breeze, and I can whip out a thousand in an hour or less, without pain.

I use both the Lyman and RCBS Ram Prime units, which mount on the top of one of my Rockchuckers. It precisely seats each and every primer, and I can't remember the last time I had a primer fail to go off. I load sized and primed brass through both of my progressive presses, which is the way I prefer to do it.

Some will argue that primer pocket cleaning isn't necessary, but in my shop it is. I currently load 32 calibers, and when I put a round in the chamber, I know it's going to go off when I pull the trigger.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[308Jeff]

I don't mind, and don't seem to have any trouble, priming pistol brass on my LNL AP. Rifle, for some reason, seems to be a different story. But that's okay, by me. I'm only a fair pistol shot, at best. As long as those rounds are reasonably accurate, and reliable, I'm okay with priming on the press.

I put a lot of work into my rifle rounds though, and I can't stand not having that primer seat "feel" that you get by doing it as a separate operation. I've always used the Lee AutoPrime in the past, but now that I picked up the RCBS Bench Primer I'm hoping that will be my new go-to.

Didn't used to care about cleaning up pistol primer pockets, and didn't seem to have an issue with it, but now that I'm wet tumbling that part is getting done for me too.

[robg]

Use 2 Lee round tray auto prime but am tempted by the the Lee bench prime as my hands are getting old and knackered now.

[Green Frog]

I still think the original Lee tool was one of the best designs ever made. It's only drawback was the proprietary shell holders, and I keep and eye for them where ever I go. I have most of them I need but always looking still.

Randy

200153

Hey Randy,

I share your love for the early Lee hand primer tools... and have a few duplicates of some of the more esoteric shell holders... let me know by PM which ones you are still looking for and whether you have any to swap. I've even thought of trying to make a one-off copy of the original tool in some more substantial metal to replace the monkey metal Lee used.

Froggie

[powwowell]

@TexasGrunt. Sorry about your priming problems. I bought a used Hornady LnL AP press and I've had no priming problems. To me, it's the cat's meow. I've only loaded for pistols. When I get into loading for rifles, I hope I have the same success. I'm wondering if you would share just what priming problems you are having? Small primers, large primers, pistol primers and rifle primers?

I'm a Lee fan, but I bought the Hornady because of the "fidgety" involved with a Lee Pro1000. The Pro1000 made fine ammo, but priming problems just about whipped me. I still have my Lee Classic Turret press. Priming is almost 100% with it.

[Larry Gibson]

RCBS bench prime works great for me

+1. Been using one for 35+ years or so. I C clamp it to the bench to use.

[TexasGrunt]

@TexasGrunt. Sorry about your priming problems. I bought a used Hornady LnL AP press and I've had no priming problems. To me, it's the cat's meow. I've only loaded for pistols. When I get into loading for rifles, I hope I have the same success. I'm wondering if you would share just what priming problems you are having? Small primers, large primers, pistol primers and rifle primers?

I'm a Lee fan, but I bought the Hornady because of the "fidgety" involved with a Lee Pro1000. The Pro1000 made fine ammo, but priming problems just about whipped me. I still have my Lee Classic Turret press. Priming is almost 100% with it.
The current problem is that the primer slide cam wire keeps popping out of the cup. The black plastic piece that holds it at the top starts to bend upwards and it makes the problem worse. I'm on my third top piece now. I'm using a large zip tie to hold the piece down.

I've polished and deburred the entire priming system.

[Carrier]

The current problem is that the primer slide cam wire keeps popping out of the cup. The black plastic piece that holds it at the top starts to bend upwards and it makes the problem worse. I'm on my third top piece now. I'm using a large zip tie to hold the piece down.

I've polished and deburred the entire priming system.

