How do YOU fill primer tubes?

[Tilos]

Ok, it seems I offended some people recently in suggesting changing to a tube type priming system on an RCBS Pro 2000 and I'm sorry for that.
I too have an RCBS press (old) but it uses tubes, not APS primer strips.

I'm not sure, but after watching vids at http://ultimatereloader.com/ I believe most primers not factory loaded in APS strips still need to go through a flip tray/load operation.
As the flip tray is used in both APS and tube methods, here's how I load 100 SPP primers from a flip tray, into a tube, in about 5-10 seconds.

What I use:
Lee Auto Prime small primer tray and cover
RCBS small primer tube
Sonic tooth brush??

I have spread out the fingers on the slotted end of the primer tube so a primer will easily slide into the tube.
The primer tube is a slip fit in the slot on the tray and prefectly aligns underneath the primer hole "east/west", but requires a shim to align the tube/hole in the other direction ("north/south").
At first I used 2 thicknesses of cardboard to shim the tube and never have changed it.

So, starting with the primers flipped and the tray cover in place, place the tube under and aligned with the primer tray hole, and hold the Sonic toothbrush HANDLE against the tray.
The vibrating primers quickly fill the tube.
This beats poking at the primers with the end of the tube.

No Sonic toothbrush, shaking will work too but may take a few more SECONDS!
Don't have a Lee Auto Prime, Lee sells replacement parts seperately.

How do you fill primer tubes??

Here's some upside down pics:

 

[Red Cent]

Great idea. This one used to be produced. Kinda like a Pro Lee 1000, tinker a little and you can load 100 primers into a Dillon in about 40-50 seconds. Starting with opening the box. Really! It comes LP and SP tubes.

 

[oneounceload]

Use the green plastic primer flip tray I have had for 30 years, then fill the tube - goes on the RCBS press - no biggie

 

[Tilos]

oneounceload:

Yeh, I remember poking the end of the tube at 100 primers in the flip tray too.

Man, I really miss that, and when that tray "oil canned" and flips the primers the wrong way, that was the most fun.
YMMV
Thanks for reading and responding to this thread.

 

[Tilos]

Red Cent:
Thanks...who knew someone made one!
It looks like it says Franklin Ars.
Do they still make such a thing?

 

[jmorris]

I had a vibraprime, once they quit making them people went nuts on Ebay so I sold the one I had and got a Dillon tube filler. Hands free, I load about 30 rounds while it fills a new tube with 100 primers.

 

[Tilos]

jmorris:
I went to Dillon's site and looked at that tube feeder.
Nice, but a little pricey for me.

 

[oneounceload]

Tilos - have NEVER had an issue with my stuff - either rifle or pistol - those zinc tubes have served me well for 3 decades.................really can't complain.............

 

[wally]

Same FA Vibraprime as RedCent. Works great once you get the hang of it! Way better than the flipper tray and playing pac-man with the Dillion tubes!

Shame they have been discontinued.

 

[Randy1911]

I have found that stabbing the primers while in the primer container tray works for me. The ones upside down I leave in the tray and when done I slide the cover back on and flip the tray and slide out and they are right side up. It works best with small primers. I still use the flipper for large primers. I like the Dillon flipper tray because it is made of metal and doesn't bounce the primers when stabbing them making them bounce over like the plastic trays do.

 

[Glock20]

Why FA stopped making the Vibra-Prime is a good question. I was bidding on one on eBay about 6 months ago and it went for over $100.00.

I think someone here on THR contacted Midway a while back and asked why they aren't making them now, and the reply was not enough interest. I aint buying that....

If anyone comes across one that they don't need, let me know.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

mmorris posted about making his own vibraprime.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=510989

 

[jmorris]

jmorris:
I went to Dillon's site and looked at that tube feeder.
Nice, but a little pricey for me.

Was for me too untill some guy paid $150 for the plastic vibraprime I had. I wish I had a truck load of them for the price they were selling for.

 

[Tilos]

Jesse Haywood:

I watched that vid, like the concept and may do some more work to improve what I use now.
What I have pictured here works about the same except I used a vibrating tooth brush and jmorris used a vibrating engraver.

The 1st thing I'll do is buy those new square trays from Lee.
I could have made a viduhoh:yeh, right) but wanted to put this out there quickly, instead of burying it in the "tricks" thread.

Tube fed priming just got an implied bad rap as being old school in the electronic counter for APS strip priming thread, and I wanted to show a way to fill the tubes, other than stabbing at primers in a tray.

