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Which small caliber primer tool should I purchase?

bigstone

After 40+ years of being away from reloading I'm back into reloading with my grandson. And I didn't do much of it back then either. So I'm now the new kid. The resurgence is for a prairie dog trip I promised him.

I purchased an RCBS universal primer tool and found it to be disappointing in that the shell would frequently pop out of the shell holder and the primer would go flying. I'm going to return this tool. With that said, what tool would you recommend me to purchase? We'll be reloading for .204, .223 and probably .243. I'm on a budget too.

Thanks for your time.
Regards
 
I sat and watched TV while doing a thousand 9mm's last week. Used the Lee hand tool with auto feed tray.

I'm a tight wad also. I can usually make things work, and have no complaints with that little rig.

I also do thousands with my RCBS press with the auto feed attachment. jd
 
RCBS Ram Prime works for me on a single stage press. Slow & to easy to drop a primer.
But no chance of detonation of the primer feed/tray.


20200214_090500.jpg LEE TOOL

Federal primers may contain some Nitroglycerin*. See their SDS. Other brands, no nitro.


Primer kabooms are from operator errors, not a primer brand issue. Imo.
 
Last edited:
I am New to this, I bought a Lee Auto prime bench mount primer. The Large rifle fed just fine, the small was a PITA. I emailed Lee, and was told there were some issues with the small feeder. They are sending me a replacement. My RCBS hand primer did a great job.
 
Wondering what the chances are of mass detonation. I don't understand how that can happen with this type priming tool. Anyone ever experienced a mass detonation with a hand priming tool?

I use the Hornaday model, much easier to use and change from large to small primers. I've never noticed any residue in the primer tray. Never had a case jump out of the holder unless I forgot to change the shell holder, and never had one detonate.

Hyperbole or is it a real danger?
 
Google. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?289607-My-Primer-went-ka-boom-tonight Federal LP # 150 primers. Original Lee priming tool used.
My Primer went ka-boom tonight
Sitting here at 3 in the morning because I'm in too much pain to sleep. Typing with one finger. I'm not a newbie, been reloading 20+ years. have always used Lee priming tool to seat primers. Tonight while doing 45 colt BOOM. No clue why. Brass was trimmed , pockets cleaned, primers seated with normal seating pressure. Tore / burned most of the skin off left thumb. Plastic tray fragmented like a fragmentation grenade.

So I never want to hold a priming tool in my hand again. Still want to prime and load 50 cases at a time in loading blocks. Need recommendations for new priming tool.
Click to expand...
 
get the correct shell holder and try again
sinclair
bigstone said:
After 40+ years of being away from reloading I'm back into reloading with my grandson. And I didn't do much of it back then either. So I'm now the new kid. The resurgence is for a prairie dog trip I promised him.

I purchased an RCBS universal primer tool and found it to be disappointing in that the shell would frequently pop out of the shell holder and the primer would go flying. I'm going to return this tool. With that said, what tool would you recommend me to purchase? We'll be reloading for .204, .223 and probably .243. I'm on a budget too.

Thanks for your time.
Regards
Click to expand...
 
Bill K and rssmithsr50 Sirs,

Thanks for your responses. Thinking I missed something on the shell holder I did recheck the instructions to verify.

This universal Handing priming tool RCBS # 90201 does not require a holder other than the one that comes mounted in it.
 
bigstone said:
Bill K and rssmithsr50 Sirs,

Thanks for your responses. Thinking I missed something on the shell holder I did recheck the instructions to verify.

This universal Handing priming tool RCBS # 90201 does not require a holder other than the one that comes mounted in it.
Click to expand...
Its the spring loaded jaws one
14288.jpg
 
then go with my second choice
sinclair

bigstone said:
Bill K and rssmithsr50 Sirs,

Thanks for your responses. Thinking I missed something on the shell holder I did recheck the instructions to verify.

This universal Handing priming tool RCBS # 90201 does not require a holder other than the one that comes mounted in it.
Click to expand...
 
I had different hand priming tools, two each of the RCBS and LEE, sold them all to a member here. As I'm getting older I found the hand seating types getting more tedious to operate. After selling the aforementioned tools I went with the RCBS Automatic Primer Tool, these have great reviews and after using it for a while, I can see why. I wish I would have bought one of these years back.
 
I bought a Bald Eagle bench mounted priming tool about a year ago and my old, tired hands are still thanking me. It is a single primer tool but, once you get the motion you can really clip right along. The seating depth control is what I like the best. The seating depth control has a "click" adjustment ring. Once you reach your set depth, the handle "cams' over , (think torque wrench) and you can't seat the primer any deeper.
 
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nmkid said:
I bought a Bald Eagle bench mounted priming tool about a year ago and my old, tired hands are still thanking me. It is a single primer tool but, once you get the motion you can really clip right along. The seating depth control is what I like the best. The seating depth control has a "click" adjustment ring. Once you reach your set depth, the handle "cams' over , (think torque wrench) and you can't seat the primer any deeper.
Click to expand...
The 21st century does that same thing and is portable. It doesnt seem to take a lot of effort either unlike the mainstream lees and rcbs types.
 
I whole heartily recommend the 21st Century and be done with that. I made the mistake of buying something else because of cheaper price but with this quality build tool, it is a joy to use. Buy ounce and cry ounce?
 
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