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Thread: Primers

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Primers

    Witch is better in your opinion rcbs bench primer or lee primer. Iamlooking for one .

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master



    M-Tecs's Avatar
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    rcbs bench primer
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  3. #3
    Boolit Master



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    Yeah I like my
    RCBS bench primer

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I have never used the Lee but like my RCBS.
    Don Verna


  5. #5
    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    Another vote for the RCBS Bench priming tool.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master

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    rcbs

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    RCBS all day.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master

    mdi's Avatar
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    I have used both. I started with the Lee and it was trouble free for over a year, and at least 1,000 cases primed, then I dropped it and it landed on the corner of the shell holder slot, broke it off. Got an RCBS and was sorely surprised at the poor design. It cannot be used without a 3 1/2" riser or the handle hanging out 6" beyond the bench top edge as the handle hits the bench top way before a primer is seated. I didn't like the primer tube flopping back and forth inches from my face. It was designed before "ergonomic" was an important design aspect for hand tools. I had to build a riser for bolting the tool to my bench as it could not be used in my Rock Dock. I had to cut 2" off the handle to make the action smoother (and to keep my knuckles from bumping the bench). After my modifications the RCBS tool works, but not any better than my Lee did...

    If it was painted red and had "Lee" on the side there would be thousands of complaints of a poorly designed priming tool and most would call it junk and recommend it not be used...
    Last edited by mdi; 09-28-2022 at 11:28 AM.
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  9. #9
    Boolit Master WRideout's Avatar
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    I used a Lee Auto Prime, with the old round primer holder, for many years, until I broke it by using too much of my manly strength to seat one that just wouldn't go in the pocket. I bought the newer Lee auto prime (the one with the square primer holder) and found it has many quirks. Richard Lee was obsessed with the idea that a primer seated too hard could ignite the whole batch, and so the newer version used a unique engineering solution for a problem that didn't exist. In order to achieve complete physical separation between the primer being seated and the ones remaining in the holder, a lift ram was used to raise the primer up, then shove it into the slot under the brass. The main result of all that is to periodically flip primers over, just as they are ready to be seated. It is a royal pain. I still use it, but if I had to get another, I would look around. Also, the clear plastic cover on the primer reservoir is a loose friction fit. I have to use a rubber band over it to keep it from falling off in use.

    Apparently Lee recognized that the new design had problems, and so they now offer a variety of primer tools; I have yet to try any of them.

    Wayne
    What doesn't kill you makes you stronger - or else it gives you a bad rash.
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  10. #10
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    Lee is pretty good for entry level, or if you don't load much.

    I you load by several hundred or thousands at a time--- RCBS is the way to go.
    The bad thing with cheap stuff is if you don't like it, there's no trade in allowance when you get the one you really want.
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  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    Never used the Lee.
    Would never be without the RCBS, in fact I keep a spare just in case the go away one day.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master Dan Cash's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Winger Ed. View Post
    Lee is pretty good for entry level, or if you don't load much.

    I you load by several hundred or thousands at a time--- RCBS is the way to go.
    The bad thing with cheap stuff is if you don't like it, there's no trade in allowance when you get the one you really want.
    That is the way I feel about the Bonanza/Co-Ax priming tool. I have used the Lee and have had 3 of them come apart in use; the newer ones were worse than the first one I bought. I have used RCBS, Herter's and Lyman press mounted priming units too but for off the press priming, the Bonanza/Co-Ax tool really does it for me.
    To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, the trouble with many shooting experts is not that they're ignorant; its just that they know so much that isn't so.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master Murphy's Avatar
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    For speed and convenience the old Lee Auto Prime with the old round primer holder. They can still be found *Like New* if you look around the auction sites (or perhaps post a WTB here).

    I will admit, I like my RCBS bench mounted, it's excellent. The RCBS Ram Prime is worth looking into as well.


    Murphy
    If I should depart this life while defending those who cannot defend themselves, then I have died the most honorable of deaths. Marc R. Murphy '2006'.

