Forster or RCBS priming tool?

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GHinNH

GHinNH

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Forster does not have shell holders and appears easier to fill, only holds 50 but not sure thats a big deal. RCBS needs shell holders but I think it will use and "standard" type(?) Not sure how much of a pain it would be to get primers cup up then jab them in one at a time.

Not interested in hand held, just comparing these two. Any thoughts to share?
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I have no experience with the Forster - but they typically make good stuff. I have the RCBS. when I first got it I had similar reservations to you. Now, I really like it.
I have their primer tray to get the primers cup up: https://www.rcbs.com/spare-parts-an.../replacement-parts/primer-tray-2/16-9480.html
I get them anvil up on the ridged side, put on the lid and turn it over and they are cup up on the smooth side.
I have never timed loading up a tube - I think I can load up 100 in about 2 minutes, maybe a tad more. It is faster than I would thought it would be.
The priming process take a little getting used to - 2 "pumps" of the handle to prime a case - 1 to position the primer, slide on the case and the 2nd pump to seat. Once you have the cadence down it moves along nicely.
I have mounted mine to a piece of wood so I can clamp it to my bench when I am priming and put it away when not.

Edit add: it uses standard shell holders so that is a plus. I use my Lee, Hornady and RCBS holders - no issues.
 
Not one of the ones you mention, but if you dislike chicken pecking primers into tubes as much as I do, look at the LEE.
But if you want one that you asked about, I would get RCBS, Just because

Seems really fast and easy.

 
I had a Lee bench prime for a few years until I dropped it on a concrete floor and broke off a piece of shell holder slot. I had no problems seating about 2,500 primers. Then I got an RCBS bench prime. I was shocked when I unboxed it and sat it on my bench. It cannot be used mounted flat. (was the designer drunk when he designed it?). I had to make a 2 1/2" riser and I cut 2" off the handle before I could comfortably use it. I also don't care for the primer tube flopping back and forth in front of my face, thinking about cutting one in half to see it that helps. (If it was red and the name on it started with an "L". there would be hundreds of thousands of "junk" complaints). But with my modifications it does seat primers reliably. If I had to do it over I would have looked real hard at the Forster, but wonder about the adjustable case holder (the one on my Co-Ax isn't the best and often cases slip out when priming)...
 
mdi said:
I had a Lee bench prime for a few years until I dropped it on a concrete floor and broke off a piece of shell holder slot. I had no problems seating about 2,500 primers. Then I got an RCBS bench prime. I was shocked when I unboxed it and sat it on my bench. It cannot be used mounted flat. (was the designer drunk when he designed it?). I had to make a 2 1/2" riser and I cut 2" off the handle before I could comfortably use it. I also don't care for the primer tube flopping back and forth in front of my face, thinking about cutting one in half to see it that helps. (If it was red and the name on it started with an "L". there would be hundreds of thousands of "junk" complaints). But with my modifications it does seat primers reliably. If I had to do it over I would have looked real hard at the Forster, but wonder about the adjustable case holder (the one on my Co-Ax isn't the best and often cases slip out when priming)...
Click to expand...

My RCBS bench prime works great. I use an inline mount, so I can swap it out with my Uniflo powder measure. I put a piece of duct tape on it to help reduce the tube bounce.




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I have and use the RCBS APS bench mounted primng tool. I like it except for the plastic sleeve RCBS provides to reduce the diameter of the hole in tha shell holder for the size primer being loaded.

I modified some shell holders by sleeving the holes with bronze but many may not be interested. Here is what I did to modify the shell holders. Sorry it is a bit out of focus. You can see the bronze bushing the hole in the shell holder.

index.php
 
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I own both the Lee and the Forster bench priming tools and have use a friend's RCBS.

RCBS: I didn't like the double stroke action required to prime a case; it seemed like wasted motion...but I could get used to that. What I hated was loading the primer tubes, because I hate the hunt-n-peck. If I had one, I'd be filling the tubes with an electric tube filler.

Lee: Don't have to handle the primers at all. Dump them into the tray, shake to orient, close tray, and insert into the tool. It's weakness is when it met a friend who didn't know the difference between "fully seated" and "brute force". He ended up breaking the shell holder retaining collar...twice.

There is a technique to using the lever. You can't ride the lever after priming a case. You have to release it, otherwise additional primers won't feed down the chute

Forster: This is a solid tool which has the advantage of having the primers facing away from you when priming. The downside is that this limits the tube capacity to only 50 primers.
The nice thing is that you don't need shell holders and the primer tubes are easier to fill than the hunt-n-peck technique

mdi said:
If I had to do it over I would have looked real hard at the Forster, but wonder about the adjustable case holder (the one on my Co-Ax isn't the best and often cases slip out when priming)...
Click to expand...
As in the video above, the adjustable shell holder is adjusted by placing a case over the primer ram and sliding in the three jaws to hold the case head in place before tightening the retaining bolts with an Allen wrench....I center the case by pressing the ram into the empty primer pocket. This holds the case securely to firmly seat your primer completely.

I'll sometimes use the Forster to seat primers fully which are left a bit proud when being primed through my progressive press

Rule3 said:
From the instructions it seems that with the Forster you have to push each primer into the tune (oriented sideways) or get the extra accessory Primer tube loader?
Click to expand...
The attached tray, below the lever arm, is used to align the primers. The primer tube is inserted into the cutout, in the perimeter of the tray, the tool is tilted up and the primers are poured into the tube. You can invert the tube for primers not oriented correctly

The Primer Tube Loader is for folks who have attached their tool to their bench or another surface that would make it awkward to tilt the tool. The loaders tray has serrations to assist in orienting the primers correctly before the tube is inserted and the primers are poured into the tube
 
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RCBS Bench Primer!! The Forster is a pain switching between small to large primers plus having to adjust the fingers to hold different calibers. The same mechanism is on the Forster Co-Ax press and I don’t use it. Only thing with the RCBS Bench model is you may want to have duplicate shell holders if you have one in the press and want to prime a case in the next step. The RCBS has perfect leverage and good feel plus if you want it’s easy to place primers into the cup one at a time.
 
