[viking499]

Is priming by hand better/faster/easier than priming on a press? I currently prime everything on my Rockchucker.

Just wondering if there is a better way.

[Eb1]

I have primed two ways. By a hammer using a Classic Lee Loader, and a Lee Hand Primer. The hand primer sure is quicker than the hammer.

[rcmodel]

Yes, it is better.

I stopped using the on-press priming system on my Rock-Chucker about 1970 something.
I prime everything with an RCBS hand primeing tool.

* It gives you much better feel to tell if the primer is fully seated.
* It makes it possible to tell if you failed to get all the crimp out of GI cases.
* Crushed or partially seated primers are a thing of the past.
* It is faster to dump a box of primers in the feed tray then filling the tubes for the press prime system.
* If you don't fill the tubes, then you handle every primer by hand, which increases the chance of oil contaminating the primers, and takes way more time.
* I can do it at the kitchen table in the evening while watching TV or listening to the wife bitch at me.

In short it's a better faster way to do it.

rc

[Walkalong]

Yes, it is better.
I agree, for at least all those reasons.

[jamesicus]

+1 with rcmodel and Walkalong

[Jbmoney21]

I love it, I use a Lee hand priming tool. I will never go back to priming with a press

[EddieNFL]

Short range ammo gets primed on the progressives. All else with the K&M.

[243winxb]

Priming on a Rock Chucker is faster/easier/as good.:uhoh: But i just run into a NEW problem. :scrutiny: RCBS FL 2010 die will not let you seat a new primer after flrsing & decapping, without running the case mouth into the expander partway. The 1979 die set has the old style expander/decapper, that sits lower in the die, i can speed load with the old 1979 set. Flrs, decap, seat new prime, fast. (you have to know that brass does not need trimming) No, i dont need to clean the pocket. :neener: :D

[dagger dog]

The Lee hand primer is operated with your thumb, that is one digit compared to four which is what it takes to use the RCBS,Hornady, and others.

The less fingers you have on the primer seating tool= better feed back as to the force it takes to bottom out the primer.

[oneounceload]

And I'll disagree with RC and the other hand-primers - I have been reloading the same amount of years and have always used my little RCBS Jr. press with the tubes loading everything from 32 ACP to 7 mag with no issues all these years - works just fine and always has.

[PO2Hammer]

I'll agree hand priming is better, but for me priming on the press is faster. I don't use the pickup tube, I simply drop the primers on the bench to the left of the press and put them in the seater while the press is going up to deprime/resize, then they seat on the down stroke. Leverage is against you, so you can't crush them, and with a smooth press, feel is pretty good.
Avoids a separate step of hand priming or chasing them with the pick up tube.

[BigJakeJ1s]

I didn't get much "feel" from my autoprime after a couple hundred rounds or so; my thumb was numb. I prefer the models with the full hand grip. The RCBS Universal hand primer has a large square tray that the whole factory sleeve will lay flat in. And it does not need shell holders. Works well with my Co-Ax press, which does not need them either.

Andy

[bensdad]

Hand priming is the way to go. I use the RCBS tool. It's awsome. And by the way, when rcmodel and walkalong say the same thing in consecutive posts, it automatically becomes gospel.

PS: I've had a mental image of rcmodel in my head for years now. He was an older guy (late 50's) with his glasses slightly low on his nose... very laid back and paternal. His words in that last post, "listening to the wife bitch at me," completely changed my mental image. :D

[Doug b]

Just wondering if there is a better way.

Sure is,I've used several and so far the Forster co-ax press mounted is the best imho.

[James2]

I have primed on the press and with the RCBS hand primer. Much prefer the hand primer. Good reasons already mentioned.

[Hondo 60]

I hear some say hand priming is better. I don't get it.
I've done it by hand with the Lee hand primer & find that doing it on my press is much faster & much easier.

And high primers are a thing of the past for me.

[ole farmerbuck]

I have a Hornady and RCBS (prefer the Hornady) hand primers but now that i have the LNL's priming perfectly, i use them for feeding the AR's.

[ArchAngelCD]

I use the Lee Safety Primer on my turret press when loading handgun rounds. I use a RCBS hand primer for all my rifle reloads. I was using a Lee hand primer but it's small lever hurt my hand after a shot time loading. The RCBS has a much larger lever.

[qajaq59]

Viking, sorry if this hijacks your thread. But since we're taliking about them maybe someone can help.
I've often thought about using one of the hand primers, but I have arthritis in my thumb. I keep putting off buying one because I'm not sure if I could use it. How hard are they on your thumb when you're priming?
And I shoot mainly rifles if that makes a difference.

[K96771]

I actually use a thumb-over-thumb grip which makes it easier and gives a better feel. Rifle doesn't seem to be any harder.

[Victor1Echo]

I like to hand prime cause it is how I started. I like to reload in two day periods. First day, clean brass, resize, and prime. The next day I load powder and seat the bullet. I have a few presses, but I love to use the Lee Loader.

[Taurus 617 CCW]

I hand prime all cartridges. I like being able to feel the seating depth and having control over the process.

