RCBS Bench Primer or Frankford Arsenal Perfect Seat Hand Primer

[qec]

I've had the FA primer for a little over a year. I really like it. In particular I like how I can feel the seating process. I normally prime between 100 and 200 at a time.Never have issues with blisters. I switch between LR, SR and LP primers. Best deal going as far as I'm concerned.
I've done several hundred cases without issues.

 

[nettle]

My uglys will be here today. I have the RCBS and the Frank’s hand primers but they really suck because they work on feel. Look into this https://www.uglyreloadingusa.com/product/precision-primer-seater-patent-pending/

I am seriously looking at one of these. Let us know what you think of it.

 

[22vartarg]

I have been using the FA priming tool for over 3 plus years and love it! Very easy to set your primer depth. Very happy with it.

 

[JB10]

I was using a lee hand primer for a few years. Upgraded to the RCBS bench mount 4 years ago. Have never had any issues and way easier on my hands

 

[M-61]

Bench mounted is all I ever had. CH decades of use and I wore it out. Replaced it with a RCBS bench mounted about 8 years ago. Not one complaint.

 

[robert8904]

RCBS bench primer for me. Quick and simple to change primer size, uses standard shell holders that snap in. Plenty of leverage for hard to seat primers. Has good seating feel. Very fast and not real expensive. Simple to clean, lube and maintain. Utterly reliable and durable. Non adjustable seating depth means I can prime brass with irregular depths easily.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I have the Franford arsenal. It does what it says. Works how it should. However the ergonomics are total crap.

First I have to wear a glove when using it. Otherwise I get blisters when using it. If I seat more than 200 cases I will get blisters anyway.

Second, it's really heavy for what it is. I was surprised how heavy it is. I was used to using the lee hand primer before this. I was fine with the lee, but it broke and the FA had depth control so I went with the FA. However. Man it just is heavy.

Third, it takes a lot of pressure to seat primers with this thing. Sometimes I have to use both hands. I don't have arthritis or weak hands. I'm 46 and still able bodied. But if I were like 70, I don't think there is any way I could use this thing. So I know in a decade or so I'm gonna have to replace it.

Maybe mine is a bum one? Not sure

Functionally, it works the way they market it. I have no problem with the end result. There are a few quicks I would be okay with if the ergonomics were better. 1) with some brass buildup in the shell holder, the system will start jamming. 2)large rifle primer feeding is funky. Every 7-10 primers you have to manufer the system to keep the primers feeding. 3)if you use too steep of an angle to feed primers, the one that is on deck to be seated will be in the chamber on its side. Causing a jam and its difficult to remove the primer.

I cannot remember any of these problems with the lee. It was pretty much flawless. However I wouldn't buy the lee again because I like to control seating depth.

I also would not buy the Frankford arsenal again either. It's a pain in the ass.

Not an ideal tool for folks with small, soft and/or weak hands. Think of it as a workout. It will make your hands stronger. Sounds like you might need it. Lol

 

[Dimner]

Not an ideal tool for folks with small, soft and/or weak hands. Think of it as a workout. It will make your hands stronger. Sounds like you might need it. Lol

Not likely, strong hands here. I'm thinking I may have burr or a piece of what not stuck in the moving parts. I'll give it a good once over and then do some kroil work on the pivots.

 

[JFrank]

I’m tried the FA tool once, it was awful, just awful.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Using the RCBS bench primer is like a kid getting to go to Disney World.

 

[6.5 forever]

When your hands get old and arthritic the bench primer becomes a very good friend.

 

[qec]

Sure seems like FA is the Savage of the reloading world. Love them or hate them. Not much in between.
As I mentioned before, for me the FA primer works great. However I also have their wet tumbler, case trimmer/brass prep machine and the M-Press. All of them have been great so far

PS. I also shoot Savage....

 

[Captrayj]

Ugly Reloading. Precision Primer Seater.
https://www.google.com/search?clien...2ahUKEwje3O7FlqGFAxUeL9AFHT4qCGYQs6gLegQICxAB


It is very accurate with the micrometer and I like the slide feature for primers. My recommendation is if you're in the market for a priming system and you have a single stage press, go for it… I don't think you'll regret it.It is very accurate with the micrometer and I like the slide feature for primers. My recommendation is if you're in the market for a priming system and you have a single stage press, go for it… I don't think you'll regret

 

[Dimner]

Okay, so last night. I spent a whole episode of a tv program disassembling, brushing, and oiling every pivoting or sliding surface of the FA contraption. I'm talking even removing all the tiny hex head screws and taking it fully apart. After reassemble, the thing works so smoothly and with such little effort, I thought I had put it back together incorrectly. Disassembled it again just to make sure I had it right. WOW. what a change. I don't know what was stuck in there from when I first purchased it, but this is a whole different tool now.

