My old Lee priming tool is about worn out. My Rockchucker doesn't seat primers flush. My old M3 Super northern guide approved Herters and my Truline do an Ok job, but I prefer a hand tool. I'm looking to get another hand priming tool. What are your current favorites, and why.
Thanks
Bfly

I wore out a lee hand primer tool and it served me well for many years.
The locandload primer set up is a little hooky, I got a bunch of new parts and its better now.
I have the ram primer and it has some disadvantages ., I use it mainly for rifle
https://fsreloading.com/lee-pr...ram-prime-90106.html

This is my favorite priming tool. The only problem with a bench top priming tool is you can't set in your Lazy Boy watching Oprah and prime cases.

The Lee Auto prime is the gnats Ass. The new Lee I have is about the best I've come up with.

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I have two RCBS Universal hand priming tools, one set up for large primers and the other for small primers, and it is the best I have used. They require no shell holders and the square primer tray will hold a flat of primers. My old Lee auto-primes had the round tray and it was a mess getting the primers from the flat onto it, plus I had to mess with getting the proper proprietary shellholder installed.

I also have two. A RCBS Hand Priming Tool for my Big Bores and an RCBS Universal Hand Priming Tool for everything else.

quote:

Originally posted by MickinColo:
This is my favorite priming tool. The only problem with a bench top priming tool is you can't set in your Lazy Boy watching Oprah and prime cases.

And this is the one we have been using exclusively for years.

I gave up using hand priming tools years ago.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by MickinColo:
This is my favorite priming tool. The only problem with a bench top priming tool is you can't set in your Lazy Boy watching Oprah and prime cases.

And this is the one we have been using exclusively for years.

I gave up using hand priming tools years ago.

I have three of them, and my only complaint is that loading the tubes can be a pain, especially if you run out right in the middle of an operation.

I've worn out several Lee Auto prime tools. When new they work OK but having to buy separate shell holders is a pain. Bought an RCBS hand tool. They wear a lot better than the Lee BUT changing shellholders is not as convieient as it could be. Also the priming ram is not held captive in the tool (at least not on my tool )and can fall out. Never lost one but it could happen.My RCBS tool now stays set up for the belted mag cases. Lyman brought out a hand tool a couple years ago. Has a square primer tray and readily accepts 100 primers. Uses your std RCBS,Redding,Lyman, Lee,Hornady......... shellholders, so nothing extra to buy. The shellholders are real easy to change. Before you lay your money down at least take a look at the Lyman priming tool. For my money its the best out there.

RCBS Universal Hand priming tool

I have an RCBS that I use for small primers and a Hornady for large primers. They both seat the primers firmly.

My reply won't be much help, but, I wasn't able to find a hand primer that fit my hands (even though I made my living for over 50 years with hand tools as a machinist/mechanic, I would have to reset the hand primer in my hand after every squeeze). I owned 3 different hand primers and was not overly confident nor comfortable with them (one old style Lee, one Hornady, a new Lee Ergo prime. and borrowed an RCBS). My priming choice for nearly 20 years was a ram prime tool and just a few months ago I purchased a Lee Bench Prime which works for me 100% (after I read the instructions)...

I have used/broken several over the years, then I bought a K&M. Nicely made, all steel and it works well. I don't think I will ever need another priming tool.
C.G.B.

I have used several over the years. Lee and RCBS but my favorite is the K&M tool. It uses shell holders but they are easy to change out and it is built like a tank.

Joe

the bonanza/forster priming tool works just great plus the shell holder is adjustable

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps8qhLxdccU

The Lee press mounted Autoprime II is my favorite...not sure why Lee discontinued. Will probably go with the RCBS bench prime tool if it ever dies.

Also use a Lee Autoprime handheld.

Im with MickinColo, RCBS bench tool, Ive been using that tool for maybe 40 plus years, its fast and handy, and when you get old and arthritis sets in the hands, it saves you pain and discomfort.

Had a old lee that I loved until it wore out. I tried the new lee toil. The most worthless, over engineered POS on the market. It didn't last 5 minutes. The RCBS universal doesn't work on my 223 Brass, one side pops out. I currently use the standard RCBS for my large primers and some off brand lee clone for my small rifle.

I really love the Sinclair/Brownell hand held tool. The best feel esp. for tight pockets.

RCBS bench tool. With cases up to 500Nitro head size.

This is a self import to Aus as the RCBS agents don't import it Go figure...

So..... your beloved Lee Autoprime tool wore out after years of fateful service... and the new Lee tool is a piece of crap compared to the old one. What's a reloader to do?

The answer is fairly simple, actually. The problem with the new style tool is mainly the primer tray, which bears the fingerprints of Lee's legal department in it's design. What if you could combine the old style primer tray that works well with the new style handle that works pretty well? It's do-able.

The two won't work together because the new style push link (for want of a better word) is too wide to fit into the old style primer tray. Easy to fix. Using a fine toothed hacksaw, remove the plastic ears from both sides of the primer tray that are on either side of the primer ram. Takes about ten seconds if you're slow and careful. Now the new style push link will fit inside the tray. But there's still one more problem to address.

The new style handle/push link dimensions are a little different than the old ones, and won't allow the primer ram stop at the proper spot at full extension. what's needed is a 1/2" diameter by .150" thick spacer between the push link and primer ram. I used a 1/4" steel hex nut ground down to .150" thick and it worked perfectly. The spacer has to be about .150" to allow the ram to allow the next primer to leave the pan. A better solution would be to make the spacer from brass or bronze- it would last forever and so would the push link- the part that always wore out in the past because of the steel-on-steel contact.

So- in conclusion:
a). cut the ears off of the old primer tray
2). insert the spacer between the push link and the old primer tray before installing the handle
and
3). throw away the piece of crap new style tray.

That is all.

Porosonik.

I use the RCBS bench mounted tool.
Started with the one on the rockchuker press and then a LEE.

I really like the bench model.

quote:

Originally posted by Luckyducker:
I have two RCBS Universal hand priming tools, one set up for large primers and the other for small primers, and it is the best I have used. They require no shell holders and the square primer tray will hold a flat of primers. My old Lee auto-primes had the round tray and it was a mess getting the primers from the flat onto it, plus I had to mess with getting the proper proprietary shellholder installed.

Ditto.

I have 2 favorites.

The RCBS Bench Primer is a great asset for volume output.

I'm probably the only one who likes the CO-AX press for priming. It's certainly not as fast as the bench primer but it very precise and consistent. All my SKS, Garand and M1 Carbine primeing get the CO-AX.

quote:

Originally posted by daboone:
I have 2 favorites.

The RCBS Bench Primer is a great asset for volume output.

I'm probably the only one who likes the CO-AX press for priming. It's certainly not as fast as the bench primer but it very precise and consistent. All my SKS, Garand and M1 Carbine primeing get the CO-AX.

Whatever gets you to loaded cartridges without breaking down in the process is a good thing.

I use a CO-AX now due to too many right hand injuries. The new precision, and high speed tool that I mention in the sister thread to this one will be under the Christmas tree this year.