[earlthegoat2]

I use the Lee Classic Loader the majority of the time for my low volume and non match grade "good enough" ammo.

I never prime on it though. I have an RCBS hand primer for that chore and I use it for at least some of the reasons rcmodel uses it above.

There is nothing wrong with using the press to prime. I just think it takes too long and you cannot get a proper feel on the seating.

[b78-22250]

I have been reloading for 30+ years and have used lee wackadie,lee ram prime. lee auto prime and the tube system for the rockchucker. I also have the sinclair hand priming tool. All of these systems work just fine it just depends on the person using it and your needs. Personally for volume I use the auto prime. It is fast and easy with good feel. For my precision loads i use the sinclair tool. Try out the other tools and make up your own mind.Only you know what is best for you. Good luck and good shooting.

[Palehorseman]

I really like the Lee hand primer, but when loading lots of ammo, I love my Dillon's.

[Robert Wilson]

I hand prime rifle cartridges because I rarely load more than 50 at a time and it's easier than setting up the press for the task, especially with the RCBS universal hand tool.

I rarely hand prime handgun cartridges because I am usually loading them by the hundreds on a progressive. While I agree with the theoretical advantages of hand priming, I haven't noticed any problems with primers seated in progressives or with priming rams.

In answer to the question from the arthritic gentleman, the Lee tool is operated by pushing a lever with your thumb. The other tools are operated by wrapping the thumb around a handle and squeezing a lever with the remaining four fingers. Imagine gripping a pistol but activating a long trigger with all four fingers and you will have the right idea.

[bds]

For plinking and range pistol reloads, I don't mind priming on the press but for match and match practice loads that must go bang every round (so as to not take any time penalties for the stage), I hand prime. I recommend hand priming ANY SD/HD JHP loads as you can't afford to have any misfires from high primers (even flush seated primers) in actual shooting situations. Also, hand priming allows you to "feel" better than press priming and easier to identify loose primer pocket cases to discard/recycle.

The Lee hand primer is operated with your thumb, that is one digit compared to four which is what it takes to use the RCBS,Hornady, and others.
Who said you had to use your thumb all the time. My wife/daughter uses their fingers/palm to seat the primers on the Auto Prime.

The less fingers you have on the primer seating tool= better feed back as to the force it takes to bottom out the primer.
I agree. I normally start out with "light" one thumb pressure to make sure I don't have a military crimp primer pocket. Once I "feel" the primer cup has started inside the pocket, I use two thumb pressure to properly seat the primers all the way to the bottom (especially for tight primer pocket cases like S&B) just slightly below the case bottom.

[JimKirk]

I started out priming with a RCBS Rock Chucker, changed to the CoAx primer seater on the CoAx press, tried the Lee hand primer for a very short while and have been with the CoAx ever since.

The RCBS was not very consistent and the Lee killed my thumbs. The CoAx is dead on every time, it is rather slow, but I'd rather have consistency and correctness than speed any day.

Jimmy K

[EddieNFL]

The other tools are operated by wrapping the thumb around a handle and squeezing a lever with the remaining four fingers.

Not all others.

[THe Dove]

I prime all rounds on my RCBS single stage chucker press. Just lazy I guess..... Never had a problem. By the way, my wife bitches too!!! HAHA!!!!!

and she don't care if I hand prime or not!!!! Think about that one amigo's!!!!!!

The Dove

[Offfhand]

Discussions of hand priming are always interesting because of the claimed benefits. But I have to wonder if those who claim such benefits or advantages do so because they can actually prove that seating primers by hand improves cartridge performance/accuracy or are only repeating what they have heard or read. Either way, it seems to me that advocates of seating primers by hand would have opinions of which hand seating tools are the best, but so far I've never seen such comparisons. It would certainly be informative and useful to know which brands and types of hand tools are superior and why. Especially for anyone interested in buying one. I've checked and found a half dozen different makes of hand priming tools and there must be others I missed, so there is a good size selection to buy from and worth knowing about.
Thanks for any input.

[bds]

But I have to wonder if those who claim such benefits or advantages do so because they can actually prove that seating primers by hand improves cartridge performance/accuracy or are only repeating what they have heard or read
Well, many of us hand prime for different reasons, but improved accuracy is not one of them. :D

1) I started out priming on the press, but migrated to hand priming after experiencing a high primer during a match stage in the earlier days of match shooting/reloading. We examined the round and determined it was high primer that caused the misfire and the round fired when rechambered and shot. I told the other match shooters that I inspected the primers to be flush with the case bottom and every one of the match shooters recommended that I hand prime all reloads for match shooting. Hand priming allows better "feel" for when the primer cup is at the bottom of the primer pocket to ensure proper setting of the anvil. Properly seated primer cup is not flush with the case bottom but slightly below.

2) Hand priming allows better "feel" to detect loose primer pockets. Press priming may allow you to detect obviously loose primer pockets, but hand priming will certainly detect all loose primer pockets to be marked ("X" on the bottom of case) for discard/recycling after shooting.

