Modified RCBS Primeing Tool Handle

[greybuff]

Never liked the way RCBS set up the handle on their bench mounted priming tool. Cut the handle off and welded it back on vertical so now it doesn't stick out over the bench and I just insert a case and pull the handle, case primed.

[JimB..]

I’ve thought about that, doesn’t looks like it gets in the way of feeding a case.
So far I’ve just padded the handle on mine. 318368318369

[Baltimoreed]

Very neat idea greybuff. Just bought one of these from a forum member. Waiting for it to arrive. I was concerned about the handle getting in my way as my bench is kinda crowded. Do you notice any difference in the amount of force needed to operate it? Might steal your idea.

[imashooter2]

Very neat idea greybuff. Just bought one of these from a forum member. Waiting for it to arrive. I was concerned about the handle getting in my way as my bench is kinda crowded. Do you notice any difference in the amount of force needed to operate it? Might steal your idea.

For what it’s worth, the handle does stick way out into traffic. I have a mounting plate on my bench that I drill and tap for mounting all sorts of equipment so the priming tool mounts and removes easily. If you want to leave it mounted, then the OP's solution is a good one. You might prefer those ergonomics too.

[Baltimoreed]

I’ve mounted some of my gear on oak bases and then just bar clamp it to the bench when needed. Will probably do something like that as I plan to use this for rifle case priming only. I prime pistol brass on my Dillon and Lyman T2 presses. The old Lee Autoprime is getting harder to use with arthur in my thumbs.

[ioon44]

I have my RCBS bench mounted priming tool mounted on a piece of 3/4" plywood and use a 6" C-clamp to move it wherever I need it. I use the factory handle and let it hang over the edge of my bench, started doing it this way about 50 years ago, don't see any reason to change now.

[georgerkahn]

Darrel Holland -- Holland Shooting Supplies -- https://www.hollandguns.com/ -- has "gone to town" with the RCBS priming tool. His complete unit runs about three hundred fourteen U S dollars! However, one may purchase the parts individually. For me, I have his SPRING which raises handle -- almost a Godsend :) -- and also his adjustable primer insertion stop -- which guarantees ALL primers to be seated exactly to same depth. If you wish, you may contact "one of the girls ;)" at 541.439.5155. They are in Oregon, USA, and hours are Pacific Time 9AM - 3PM.318385

[Rapier]

That arthur business is not good at all for a lot of hand operated tools. The RCBS bench tool absolutely helps with the priming job and since it is not involved with depriming does not get the burnt carbon inundation from spent primers. Good, simple mod.

[Baltimoreed]

I’ve always thought that the seating depth of the primer in any cf case was the bottom of the pocket. Different case manufacturers or lots could have different depths so unless you are building 1000 yd Camp Perry ammo with identical cases/ bullets etc I don’t see where that feature is necessary.

[greybuff]

Very neat idea greybuff. Just bought one of these from a forum member. Waiting for it to arrive. I was concerned about the handle getting in my way as my bench is kinda crowded. Do you notice any difference in the amount of force needed to operate it? Might steal your idea.

Yes in my opinion it seems to be less effort and to me more of a natural motion.

[georgerkahn]

Yes in my opinion it seems to be less effort and to me more of a natural motion.

Baltimoreed -- my late friend Hughie drilled a small hole near end of handle and ran a wire down to a piece of wood on floor after buying/installing one of Holland's springs to keep handle "up". Kind of "backwards" to me, he used the heel of his left foot to lower handle/seat primers -- better control than the front/toe foot. Worked for him ;)!
Just another thought if you're a'thinkin...
geo

[ioon44]

I’ve always thought that the seating depth of the primer in any cf case was the bottom of the pocket. Different case manufacturers or lots could have different depths so unless you are building 1000 yd Camp Perry ammo with identical cases/ bullets etc I don’t see where that feature is necessary.

I agree, if the primer is not seated at the bottom of the pocket it can lead to miss fires.

[georgerkahn]

I’ve always thought that the seating depth of the primer in any cf case was the bottom of the pocket. Different case manufacturers or lots could have different depths so unless you are building 1000 yd Camp Perry ammo with identical cases/ bullets etc I don’t see where that feature is necessary.

I find zero disagreement with thoughts/comments re primers need be, at the least, below adjacent rim -- something I really became OCD about when I started casting and reloading for my treasured M1 Garand! My dad, at my request, built me a tool using a dial indicator so I might visually see exactly how much lower the top of the primer is.
I believe the questions/comments are based upon Darrell Holland's Perfect Primer Seating Tool. Mr Holland, on his descript note accompanying photo of his tool, has written: "Holland's Perfect Primer Seater. This primer seater obsoletes all other primer seaters! Seat primers with unbelievable precision each and every time. Hand-held primer seaters cannot give you an accurate judge of seating depth. While you still can feel the sliding friction of the primer against the pocket wall (necessary for case life estimation), this seating device guarantees a perfect seating depth every time through the use of an extremely accurate dial gauge. Works equally well with large and small primers. The large handle is easy to use while still being precise in movement. Proper, uniform primer seating depth is essential to accuracy and lowering velocity deviation." 318415 I found it -- for me -- to be a most helpful accessory, as by using it I am pretty certain no anvils are crushed; and, all primers are seated as I wish them to be -- in firm contact to primer pocket bottom and their top below adjacent rim. The URL for Holland Shooting Suppy, should you wish more info, is https://www.hollandguns.com/32m7/parts-accessories/reloading-accessories.html. Their telephone number, too, is 541-439-5155.