That sucks. I can say though that mine has worked 99.99% of the time and the other .01% of the time was me. I did no polishing or deburring.
Hornady just sent me the new black top primer shuttle wire bracket. It has a slot in it to prevent what seems to be happening to yours so you might want to contact them if you don't have it.
My press is newer than yours as I bought it new a little over 3 years ago. I have helped a couple guys that do have ones about as old as yours and after some warranty parts from Hornady and setting it up like mine they are loading with no issues.
My LNL runs as good and is easier to use than my friends 650. HOWEVER that was with no case feeders on either press. With case feeders his 650 once set up runs flawlessly and he can load more in less time. But my LNL priming system works better than his 650 and they seat .035" in the case everytime.
My case feeder works but not as well as the 650 does. It is working ok for the amount I load but Hornady could have done a better job with it. Some days I think I should have bought another LNL instead and had them setup for the two calibers I load the most.
I've have only loaded about 10,000 rounds but I use it to decap before wet tumbling so that number is probably double. Time will tell if it will continue to work as well as it has compared to my friends 650.
The fastest I've been able to load a 100 rounds with this setup was about 20 minutes. That was loading 44 magnum, looking in every case and checking powder charge 3 times. I'm just to old and not talented enough to go any faster.

Here's the new bracket and that is the large primer punch that came with the LNL. It never did seem to screw into the subplate right since new but it always worked until a few weeks ago. As you can see the threads broke away. The new one Hornady sent screws in just like the small one does.

[TexasGrunt]

That's the exact part that's giving me fits. Supposedly there's a guy on eBay that makes an upgraded part. I need to see if I can find it.

[Carrier]

That's the exact part that's giving me fits. Supposedly there's a guy on eBay that makes an upgraded part. I need to see if I can find it.

Contact Hornady. The guy I've been dealing with is Seth and he has treated me very well. He said they just came out with the one in the above picture about a month or so ago. It would be worth while to see what they say.

[TexasGrunt]

I ordered a couple of them off eBay. I'm going to give them a try as they appear to be a bit larger.

[TNsailorman]

I prime off the press for nearly everything I load. I do this while watching college football, baseball or soccor. I started out using the Lee handloader's and Lee hand primer tools(the ones with the screw in shell holder). I have 6 of them in my possession. I later went to the RCBS Posi-Prime hand primer and I have 4 of those that I use also. I not only clean the primer pocket but the first time I get a case ready to load, I uniform the primer pocket itself(this usually only needs to be done once). I also de-burr and uniform the flashole. I have had few failures to fire over the years and nearly everyone of them had a flaw traceable back to the primer itself(You would not believe how many primers I have found that do not have an anvil in them). I like to hand prime because I can feel the primer seat firmly against the bottom of the pocket and that is the big key to proper priming. my experience anyway, james

[OS OK]

When using the bench RCBS priming tool you can see the anvil each time as you place the brass in the shell holder...believe me, if there's an anvil missing it sticks out like a diamond in a goat's butt!

[EDG]

This is the hand primer that I still use too. I have 6 or 7 of them and people will nearly mug you to get one.

For the 50-70 and some other odd balls that I don't have shell holders for I can use a ram prime or the RCBS bench prime tool that has the eccentric cam.

Of all the priming methods ever invented the standard priming arm for a press is the worst. I like ram priming much better.
There are a lot of hand priming tools that I don't like either. Another stinker is the Forster/Bonanza Co-AX off the press priming tool. I think they are one of the worst possible designs.


I still think the original Lee tool was one of the best designs ever made. It's only drawback was the proprietary shell holders, and I keep and eye for them where ever I go. I have most of them I need but always looking still.

Randy

200153

[Motor]

Lee also has a bench prime unit now.

My brother bought one of these recently. I kind of had my doubts about it and it did take a little time to learn it's "feel" during this learning process there were some primers scrapped but no ignitions.

As suggested by others on the reloading forums we removed the "0" ring. We mounted it on a piece of 2x6 and clamp it to the bench when using it.

I have a old Lee auto prime and a RCBS hand primer and like them both but this bench unit is soooo much better for higher volumes. It's not fatiguing to use and has excellent feel. It's one and only real annoyance is primer feed. You always have to be tapping on the tray to get the primers to drop. At the rate you can prime on this thing it seems like you're always tapping on it. :)

Oh yeah. It uses the same "proprietary" shell holders as the old auto prime which is perfectly fine with me. Changing shell holders is just as quick. Even changing from one primer size to the other is quick and easy.

Motor

PS: It will also accept the primer trays that have the slip in ends. Like my RCBS tray and the Lee trays used on their press mounted primer tools. I actually like using these more than the one that comes with the unit. You just need to block the opening so the primers won't come out until inserted into the unit.

[Dan Cash]

Hoping someone can educate and enlighten me as I've seen this question asked many times on many forums over the past year that I've been following reloading.