3) Hand priming better detects military crimped primer pockets. On the press, you may crush the primer on the military crimped cases if you are not careful. With the hand priming tool, any initial resistance to seating will alert you to military crimped cases without damaging/crushing the primer. You simply remove the case and continue hand priming the next case.

4) I deprime and resize before I hand prime match loads. Using sized and primed cases on the progressive press allows me to load without any disruption. Since it requires much less effort to work the ram lever (usually 2-3 finger pressure), I can better focus on powder charge/flare of case neck and bullet seat/taper crimp steps.



it seems to me that advocates of seating primers by hand would have opinions of which hand seating tools are the best, but so far I've never seen such comparisons.
It's been done on several threads, try doing a search.

It would certainly be informative and useful to know which brands and types of hand tools are superior and why. Especially for anyone interested in buying one.
I agree. Although I have used Lee Auto Prime with great success over the years (I am one of few rare users who have yet to break a handle on the Auto Prime - most common cause for breakage I have seen is military crimped cases), I would recommend the RCBS hand priming tool with universal shell holder and square primer tray. Compared to the Lee tool, RCBS model has better seating/leverage system, more ergonomic handle, adjustable shell holder that does not require different/proprietary shell holders, and square primer tray that allows you to dump primers right from the factory primer trays. If I ever wear out/break the Auto Prime, I may pick up the RCBS tool.

I still do prime on my press for plinking/range loads. I only hand prime match and match practice loads because I cannot afford to take time penalties for misfires.

Recently, my sister wanted 1000 40S&W duplicate factory JHP rounds to practice her new pistol with. All of the rounds were hand primed.

[pcwirepro]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=530347

There's a recent poll on the matter. I wonder if many of those who own progressives but still prime by hand have good, calibrated equipment. If I still owned a Lee progressive I would definitely prime by hand. Although your post wasn't directed to progressive users, many of the same priming issues apply. Now if you're loading primers on your Rockchucker one at a time then hand priming certainly makes sense.

[Walkalong]

I couldn't care less how well my progressive will or will not prime, I am going to hand prime. I prefer it, and I can instantly tell if it is primed well with my high tech carefully calibrated thumb.

[rcmodel]

do so because they can actually prove that seating primers by hand improves cartridge performance/accuracy or are only repeating what they have heard or read I did so because I got tired of slam-fires & doubling scaring the scap out of me on my first AR-15 in 1970 something.

I found out smashing primers in with my Rock-Chucker priming arm made some of them too sensitive to use in a semi-auto rifle.

Once I bought the RCBS hand priming tool and started using it, I have never had another AR-15 double on me in 35 more years.

Now, is that improved cartridge performance?
Or am I only repeating what I have heard or read?

rc

[FROGO207]

I have tried both hand and on the press. I think that hand priming is faster, it certainly is for me and that what matters. Others will tell you what they like best and you will decide what you want to do. I like the Lee primer the best and it is really inexpensive also, in fact I purchased two of them. I leave one set up for small and one for large primers. I now have almost a whole set of spare parts besides.:cool: Also if I break one I still can work until I get the other repaired or replaced. I think my handgun grip is better now with all that squeezing on my priming tool as well.:D Almost forgot....a little hard grease on the pivot points of the tool worked a minor miracle on the pressure problems that others complain about. Keep it away from the push pin however.

[Clark]

http://www.forsterproducts.com/product_images/catalog19938/Co_Ax_press_Primer_Seater.jpg

I use a Forster priming tool, but I do not charge the tubes with the tool.

I use a milled out RCBS primer tray lid, clamped with a clothes pin like clamp to the tube.

I can load a whole 100 piece tray of primers into the tubes fast, and prime the cases fast.

[Metalbender]

I have been hand priming for 23 yrs using the Lee and also the Rcbs as of the last 2 years I really like both units they haved served me well and prime as fast as you can place a case in them

[The Bushmaster]

I like my Lee Auto Prime II. I've been using it for the last 25 years. You can keep your hand priming systems. I have no problem "feeling" the primer seat.

For one of the first times I have to disagree with rcmodel and Walkalong.

[GW Staar]

Discussions of hand priming are always interesting because of the claimed benefits. But I have to wonder if those who claim such benefits or advantages do so because they can actually prove that seating primers by hand improves cartridge performance/accuracy or are only repeating what they have heard or read. Either way, it seems to me that advocates of seating primers by hand would have opinions of which hand seating tools are the best, but so far I've never seen such comparisons. It would certainly be informative and useful to know which brands and types of hand tools are superior and why. Especially for anyone interested in buying one. I've checked and found a half dozen different makes of hand priming tools and there must be others I missed, so there is a good size selection to buy from and worth knowing about.
Thanks for any input.

Not many of us are going to buy each and every brand of hand primer, but they are all similar in operation. Where they differ is in:
1. ergonomics, (comfort and ease of use)
2. Primer feeding, whether or not they are designed to feed one at a time, out of a tray, or using APS strips, and...
3. shell holders (some use their own, some use generic press shellholders, and then RCBS has two models which employ universal shell holders.

