Which Hand priming tool do you like ?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Lee Ram Prime or an RCBS APS strip primer. The APS primer works best for me with rimless cartridges like .45 ACP.
 
Very pleased with the Frankford Arsenal Platinum Primer. Priming goes quickly as I hold the device at just the right angle so primers feed into the chute, I place cases in the shellholder and then let them fall into the bin. The seat-depth adjustability is nice and the leverage makes seating easy on the hand. Changing the push-pin and shellholder from one primer size to another takes 15 seconds.
 
I’m partial to this K&M it’s built like a tank with good leverage and that’s important to an old guy. I also like the ram primer attachment on the RCBS press.
J
 

Attachments

  • 41C5DD39-532D-48D9-8059-1ECEE78515BF.jpeg
    41C5DD39-532D-48D9-8059-1ECEE78515BF.jpeg
    77 KB · Views: 29
I'm looking for a better one for higher-volume (no Sinclair or K&M). I currently use the RCBS hand-priming tool, and being completely frustrated with both the round and square RCBS trays, I use a white Lee triangle tray with it. I prefer the RCBS that uses shell holders to the RCBS Universal that won't drop primed cases but requires they be plucked out.

I am concerned about a repetitive stress injury. I've suffered tendonitis (tennis elbow) before and it takes a long time to heal. It also affects handgun grip, which makes injury from squeezing a priming tool really counterproductive.

I bought a Lee bench priming tool. The plastic cartridges just don't last. I've been through four of them before I gave up. But it did donate its tray to the RCBS. The RCBS trays have a couple of things to fuss about, but the thing that kills the deal is primers constantly jam and won't flow without shaking it.

I typically prime 150 cases at a time to avoid injury. Otherwise, I'd prime at least 500 or 1000 at a time.
 
I used the Lee bench prime for a while and when it's working, it's hard to beat. The problem is the phrase, when it's working. Went to the RCBS bench prime and couldn't be happier except for loading primers in the tubes one by one. That's a monotonous time consumer.
 
Very pleased with the Frankford Arsenal Platinum Primer. Priming goes quickly as I hold the device at just the right angle so primers feed into the chute, I place cases in the shellholder and then let them fall into the bin. The seat-depth adjustability is nice and the leverage makes seating easy on the hand. Changing the push-pin and shellholder from one primer size to another takes 15 seconds.

Frankford one looks nice, waiting to see if anybody has it and likes it.

I've been using my new Frankford Arsenal hand primer for about a month now, and in my opinion it is an extremely high quality tool. Love the weight and feel & also noticed right away that it's significantly heavier than the basic RCBS hand primer that I had been using for 15 years, which only got replaced because it eventually wouldn't seat my primers deep enough. Absolutely love the depth adjustment on the Frankford tool, easy to set and get those primers just below flush. Comes with all the shell holders needed, and works with Lee shell holders as well. Picked mine up on sale with a birthday discount thrown in, for around $50... however I believe they're worth every bit of the current full retail.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1016958988?pid=582486
 
I use a lee auto bench prime attached to an old wooden cutting board. I can sit there with it on my lap and get a great feel for how each primer is seated
 
I use a lee auto bench prime
Those look like they would work well, and I like that you don't have to hand feed one at a time, I don't mind that for precision rifle rounds, but for 1K of 9MM hand feeding primers one at a time would stink. :)
 
I still use the old round Lee hand primer. When I heard Lee was discontinuing it I got on eBay and stocked up on some complete sets and parts. I’m sure what I have will outlast me!

I’ve tried other brands of hand primers and bench primers and none seems to work as well for me as the “old style Lee”. Sorry to see Lee get lawyered up and change a good thing.
 
Of the tray type hand primers I have the old RCBS is the easiest and fastest. The new version is re-designed with a better primer punch, but poorer leverage, and it is hard on my hands. I had an old Lee that also worked great, but it broke decades ago. The RCBS strip type hand primer works very well, but is also hard on my hand.

The best one I have that you have to hand feed is the 21st Century hand primer. The Grizzly bench primer is also nice, but the 21st Century one is fantastic. The Sinclair is very nice as well, but adjusts with shims where the Grizzly and 21st Century tools are click adjustable.
Thank you I am looking at the 21st Century now because of your post. I had not seen them before .
 
Welcome to THR, CWTISME! :)

Welp, the only hand priming tool with which I have experience is my RCBS 90200 and it does a fine job ... but ... I have always thought that there is bound to be something better "out there".

I am a guy who overworks and breaks those "big spring" hand exercisers on a regular basis, but even I get tired of the manual-hand-primer squeezy-action. :)

View attachment 868735

The only reason that I have not researched replacement hand primers is that I no longer use it very much.
I like that they are not bench mounted and I can take them out of the gun room if I want
 
I've been using my new Frankford Arsenal hand primer for about a month now, and in my opinion it is an extremely high quality tool. Love the weight and feel & also noticed right away that it's significantly heavier than the basic RCBS hand primer that I had been using for 15 years, which only got replaced because it eventually wouldn't seat my primers deep enough. Absolutely love the depth adjustment on the Frankford tool, easy to set and get those primers just below flush. Comes with all the shell holders needed, and works with Lee shell holders as well. Picked mine up on sale with a birthday discount thrown in, for around $50... however I believe they're worth every bit of the current full retail.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1016958988?pid=582486
You guys are starting to sway me to the Frankford Arsenal one
 
I used the Lee bench prime for a while and when it's working, it's hard to beat. The problem is the phrase, when it's working.