Now I can easily understand why and how someone would do this on a single stage press but doesn't it really defeat the purpose of a progressive or even a turret press? Most turret or progressive presses are three or more stations. So by doing this one is eliminating the sizing die and the primer seating from one of the stations and adding 2 more times that the case has to be handled and put into a shell holder.

I have 2 Dillon 550s and 2 Co=Ax presses and a Redding T7. The Dillons take care of themselves but if I want to load a small batch (up to 100) cartridges with cast bullets, I do it on the Co-Ax presses and use a Bonanza/Co-Ax priming tool to re prime the cases. The Co-Ax presses are quick to change dies but priming is not so convenient and the Redding is dedicated to two specific cartridges/tasks. Were it otherwise, I would prime on the press.

The Co-Ax priming tool gives great precision and seating uniformity, easy to use without straining tendons or arthritic joints and is fast. Only complaint is the magazines will only hold 60 or so primers.

[kmw1954]

, I do it on the Co-Ax presses and use a Bonanza/Co-Ax priming tool to re prime the cases. The Co-Ax presses are quick to change dies but priming is not so convenient and the Redding is dedicated to two specific cartridges/tasks. Were it otherwise, I would prime on the press.

The Co-Ax priming tool gives great precision and seating uniformity, easy to use without straining tendons or arthritic joints and is fast. Only complaint is the magazines will only hold 60 or so primers.

The very 1st press I started with was a Bonanza "68" O press. Loaded a lot of 38/357 on that thing.

Again I can understand someone that is loading for long range accuracy taking the time to individually process each cartridge or those that do it because to them it adds something to the process. It's the ones that go out and buy progressive presses to speed up the process and then do half of the work off the press. That just doesn't make sense to me.

[ReloaderFred]

[Again I can understand someone that is loading for long range accuracy taking the time to individually process each cartridge or those that do it because to them it adds something to the process. It's the ones that go out and buy progressive presses to speed up the process and then do half of the work off the press. That just doesn't make sense to me.[/QUOTE]

See, that's the beauty of a free society. Unless they're working in your shop, there's no need for it to make any sense to you, as long as it makes sense to the person doing it. No progressive machine that I'm aware of will clean primer pockets, and some of us consider that a routine part of our reloading. It may not make sense to you, but it doesn't need to, since it makes sense to the person running his/her own shop, mine included.

Fred

[kmw1954]

ReloaderFred you sound offended and seem to take this personally by your post. I guess this just proves once again how easy it is to become upset by a comment on a public board.

But yes you are correct that it shouldn't make any difference what I do or think to anyone but me. Though it appears you missed the whole point of my comment and took it as an attack on your process. You are again correct in that you can process your rounds any way you see fit! After all they are yours.

So answer me this. If a person is going to put out all kinds of money to purchase a progressive press and all the accessories that are needed to go with it to make it efficient then why are they wasting their time washing brass, polishing primer pockets and put shells in and out of a shell holder 3 times? Do you do this on a progressive press?

[OS OK]

A salty ole seasoned brass stuffer will tell you that he can make better rounds than the factory sells. On top of that he can better taylor them to any sound weapon for performance than the factory. He takes pride in his production methods and has refined them over the decades to achieve his excellent standards.
It just so happens that the factory is using new brass...the handloader uses used brass. It makes sense that he would require those used cases to be de-capped and cleaned and inspected to some degree also. Is that 'wasting time or OCD'? It is only at this point that he is on an even keel with the factory's ability to achieve quality and consistency.
Whether he uses a progressive or not is immaterial, whether he makes his rounds as fast as some other handloader does is immaterial also. Whether he primes on press or not, well...you get the drift.

So, the bottom line with these 'newbs' in our craft always seems to boil down to..."How fast they can make their ammo and their progressive is always faster than someone else's..."

To that reasoning...I say...SO WHAT !

[GhostHawk]

"To that reasoning...I say...SO WHAT ! "

Exactly.

I would rather have 20 rounds that stack into one hole with my gun than 10,000 rounds cranked out with a progressive.

So for some maybe it is all about quantity. I am not one of those.

Some say "quantity has a quality all its own"

Yep, good point. Just do not mistake that quality for other quality's that people who hand craft there ammo one round at a time strive for.

Because they may be different quality's entirely.

