Hand Priming Tools

12 March 2002, 13:33

ol blue

I've tried most of them. The most sensitive inexpensive one is the Lee. If you are on a tight budget it is the one I would recommend. It is a good tool although cheaply made. If you don't mind spending a little more get the K&M tool. It is built to last forever, very sensitive, and seats the primers straight and true. Most of the others sacrifice sensitivity for ease of the squeeze. This does not lend itself to seating the primers the same every time. (which may or may not be important to you). The K&M is a tool you enjoy using, and does the job superbly.

12 March 2002, 14:55

<Rafael>

Have not heard of this tool, Ol Blue.

Can you elaborate, or provide a web address.
Sounds interesting.

Thanks

$
RAF

12 March 2002, 15:57

ol blue

It's a nice all steel tool that uses the Lee shellholders. It's a one at a time loader, and has a nice spring loaded cup that comes up to drop the primer in. That same cup comes up under the case on the squeeze and holds the case square while seating the primer. It's slick. By the way, I don't seem to have lost any time loading them one at a time with this tool, and in BR, while loading and cleaning between matches, time is short. It also has available at extra cost a guage attachment that tells you the pressure you are putting on the primers as you are seating them. I don't know anyone who uses that attachment. To me it is so sensitive it seems I can do real well by feel. This tool is well known in benchrest circles. Sinclair makes a really nice tool also, but it is almost 3 times the price of the K&M. A lot of guys still use the Lee, and as I said before it's a pretty sensitive tool. (not as sensitive as the Sinclair or K&M, but pretty good) If you have to have a tray attached, the Lee is the one I would recommend. K&M does not have a web site, but they will send you a catalog, and are really good people to do business with.

K&M Services
5430 Salmon Run Rd.
Dover, PA 17315
(717) 292-3175

12 March 2002, 16:04

ricciardelli

Just finished doing 1500 9mm's with the RCBS. Worked like a champ...

------------------
http://stevespages.com/page8.htm

12 March 2002, 19:55

ol blue

ric, sounds like you need a "Dillon priming tool", (attached to a 550B)

13 March 2002, 09:41

ricciardelli

Actually about half-way through I was considering adding a Dillon to my bench, only it was gonna be the 650.

I do everything a single step at a time. Depriming is the first operation, resizing is the second operation, third comes belling the case mouth, next is priming and then the dumping of powder. Next I do the bullet seating thing, and then finally the taper crimp. Now, 12,500 pulls of the Rock Chucker handle, and 2,500 squeezes of the RCBS loading tool makes a man stop and think!

Especially since I have 2,600 .38 Special cases sitting in the corner glaring at me (and I honestly swear I could hear them snicker every now and then)!

Then I looked at my bench...duh...There's a MEC 650 and a MEC 9000G, then there is the RCBS Big Max and Rock Chucker, and the Forester case trimmer, and on the edge is the Lyman powder measure!

All that stuff is on the front edge of the bench. Further back are the two RCBS scales, the powder trickler, the RCBS Case-Mate thing, wenches...oops...wrenches, screwdrivers, several funnels of different sizes, 10 reloading blocks, a couple meatloaf pans, two calipers, a micrometer, and a bottle of Bailey's...

THERE'S NO ROOM FOR ANYTHING ELSE!!!

------------------
http://stevespages.com/page8.htm

13 March 2002, 03:53

rick3foxes

Yikes.

I can't imagine priming brass and feeding primers one at a time. Some type of primer feed is an absolute must for me. My Bonanza press has a little priming station on the top. I've never used it.

I've been using the Lee Autoprime for several years. They're cheap enough to buy 2 - set one up for large primers and one for small primers.

But that's just for my bottleneck cartridges. For the .45, my Dillon 550B does the job for me.

Rick.

[This message has been edited by rick3foxes (edited 03-12-2002).]

13 March 2002, 12:14

Nutoy

"a couple meatloaf pans"

ric, I can relate to all the other goodies, but you lost me on that one!!

Oh,, by the way,,, pass the Bailey's
*Nut*

13 March 2002, 12:37

R-WEST

steve -

quote:
Especially since I have 2,600 .38 Special cases sitting in the corner glaring at me (and I honestly swear I could hear them snicker every now and then)!

Perhaps the Bailey's is causing this

If you see them start moving around, it's definitely the Bailey's

R-WEST

------------------
"the spotlight of truth will cause the cockroaches of deceit to run for cover every time"
Rush Limbaugh

13 March 2002, 14:57

JerryO

quote:
Originally posted by ricciardelli:
Actually about half-way through I was considering adding a Dillon to my bench, only it was gonna be the 650.

Jeez, Only one bench !!!

Can't you find space for another bench or maybe two?

The longer you wait to get a progressive, the more you will regret it.

As I've said before, The 550b, hornady, rcbs, and particilarly lee make useing a powder check die HARD. That's why I often recommend the 650 for .38spec (and other tall cases) despite useing a slightly modified lee myself. Note that I don't need the powder check die for 9mm, .45acp and other short pistol cases. I can see the powder level as I set the bullet on the case mouth.

JerryO

13 March 2002, 16:19

tarbe

The meatloaf pans must be for drying cases in the oven...hopefully at a fairly low temperature?

13 March 2002, 20:11

ricciardelli

The meatloaf pans are for soaking and aggitating the cases in MEK after they come out of the tumber, and also after they exit the sizing die.

Get's all the gunk off...

I let them dry (quickly) on those mesh paintbrush racks...the neck of the cases fit real nice in the little cut-outs.

The Bailey's is for AFTER I am done reloading and too damn tired to go back downstairs.

No, no room for a second bench yet. The bench I have is 6 feet long and 3 feet deep. And I have two of those store-bought cabinets, 6 feet tall by 4 feet wide and 2 feet deep to hold the supplies.

------------------
http://stevespages.com/page8.htm