Current Best Hand Priming Tool

[T.Rhodes]

Thank you @bks22345 - I'm guilty of just doing a quick scan to find what I was looking for. I ordered one from Cabelas this morning and it was $79 so - reasonable, IMO.

 

[HTSmith]

Thank you @bks22345 - I'm guilty of just doing a quick scan to find what I was looking for. I ordered one from Cabelas this morning and it was $79 so - reasonable, IMO.

Keep an eye out and you can get your spare one on sale at Midway or Amazon for $59. If you liked your Lee you will like this better. I about drove myself crazy trying to seat to specific depths. After testing I went back to seating primers till they stop and then rotating and giving them another gentle snug. YMMV

 

[209jones]

Used only the old round tray Lee for about 30 yrs. Around 2010 or so I splurged onthe 21st Century that used the round trays, wnated another one, they were out of them and had switched to the newer trays, it is a PITA to change depths on. Newer version is better, but, no trays. Picked up a 450-400NE, needed a priming tool that took shellholders to do that with, Lee wasn't/isn't big enough, RCBS universal isn't, Forster press won't do it, too big of a rim. Hornady barrel wasn't finished properly, hung up like crazy, see they have a batch of short rods or something like that recently. Hated priming singly on the RCBS press, and don't like handling primers singly anyway. Had to use Hornady shell holder on RCBS shellholder type, nub it goes over, barely took the Hornady shellholder. That'd be a bitch to correct.
These days, I don't have that gun anymore. RCBS universal jaws lift on one side and cock the case, not impressed with that, but, it works. Forster bench unit isn't bad at all, tubes are pesky to fill, need their tubefill tray, can shim tip with tape to adjust depth a bit. New Lee is a POS in feeding, didn't try the bench one, and won't. RCBS bench style is on the shelf, haven't tried it yet. FA is on the shelf, haven't tried it yet.
Pretty much use the old round tray Lee and the old 21st Century only still. Found a brand new old Lee, have enough spare pcs for 4 of them now + 3 complete ones. Could use some tray lids, but, not really critical. Maybe I should have bought a CPS, but, those are like 800.00 landed in Cda.

 

[JMayo]

RCBS universal works just like an old lee.

 

[T.Rhodes]

Keep an eye out and you can get your spare one on sale at Midway or Amazon for $59. If you liked your Lee you will like this better. I about drove myself crazy trying to seat to specific depths. After testing I went back to seating primers till they stop and then rotating and giving them another gentle snug. YMMV

Thanks - I did order one and should be here today. I did want to upgrade from the Lee and this should do nicely.

 

[Timon]

I have an old Lee hand priming tool that I really like. I understand that they have changed it in the new model. When this old Lee dies, I’ll likely go to 21st Century. Don’t believe I’ve heard much of anyone, with issues on the 21st Century tool.

 

[qec]

I also use the hand priming tool from Frankford. I wish I purchased it sooner. I use it for all rifle and large pistol primer rounds. Small pistol is done on a progressive press.
I have not tried other brands but I don't know how the Frankford primer could be improved.