I have used the Lee version for 40 years. Liked it just fine. Then I went and upgraded my reloading operation with an RCBS progressive press that uses the APS strips. I now buy my primers (CCI) in strips except for when I don't or can't (don't when I want to try other combinations...couldn't for a while after our King was elected.:fire:)

Anyway, I thought I'd try RCBS's ultimate hand primer tool, the APS version with the Universal shell holder (APS for obvious reasons).

Personally I think it's better than my tried and true Lee on several points:

1. If you have a bunch of boxes of stripped primers on hand it's hands down faster than anything else...except maybe the bench or press mounted tool of the same kind (APS)
2. It's safer. You can never have a primer explosion even using primer brands that Lee says not to use in their tool. No flipped or doubled primers either.
3. It's way more comfortable to use than the Lee. You wrap your hand around the body(under the thumb) and use fingers on the lever or vice-versa. Lee was designed to be thumb operated (in spite of the fact you can do it uncomfortably, with fingers, two thumbs or what ever)
4. No shell holders to change...the universal is simple and works as advertised.

Now if you really want to find out what tool is the best one, then you'll have to try them all. As for me, I gave away my Lee tool to a good home.

The one I have now is better, easier, faster, and safer. That was a good day when it arrived from Midway.:)

For those who are curious, you might check out my AR15.com thread where I was asked to review my new find. http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=6&f=42&t=317450

[Walkalong]

I retired my Lee hand primer after getting my RCBS. I liked both, but I liked the RCBS better.

I like to hand prime. (Which tool doesn't matter and would be another discussion) I also size in one run (then hand prime), and then load in another run without the sizer. Some folks think that is nuts, and that's OK by me. :cool:

[Jimfern]

I too have been using the RCBS hand primer with APS strips and I recommend it. I also got the RCBS tools to load your own APS strips which probably doesn't save much time overall.

[Red Cent]

Don't disagree with any handprimers but.....HOLY COW! hope you don't shoot over a few thousand a year. I quit handpriming when I went from a stickshift to an automatic. :evil: I do handprime for me 38-55. Thats it. My junked up man cave. It would take forever to handprime what I shoot.

[jcwit]

Don't disagree with any handprimers but.....HOLY COW! hope you don't shoot over a few thousand a year. I quit handpriming when I went from a stickshift to an automatic. I do handprime for me 38-55. Thats it. My junked up man cave. It would take forever to handprime what I shoot.

Please inform us of how many rounds you shoot a year. Up to 2 years ago I shot in th 10 to 20 thousand rounds a year and all were hand primed. A friend of mine shoots more than I to this day and hand primes all cases. Just when does it become to many to hand prime.

[GW Staar]

I retired my Lee hand primer after getting my RCBS. I liked both, but I liked the RCBS better.

I like to hand prime. (Which tool doesn't matter and would be another discussion) I also size in one run (then hand prime), and then load in another run without the sizer. Some folks think that is nuts, and that's OK by me. :cool:

I don't think it's nuts at all. You know how deep each primer is set as you seat it. Most progressive presses can't guarantee primer depth, especially when pockets may not be uniform depths or have rounded bottoms. Since shooting gas guns are so popular these days, and primer depth so important for them, I'd say you are just being safe...and smart. Smart because when primers are loaded progressively and while inspecting a box of .223, or .308, you find some high primers, whatcha gonna do...pull bullets or do something dangerously unwise.:rolleyes:

That said, I do use my RCBS 2000 primer system, but only with brass uniformed with a primer pocket uniforming tool in my Trim Mate...and only because my RCBS progressive has an adjustable stop screw that is a repeatable depth gauge.

I use my hand primer for decrimped military brass (if a pocket once in a while is too tight, I ream it a tad more and press the primer in). That same scenario in any progressive is a real PITA.

I also use the hand primer when I load single stage, and there are several calibers that I still load on the Rock Chucker.

[alfack]

I think the Forster Co-ax does the best job and will use it for rifle rounds. The Dillon 550B works quite well enough for pistol cartridges. Never had the inclination to try a hand primer, but I would be willing to bet the Forster seats them more consistently.

[bds]

you find some high primers, whatcha gonna do...pull bullets or do something dangerously unwise
If you find high primers, you can always seat them deeper with a hand primer (make sure to tip the primer tray away so there's no primer on top of the priming rod) - very easy and quick.


I would be willing to bet the Forster seats them more consistently.
It is not consistency of seating depth, as different head stamp cases and lots may have varying primer pocket depth, but seating each primer to the bottom of the primer pocket to properly set the anvil in the primer cup. What I found from other match shooters with various progressive presses is that in an effort to seat primers deep, they put extra effort in press priming, only to result in crushed or flattened primers. You do not want to crush or flatten primer cups as the anvil will penetrate into the priming compound.

You just can't get the same type of "feel" on the press priming compared to hand priming. All the serious seasoned match shooters I know hand prime all of their match loads - you lose a stage because of a misfire caused by an improperly seated primer, you'll switch to hand priming. For plinking or range load, press priming would be fine as absolute primer ignition is not critical. I would also hand prime any/all SD/HD loads as they must go bang every round.