[j4570]

The patent has a ton of info in it on the tool:




https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/9127919

[jsizemore]

I’ve always thought that the seating depth of the primer in any cf case was the bottom of the pocket. Different case manufacturers or lots could have different depths so unless you are building 1000 yd Camp Perry ammo with identical cases/ bullets etc I don’t see where that feature is necessary.

When I got into loading for competition, handgun silhouette, I talked to the folks that were my betters about practice and reloading. The one that was world champ iron man told me he practiced with Eley 10-x ammo and shot a 120 round match a day complete with time increments. I asked wasn't it expensive to shoot such high dollar ammo for practice. His response was the same as my old football coaches. You need to practice like you play.

All the other guys said one fella in particular used to trim cases every time he reloaded. I asked "WHY?". He said "I'm gonna do everything I possibly can to make sure I hit the target".

I load like I might have to shoot a groundhog at 1000 yards even if it's a deer at 70.

[georgerkahn]

jsizemore -- I LOVE your, "I load like I might have to shoot a groundhog at 1000 yards even if it's a deer at 70"!!! Reading your post, it hit me that's exactly what I have been endeavoring to do for more than fifty years -- and, you put the process into words! Thanks! (Albeit I may change the word "groundhog" to "mouse" :) :) :).)
geo

[gloob]

This is a great mod.
Now if you attached a stationary handle on there, too, you could squeeze the primers in with your hand, rather than just pulling and leaning into it. Maybe slightly offset to the left, so you can still load the next primer into the cup. Should be able to make the handle shorter, too.

[imashooter2]

There are plenty of squeeze primers out there. I bought the RCBS because it wasn’t squeeze.

[greybuff]

There is no leaning into it, just a slight pull of the handle and the primer is seated. To me it's way easier than the hand squeeze priming tools, especially with hurting hands.

[tred1956]

This is what I did to keep handle up. Eliminated the only problem I had with the RCBS bench primer. A couple of eyebolts and a rubber band or two. Sure the bands fail occasionally but it only takes 30 seconds to replace. My old hands just won't handle the hand primers anymore. LOL
Safe shooting
Doug
https://i.postimg.cc/QxhqfhsB/16970276560375063366222017087073.jpg (https://postimg.cc/dDNd1Mhv)
https://i.postimg.cc/50tXXKM2/16970276893383077434019557447479.jpg (https://postimg.cc/xkWf7RCw)

[Soundguy]

Interesting mods.. nice.. thanks for posting. I just picked up one of these tools..

[foesgth]

This is what I did to keep handle up. Eliminated the only problem I had with the RCBS bench primer. A couple of eyebolts and a rubber band or two. Sure the bands fail occasionally but it only takes 30 seconds to replace. My old hands just won't handle the hand primers anymore. LOL
Safe shooting
Doug
https://i.postimg.cc/QxhqfhsB/16970276560375063366222017087073.jpg (https://postimg.cc/dDNd1Mhv)
https://i.postimg.cc/50tXXKM2/16970276893383077434019557447479.jpg (https://postimg.cc/xkWf7RCw)

I am sorry your fix cannot possibly work. It doesn't require any special tools to build and doesn't cost an arm and leg. Excuse me while I head out to the hardware store for a couple of eyebolts. Thanks

[GWS]

tred1956.........excellent. Holland's fix is esoterically expensive.....I'm way to cheap for that. ;) but I'd probably rig up a spring under it if I had one.

In my case I have the APS strip feeding version.....having a Pro 2000 I load with....but I'd copy you if I didn't. That version has a shorter handle with a spring that holds it high......but it has been deleted from the line as all APS was. Sure glad I have one. I always wondered why RCBS didn't redesign their other bench feeder with a similar simple handle.

318850

Now that I have a non APS Prochucker 7 and a Lee 6000 in addition, I'm tempted by the Deluxe APP with its built-in bench primer for them.....yes I still prefer bench priming over inline progressive priming.....just less to go wrong. I hate stoppages during progressive loading, and the only one that seems bulletproof is the beyond my range MK 7 vibrator system. Then again, it's a breeze to load strips on my strip loader and a bit faster 4 strips of 25 than pecking 100 primers into a tube. Vibra primes work ok, but they aren't 100% either.

[Baltimoreed]

Been working on my rcbs primer. I added a couple of coil springs under the handle. Drilled a hole into the handle but had to elongate the hole to allow for the change of angle when the handle bottoms out. Also added a recess in the base for the spring to sit in. Mounted it on a piece of oak. Need to add 4 stick on rubber pads and something to hold the primer tubes. Found the brass primer tubes in my Dillon parts box. I haven’t decided about adding a upturned handle yet. I want to take a piece of hardwood and bolt it to the handle to see how it feels first.
318877

[greybuff]

I made another change and took a piece of SS welding wire and made a spring as shown in the pic below.

[Shawlerbrook]

We have some very creative members here .

[Baltimoreed]

Finally got around to using my rcbs primer and it is so much nicer than the handheld lee autoprime. Started building loads for a 7.62x39 AR BCA side charger rifle. I added the coiled springs under the handle and a thin washer on the handle bolt as it had some side to side play. Put it on an oak board with feet. Doesn’t need a spring on the feed arm as the primer stop pin pops it back each time. A cool gadget that works.