This topic has been treated indirectly, but I haven't found a full-fledged post. I have been reloading for a number of years now, but have now decided to start hand-priming cases. I am not a benchrest shooter...priimarily a long-range varmint hunter. What tool do you recommend? The Sinclair tool looks nice, but I'm not sure that the price tag is justified.
Hand Priming Tool?
- Thread starter trentalan34
- Start date
I 've been reloading for along time and have always use the Lee auto prime. For me it is the best most useful and economical hand primer. I also purchased the RCBS equivanent unit and do not like it nearly as much. It requires more time to change from large to small primers and the "feel" at least for me is not as good as the Lee.
Ron
Ron
Its justified. I have used a bunch of different hand primers through the years and the sinclair is the best 1 i have used. I have 2 of them so i do not have to change back and forth from large to small primers. If i where going to mass load ammo for a dog town all the time it would not be my first choice to use. They are great!
Great responses. Somehow I was ignorant of the K&M tool. Without the guage, it is less than half as much as the Sinclair, so that might be a more feasible option. Does anyone have both and have a strong preference?
i wore out a rcbs universal hand priming tool. i don't know what the hell happened really but i started getting very hard seating with LRs. I came to find out that the bore was completely gouged out and scored causing the seater to come up crooked
it always seated small rifle and small pistol perfect. once i jumped up to bigger primers it seemed to wear out prematurely
it always seated small rifle and small pistol perfect. once i jumped up to bigger primers it seemed to wear out prematurely
I've primed using a a Lyman press and Lee press on the upstroke, and really don't get a feel for what the primer is doing. Both, and especially the Lee seem to require a lot of force to get the primer flush and there is little feel for any crush.
My question would be, is the hand primer system much better? If you believe the dimensions given at the link below it would appear the small rifle primer diameter varies quite a bit. Minimum of 0.1744 to maximum of 0.1757 in a small rifle and from the same manufacturer.
http://www.jamescalhoon.com/primers_and_pressure.php
With this much variation of fit, can you really feel when the primer hits bottom and crush starts?
My question would be, is the hand primer system much better? If you believe the dimensions given at the link below it would appear the small rifle primer diameter varies quite a bit. Minimum of 0.1744 to maximum of 0.1757 in a small rifle and from the same manufacturer.
http://www.jamescalhoon.com/primers_and_pressure.php
With this much variation of fit, can you really feel when the primer hits bottom and crush starts?
Forum Boss
Administrator
My favorite tool is the RCBS APS hand tool with universal shell-holder. I like the primers in the strips. Makes it real easy to do primer comparison testing, and you never have to handle individual primers or fiddle around with flipping them in a tray.
Using a PPC capable of shooting consistent low ones, We did some direct A-B comparison with a Sinclair hand priming tool and found absolutely zero evidence of improved accuracy, or reduced ES from the one-at-a-time tool compared to the RCBS APS strip priming tool.
The same strips can be used in a benchmount priming unit and in the RCBS 2000 Progressive Press. In my opinion, the primer system in the RCBS 2000 is vastly superior to the priming system in a Dillon 550 or 650. Why? Well for one thing -- I can change from small primer feed to large primer feed in about 30 seconds by exchanging a single threaded plug.
Using a PPC capable of shooting consistent low ones, We did some direct A-B comparison with a Sinclair hand priming tool and found absolutely zero evidence of improved accuracy, or reduced ES from the one-at-a-time tool compared to the RCBS APS strip priming tool.
The same strips can be used in a benchmount priming unit and in the RCBS 2000 Progressive Press. In my opinion, the primer system in the RCBS 2000 is vastly superior to the priming system in a Dillon 550 or 650. Why? Well for one thing -- I can change from small primer feed to large primer feed in about 30 seconds by exchanging a single threaded plug.
I started handpriming with the Lee's, and after one broke at a match I was a little pissed. I gave them another chance, since that one had worked fine for a couple of years. then the next one broke in less than two months. I went to the RCBS handpriming tool that has a universal holder, no switching shellholders anymore and I love it. I think it was around $50 or so. I have used it for over a year and no issues yet. better feel, and I don't have to change anything unless I go to to small primer size, and it doesn't take long. I have used a sinclair before, and the one primer at a time was a little annoying. I don't know if they make a different model with a tray attachment or not. Haven't looked since the rcbs.
TheBlueEyedBear
'The Nut Behind The Trigger'
I have used both the Sinclair and the K&M (and, I think all the others) and personally find the Sinclair to be the best I have ever used. I have two now. One setup for SMALL primers and one setup for LARGE primers. I really enjoy the feel and the consistency of the Sinclair product. These will probably be my last priming tools (but, I have said that before). 
My RCBS hand primer got to where it would not seat large rifle primers even flush but it will seat small primers fine. So I leave it set up for the small primers.
Then I bought a Lee Auto Prime for the large primers. It looks cheap and is but I like it OK. It seems to have more power to properly seat the primers just below flush. The RCBS was lacking in that regard. I'm sure RCBS has improved theirs or I may just have one with a weak spring. Brimfish
Then I bought a Lee Auto Prime for the large primers. It looks cheap and is but I like it OK. It seems to have more power to properly seat the primers just below flush. The RCBS was lacking in that regard. I'm sure RCBS has improved theirs or I may just have one with a weak spring. Brimfish
Have used the Lee tool for varmint loading in several calibers, the M1A, as well as .45 ACP for over a decade and perhaps ten thousand rounds. Works well, and has never failed me. But it is made of pot metal and I'm just waiting for it to break. Then I will buy the Sinclair for precision work and another Lee for volume shooting.
The RCBS model has the rectangular tray, which I think is smart as that is the shape of primer boxes, I presume would avoid the potential to drop primers in tranfering them from the package to the tray. I wonder why Lee has not converted theirs to square?
If someone wants to make a great product, they should make a tray to fit on a Sinclair tool. I'm surprised Sinclair does not do that themselves...
DW
The RCBS model has the rectangular tray, which I think is smart as that is the shape of primer boxes, I presume would avoid the potential to drop primers in tranfering them from the package to the tray. I wonder why Lee has not converted theirs to square?
If someone wants to make a great product, they should make a tray to fit on a Sinclair tool. I'm surprised Sinclair does not do that themselves...
DW
I have been using the Sinclair tool for a few years,now.Its very smooth,and gives you a great feel for seating the primer.I wore out several Lee tools over the years,but you have to prime a lot of cases to do that.They worked well,and for the cost difference are worth a look.The K&M tool is really nice,also.They will all work well,it just depends on what you like and what your budget is like. Lightman
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