This is the best guess as to what was wrong.

When I first bought it, I was shooting CMP highpower format. So I wanted to load up about 1500 rounds for the season. So the first 1500 primers I set were in primer pockets that I had swaged the crimp out of. Lake city brass. Set those first 1500 primers and perhaps my crimp swage did not do enough as I needed. From the get go, it took alot of force to seat primers. I had thought that was just the way it went.

When I cleaned out the tool last night there were oodles of brass slivers and dust in every surface. I think that the first 1500 primers were hard to seat because of the partial swage of the crimp. And all the rest of the priming I have done has been hindered by the brass in all moving areas of the tool. Either way. It's working better than ever now and I can set primers one handed.

 

[TTE]

Okay, so last night. I spent a whole episode of a tv program disassembling, brushing, and oiling every pivoting or sliding surface of the FA contraption. I'm talking even removing all the tiny hex head screws and taking it fully apart. After reassemble, the thing works so smoothly and with such little effort, I thought I had put it back together incorrectly. Disassembled it again just to make sure I had it right. WOW. what a change. I don't know what was stuck in there from when I first purchased it, but this is a whole different tool now.

This is the best guess as to what was wrong.

When I first bought it, I was shooting CMP highpower format. So I wanted to load up about 1500 rounds for the season. So the first 1500 primers I set were in primer pockets that I had swaged the crimp out of. Lake city brass. Set those first 1500 primers and perhaps my crimp swage did not do enough as I needed. From the get go, it took alot of force to seat primers. I had thought that was just the way it went.

When I cleaned out the tool last night there were oodles of brass slivers and dust in every surface. I think that the first 1500 primers were hard to seat because of the partial swage of the crimp. And all the rest of the priming I have done has been hindered by the brass in all moving areas of the tool. Either way. It's working better than ever now and I can set primers one handed.

I bought a used FA and the depth adjustment didn't work (not disclosed by the Ebay seller). I took it apart and discovered the adjustment knob/wheel was frozen. Couldn't get it apart without damage. Called FA for the parts I needed, they sent me an entire new kit, tool, shell holders, everything. I took it apart, lubed everything that needed to be lubed and set it up. IMO it works just fine.

I too used the Lee for many years as well, light .... yes .... functional .... yes just not as precise (IMO) as the FA.

I like the FA a lot .......... and I do have hand/wrist problems.

 

[Hudge76]

I’ve had great luck with all of my FA reloading tools. My FA deprimer and hand primer are used several times a week. The FA does what it says, and I’ve never had an issue with them.

 

[Oklahoma Jim]

I'm another FA fan. It works well for me.

 

[urbanrifleman]

For those of you that like the FA, you guys are having no problems with the amount of force needed to seat primers?

I have two hand primers one is the old Hornady I've had since the 1990s which I still love. And the other is the Frankfort arsenal. The Frankfort arsenal for the money is quite good and has a very good feel. I still wish they made the Hornady which wasn't as good of a device but has great feel.

I would never prime anything that I was going to use in a serious manner with anything other than The force of my hand so I can feel how the primer seats and whether or not my primer pockets are starting to loosen.

All in all the Frankfort arsenal is a good product. Anyone who bad mouths Frankfort arsenal would have to show it to me that their products are junk. They're have great customer service also and my only experience with them is they were incredibly helpful beyond what I even asked for.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Check out this bad boy. I didn't even know they made a powder drop. I was looking to replace my ancient Hornady powder drop for doing high volume varmint ammo for p dog hunting, and I discovered the Frankfort arsenal on eBay. This thing is the most badass powder drop I've ever felt in my entire life. It actually has ball bearings in it. The micrometer is next level. The entire thing is nicer than anyone I've ever seen.

Frankfort arsenal makes good stuff. I'm sorry, they really do.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Check out this bad boy. I didn't even know they made a powder drop. I was looking to replace my ancient Hornady powder drop for doing high volume varmint ammo for p dog hunting, and I discovered the Frankfort arsenal on eBay. This thing is the most badass powder drop I've ever felt in my entire life. It actually has ball bearings in it. The micrometer is next level. The entire thing is nicer than anyone I've ever seen.

Frankfort arsenal makes good stuff. I'm sorry, they really do.

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Pretty nice!
What do they retail for?