best priming tool

[Drop Port]

1. 
   RCBS Automatic Bench Priming Tool

This is the best I've found for feel, I take it apart stone and polish the cam lobe on the handle and polish the ends of the primer rams smooth as silk and can feel the primers slide in and bottom out.

 

[TackDriv3r]

Thanks guys for your advises.

 

[MislMan]

I use the Primal Right CPS. But I’m super picky about actual seating depth from the base of the brass. I realize this may not represent everyone but we’ve done enough primer seating depth tests to know it makes a difference for us.

John - I would certainly like to learn more about your primer seating tests. I’m still learning in this precision reloading world and would like to garner some statistical data for primer selection and seating for both LRP and SRP. Can you share with the group? Thanks

 

[group therapy]

Century 21 makes a nice priming tool!

Joe salt

yuuuuppppp!!!!!

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Go with the 21st century tool. You need feel and you can only get that with a custom billet HAND priming tool. No bench mounted tool will ever give you the feel from a cheater pipe handle that a fine, close tolerance hand primer will. 21st cent, sinclair, k&m are 3 that come to mind. The first 2 are highly used in my world.

 

[ronemus]

I prefer the APS strip loaders - no chance of a primer tube chain-detonating: Midway - RCBS APS Hand Primer. I also like the hand tool so I can use it anywhere. A strip loading press and empty strips (several colors) are available, so you can use any brand of primers. I think loading the strips is probably faster than loading tubes. The mainspring as received was rather heavy, so I replaced it with a lighter one (AR-15 buffer retaining pin spring IIRC) so I could feel primers seat; the only downside is that the handle must be released smartly to cycle the next primer into position. I load my 1000 yard ammo with a Sinclair tool, but everything else is done with the RCBS.

 

[DRNewcomb]

I had an old style Lee which worked fine for me until I dropped the round plastic cover for the primer tray, which shattered into 100 pieces. I then learned to my chagrin, that Lee no longer supported this tool and I couldn't get a replacement cover. I then got an RCBS hand priming tool, which uses standard RCBS shell holders. Good idea that didn't work well. The problem is that the length of the throw, from picking up the primer at the bottom of the shell holder to seating it at the top, was such you didn't have much mechanical advantage in seating the primer. I often had to use two hands to squeeze the grip, so there wasn't a lot of sensitivity to know when the primer bottomed in the pocket. I then replaced the RCBS with a Frankford Arsenal hand primer. This comes as a complete kit with all the shell holders, has the sensitivity of the Lee and an adjustable plunger to set the maximum depth. I'm pretty well pleased with this one.

I understand that none of these are perhaps what a benchrest shooter might use and probably don't qualify as "best" in many people's minds but the FA tool seems "best" for me. It's one tool that primes everything short of .50 BMG. It has adjustable seating depth, good sensitivity and I don't have to wear gloves to avoid contaminating individual primers in handling.

 

[waltk]

Check out the new Midway Frankford hand priming tool. It is easily adjustable for seating depth. It's large, comfortable, easy to change for primer sizes and not too expensive. I like it.

 

[wzee]

K&M

 

[JMayo]

I just got an rcbs hand primer. The plastic part the tray hooks to that also is the center hole the primer sits in, got off center a bit and the ram coming up scraped the hole into an oblong hole.
Dang 40.oo pissed away if I chose to go to another ....

 

[JimSC]

when you depin look at the bottom of the primer cup. You should see a thin ring around the outside and possibly where the three feet of the primer cup blocked the carbon from forming. That is how you know if the primers were fully seated. I have been using the RCBS bench primer and some might be surprised at how much feel you get. I can definitely tell when the primer hits bottom when I am using mine. I did order the Holland perfect seating adjustment handle. https://hollandguns.com/ I doubt it will do much of anything for my ammo but I am in the midst of upgrading my equipment this summer and thought it was a good addition for the confidence factor if nothing else

 

[JMayo]

Seems rcbs is sending me another Small primer insert.
This thread made me go looking at possible part or another tool.
I emailed rcbs asking where to get the part since they didn't have them listed.
I got an email saying the part I ordered was on the way ....
Humf .....cs and it's secrets ... .

 

[NorCalMikie]

Don't know HOW MANY primers I''ve seated with my Lee Auto Prime, large and small. All I know is if you have one, hoard it and keep extra parts on hand. My guess is? Probably seated 10,000 + with no issues. Sure wish Lee made a replacement that is as good as the old standby.

 

[hammerjack]

I have four of the old Lee Auto Prime . The new Lee body will also work with the old
round trays

 

[JimSC]

I received the Holland Perfect primer adapter kit for my RCBS bench priming tool the other day and installed it. It works great and does allow you to dial in the exact seating depth, and it comes with a nice little tool for checking seating depth. Much easier on my old hands than hand tools. I recommend it for those who find the hand tools painful to use and still desire exact seating depths

 

[Criz]

I too use the RCBS hand primer. It has become my favorite part of the whole process. Allows me to step away from the bench and chill out. Probably the same reason I use the Frankford hand de-primer instead of the press.
Put on a youtube video and prime away.

 

[mikecr]

You cannot set primers to consistent crush by feel. Forget that notion.

 

[Richard Coody]

You cannot set primers to consistent crush by feel. Forget that notion.

Please elaborate

I have been doing it sucessfully over 40 years.

 

[Ned Ludd]

Century 21 makes a nice priming tool!

Joe salt

^^^This. It's a work of art.

 

[Bugs]

Not to hijack this thread but if anyone happens to have a Sinclair hand priming tool available at a good price, please let me know.

Thanks,
Mike