JoeMcNeill
Silver $$ Contributor
I use and like the PMA tool. Well made and adjustable.
Regards,
Joe McNeill
SW Arkansas
Regards,
Joe McNeill
SW Arkansas
Need a New Primer Tool
- Thread starter FroggyOne2
- Start date
Well there is always bench top priming tools. Won't cramp your hands and have the leverage to seat any primer.
Primal rights. Expensive because it’s worth it.
Did I read the price right? $600?
timeout
Silver $$ Contributor
Great advice but it looks like Froggy hasn't been on here in 6 years.
Yeah. That’s the one.
bozo699
Gold $$ Contributor
I get so sick of these 9 and 10 year old posts popping back up I usually notice right away but I missed this all together!... thanksGreat advice but it looks like Froggy hasn't been on here in 6 years.
Wayne
600.00 for a priming tool is hilarious! A friend has one, should be a 150.00 tool at most! Lmao!
Paul
Paul
Paul it's all about a better mouse trap.
I prefer to use a rat trap, seems to take 2 mice to trip it.
I've gotten multiple doubles.
I have no idea what direction I'll go when my Lee quits working, something I've been contemplating of late.
Brett, I have a K&M hand priming tool that has worked great for the last 20 yrs. Comes with small and large primer adaptors. 40.00 dollars and all steel construction. 600.00 is laughable!
Paul
Single feed, or does it have a tray like the Lee.
LarryDScott
Site $$ Sponsor
The Lee bench model is not perfect,
and you have to pay attention, but it
does a great job, and will beat any hand
held model if you have arthritis in your hands.
When I was reloading, I had trays for any
primer brand I was using. Early on I had
parts issues that was probably my fault, Lee
promptly sent me replacements. It works and
is money well spent and doesn't cost $600. LDS
and you have to pay attention, but it
does a great job, and will beat any hand
held model if you have arthritis in your hands.
When I was reloading, I had trays for any
primer brand I was using. Early on I had
parts issues that was probably my fault, Lee
promptly sent me replacements. It works and
is money well spent and doesn't cost $600. LDS
PhilC
Silver $$ Contributor
I've had a Sinclair hand priming tool since they were first introduced, single feed, so it is slow but seating feel is excellent IMHO. Just last year I added an RCBS bench primer because I dislike doing pistol brass one at a time, tried it with rifle brass, yeah, it works well for them too and feel is pretty good. Being the stalwart I am, I'll still do one at a time on certain calibers "just because".
I bought an RCBS bench mount priming tool after doing about 300 LRP’s by hand for a .308. I keep a universal handheld unit around for the small jobs.
We’re just seating primers. $600 for any priming tool is just ridiculous. A fool and his money are soon parted.
We’re just seating primers. $600 for any priming tool is just ridiculous. A fool and his money are soon parted.
To get the most out of a CPS you ought to get a tool to fill the primer tubes--that is if speed is a concern. The CPS has an adequate feel but not as much as a handheld tool. That said it is a very high quality tool and perhaps if I used one more I would get used to it. It doesn't seem to cause and hand fatigue.
Without question the most precise priming tool is the K&M Primer Gauge. With it you can seat to an exact crush every time. I use it for LR BR but that's it. It is slow. I can prime 2-2.5 cases a minute, but using it cut my ES by about 5 FPS. Worth it to me in a BR rifle but not anything else.
The next most precise are the high quality tools from 21st, Sinclair, etc. Although they don't have a dial indicator to show when you get to an exact crush, the feel is good and you can get close. I have not used these but guys have been shooting small groups with ammo loaded on these tools for years, so obviously they work well.
The next tier is the RCBS, Lee, Frankford, etc. I have used them all and I think I like the Frankford the best, but not by much.
That said, the adjustment feature on the Frankford or even the higher end tools isn't that useful. Even if you have uniformed all the pockets, primer cup heights vary quite a bit. I have seen the combination of uniformed cup and primer cup being vary by as much as .004" and routinely by .002". With that much variation you can't get an exact and consistent crush on each case just by dialing a seating setting into a primer tool. I think this also means seating a primer and then measuring primer seating depth isn't that useful.
Others may see all this differently......
Without question the most precise priming tool is the K&M Primer Gauge. With it you can seat to an exact crush every time. I use it for LR BR but that's it. It is slow. I can prime 2-2.5 cases a minute, but using it cut my ES by about 5 FPS. Worth it to me in a BR rifle but not anything else.
The next most precise are the high quality tools from 21st, Sinclair, etc. Although they don't have a dial indicator to show when you get to an exact crush, the feel is good and you can get close. I have not used these but guys have been shooting small groups with ammo loaded on these tools for years, so obviously they work well.
The next tier is the RCBS, Lee, Frankford, etc. I have used them all and I think I like the Frankford the best, but not by much.
That said, the adjustment feature on the Frankford or even the higher end tools isn't that useful. Even if you have uniformed all the pockets, primer cup heights vary quite a bit. I have seen the combination of uniformed cup and primer cup being vary by as much as .004" and routinely by .002". With that much variation you can't get an exact and consistent crush on each case just by dialing a seating setting into a primer tool. I think this also means seating a primer and then measuring primer seating depth isn't that useful.
Others may see all this differently......
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bozo699
Gold $$ Contributor
I don’t appreciate being called a fool!.....
Is Speedy Gonzales , Erik Cortina and many others fools for spending $5100 on a Prometheus powder dispenser?....or do they just want the best?... are people who want a $80000 Platinum Ford pickup a fool for not buying a base package Dodge?.... I have several Schmidt & Bender scopes there about $3150 each!... I don’t know how many Nightforce scopes I have but 15 or 20 for sure does that make me a fool for not buying Tasco!?.... I don’t think so!... I know some world class shooters still using the old Lee hand primers and I have several of them myself. I don’t look down on anyone I pull my pants on the same as anyone else and I have a hourly job like most of us do or had!... I’m almost 60 years old I spent my whole life running a cattle ranch and sawmill maintenance and Electrician, my thumbs hurt so bad at times I can only do 20 or so cases with my 21st century or K&M before I have to stop if a measly $600 will stop that and allow me to prime several hundred semi painlessly it’s money well spent imho!.... thanks for your input!
Wayne
Ccrider
Gold $$ Contributor
Wayne, you are not a fool.
Some of us like big boy toys. Those with less testosterone will never understand. Still remember when I paid more for my bass boat then a lots of folks around here paid for there first house. Was blessed to be able to afford it. Did not and do not feel it was foolish. Something I wanted so I bought it.You can’t take it with you. Or, as my Dad use to say, “I never saw a Uhaul at a funeral concession.” Yet, he was a very modest man.
I got the double alpha prima-feed to load my CPS and use it for my Dillon
got the Accuracy One tool to measure pocket/primer/crush after uniforming with k&m tool
so I don’t seat by feel, but by a specific and consistent depth. I have not had the opportunity yet to test several different depths but will. There’s already a cool thread on here about that.
so as far as accurate I’m not sure who beats that. And speed is only limited by how fast and coordinated I am. I personally can’t seat by feel consistently, I checked.
it’s not cheap. Oh well. It’s an heirloom.
what did people say when chargemasters came out? Oh my goodness 400 bucks. Looking at the money we spend in this game, I don’t know why this would alarm anyone. Things evolve, and I’m glad. Let free market capitalism live, while we still have it.
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