It's simple, can be improved upon I'm sure, and I hope, gives others ideas to use stuff gathering dust somewhere.

Thanks to all who have posted here...don't stop, keep 'em coming.

 

[Shimitup]

I flip em with my old Lee tail light lens.

 

[Tilos]

Shimitup:
Iknow but...
Did you know you can skip that flipper thing by placing an empty primer plastic thing over the full package and just flip it over?
Then just put them in the TOP for that flipper tray...no tail light lens needed.
I know...that's just crazy.

Thanks for reading/posting

 

[Tilos]

Oneounceload:
WoW, zinc tubes, what a concept.
Mine are all aluminum...there's my problem
Zinc, really?

 

[GW Staar]

Jesse Haywood:

Tube fed priming just got an implied bad rap as being old school in the electronic counter for APS strip priming thread, and I wanted to show a way to fill the tubes, other than stabbing at primers in a tray.

Tilos, I didn't mean to imply any such thing. I only meant its old school for a Pro 2000 user. It's just that APS works great enough, as supplied with the RCBS machine, that one would be silly to spend good component money to by a conversion kit. If I had any other press, I'd be trying your idea to vibra-fill my tubes! Obviously, a great idea. Another vibrator source possibility that might work would be an old cell phone vibrator. Just don't let the cell phone company have your old one. My first choice would probably be the toothbrush as you use, as old ones ready to be thrown out, have to be a common item...maybe send the kids out on a neighborhood scavenger hunt with old electric tooth brush, and old inactive cell phone on the list.

Good Thread.

 

[Rico567]

Great idea. This one used to be produced. Kinda like a Pro Lee 1000, tinker a little and you can load 100 primers into a Dillon in about 40-50 seconds. Starting with opening the box. Really! It comes LP and SP tubes.

I was lucky enough to get one of these Vibra-Primes from Midway....don't think they're made any more. This thing is the shiznit for loading Dillon primer tubes! It originally cost $20-25, and as was said, loads 100 primers in under 30 seconds. Compare that with Dillon's complicated $230 machine (not that there's anything wrong with that, I'm just not made of money).

 

[Tilos]

Rico567:
$230...you wish
How about $309 plus $45 for the 2nd size for that Dillon thing, ouch.
Thanks for posting

Primer stabers repent.
Should we start primer stabber's anonymous?
Hi, my name is John and I'm a primer stabber

 

[snuffy]

I got a vibra-prime a couple of years ago. About when I got the dillon 650. I had nothing but problems with it, constantly doing 2-3 primers upside down in each 100 count tube. That is WHEN it actually fed primers into the tubes, constantly hanging up! It gets real old having to pull shells apart with upside down primers in them. No way to see it as they're being primed.

I came on some forum, maybe this one, with my lament about the lousy performance. Somebody said,"send it to me! So I did! Now I wish I still had it, IF it's worth $100.00!

Yes, I'm a nit picking primer stabber. No way around it! BUT, I may try the Tilos cure, I have a couple lee trays around AND a battery operated massager for the vibration part of it.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

Green plastic tray for me.

 

[Rico567]

I got a vibra-prime a couple of years ago. About when I got the dillon 650. I had nothing but problems with it, constantly doing 2-3 primers upside down in each 100 count tube. That is WHEN it actually fed primers into the tubes, constantly hanging up! It gets real old having to pull shells apart with upside down primers in them. No way to see it as they're being primed.

I came on some forum, maybe this one, with my lament about the lousy performance. Somebody said,"send it to me! So I did! Now I wish I still had it, IF it's worth $100.00!

Yes, I'm a nit picking primer stabber. No way around it! BUT, I may try the Tilos cure, I have a couple lee trays around AND a battery operated massager for the vibration part of it.

I had an issue with one of the sides of the Vibra-Prime when I first got it....don't remember whether it was the small or large. I looked at it under a magnifier, and decided that there was a burr -probably some flash from the manufacturing process- on one side. I very carefully trimmed it back with a utility knife, and it worked fine.
The only time I was getting primers turned upside down, I was putting small primers into the Dillon large primer tube.....duh.

 

[HOWARD J]

I use RCBS flip tray--about 40 years.
I'm retired 11 years---no need to rush to something new.
If it ain't broke---don't fix it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tilos]

HOWARD J:
Kevin Rohrer:
All right 2 tube stabbers weighing in.
Glad that's working out for you.
Thanks for posting.

HOWARD J:
WoW, 40 years
How do you surf the net with that IBM Selectra typewriter...what ball do you use for this font?
Thanks again