Hand priming, on the other hand, absolutely allows you to seat the primer all the way to the bottom of the primer pocket without crushing or flattening the primer cup, thereby properly setting the primer cup anvil.

This is what Forster Products (http://www.forsterproducts.com/store.asp?pid=24822&catid=19938) has to say about proper primer seating.
The following three drawings illustrate the critical nature of accurate primer seating.

Illus. 1: IMPROPERLY SEATED - This primer is improperly seated, preventing the cups of the primers from resting solidly on the bottom of the primer. Some primer cups measure .120” in height, and if seated with crowns more than .004” below the case head, the anvil would be forced through the crown, rendering the primer useless.

Illus. 2: IMPROPERLY SEATED - This primer is improperly seated too high. A high primer is erratic in performance. It is also dangerous and could explode in the chamber of a rifle when the breech block closes on it before it is locked.

Illus. 3: PROPERLY SEATED - This primer is properly seated, exactly as it would be with our Co-Ax® Reloading Press. The crown is .004” below the surface of the case head; the anvils are on the bottom of the primer well; and the primer mix is properly stressed by the anvil for sensitivity. It is also much safer than either of the two seated primers shown above.
http://www.forsterproducts.com/client_images/catalog19938/pages/images/press_art2.gif

[Walkalong]

Theoretically, you can seat a primer too deep, often referred to as "crushing" the primer. In reality that is very hard to do to the point it will not fire.

I was told once, "If the primer goes bang, you do not have a problem". (Allen Hall)

I believe that. I seated every primer in my bench gun with a Sinclair hand priming tool. It was very easy to get them all just right, but I have experimented with seating them very hard and could never tell a difference. (I still seated them just right for matches. ;))

What must happen for a primer to fire is crushing some priming compound between the anvil and the cup. I suppose if you seated one hard enough, you could squeeze all the priming compound from between the anvil and cup to the point where it would not fire, but I have not been able to do it.

The other issue is sensitivity. The primer is more sensitive seated hard than if seated light. In some applications, such as loading for AR's, Garands, etc, overly sensitive primers is not a good thing.

All that said, I hand prime for other reasons as well as the fact that I feel it does a great job. I like leaving the process out of the actual loading.

[bds]

the anvil would be forced through the crown, rendering the primer useless.
Walkalong, I have crushed or flattened plenty of primers on the press in past years and they all shot fine. They were all Winchester nickel plated (silver) primers though.

I have noticed the newer "bronze or brass" primer cups are softer than the nickel plated ones and the PMC "E" small pistol brass primer cups are even softer to the point where I can flatten them with the hand priming tool. If the primer depth adjustment on the press allowed really deep seating, I could imagine PMC "E" anvil going all the way to the crown of the cup.

I haven't press primed the PMC "E" SP primers as I press prime LP primers, but could do an experiment.

[The Bushmaster]

Well now I can agree with Walkalong again. I use a single stage press to resize all my cases and use the same press to prime them. Then I use a turret to complete the rest of the procedures...And you can call me "nuts" too.

[alfack]

It is not consistency of seating depth, as different head stamp cases and lots may have varying primer pocket depth, but seating each primer to the bottom of the primer pocket to properly set the anvil in the primer cup. What I found from other match shooters with various progressive presses is that in an effort to seat primers deep, they put extra effort in press priming, only to result in crushed or flattened primers. You do not want to crush or flatten primer cups as the anvil will penetrate into the priming compound.

You just can't get the same type of "feel" on the press priming compared to hand priming. All the serious seasoned match shooters I know hand prime all of their match loads - you lose a stage because of a misfire caused by an improperly seated primer, you'll switch to hand priming. For plinking or range load, press priming would be fine as absolute primer ignition is not critical. I would also hand prime any/all SD/HD loads as they must go bang every round.

Hand priming, on the other hand, absolutely allows you to seat the primer all the way to the bottom of the primer pocket without crushing or flattening the primer cup, thereby properly setting the primer cup anvil.


I agree with the primer seating theory. I think it is very easy to feel when the primer makes contact with the case on the Forster, however. It is a better feel than progressives.

[Walkalong]

the anvil would be forced through the crown, rendering the primer useless.
Walkalong, I have crushed or flattened plenty of primers on the press in past years and they all shot fine. They were all Winchester nickel plated (silver) primers though.
That wasn't my quote bds, and I said the same thing, I have never managed to seat a primer so hard it did not fire.

[oneounceload]

Seems kinda funny to me that folks with progressive presses go to great lengths to do half the steps off the press either by hand or some other machine

[pcwirepro]

Seems kinda funny to me that folks with progressive presses go to great lengths to do half the steps off the press either by hand or some other machine I couldn't agree more. I have a Lee hand primer that looks cool on the rack but I sure don't want to use it. I get great feel from the LNL system. It primes at the end of the upstroke of the lever where there is little mechanical advantage. I can tell immediately of there's a loose primer pocket. The anvil has a shoulder/stop on it that precisely seats the primer a couple thousandths below flush. I have a bit of carpel tunnel so hand priming os of no interest to me even if it is more precise.

