• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

Looking to Buy a New or Used Used Primer tool. Hand Primer or Bench?

Grizzly Industrial has the Bald Eagle bench priming tool on sale for $80. It has a good feel and very well built. Although it's a single primer tool it's actually pretty fast. Adjustments are fast and I really like the break, (think torque wrench) when it reaches set depth. After it clicks you can't seat the primer any deeper. I got 2 of them, (LOL) and have long, long forgotten those handheld thumb actuated tools. The perfect tool for old, slightly arthritic fingers.
 
Riflman make a donation to the site and I will make you a very good deal on one of these,
pps04.jpg
 
How about the Forster Benchtop priming tool? I'm needing a new one that's easier on these arthritic concrete finishing hands. OR does the RCBS beat it out?

I have them both and both work well. When I was at Brownells this past June the Forster rep gave me one of their plastic tube loading trays which really helps loading tubes. Thank you if you are on here and see this. On the Forster you have to take your time and set up the collet correctly or you won't like it. The Forster is easier to use and has better seating feel in the handle.

Actually a person needs both a hand primer for small batches or working up loads and a bench for production work. I have several hand held and really like my K&M.
 
Larry, I purchased a "new" lee priming tool on your post that it worked. It didn't, doesn't and never will. I gave that POS to my brother. He ended up throwing it away. Lee engineers worked really hard to make a product that doesn't work.
Of course I don't know what your issues were, but mine works great. That's why I made the statement. LDS
 
80679ABB-44A0-4DE0-AA60-BCFCB924BC03.jpeg
I had all the collets for a Lee hand primer I broke years ago, so I just bought another one. It totally sucks. It will not feed primers into the ram without a ton of shaking, fiddling, etc. and it takes ten times longer to prime than it should. Also uncomfortable. I'm sending it back today.

I don't want to spend the money on one of the uber expensive ones, so was looking at used, or one of the Bald Eagle adjustable bench primers. I like the idea of being able to adjust the ram.

Will the RCBS doe the job or should I hold out for a used one that's a little better? The bald eagle bench one is under $100, but it would be more convenient to store and transport a hand primer to the range and is still more than Identification like to spend.
This is the best most comfortable hand priming tool I’ve ever used it comes with all the shell holders and the ram is adjustable for depth and it is all metal and under $100
 
Last edited:
Been using the Lee Ram prime for years. Works good for me. Also have and occasionally use the RCBS hand prime unit.
 
Gonna buy a used Lee Autoprime for now. I used one today and it works great. Returned the new Lee version. It sucked. I'll get an adjustable one later. Too many things on my list to buy. Thanks.
 
I have been using the Frankford Arsenal Hand Primers for some time now...Got another one
so I dont have to change from Small to Large primers. The work well for a hand primer and the price aint bad either.
 
I recently bought the Frankford Arsenal too. Way more comfortable than the old Lee. It is quite heavy but I operate it with it rested on my leg. If you hold it at an angle the cases gravity feed out of it smoothly once you release the handle, so for me it cuts down on handling time as well. The seating depth control is a new feature for me. I'm anxious to see if there is a positive result on the targets from controlling this variable.
 
Another positive recommendation for the Frankford, I switched over a year ago and am quite pleased. I too have arthritis issues. When there are 150 to prime, it does get a bit tiresome.
 
Gonna buy a used Lee Autoprime for now. I used one today and it works great. Returned the new Lee version. It sucked. I'll get an adjustable one later. Too many things on my list to buy. Thanks.
I reload about 10,000 rounds a year and for production speed, the Lee autoprime is my primmer of choice. I always have at least two on hand. keep the fulcrum lubed and it will last a long time. there are more precise primming tools out there for sure, and yes my thumb gets sore on a busy day. when looking for a used one, you should know the very first models had a very thin top, just above the shell holder and did not hold up. easy to spot side by side. good luck
20170128_085132 (640x360).jpg
 
I prime on my Dillon 1050. Did some testing and could not identify an difference in performance between the rounds primed on my 1050 and the ones I hand primed. Saves me a lot of time and wear and tear on the hands.
 

Upgrades & Donations

This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.


Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.

You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.


To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.

Forum statistics

Threads
166,258
Messages
2,215,112
Members
79,497
Latest member
Bie
Back
Top