Although I have a progressive press, I don’t like the priming system, especially for rifle brass.
What’s your experience with hand priming tools? The only one I’ve ever used is the Lee Autoprime. Works well, until your thumb wears out or the handle snaps off.
I’m looking to do high volume .223 primer loading, so the K&M or Sinclair tools won’t work as they’re single-load.
What’s the best of the auto-feeder hand primers, from those that have used more than one?
I like the Hornady ones.
WOW,broke the handle off !! I have used the Lee for 25 years and they always worked great. I just bought the New Style Lee Auto Prime,same principle,but new & improved I guess !! Works great,just make sure you put a dab of Lube on the “Pivot” points and they are good to go !!
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=413473 I do have a buddy that has the RCBS one,more Metal in it than the Lee,but same technique !
http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pid=36055/Product/RCBS_Hand_Priming_Tool#
I knock alot of cases out with the Lee hand primer. I tried the RCBS, but with the Lee you could feel the seating of the primer easier.
I like hand primers because you aren’t handling the primers constantly putting sweat and grease on them.
Yup, the newer Lee tools have cheaper pot metal than the older ones. I’ve broken 3 handles in about 2-3 years time. After about 7-8K rounds each, or less, they’re usually toast in my experience.
Then again, I have a large lot of primers I bought during the great shortage of 2009 that I’m working through that need a good crush to ignite consistently (Wolf SP with the nickel cups).
My RCBS one broke, and I bought a pair of K&M priming tools. I just leave one set up for .223 at all times. I haven’t tried anything considered high volume, since I just work in batches of 50 or 100 at a time. I just don’t like running the press handle to prime a case.
I usually prime on my progressive press, but if I’m not, I use a RCBS Universal Hand Priming Tool. It works really well, and you don’t need to use a shell holder, as they jaws on the priming unit self adjust.
I purchased it after breaking the handle on my Lee primer 3 times. Lee replaced it for free each time, but I was getting really pissed off about the whole ordeal.
I bought the RCBS so I could watch TV and load primers.
I never had a problem feeling the primer seat.
Do you have a problem with lose primer pockets?
I have a sinclair and a lee auto prime the RCBS I started with still works but it locks up sometime and hase to be stripped apart and cleaned.
I dunno, I think when it comes to priming tools, it’s good to always have a backup.
A few weeks ago I broke the priming arm on my rockchucker (case got stuck on it) … reached for my sinclair but realized i only had it setup for large rifle primers (older model, before sinclair was bought by brownells) … nearest reloading store was 1.5 hour drive away.
i ended up using my dillon rl550 to prime my rounds, even though it was the “wrong” shell plate. it worked fairly well.
i ordered an rcbs priming tool … works okay, wondering if i’ll eventually break this one too based on earlier posts in this thread.
I use the Lee, I have replaced the handle twice, due to breaking.
I have the Lee and RCBS. The Lee sits in the box. I like the feel from RCBS and I like that I use the same shell holder for both primer tool and press.
Seating a primer does not require a bunch of force. If you’re breaking handles, you’re applying way more pressure than is need or you aren’t lubing the pivot as instructed.
Now, between the Lee or others, I have no idea. But my Lee’s have lasted for years. Hand priming tools aint rocket science, what I have works and I’ve never felt I needed to search for something better.
Put me down for a RCBS universal tool. They work great
I like the RCBS, never owned one myself but have a buddy whom I’ve helps load a few hundred rounds every no and them.
What press do you have and hat’s the issue with the priming system? I could not imagine doing any high volume caliber hand priming.
I will mention that the Lee is a much simpler tool. The RCBS can be a pain to reassemble. I like the RCBS because I squeeze with my hand rather than my thumb.
Imagine it. I load 9mm, 40SW, .223 match, by .223 bulk by the thousands per year. All done with a hand primer and a single stage press. I guess its time to upgrade.
I use the Sinclair. Even though it’s single load, it’s worth it. I just prime in front of the TV or something.
Broke the handles on a couple of Lee Autoprimes so I replaced them with a Hornady hand primer and have been very happy.
Hornady LNL AP.
I only use it as it was intended for pistol, then come back and re-seat all the primers by hand prior to shooting as otherwise I have high primers that fail to ignite. I’ve been unable to solve the issue with less-than-fully seated primers with the brand of primer I’m using, and I bought several cases when there was nothing else available.
For rifle, I do many thousands annually, about 50% of which are done on a single stage, the others I hand prime and only use the progressive to powder the round and seat the bullet.