I was wondering if it is worthwhile getting an RCBS benchtops mopunted priming tool rather than just running with the press mounted system?

I don't have any great problems with the press mounted arm, so I was just wondering.

Have two RCBS automatic bench mounted priming tools and like the way they work and you get a better feel of the primers going into the case. Good Luck

I have a RCBS bench mounted and a Lee Auto Prime. I much prefer the Lee, it's faster and has a better "feel", but I can't prime Lapua or Dakota brass with it.

Just my opinion, FWIW.

Jim

I used a Lee hand held tool for some time but now use a Forster bench primer. With a modified primer tray I can fill the tube with primers in a few seconds, the RCBS tubes have to be filled by punching them in one at a time. The Forster is best used without bolting it down so it saves bench space. I vote for the Forster tool.

I had (have) the old style Hornady with the tube. Love it except for feeding the tube. I bought (actually two) of the newer ones with the strip feeders. They are terrible. I sold them both on eBay. I had one of the old manual feed Lee's, so I bought a new autoprime to try. I like it better than the bench tool. It has even more feel, I think. Price is certainly right.

I will say that anything is better than the press priming. I would likely give up reloading if I had to go back to this. I also think the quality of the priming is so much better, it has to affect accuracy in good rifles. It is easy to spot a faulty or different primer pocket.

quote:

Originally posted by Top:
I used a Lee hand held tool for some time but now use a Forster bench primer. With a modified primer tray I can fill the tube with primers in a few seconds, the RCBS tubes have to be filled by punching them in one at a time. The Forster is best used without bolting it down so it saves bench space. I vote for the Forster tool.

Got any pictures?

I love my RCBS bench mounted priming tool. It's so darn fast and easy to get a good "feel" once you use it a bit. It's really a no brainer and easy on the hands.

I use the RCBS bench mounted tool (Automatic Priming Tool) and I love it. It's fast an you get a good feel for the primer seat... I just can't think of any drawbacks

I've used the foster tool for years without a hitch. Big bonus with it also in that the jaws are adjustable so you don't need to buy any shellholders - last i saw they were about $50

I have the RCBS "APS" system bench mounted priming tool.
It is a machine ,and like all machines you have to learn how to use it.
Its not hard to use but you must follow the instruction and understand what going on during its operation.
I find it easy and fun to use.

I also have the APS primer strip loader tool, so I can load any brand of primer.
The loader tool is also easy to use.

I did not like the idea of stacking primers up in a tube it looks too much like a thin pipe bomb, so I gave the APS system a try.

Make sure to use the right physcal size plastic primer strip for the primer you want to use.

OK, I modified something per TOP's suggestion above.

I milled out the edge of a lid for an RCBS tray.
I can now quickly load the Forster tubes.

My priming with the Forster is much faster and nicer than the Lee Auto Prime II that I have been using for years.

I have used the RCBS Automatic Priming tool for a few decades now. I like it better than the hand held priming tool I purchased a few years ago. My hands are too crippled up to do the constant squeezing a hand held requires and the auto tool is faster anyway. The first few years after I started reloading I used the press for priming cases and it’s just too slow and cumbersome. Any of the tools mentioned in this thread are better than a press priming assembly.

As far as needing a shellholder goes, I don’t see that being an inconvenience. The 2 presses I own require a shellholder to operate so I have to have one anyway.

As far as the primer magazine being a little pipe bomb; I’ve thought about that over the years but I haven’t lost any sleep worrying about it. Good loading techniques and respect for the primer’s potential keeps skinny pipe bombs under control.