  14. #14
    Boolit Bub
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    RCBS bench prime tool is my favorite. I have the RCBS bench primer but was gifted the newest version of the Lee bench primer back in December. I must say it works very well. Fit and finish still goes to RCBS, however I have been very impressed with the speed and comfort I can prime on the Lee bench primer. I don't know that it will hold up as well long term but I find myself using the LEE bench primer over the RCBS bench primer. It's faster to load up the tray on the Lee vs the tube on the RCBS. I've only loaded a few thousand on the LEE so far and I don't believe it will last as long as the RCBS but I do like using it.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by WRideout View Post
    I used a Lee Auto Prime, with the old round primer holder, for many years, until I broke it by using too much of my manly strength to seat one that just wouldn't go in the pocket. I bought the newer Lee auto prime (the one with the square primer holder) and found it has many quirks. Richard Lee was obsessed with the idea that a primer seated too hard could ignite the whole batch, and so the newer version used a unique engineering solution for a problem that didn't exist. In order to achieve complete physical separation between the primer being seated and the ones remaining in the holder, a lift ram was used to raise the primer up, then shove it into the slot under the brass. The main result of all that is to periodically flip primers over, just as they are ready to be seated. It is a royal pain. I still use it, but if I had to get another, I would look around. Also, the clear plastic cover on the primer reservoir is a loose friction fit. I have to use a rubber band over it to keep it from falling off in use.

    Apparently Lee recognized that the new design had problems, and so they now offer a variety of primer tools; I have yet to try any of them.

    Wayne
    Richard Lee was "obsessed" only with making a safer tool. The dangerous aspect of the original Lee round tray Auto Prime was well documented through testing thirty or so years ago. Details of Lee's testing were written up in at least one gun magazine and it may be covered in one or more editions of the Lee loading manual ( that's not a recommendation of the data in the book). The original "dangerous" (my word) model Auto Prime worked very well, but there were verified customer accidents with certain primers. The newer tool with the square tray overcame the potential safety hazard, but wasn't a very good tool. I threw away two or three of these.

    I never had problems with the original round tray Auto Prime, but almost always used CCI primers (or a few Winchester) as recommended by Lee because they were safer IN THIS TOOL. Many claim to have used this tool for forty or more years and I have no doubt that's true, but they probably didn't prime more than a few thousand cases per year. The material that the body of these tools were made of was soft and would wear, even if lubricated, with extensive use. The tools eventually reached a wear point that prevented primers from being fully seated. For the price, these were good, safe tools if you used them according to Lee's suggested guidelines, but they weren't designed or made to last forever.
    Last edited by lotech; 09-26-2022 at 09:31 AM.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    i still use the the lee round auto prime .works fine,got 3 1 for large 1 for small 1 as a spare.i have used the lee bench primer tool and was impressed how well it worked .i will admit i only half fill the tray on the auto prime and use cci primers.

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Since I tend to be away from the bench when I do off-press priming (usually in easy chair watching TV) I use my original single feed Lee priming tool with screw in shell holders for the bulk of my priming. There’s a brand new RCBS priming tool still in the box in the basement somewhere. It was a gift from an uncle whose wife gave it to him for Christmas, and he didn’t use it either!

    Disclaimer: This is my strategy and it works for me. You gotta do you.

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
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    I use the lee with the round primer holder. Been using it solely for rifle cartridges for 35 years. No problems so far.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master

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    IMO, the original Lee hand priming tool (round tray) was, and still is, the best priming tool ever. I have two of each, large and small, and enough spare parts to keep them running for as long as I'm gonna' be on this planet. I had an RCBS bench mount tool, never worked properly from the git-go. Green junk.
    "We take a thousand moments for granted thinking there will be a thousand more to come. Each day, each breath, each beat of your heart is a gift. Live with love & joy, tomorrow is not promised to anyone......"

    unknown

  20. #20
    Boolit Master

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    RCBS bench primer - mine is 25+ years old and still works like a champ !!!!
    Sadly it's use has been minimal for the last 3 years....
    Scott

    You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check