I bought a Lee bench priming tool. The plastic cartridges just don't last. I've been through four of them before I gave up.

I use a lee auto bench prime attached to an old wooden cutting board. I can sit there with it on my lap and get a great feel for how each primer is seated

Those look like they would work well, and I like that you don't have to hand feed one at a time.

I ordered a pair of them when they were on sale a couple years back because they were crazy cheap at the time, and I had never tried a bench mounted priming tool. I was in love priming 9mm, 223, & 300blk - but shortly after I started running some military 308 brass through it... which I admit I should of at least chamfered the pockets a little better... I ended up killing it. Didn't feel like I was 'man handling' it too much when it happened...

20191105_211702.jpg
20191105_213621.jpg

I mounted my other remaining one on a separate square sheet of 3/4 plywood and make sure my primer pockets are adequately chamfered. Although I haven't used it since the new Frankford Arsenal unit made it to my bench.
 
Last edited:
I ordered a pair of them when they were on sale a couple years back because they were crazy cheap at the time, and I had never tried a bench mounted priming tool. I was in love priming 9mm, 223, & 300blk - but shortly after I started running some military 308 brass through it... which I admit I should of at least chamfered the pockets a little better... I ended up killing it. Didn't feel like I was 'man handling' it too much when it happened...

View attachment 869910
View attachment 869911

I mounted my other remaining one on a separate square sheet of 3/4 plywood and make sure my primer pockets are adequately chamfered. Although I haven't used it since the new Frankford Arsenal unit made it to my bench.
That doesnt suprise me, for the price and the feel i know its a light duty unit.
 
I like that they are not bench mounted and I can take them out of the gun room if I want
The only time that I use my RCBS Hand Primer Tool is when I am developing some relatively-small loading ladders, usually no more than 100-150.

When I do that I find an entertaining movie (that I have already seen so I don't have to actually watch it, y'know? ;)) to stream while I prime the cases and place them in blocks.

BTW, I use some washers as spacers so that I do not apply too much seating-pressure to the primers.
 
The only time that I use my RCBS Hand Primer Tool is when I am developing some relatively-small loading ladders, usually no more than 100-150.

When I do that I find an entertaining movie (that I have already seen so I don't have to actually watch it, y'know? ;)) to stream while I prime the cases and place them in blocks.

BTW, I use some washers as spacers so that I do not apply too much seating-pressure to the primers.
I’m confused
A small ladder to you is a 100-150 rounds?
Also is your hand priming tool not adjustable for depth?
Washers???
Sorry this is before my second cup of Joe but WTH:thumbdown:
 
Those look like they would work well, and I like that you don't have to hand feed one at a time, I don't mind that for precision rifle rounds, but for 1K of 9MM hand feeding primers one at a time would stink. :)

The lee bench prime is a great concept but in reality is a real pain. I had a love hate relationship with mine for a couple of years. The problem is that as the primer is loaded into the ram, it has to turn 90° Sometimes it does sometimes it doesn't. I could load a tray and be almost half way through a hundred primers in the same amount of time to load an RCBS tube.
In the end, the RCBS is far superior to the lee because of a couple of things. With the lee the primer is a half inch down inside a hole, making it hard to know that the primer is positioned correctly. With the RCBS the primer is on top and in your face. The tray on the lee requires a tap every few primer sets to maintain the flow of primers.
The only real drawback with the RCBS for me, I would rather trim brass than load those tubes. I have yet to find a good way to flip the primers twice to get them in the tubes.
 
My old RCBS hand primer that is so fast and so easy on my hand is on its last legs, I will hate to see it go, and of course parts are not available. A good bench primer with auto feed that was fast to put cases in and get out would be worth a nice price if it existed. With my old RCBS hand primer I just stick a case in, prime, let the case fall out into a pan, repeat. Shake the tray once in a while, very fast, very easy on the hand as the leverage is excellent. I doubt young people have an issue with the new one being hard to use, but Arthur and I sure do. :)
 
The tray on the lee requires a tap every few primer sets to maintain the flow of primers
I release the lever and let it come up on its own, it will keep things moving most of the time but sometimes she could use a tap, mostly with large primers. I too love /hate it.
 
I release the lever and let it come up on its own, it will keep things moving most of the time but sometimes she could use a tap, mostly with large primers. I too love /hate it.

I would probably still be using mine today but when it doesn't pickup a primer the ram over extends and I guess mine bent something inside. I went through 5 connecting links before I could take a deep breath. That's when it went in a box and I had to go in a different direction.
 
I tried using one of those with the tray but I couldn’t get used to it at all. Maybe if I tried it again I would have different results
 
I use the Lyman. It was purchased at random. It works well enough and gives consistent results.
Previously, I was using a RCBS ram primer. Excellent tool but slow, since each primer must be hand placed one by one. OK for 10 rounds, but tedious and time consuming for 50+ rounds.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top