Do what works for you and screw the rest of the world. YMMV

[Carrier]

I ordered a couple of them off eBay. I'm going to give them a try as they appear to be a bit larger.

I looked at those from Ebay and they look pretty good. From the video they appear to be a more solid part as the Hornady one as well. Hope that fixes your issues.

[jmort]

You can make accurate championship ammunition on a progressive. "Newbs" like David Tubbs missed the memo on this. I see utility in all of it and see no reason to be dismissive.

[Sasquatch-1]

I use the Hornady hand primer. Comes with two primer trays. One for RCBS style shell holders and one for Hornady's shell holders. Biggest problem is you have to watch for primers flipping when entering the priming body. Doesn't happen often, but does happen.

[sparky45]

Because, to put it bluntly, the priming on my Hornady LnL AP sucks. Also if I resize, then prime off the press I can seat and crimp in separate stations AND use an expander, Lyman M Die or Lee with NOE inserts.

If I could unload all this Hornady LnL AP stuff I'd get the conversions I need for my Dillon 650XL and do everything there. I wouldn't need to prime off the press then.

I have a Dillon 650XL and I STILL hand prime off the press. I like to feel the primer when it seats, I can tell immediately if it isn't right. Also, I feel the depth of seating is more consistent. BTW, I use the Lee round tray setup.

[ReloaderFred]

ReloaderFred you sound offended and seem to take this personally by your post. I guess this just proves once again how easy it is to become upset by a comment on a public board.

But yes you are correct that it shouldn't make any difference what I do or think to anyone but me. Though it appears you missed the whole point of my comment and took it as an attack on your process. You are again correct in that you can process your rounds any way you see fit! After all they are yours.

So answer me this. If a person is going to put out all kinds of money to purchase a progressive press and all the accessories that are needed to go with it to make it efficient then why are they wasting their time washing brass, polishing primer pockets and put shells in and out of a shell holder 3 times? Do you do this on a progressive press?

kmw1954,

I'm not offended at all. I'm just pointing out that "different strokes for different folks" applies here, as in most individual endeavors. What another person does as far as routine in their shop has no bearing on how I do my routine in my shop. As long as each person is satisfied with the end result, it makes no difference what the process is.

My investment in reloading and casting gear is probably way above the norm, since I've been at this game since 1963, and I'm somewhere north of 850,000 rounds of loaded ammunition, as near as I can determine. I've got two progressive presses, a Hornady LnL (because I wore out a Pro-Jector) and a Tri-Standard Loadamatic. I use the Ram Prime die on one of my Rockchuckers for all brass that goes through those two presses. I've also got a second Rockchucker, and two Hollywood Seniors, a short one and a tall one, and if I chose to load on it, I've got a Corbin CSP-1 Swaging press that I could use. I've also worn out one Rockchucker and RCBS sent me a new one to replace it.

As for bullet production, I've got a Master Caster and a Bullet Master. To lube those bullets I've got a Magma Lube Master for the most common bullets, plus 8 Star sizers, 2 Saeco sizers, a Lyman 450 and an RCBS sizer. Each has it's purpose.

I don't load the volume that I have in the past, but I'm still loading over 10,000 rounds of ammunition per year, in 31 different calibers. I've only kept logs of all my loads since 1995, but I can document every load I've made since that year.

I'm only stating this to let you know I'm not some new reloader just coming into the game. My processes are born of experience, lots of it. Since I started cleaning primer pockets sometime about 1980 or so, I've never had a primer fail to go off, so you see, my process works for me. There's no need for anyone else to understand it, or condone it, since it's my shop, and my rules. By using the Ram Prime die on top of one of my Rockchuckers, I can precisely seat my primers to .004" below flush, but none of the other presses can guarantee that precision, so it's my priming method of choice..

Hope this helps.

Fred

[kmw1954]

Fred, very well and all is good. There definitely are different strokes, especially among gun owners and reloaders. I have not a thing against yours or anyone's passion for whatever endeavor they undertake. After a couple heart attacks and a triple bypass this year I don't have the strength or patience to argue with anyone over trivial things. There are many in the shooting world that have never pulled the handle on a press and have no intention on ever doing it. Just as there are those like yourself that go the extra miles and get great pleasure from it.

