Dillon primer tube fill... best product?

[Emmett Dibble]

I was team red forever... switched to team blue, hated changing the primer systems out... went back to team red then got a smoking deal on a new 550 with small primer set up only and realized that was my problem... as long as I don't try to switch primer size, most of my aggravation with the blue is gone. That being said... filling primer tubes is crap. The one strong point of red is the primers go into the tray, shake them right side up, close it and start priming.

What is the "best tool" for the buck to fill Dillon small primer tubes? Literally the biggest pitb of the entire blue set up.

 

[DocBII]

Emmett,

K&M or Lee hand priming tool. Either one is much more consistent.

HTH
DocBII

 

[SecondsCount]

I fill them by hand while watching TV.

I have the Franklin vibratory primer tube filler tool but rarely use it

The Dillon filler is super fast

Dillon RF 100 Primer Filler Small 110 Volt - Graf & Sons

Dillon's RF 100 Automatic Primer Filler eliminates the task of filling primer pick up tubes. Now you simply pour your primers from their box into the top, press the blue button and watch it run! In about two minutes the primers are inside the protective metal housing. That's about 30 rounds you...

www.grafs.com

Double Alpha has a product as well but I have no experience with it

DAA PRIMAFILL GEN-2

The Double-Alpha PRIMAFILL GEN-2 is a semi-automatic primer-tube filling solution, able to quickly and easily fill both Small and Large primer tubes. It allows you to switch between Small and Large primers instantly, without tools or assembly.The PRIMAFILL can be used with any primer tube...

www.doublealpha.biz

 

[Emmett Dibble]

Emmett,

K&M or Lee hand priming tool. Either one is much more consistent.

HTH
DocBII

I Lee hand prime my LRP.

 

[Emmett Dibble]

I fill them by hand while watching TV.

I have the Franklin vibratory priker tube filler tool but rarely use it

The Dillon filler is super fast

Dillon RF 100 Primer Filler Small 110 Volt - Graf & Sons

Dillon's RF 100 Automatic Primer Filler eliminates the task of filling primer pick up tubes. Now you simply pour your primers from their box into the top, press the blue button and watch it run! In about two minutes the primers are inside the protective metal housing. That's about 30 rounds you...

www.grafs.com

Double Alpha has a product as well but I have no experience with it

DAA PRIMAFILL GEN-2

The Double-Alpha PRIMAFILL GEN-2 is a semi-automatic primer-tube filling solution, able to quickly and easily fill both Small and Large primer tubes. It allows you to switch between Small and Large primers instantly, without tools or assembly.The PRIMAFILL can be used with any primer tube...

www.doublealpha.biz

Dillon is probably a no go. That is ridiculous. I’d prime off the press first. Hoping for some fist hand feedback on the Double Alpha. Seems almost reasonable…

 

[padom]

Best Dillon primer tube filler?...only 1 answer....Dillon RF100

https://imgur.com/a/PdYuY0E

 

[RegionRat]

I have both, and both work fine.

I had the Dillon filler for a long time, then somebody got me the DAA Primafill and it works well too.
The Dillon unit is expensive, so if you are staring at the budget, the Primafill is way less.

 

[Rsadams]

It takes literally a minute to swap primer system out large to small or vice versa... If doing that and filling the primer tube is that aggravating to you just go back to red... As far as I know the Dillon filler is king but there's no way I am paying that much when I can just sit down and fill the tubes....

 

[jpjulian]

My hands cramp filling primer tubes by hand. I got a Primafill in May and it works really well. $85 from Primal Rights. The Dillon may be a great tool for filling primers, but, sheesh that thing is pricey...

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Cured the problem - 2 x550s One has the primer feed and I use it for SR cases. Mainly 308, 6BR and 223 The other is a very basic unit - no primer feed and gets used for LR cases or odd jobs. I bought it used from an estate sale. I often prime with an RCBS hand primer too, but I'm likely to fit a priming system on the No2 press at some point.

 

[padom]

when I can just sit down and fill the tubes....

Depends what your use case is.. For precision rifle where your only loads 50-100 rounds at a time, yea it makes no sense. But for high volume reloading on a progressive running off 1000's of rounds at a time, filling primer tubes by hand is a no go... You cant keep up. Thats why I bought the RF100, because there is no down time.

Last weekend I ran off 5000rd of M855. Just keep pulling the handle, and feeding the brass and bullet feeders and dumping boxes of primers into the RF100.