My comments from a recent poll: WOW! What a hilarios notion.
To prime off the press to me is preposterous. Especially those of you with LNL machines (you too Mr. Walkalong, with all do respect Sir) that are still priming off press must have found the fountain of youth, and in doing so, now have an unlimited amount of time. Why in heavens name would you abandon what I find to be an almost Griswold proof priming system. I started with Lee presses and almost said "maybe I should prime off the press" and then I extracted my head from that dark place, sent all the Lee stuff back and ordered a LNL. Thousands of rounds later I have not had a single tipped primer or issue with that Russian crap I pick up at the range. For those of you having priming issues with your LNL (and I'm not saying that's what the OP was getting at) you need to make a call to Hornady! Period!

For those of you without a Wife, Kids, Grandchildren, church, yardwork or other outlet that could use an hour or two of your time, that are still priming off press... carry on.

[jamesicus]

From a recent posting of mine:
I am one old fogey sitting back and enjoying life - my reloading is carried out in the most leisurely and relaxed fashion. Now in my eighties, I shoot just twenty rounds from one of my rifles during each range session. The way I figure it, if I spend as much time shooting the bull about marksmanship, rifles, ammunition and equipment as I do actually shooting at targets, then that is a great afternoon of shooting. Because of all this, I only hand load twenty cartridges during a session. I use 0000 grade steel wool to clean each case by hand as I inspect them. I decap, resize and seat bullets in an ancient RCBS single stage press, seat primers by hand and individually weigh each powder charge using an equally ancient RCBS balance beam scale. I don't keep track of time when I reload - life is wonderful.

I do enjoy hand priming.

[jcwit]

For those of you without a Wife, Kids, Grandchildren, church, yardwork or other outlet that could use an hour or two of your time, that are still priming off press... carry on.

Well, I have a wife, she also shoots, no kids at home anymore, grandkids, but I let the parants raise them, they seem to be doing fine, church, sorry to admit but I seldom go, yardwork? very little to do and god does take very good care of the back 40, ect., ect.

CARRY ON--Yes I shall continue to do that, and also prime by hand.

Frankly I second jamesicus theory, and yes life is wonderful.

[Walkalong]

Why in heavens name would you abandon what I find to be an almost Griswold proof priming system.
Cause I like it that way, haven't you read my posts? :D

[oneounceload]

Of course, the reason I got rid of my progressive press was the priming system, so maybe they realize the issues, but then why spend the money on that set up? I can reload in batches that let me check everything, and make sure everything is just right. But then, I don't need to reload a bazillion rounds an hour because I don't spray and pray a bazillion rounds an hour

[qajaq59]

I think maybe some of the decision as to hand prime or not might depend on whether we are priming rifle brass or pistol brass? Are many of you that hand prime doing rifle ammo? Just curious.....

[Walkalong]

I hand prime it all. It's a leisurely task when I am bored etc. No hurry.

I almost always have primed brass for any given caliber ready to load. If I am in a hurry, I can use that pre-sized/primed brass, but if not, and I'm usually not, I prime the recently tumbled cases so I can load them.

[Sidewinder72]

I think the RCBS hand priming tool is the only way to go. I have one set up for small and one for large. Very fast and uniform. I love mine!

[bds]

Regardless of various arguments and information presented, I think hand priming is one of those reloading steps that some reloaders may choose to do based on their individual preferences.

Although I am content with tumbling range brass for about 30 minutes to get them clean, some other reloaders need them to tumble for 1-2+ hours for the extra shine. The two reloaded rounds will shoot either way, but the extra shine may just put more "pride and satisfaction" to the reloader who "chose" to tumble for the extra shine. Do I mind whether that reloader put the extra effort? No, not at all.

Similar situation for the hand priming of cases. For most of circumstances, press priming will seat the primers well enough to ignite. Heck, I press prime LP primers because 45ACP is not my match caliber now, and they shoot fine for me (If 45ACP was my match caliber again, I would hand prime 45 cases). But someone like Walkalong who choose to hand prime all the cases earns my respect because his individual preference may be to put the extra effort into the reloading steps for more "price and satisfaction" of reloading.

15 years ago, I started reloading because of pure economics of not being able to afford factory ammunition for match shooting. Back then, I didn't particularly enjoy reloading as much as shooting. I reloaded because I wanted to shoot and pursued the methods that got me the most number of rounds in a shortest time frame. As years passed, I began to enjoy reloading more and more. Now, sometimes I wonder if I shoot just so I can reload?

Also, in those years, I found myself slowing down and focusing more on quality instead of quantity. I can understand and appreciate Walkalong's perspective of not wanting to compromise anything in the reloading steps. There are some reloaders I know who will reload revolver rounds only in single stage presses even though they have several progressive presses. They feel that semi-auto rounds reloaded in progressive presses are fine, but not for their revolvers.

Reloading for me is a hobby and a growing passion. Now, I no longer have to reload for economic reasons, I reload because I enjoy the reloading process - it's relaxing and therapeutic. For me, hand priming is one of the reloading steps that I can do while watching TV, so it is not "extra" time I have to add to my reloading process.

