Thoughts on K&M priming tool w/o gauge

[brokeasajoke]

So my mother-in-law bought me a k&m priming tool no gauge and some lapua brass ( i gotta pretty good M-I-L). I have been using an old rcbs single load tool so trayless isnt a problem for me. Im sure this is a well made quality unit bit does anyone have any tips, quirks or general thoughts maybe ? Most seem to prefer the 21st tool.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

They work very well. I used one for 10 or so years loading for a ppc and know of 2 others that have been used for 20+ yrs from full time professional shooters that shoot hundreds of rounds a day avg. the 21st is nice and is just barely starting to catch on- still new.

 

[Lapua40X]

I've used my K&M for a long time - without a gauge. I just make sure I always adjust it the same way every time I set it up and it's done the job well. Just takes a bit of practice. I've always wondered. If the guys who insist on a gauge to seat primers accidentally apply too much pressure to the primer - do they decap the case and press in a new primer? And with the variables in primer pocket surface drag, primer pocket depth, primer structure anomalies, (nothing is perfect) as long as the primer is fully seated and not crushed what value is there in being so precise with the seating pressure? Seems a bit OCD to me.

 

[Mr.Spradlin]

I love mine!! Super easy to set up.

 

[Dos XX]

The K & M with the gauge references the bottom of the pocket and the top of the primer before you put the primer in the primer seating stem, and you zero the gauge at the time those two are being touched. This means when the gauge needle comes around and hits zero, you know the bottom of the primer has hit the bottom of the pocket, no matter if the pocket is deeper or the primer is thicker than the last case you primed. When you hit zero, you can then add .002 or .003 of "crush" to seat the anvil if you want. This setting has to be done with every case you are priming. It "knows" the primer height and pocket depth when you set it.

Or, you can apply pressure on the lever until you feel it seat on the bottom and then watch the needle and add the "crush" if you want. The needle won't always be on zero when the primer bottoms when you do it this way. This is what I do with small primers because they seat so much easier than large primers. You can tell when it bottoms.

I have never over seated one or applied too much crush, pretty near impossible.

 

[mahalan]

I've got the K&M priming tool with the gauge and have to say the gauge is overkill. I've noticed next to no difference on seating depth and now don't even pay attention to the reading.

 

[centershot]

I bought one and really don't know how to properly use it. I assume you screw in the top until the primer seats fully when the handle meets the body of the tool. I then marked the top and body with a referance mark. Is this close? Or do you just seat it by feel and not worry about "setting it up."

 

[fguffey]

https://www.kmshooting.com/catalog/primer-seater-tools/primer_gauge.html

$134.00 for the tool and an additional $25.00 for the carrying case.

F. Guffey

 

[Dusty Stevens]

You have to put a primer in that slot when you turn the ramp piece around to disengage the dial indicator then zero the seating stem. Youre pretty much gonna have to read the instructions to see what im talkin about

http://www.kmshooting.com/pdf/12.pdf

 

[Lapua40X]

I bought one and really don't know how to properly use it. I assume you screw in the top until the primer seats fully when the handle meets the body of the tool. I then marked the top and body with a referance mark. Is this close? Or do you just seat it by feel and not worry about "setting it up."

I think you've got it right. I set mine, initially, to seat the primer deep enough that I can easily slip the primed case out of the slot. I run the adjustment down just a little at a time until I sense that there's enough resistance to indicate the primer is fully seated. It only takes a few rounds to get the feel of the K&M tool, without crushing or short seating the primers. In the old days, when we loaded primers on a press with a two foot long handle, the absence of feel made it very easy to crush primers. But with a bit of care, I find the K&M does a good job of getting them fully seated without damage.