I have both of those tools. I prefer the RCBS. I struggle to get the Forster rectangular tubes to feed consistently. Mine are old, and I bought them off of eBay, so that may be a factor. The RCBS tool doesn’t seem as finicky.
 
Rule3 said:
Not one of the ones you mention, but if you dislike chicken pecking primers into tubes as much as I do, look at the LEE.
But if you want one that you asked about, I would get RCBS, Just because

Seems really fast and easy.

Click to expand...


Once again, LEE takes a good idea and spoils it with with cheap plastic and manufacturing.

I've heard and read too many say it does not last, it's a great design idea but poorly executed.
 
M-14 said:
Once again, LEE takes a good idea and spoils it with with cheap plastic and manufacturing.

I've heard and read too many say it does not last, it's a great design idea but poorly executed.
Click to expand...

Well I just put it out there for comparison. Most vendor reviews are good.
Heck you can buy two of them one for large and small.
 
cfullgraf said:
I have and use the RCBS APS bench mounted primng tool. I like it except for the plastic sleeve RCBS provides to reduce the diameter of the hole in tha shell holder for the size primer being loaded.

I modified some shell holders by sleeving the holes with bronze but many may not be interested. Here is what I did to modify the shell holders. Sorry it is a bit out of focus. You can see the bronze bushing the hole in the shell holder.

index.php
Click to expand...
Looks like your doing the opposite of what I needed to do, for using the hornaday case trimmer. Somehow the hole needs to be big enough to pass the rod for clamping pressure. My dad seemed to have collected every brand over time so some work and some need a ride on the south bend for a little boring.
 
M-14 said:
Once again, LEE takes a good idea and spoils it with with cheap plastic and manufacturing.

I've heard and read too many say it does not last, it's a great design idea but poorly executed.
Click to expand...

I have the Lee. It does have some cheap parts...I have spare parts ready to go if needed. Haven't needed em.
It's a fantastic tool with a couple quirks that for me are less annoying than fiddling with tubes. 1 it requires a flick of the finger now and then to keep the primers flowing, no big deal. 2 you have complete the upstroke to consistently feed the next primer, also no big deal. A poster above mentioned not riding the handle, I can see how that would work as well. I ride it...but I 'cam over' at the top.
The tool seats consistently with good feel. Mine had lasted for idk how many thousands of cases...the cheap parts will be fine if used correctly and you don't mind the quirks.
 
9mmepiphany said:
As in the video above, the adjustable shell holder is adjusted by placing a case over the primer ram and sliding in the three jaws to hold the case head in place before tightening the retaining bolts with an Allen wrench....I center the case by pressing the ram into the empty primer pocket. This holds the case securely to firmly seat your primer completely.
Click to expand...
Yep. BTDT a few dozen times, used the Forster adjusting "tool" to center case in the holder, push jaws in as evenly as I can. Occasionally a case will slip passed the jaws. No particular headstamp, no particular caliber/size/shape of the case. I made an "attachment" to use a ram prime on my Co-Ax. Works...

I had room to mount my RCBS on a plate for my Rock Dock but having to have the handle stick out passed the bench edge, wasn't acceptable...
 
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mdi said:
I had room to mount my RCBS on a plate for my Rock Dock but having to have the handle stick out passed the bench edge, wasn't acceptable...
Click to expand...
That was definitely in the "minus" column when shopping for priming tools.

I have my latest Lee mounted on a Quick Change plate from Inline Fabrication and have the handle running parallel with the edge of the bench. The Forster I've left loose, but might also mount on an Inline Fabrication plate, now that I have the Primer Tube Loader.
 
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cfullgraf said:
I have and use the RCBS APS bench mounted primng tool. I like it except for the plastic sleeve RCBS provides to reduce the diameter of the hole in tha shell holder for the size primer being loaded.

I modified some shell holders by sleeving the holes with bronze but many may not be interested. Here is what I did to modify the shell holders. Sorry it is a bit out of focus. You can see the bronze bushing the hole in the shell holder.

index.php
Click to expand...

I agree with the APS version having one disadvantage.....the inserts are easy to lose and they wear out. Your brass version is better, but I'm wondering if I can make shell holders with the 3d printer and do away with little inserts? It's not like a lot of force is used to seat, yet maybe enough to make plastic not such a great idea. May try it at least to see......just for fun.

The handle of the APS version is way better than the tube version.....1. it's sprung so it stays up in loading position. 2. Its adjustable for higher angle that keeps it out of the way. 3. Heck, even the primer tools body can be rotated so you can feed the strips from most directions. The other thing I like is the ability to load a hundred strips ready for the machine on the strip loader....and not have to peck them one at a time, or to worry about storing 100 stacked primer tube bombs long term. I have 1000's of primers stored safely, but ready to load.

The bad news is that RCBS discontinued it the first of the year, so finding one may be tricky. Mines not for sale....love that thing.;)

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GW Staar said:
I agree with the APS version having one disadvantage.....the inserts are easy to lose and they wear out. Your brass version is better, but I'm wondering if I can make shell holders with the 3d printer and do away with little inserts? It's not like a lot of force is used to seat, yet maybe enough to make plastic not such a great idea. May try it at least to see......just for fun.
Click to expand...

A 3-d printed shell holder would be worth a try.
 
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