My interpretation of the person that loads on a progressive press is someone that is looking to produce the most amount in the least amount of time with the least amount of work. Which is why they purchased a progressive press in the 1st place. Of course I could be mistaken! Myself, being retired I could take as much time as I wanted or needed to produce my rounds and it wouldn't effect anything. It's just that I see many comments from members that have 4 or 5 station turret or progressive presses and 1 or 2 of those stations are empty and then they complain about it.

I have an RCBS JR3 press I use along with a Lee 3 hole auto index turret and a Pro 1000. I don't use the JR much anymore as most is done on one or the other of the 2. Now I am only loading for small pistols so my needs are much different that for those with large rifles. I do use all three positions, prime on the press and do not use a separate crimp die. Now I may be only loading a couple thousand rounds a year and have been only back at this for about a year but even with this simple process I have yet to have one not fire or have a projectile fail to leave the barrel.

Until just recently I was still hand weighing each charge and measuring each finished cartridge. Then I had a conversation with another loader. My powder measure will consistently drop charges within .1gr of my target weight. I cannot tell, see or feel a difference between .2gr of a charge in my pistol loads so why should I be so anal about weighing every charge? I don't gain a thing by doing so and it add a great amount of time to the reloading process..

[ReloaderFred]

kmw1954,

I'm sorry to hear of your health issues, and hope the bypass took care of them. Getting older isn't for the weak, is it?

I have no problem with how anyone does their reloading, since it's not up to me to tell them they're doing it right, or wrong, as long as they're safe, and producing a quality product. I've shot several different shooting disciplines over the years and was a member of my department's pistol team for several years. The biggest problems I've seen with reloaded ammunition is the failure to seat a primer properly, as in all the way to the bottom of the primer pocket, so the anvil will be correctly set into the primer pellet. I've helped a few people with their primer seating, and once done properly, they had no more problems. That's why I do my priming separately, because it works for me, and has for many, many years.

I have progressive presses to help with the volume of ammunition we require for our matches. When I sit down to load our match ammunition, it's in batches of 1,000 rounds, or perhaps 2,000 rounds, depending on my supply level at the time. I like knowing that each and every one of those primers is going to go off when struck by the firing pin.

My LnL powder measure will drop consistent charges of Bullseye powder all day long, but I still have a Lock-Out die set up after the powder drop, "just in case". I did have a squib load in an international match, and traced it to the powder measure sticking in the "thrown" position and I missed the fact that it didn't return. A careful cleaning, dry lubing and adding a second return spring cured all that, but the failure was basically a lack of maintenance on my part for that particular piece of machinery, which I've since taken care of. But it happened in the biggest match in our sport!

I've found that no matter how long you've been doing something, there's still something to learn, and I learn something all the time........

Take care,

Fred

[JasonYbarbo]

I have the hornady hand prime and hate it. Looking a bench prime.

[Ozark Howler]

I have the hornady hand prime and hate it. Looking a bench prime.


Get the RCBS Bench Primer and look no further, they are (IMO) the best you will find for this application.

[beemer]

I started a thread recently about the Lee Ergo Prime so I have been watching this one, talk about skinning a cat. I haven't decided what I want yet but nothing is an option. I very seldom load large batches, 5-6 boxes of 38 Spcl is a big run. The Lee I have does that well except for the thumb operation, probably just live with it and go. It is also easier to change calibers than some I've seen

For most of my sizing and seating I use an old Bonanza O press with a ram prime, the shell holders have a larger priming hole then most others so I have modified several shell holders. The Bonanza priming works well but I prefer to use something like the Lee. I tried a RCBS but didn't like it so it went down the road. One problem is that some shell holders are slightly different and I have a set plus extras for the Lee. I really don't want to do a batch of shell holders again.

After seeing the old Lee' with the screw in shell holders I remembered having a couple, must of came in a box of junk as I don't remember how or where. One seems good with a 30-06 holder and the large punch. The other has a small punch and a 30-06 holder and bad threads in the body. I also found a Lee that uses the current type of holder but has no tray, It had both punch sets. I'll hang on to that one just for a spare.

Dave

[jarhead0321usmc]

Either the rcbs bench prime or a handheld. I personally have spent many nights in front of the TV with the wife hand priming. Gets me out of the reloading room and we can talk about our days or watch some TV and prime some brass. Worst I ever had was a blister develop after 3 thousand cases on my index finger.