There are definite benefits of hand priming, but some reloaders may not be able to afford the time or the extra effort. As long as your rounds go bang, your gun may not care either.

Peace. :D

[viking499]

Which RCBS primer is better? The one that you switch shellholders or the universal shellholder model?

[Robert Wilson]

I prefer the universal model. I have not been able to get it to work with .45 Auto Rim, for some reason, which is why I haven't given away the standard one. The universal works for everything else I use, pistol or rifle.

[BigJakeJ1s]

The Universal model has a larger, easier to use, square tray. RCBS offers a square tray upgrade kit for the standard (conventional shell holder) model, but does not sell the standard model with the square tray. (Robert, you might want to look into that, since the trays are interchangeable.)

Andy

[OrangePwrx9]

And I'll disagree with RC and the other hand-primers - I have been reloading the same amount of years and have always used my little RCBS Jr. press with the tubes loading everything from 32 ACP to 7 mag with no issues all these years - works just fine and always has.
I agree with oneounceload. Press priming can be better (much better) on the RIGHT press. I've got two presses that prime perfectly; an RCBS Jr and an RCBS RS. Both are from the late '70s and appear identical except for the model ID. Neither have the modern, high-leverage toggle link mechanism. Both give me much better seating feel than my Lee hand primer ever did.

I've owned the RCBS RS for 30 years. It's the press I started reloading on. Found the Jr. on ebay a year ago. Gave away my Lee hand primer after using it for a couple of years. Couldn't see the value in it.

Seating primers on a toggle-link press is a waste of time, in my experience. Too much leverage and no feel. Since almost all current presses are of toggle-link design (everyone's gotta be able to resize them .338 Win Mag. cases, doncha know!), the hand primer gets the nod.

Looks like the press manufacturers have made hand primers a necessity where they weren't before. But there's always ebay...if you know what you're looking for...
Bob

[rfwobbly]

Anybody see that Midway has their Lee hand primer on sale this month for under $13 ??

[GW Staar]

Anybody see that Midway has their Lee hand primer on sale this month for under $13 ??
Last month the RCBS APS Hand Priming Tool was on sale there, for $46. :)

[FROGO207]

I see some heated debate here and like the other side's answers. It's not easy being me.:scrutiny: I also will always do it my way.:cool: Hope your way works best for you.:D

[Offfhand]

In early May I traveled to the NRA convention in Charlotte, NC. It was quite an experience and I recommend that everyone who owns a gun go to similar conventions whenever they are within travel distance. I attended several of the workshops, which were all worthwhile with recognized experts discussing their respective fields. At one of the meetings there was a discussion of internet gun and shooting forums and one of the speakers writes for the NRA magazines. He said he was collecting the frequently incorrect, often ludicrous and even dangerous gun information being spread on the internet and was writing an article about it. He requested that the audience help collect such items and he would incorporate them in his article. Which I am doing, and am forwarding all the above comments on this thread. He said he will not use real names or screen names, so don't worry. But look for yourselves in upcoming article.

[GW Staar]

In early May I traveled to the NRA convention in Charlotte, NC. It was quite an experience and I recommend that everyone who owns a gun go to similar conventions whenever they are within travel distance. I attended several of the workshops, which were all worthwhile with recognized experts discussing their respective fields. At one of the meetings there was a discussion of internet gun and shooting forums and one of the speakers writes for the NRA magazines. He said he was collecting the frequently incorrect, often ludicrous and even dangerous gun information being spread on the internet and was writing an article about it. He requested that the audience help collect such items and he would incorporate them in his article. Which I am doing, and am forwarding all the above comments on this thread. He said he will not use real names or screen names, so don't worry. But look for yourselves in upcoming article.

Please send this one too, so he can see what a nice guy you are. If you cared about anyone on this forum but yourself, you'd share the vast superior knowledge you've obviously been blessed with, and help correct the ludicrous and dangerous gun information you see, instead of rolling your eyes and keeping it to yourself.

[bds]

He said he was collecting the frequently incorrect, often ludicrous and even dangerous gun information being spread on the internet and was writing an article about it.
Offhand, you have my endorsement as I have read too many other gun forum threads that suggest over pressure loads and never cleaning Glocks are "OK" things to do. :eek:

I think, for the most part, posters/moderators on THR (especially on this thread category) try to recommend safe reloading practices and not exceed published load data.

Offhand:
But I have to wonder if those who claim such benefits or advantages do so because they can actually prove that seating primers by hand improves cartridge performance/accuracy or are only repeating what they have heard or read

Well, many of us hand prime for different reasons, but improved accuracy is not one of them.

1) I started out priming on the press, but migrated to hand priming after experiencing a high primer during a match stage in the earlier days of match shooting/reloading. We examined the round and determined it was high primer that caused the misfire and the round fired when rechambered and shot. I told the other match shooters that I inspected the primers to be flush with the case bottom and every one of the match shooters recommended that I hand prime all reloads for match shooting. Hand priming allows better "feel" for when the primer cup is at the bottom of the primer pocket to ensure proper setting of the anvil. Properly seated primer cup is not flush with the case bottom but slightly below.

