My Lee hand held priming tool has just about worn out and it has always seemed kind of chinzy to me. What do you all suggest (brand and model) as a good hand held priming tool? I am priming center fire rifle cases.
joe

Get the RCBS Universal Hand Priming Tool and you'll never look back. This hand primer doesn't use shell holders and the tray will hold an entire flat of primers, and besides that it is well made from good materials, not pot metal like.....well you know.

Not a hand primer but...
I used to use a hand unit and was not happy, inconsistent seating and sore hands.
So I switched to the ram prime,
http://www.midwayusa.com/produ...cm_vc=ProductFinding
I get good results, but it is slow.

Mark

For smaller volunes I have two of the Sinclair hand priming tools so that I can keep one set up for small primers and one for the large primers. With the extra heads and the shell holders they are a little pricey - but they are a quality tool that you will never wear out. I use them for the hunting loads and bench style loads. While you have to handle the primers I have never had it be a problem of any kind. I just wash my hands before handling them .

For more medium volume loading I also have and use the standalone Forster Coax priming tool. Once you have it set up and the tubes loaded up with primers it knocks them out fast.

I like the RCBS bench tool, and it uses the same shell holder as my press..Its faster and easier and I can feel the primer seat as well as with the hand tool..but of course I have arthritis in my hands at my age and that is one reason I like the bench model..however I have had the same tool for at least 40 years maybe longer. I have a 3 tubes of each size primer. fill them up and prime a 150 cases in a hurry..I'm used to it, I don't fix things that ain't broke..

If you can get your mitts on the 'old style' Hornady hand priming tool it is the ticket, IMHO. The 'new and improved' model is junk. By the way, if you wear a (thin) pair of nitrile gloves while priming you don't have to worry about contaminating primers with your fingers. Said gloves are available at an inexpensive price at Harbor Freight.

I have given up on all the fancy priming tools, and have been using the RCBS bench tool.

Works great.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I have given up on all the fancy priming tools, and have been using the RCBS bench tool.

Works great.

And a Hornady handheld priming tool,,between the 2 I've got it covered.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I have given up on all the fancy priming tools, and have been using the RCBS bench tool.

Works great.

Is this named the Automatic Primer? Not the aps one. I have been trying to buy one in Aus and found there are none available in the country, so will order from the US.

The RCBS Universal Hand PRimer will not do 500 nitro sized cases.

Those older round tray Lee primers were the cats meow.
The new improved version, is only new.
I have switched to the RCBS that uses the die shell holder.
I like the RCBS but its a bit slower to change from one cartridge to another.

Lee auto prime has been my tool forever

I have 4 seperate Lee hand tools and never change shellholders this covers all of my case size needs

Lee sells seperate spare parts

I have been using the old Lee style Auto-prime with the round trays since they first came out in the 70's. Love it. I have worn out several of them.
I bought one of the new ones, and I think they suck and wrote Lee and told them so. I get more jams and upside down primers with the new version than i ever did with the old one.

II haven't bothered to investigate any other brands, i just buy up the older versions when I see them available..

quote:

Originally posted by Pa.Frank:
I have been using the old Lee style Auto-prime with the round trays since they first came out in the 70's. Love it. I have worn out several of them.
I bought one of the new ones, and I think they suck and wrote Lee and told them so. I get more jams and upside down primers with the new version than i ever did with the old one.

II haven't bothered to investigate any other brands, i just buy up the older versions when I see them available..

Well said.

Joe R. Lock: You'll be disappointed with how any of the (much more expensive) priming tools work. Find another Auto Prime. They are cheap enough that you'll never have as much money invested as in one of the competitors.

By the way, smear a little Vasoline on the contact points of the linkage now and again to extend the useful life of the tool nearly indefinitely. (Who knows, the same treatment might extend the life of your own tool, also!)

I use this one.



http://www.ableammo.com/catalo...ng-tool-p-54962.html

in an RCBS Supreme

Well, I have an old old Lyman 310 tool that actually primes with really good feel. One primer at the time. I have since bought a forester co-ax and prime using the tubes. I like it a lot. No shell holders and exact seating depth of primers.

I was thinking about this thread tonight as I primed up 100 cases. I did a few several different ways and while it may be slower the Sinclair priming tool performed the best in my opinion with the best feel too.

My only small complaint with the Sinclair too is that it uses the Lee shell holders. So I had to add those when I already had lots of Reddings.

I would want a different set up like the RCBS bench type, or the Forster bench type that I already have for more volume. For handguns and other high volume ammo then a progressive is the way.

quote:

Originally posted by gojones:
Well, I have an old old Lyman 310 tool that actually primes with really good feel. One primer at the time. I have since bought a forester co-ax and prime using the tubes. I like it a lot. No shell holders and exact seating depth of primers.

I purchased the Forester Bench tool many moons ago and didn't think I liked it so it sat in the box. Last year I started a big batch (500) 223 on a single stage so I dug the Forester bench primiming tool back out. This time I took the time to fine tune the jaw adjustment. When adjusted properly it does a fantastic job. I found just a few thousanths of adjustment make a big difference in its operation.

For those with Lee's, I got a replacement body from 21st Century for mine. Seeing as I had 5 or 6 of them in pcs, it seemed practical. They build the tool body that Lee should be offering as an option.
Reuse the tray and plunger and spring, depth is adjustable. Handles will not break,links won't wear out and body tops won't break off.
Not cheap, but, well worth it.
I have an RCBS, had a new Hornady, both are in the garbage.