[Carrier]

I ordered a couple of them off eBay. I'm going to give them a try as they appear to be a bit larger.

Have you got them yet?

[k0rww]

I have the RCBS universal hand priming version and I have primed a lot of rifle cases without any hand irritations. I had to replace the Lee hand priming tools because they wore out after many years of use. Lee no longer makes the old version hand primers that held 100 primers. The replacements Lee sent was a toy in comparison which I gave away.

[Three44s]

I have a coax priming tool and find it is a trial to get the jaws adjusted along with the priming feed tubes all at once.

I began hand priming with the early and revered lee tool. Broke it.

I then moved onto the RCBS hand tool that uses the standard shell holders. That is my mainstay. You need the newer shell holders as original ones don't have enough relief where the primer enters. I still use my older holders in my presses and sort though for a new style for the priming tool.

I have added the old original RCBS bench tool built off the Lachmyer design for reseating stubborn "high" primers. Every now and then the RCBS hand tool just won't reach deep enough and a little more depth is needed. It might be wear on it because I have been using it for a long time.

I have a late model LNL and like it. They are not perfect but I like. My biggest issue is with small cases such as 380 auto and a bulky powder like red dot. As you advance the loader the powder is tossed out and it gets under the shell plate and gets drug under the priming station. The fix is changing to a more compact propellant.

I have a number of ways that I load ammo and I use the method that suits me and the kind of cartridge and the end use of the ammo at hand.

If I am building varmit busters I have one regiment. If it's dirt cold busters, a different one applies. For a bear defense load a third one applies.

It's my business and I share it only in the interest that it might help someone who can make some use of it.

Best regards

Three44s

[Sasquatch-1]

I found with the Hornady hand primer I had to make a shim that sits on top of the shell holder to get the primer to seat fully. After doing that the only problem I have is with the occasional primer flipping over.


I have added the old original RCBS bench tool built off the Lachmyer design for reseating stubborn "high" primers. Every now and then the RCBS hand tool just won't reach deep enough and a little more depth is needed. It might be wear on it because I have been using it for a long time.

[David2011]

I have a Dillon 650XL and I STILL hand prime off the press. I like to feel the primer when it seats, I can tell immediately if it isn't right. Also, I feel the depth of seating is more consistent. BTW, I use the Lee round tray setup.

I feel the same way about priming on my 650. I have had zero failures to fire on ammo loaded on the 650, primarily .40 S&W.


"To that reasoning...I say...SO WHAT ! "

Exactly.

I would rather have 20 rounds that stack into one hole with my gun than 10,000 rounds cranked out with a progressive.

So for some maybe it is all about quantity. I am not one of those.

Some say "quantity has a quality all its own"

Yep, good point. Just do not mistake that quality for other quality's that people who hand craft there ammo one round at a time strive for.

Because they may be different quality's entirely.

Do what works for you and screw the rest of the world. YMMV

This is not a personal attack. I do believe it perpetuates the myth that single stage ammo is somehow inherently more accurate than that loaded on a progressive press. With equal case prep I find no difference in accuracy between weighing each charge and loading on a single stage or loading the same cartridge with the same components on a progressive. I never prime off press for progressive loading. I can feel the primer seat quite nicely.


Either the rcbs bench prime or a handheld. I personally have spent many nights in front of the TV with the wife hand priming. Gets me out of the reloading room and we can talk about our days or watch some TV and prime some brass. Worst I ever had was a blister develop after 3 thousand cases on my index finger.

Agreed. I have several ways to prime including a couple of handhelds and an RCBS bench prime. The RCBS is my first choice when loading single stage.

[308Jeff]

Gotta agree with David2011.

My LNL AP produces sub-MOA (about .75) 308 ammo at a rate of about 15-20 per minute. I've done all the brass prep and priming off the press, but it'll drop the powder and seat the bullet darn quick. I attribute a lot of the speed, consistency, and accuracy to the RCBS Gold Medal Match seating die. It really makes production and accuracy shine. I also use a powder cop die, just to keep an eye on the charges.

[TexasGrunt]

Have you got them yet?

I've had them for a while, been unable to really give them a test. However I had my buddy put one on the press this morning and he ran 100 .357 cases through a size and prime without a bobble. It's a MUCH better piece than what my Hornady pieces are/were.