Bench mount priming tools

[Bill K]

Been useing the RCBS for years with no issues, it just works so well and does the priming of cases better than a few others I did try.

 

[Spoonbill]

This topic interest me very much. My tired hands cant take much more hand priming. One of my big questions is when I dont ream ream a primer pocket good enough and the case gets stuck because I have a primer sticking half way out. What to do then? To combat that now I switched to the rcbs universal hand primer with the spring loaded jaws.

 

[nmkid]

I've been using the BE bench tool for about 3 years. No problems with workmanship. The seating is consistent. Most important...Very easy on the "old" fingers. Seems to me that this great little tool wasn't discovered until Grizzly quit offering it.

 

[Steve morgan]

Work the RCBS like a normal person and there won't be any problems. Pay attention to when you get to the last cartridge and a LITTLE care the last one won't jump out or flip either. Been using one for the last 10 or so years.

Been using one 50+ yrs.agree with you 100%.

 

[Bill Norris]

I been using the Lee bench primer for about 3 years now with no complications. Hands are too tired to operate the hand primer anymore.

 

[One Eye Pete]

Ok for what it’s worth this is what I know about bench priming tools.
Do to “old tired hands“ I switched to bench mounted priming tools about 2 yers ago. No matter what primer tool you use if you want to seat primers accurately to a specific depth the one item that is a necessity is the Accuracy One Precision Primer Gauge. This is a great tool and did this thing ever open my eyes about seating primers to a consistent depth.
I bought the RCBS bench primer and it is a good tool, but then I heard about the Darrel Holland upgrade for it. The upgrade is a device to control primer seating depth with the RCBS unit. To be honest I was too cheap to spring for the upgrade so I made my own version. With the modification the unit works well and I am able to get consistent +/- .001 seating depth. But being the perfectionist nut that I am I wanted to get better primer seating depth accuracy.
Almost all priming tools index off the extractor groove so I looked for one that would index off the base of the case. Thanks to an F Class John video I became aware of the Lee ACP bench priming tool. I was impressed that it indexed off the base of the case so I bought one. F Class John also had a video on how to modify the unit to be able to adjust primer seating depth. This modification is simple and works really well. The basic ACP unit was OK but the case feeder and primer feeder definitely left a lot to be desired. I ended up getting rid of the case feeder for use with rifle cartridges and also gave up on the primer feed and fed the primers one at a time by hand. This is a real pain but I was able to get the primers within +/- 0.0005 which is about as good as it gets. I believe Lee discontinued the ACP probably due to the less than desirable primer feeder. However, they sell a kit to upgrade existing ACP units to their deluxe APP press. I purchased the kit and upgraded my unit. As far as I am concerned the case feeder is still useless for rifle cartridges but at least the primer feeder works well. So now I have a bench mounted priming tool where I feed the cases by hand but I can seat primers at any depth I want and very accurately.
I realize in the beginning of this post you excluded Lee (and I know why) but if you are willing to make a few modifications, the Lee deluxe APP press is a bench mounted press that can safely and reliably feed primers and seat them to a very accurate depth. With an easy modification the primer seating depth can also be adjusted. If you are willing to accept a bit less accuracy in primer seating depth then the RCBS is a good unit.
I am a big fan of Forster products but have not tried their bench mounted priming tool and the CPS primer tool although a quality unit is just too expensive.

 

[Old Navy]

Mine is red and it works just fine. It will also accept the RCBS hand primer trays.

 

[Stugots]

One more reloader that uses the RCBS:

RCBS Automatic Bench Priming Tool​

• Product #: 457599
• Manufacturer #: 9460
• UPC #: 076683094605

Got mine used in like new condition for $60.00.

 

[JEFFPPC]

I used various primer tools over the last 63 years and had various problems. I switched to the RCBS bench tool about 5 years ago.......no problems.

 

[JohnW...ski]

I really like the RCBS bench priming tool and to make it even better I added the Holland upgrade.

 

[LHSmith]

RCBS bench mount for pre-loading match rounds at home and Lee Auto-Prime hand primer (original design) for loading at the range.

 

[bsekf]

Please tell me what is wrong with the Lee, except the price.

 

[Dave Berg]

It's not directly bench mounted but by far my favorite is the RCBS APS press mounted priming tool. I tried it when I started using Tula primers which are harder to seat and loved the thing. I mounted it on a Lee Classic Cast press with the handle adjusted all the way out. You can feel every step of the primer seating from sliding into the pocket, the cup hitting the bottom and the primer dome flattening. Makes everything else seem crude.

They're discontinued by RCBS but show up on Ebay as New Old Stock regularly.

Ebay Link

 

[LHSmith]

Please tell me what is wrong with the Lee, except the price.

When I was looking to replace the hand primers the customer reviews proved what I suspected - not ready for prime time. I am talking about reviews on Grafs, Brownells, and Midway- not Amazon as those customers have no clue.

 

[dusterdave173]

I just did 800 223 in one sitting this morning with my cheapo LEE bench primer--you have to learn it's little quirks and how the tray works etc like any tool but after a year and half I love it--great feel and if it broke I would buy another tomorrow--
late season prairie dogs--look out!

 

[Dgd6mm]

My Lee benchtop priming tool broke on me sometime back. I had a new in the box RCBS benchtop priming tool. Pulled it out of the drawer, set it up, and commenced to priming. (Lee) The metal on top of the shell holder broke off allowing the shell holder to pop out. For the money the Lee will prime good and fast. I wonder if Lee warranties stuff like this, and even if it's worth it.

 

[Bill Norris]

I just did 800 223 in one sitting this morning with my cheapo LEE bench primer--you have to learn it's little quirks and how the tray works etc like any tool but after a year and half I love it--great feel and if it broke I would buy another tomorrow--
late season prairie dogs--look out!

I found it to be a great priming tool once it got kind of broken in. It stopped jamming and feeds perfectly. One thing I believe helped was to coat the working surfaces with HBN to make the primer slide thru the feed process. Takes a little time and effort with a small piece of cloth wrapped around a blunt pick to get into the tiny places but well worth it.

 

[Steel Mover]

I have had an RCBS for years, I just watched it close and ground a wee bit off the cups with a cut off wheel and swabbed out the primer tubes with a wood long handle q tip, with some solvent and dry lube. It really likes being clean.

I first square my base with a CH trimmer, camber case holder style, reversed. Then I cut all my primer pockets uniform.

 

[drop_point]

I’ve been using a hand priming tool and seating proud, then running through the RCBS ram prime. I’m getting great results.

 

[209jones]

My Lee benchtop priming tool broke on me sometime back. I had a new in the box RCBS benchtop priming tool. Pulled it out of the drawer, set it up, and commenced to priming. (Lee) The metal on top of the shell holder broke off allowing the shell holder to pop out. For the money the Lee will prime good and fast. I wonder if Lee warranties stuff like this, and even if it's worth it.

That's an issue the old round tray hand unit had too, broke two of them that way, 3 handles. I started acquiring spares, have a few now.
I have a Forster and an RCBS bench mount unit, haven't used the RCBS yet, Forster takes a little getting used to, works OK though, only issues I've really had were all operator incurred, by being mostly braindead in handling the tube. I still have some troubles with loading the tube, just not doing it often enough to get it down pat yet. I did find their loading tray was a necessity.
The thing that kept me from trying a Lee bench unit was experience with the last version handprimer, safety gate in the head had to come out, it wasn't coordinating properly with the plunger, wouldn't let it feed from the tray. Didn't impress me at all.