 

[DDRanch]

Been using the Frankford Arsenal Vibra Prime for many years. I use the Dillon primer tubes, Just pull off the plastic pick up tube end, stick and hold that end in the Vibra Prime and pull the trigger. I slip the cardboard sleeve from primer packaging around the Dillon primer tube so I know what's in it, than hang them on a couple of pegboard hooks. I load several up at a time.

 

[Hoser]

This works for me.

That said, the old Dillon brass primer flipper tray works just fine.

 

[Rsadams]

Depends what your use case is.. For precision rifle where your only loads 50-100 rounds at a time, yea it makes no sense. But for high volume reloading on a progressive running off 1000's of rounds at a time, filling primer tubes by hand is a no go... You cant keep up. Thats why I bought the RF100, because there is no down time.

Last weekend I ran off 5000rd of M855. Just keep pulling the handle, and feeding the brass and bullet feeders and dumping boxes of primers into the RF100.

Ohhhhh ok I agree I wasn't thinking of cranking out 5-10K at a time... Ya , that would be a horrible waste of time trying to keep all the tubes filled... You would have to spend a day filling them before hand.... I noticed Dillon now sells a motor drive and that was a thought when I saw it , how could you keep up.... I sometimes forget that someone maybe loading for multiple shooters or teams...

 

[padom]

Ohhhhh ok I agree I wasn't thinking of cranking out 5-10K at a time... Ya , that would be a horrible waste of time trying to keep all the tubes filled... You would have to spend a day filling them before hand.... I noticed Dillon now sells a motor drive and that was a thought when I saw it , how could you keep up.... I sometimes forget that someone maybe loading for multiple shooters or teams...

Yea... tell me about it. hahaha. You would have to fill 10 tubes alone for 1000rd, then stop and do that again every hour roughly when Im cranking out 9mm and 5.56. I load my precision rifle ammo on a 550c and hand prime with a 21st Century off press.. But I also have 2 XL650's...one setup for 9mm and one for 5.56... Ive decided to add a 3rd press, just making a final decision if its a 750 this time or most likely the way Im leaning is an RL1100 for on press swaging and more stations for 5.56. Then Ill dedicate my current 650 5.56 for dedicated brass prep. RF100 is a life saver if your pushing out bulk ammo

With a teenage son and 2 AR9's an MP5, and god knows how many 9mm pistols...We go through 9mm so damn fast its crazy... I do large runs of 165gr/N340 subs and 124gr and 147gr N340 and Unique to fill ammo cans probably every 6months or so... Same with 5.56 55FMJ-BT and SS109.. Large runs to fill ammo cans. I have very little time so I run as much as fast as I can when I can.

 

[foster]

I was team red forever... switched to team blue, hated changing the primer systems out... went back to team red then got a smoking deal on a new 550 with small primer set up only and realized that was my problem... as long as I don't try to switch primer size, most of my aggravation with the blue is gone. That being said... filling primer tubes is crap. The one strong point of red is the primers go into the tray, shake them right side up, close it and start priming.

What is the "best tool" for the buck to fill Dillon small primer tubes? Literally the biggest pitb of the entire blue set up.

This is what you want, look around I bought mine a few years ago for like $26.
I cut the top so I don’t have to take it apart to load. It is worth every penny 100 primers loaded in tube in seconds.

Vibra Prime | Auto Primer Tube Filler | Frankford Arsenal

Save time loading primer tubes with your progessive press by using the Frankford Arsenal Vibra-Prime automatic primer tube filler.

www.frankfordarsenal.com

 

[David Christian]

This is what you want, look around I bought mine a few years ago for like $26.
I cut the top so I don’t have to take it apart to load. It is worth every penny 100 primers loaded in tube in seconds.

Vibra Prime | Auto Primer Tube Filler | Frankford Arsenal

Save time loading primer tubes with your progessive press by using the Frankford Arsenal Vibra-Prime automatic primer tube filler.

www.frankfordarsenal.com

I too use this. Can you share a pic of what you cut off/how it is easier to use with your modification?

Thanks,
DC

 

[farmerjohn]

Tag

 

[foster]

I too use this. Can you share a pic of what you cut off/how it is easier to use with your modification?

Thanks,
DC

dump them in, shake to flip over, the tip and vibrate into tube. I had to chamfer just a little where they drop through into tube. Wish I had one 25 years ago.

 

[Jarhead6870]

I have an arthritic thumb and had to find a better way to fill tubes hence my purchase of the DAA Primafill unit. I have absolutely no regrets; it does what it’s suppose to do rather quickly without any fuss.