2) Hand priming allows better "feel" to detect loose primer pockets. Press priming may allow you to detect obviously loose primer pockets, but hand priming will certainly detect all loose primer pockets to be marked ("X" on the bottom of case) for discard/recycling after shooting.

3) Hand priming better detects military crimped primer pockets. On the press, you may crush the primer on the military crimped cases if you are not careful. With the hand priming tool, any initial resistance to seating will alert you to military crimped cases without damaging/crushing the primer. You simply remove the case and continue hand priming the next case.

4) I deprime and resize before I hand prime match loads. Using sized and primed cases on the progressive press allows me to load without any disruption. Since it requires much less effort to work the ram lever (usually 2-3 finger pressure), I can better focus on powder charge/flare of case neck and bullet seat/taper crimp steps.

[GW Staar]

Offhand, you have my endorsement as I have read too many other gun forum threads that suggest over pressure loads and never cleaning Glocks are "OK" things to do. :eek:

I think, for the most part, posters/moderators on THR (especially on this thread category) try to recommend safe reloading practices and not exceed published load data.

I don't have a problem with correcting unsafe practices, in fact I think it's a duty for those who know better! I do have a problem with a post that in effect says, "everybody is an idiot but me," and then offers nothing in the thread to "save" readers who might take those unsafe practices as gospel.

Show me one post advocating unsafe practices within either of the two threads he posted his "offfhanded" negative remark...then show me any rebuttal to those "unsafe" practices in the thread by Mr. Offfhanded.

[Walkalong]

I did not notice an unsafe practices being endorsed in this thread (Although I could have missed something), just a lot of varied preferences for how to prime ones cases. There is more than one way to safely prime cases after all.

[bds]

I did say "other gun forum" ... :D

Yes, I do agree that this thread did not say either press or hand priming was dangerous, just different ways to prime with one process going a step farther than other to ensure reliable primer ignition.

[bds]

I did say "other gun forum" ... :D

Yes, I do agree that this thread did not say either press or hand priming was unsafe, just different ways to prime with one process going a step further than other to ensure reliable primer ignition.

[HOWARD J]

I started on a rockchucker.
Then on a Dillion & a RCBS auto priming tool
Then some on a Lee 3 hole turret.
Today : RCBS auto priming tool only....................

[GW Staar]

I did say "other gun forum" ... :D

Yes, I do agree that this thread did not say either press or hand priming was unsafe, just different ways to prime with one process going a step further than other to ensure reliable primer ignition.

Yet...Mr. Offfhanded's post insinuated that this thread contained posts thatadvocated methods that are dangerous and unsafe. Did you see any of those?

[yds1000two]

I perfer to prime with a Hand Primer. got my hands on a new 21st Century Shooting Priming Tool. It uses Lee trays, has a dial on the side of the body to adjust ramrod length. Primer seating presure is adjustable - excellent feedback or feel. It has a safety screw that only allows one primer to be seated at a time.
What a nice piece.:) JR

[Wildkow]

This . . .

http://21stcenturyshooting.com/Priming_Tool.php

http://21stcenturyshooting.com/images/dsc04533_qrvc_el7s.jpghttp://21stcenturyshooting.com/images/hand_priming_tool1.jpg

Use your exsiting LEE Priming Trays (Large and Small). Adjustable primer depth sensivity. Built in safety device that will only allow one primer to be seated at a time.
Uses LEE priming tool shell holders or 21st Century Shooting Inc specially designed brass shell holders to cradle your brass.

Included: - four 21st Century Shooting Brass Shell Holders-
#2, #4, #5, M and PPC
-wrench

Price: $79.99

[mdemetz]

Seen Lee's latest?
http://factorysales.com/html/xcart/AUTO-PRIME.html

Picture with Federal (http://factorysales.com/) primers.

[RidgwayCO]

Well, just to be completely different, I prime all my cases (pistol and rifle) with the older-style RCBS hand priming tools, both updated with square primer trays. I especially like the new square tray because it doesn't roll around, and the larger Wolf primer carriers will fit inside (unlike the round trays).

When I started reloading many years ago, I used the Lee hand priming tool in the 35th (?) Anniversary Kit. It worked fine, until the handle broke after a couple of months. I wasn't too excited about buying another if they were going to break like that, so I tried the RCBS hand priming tool. I still have it 20 years later, and use it exclusively for small primers.

I then tried the RCBS universal model when it was introduced, and found I didn't care for the universal shellholder. It actually made getting the case a little more difficult to get out of the shellholder, and I found myself dropping cases when trying to extract them. My shooting buddy loves it however, so it must agree with some people.

I then purchased another of the older-style RCBS hand priming tools, and use it only with large primers. I guess it really isn't necessary to have two, but I like the convenience of not having to swap out the plastic primer guide bits. And of course if one breaks for whatever reason I have a handy spare that can be used until the broken one is replaced.

Maybe priming on the press is better, and maybe it's worse. I'm firmly convinced that, for most people, what they use is "what's best"...