Hand priming tool versus press

[dalepres]

I am just getting started in reloading. I am considering a Dillon 550B press and dies for .38/.357 but I have one question - well, probably several before I load and fire the first round.

I would like to decap and to prime my brass outside of the Dillon press. I am considering an RCBS hand primer. The Dillon dies are setup to do decapping, resizing, and priming on the first stage of the press. Can the decapping and priming steps be omitted on the press? But then it seems the resizing should be done before priming. If so, what's the way others separate these steps?

Maybe I am wrong in looking at the Dillon press. Maybe I really just want a single stage press. I really feel ignorant about all the possibilities here.

 

[.38 Special]

I guess the obvious question is why you would want to decap and prime by hand. If you have a compelling reason then I think you probably don't want a progressive. You'd essentially be interrupting the process right in the middle. I suppose you could simply remove the decapping stem from the Dillon die, and as the priming step is done during the last part of the lever return stroke you could simply not return the lever that far, but I still don't really see the point.

FWIW, I fall into the conservative camp that says beginner reloaders are best served by a single stage press.

 

[presspuller]

FWIW, I fall into the conservative camp that says beginner reloaders are best served by a single stage press.

I am in that camp too.

I have a single stage and a progressive. When I load on the single stage I prime by hand, when on the progressive then the machine does it for me.
If you don't trust the machine to do its job then doing it by hand with a single stage is probably better.

 

[GunTech]

I prime for match loads, using a Sinclair hand primer - the Lee and RCBS are utter rubbish by comparison. I recently began using a Dillion 550 for bulk loading. It's easy to crush a primer if you don't debur the primer hole in your brass. It seems like the primer feed is a little sloppy - probably necessary in the progressive. But when cranking out mass amounts of practice ammo, the progressive is sure nice. Just make sure to inspect every round.

 

[dalepres]

Can I get consistent and reproducable results on a single-stage press? Will the dies have to be re-calibrated each time I change them out on a single stage?

 

[TX1911fan]

I have a Lee Turret press that can handle priming, but I still prefer to do it by hand. I like being able to feel when the primer is seated.

 

[Ol` Joe]

Can I get consistent and reproducable results on a single-stage press? Will the dies have to be re-calibrated each time I change them out on a single stage?

The single stage will produce as consistant if not more so ammo then a turret or progressive.
The dies rings can be locked in position and the die removed then rescrewed in the press with out haveing to re-adjust. I`d double check the 1st round when changing dies to insure they haven`t moved but, I`ve never had a problem.

 

[jcwit]

Only tip I would add is to use rings with a set screw with a small piece of lead under the screw to protect the threads or use the rings that have a small mach. screw to pinch the ring to kock in to the setting. The "O" ring set up Lee uses is about the only thing I don't like about Lee Dies. Good Luck

 

[The Bushmaster]

As I sit here looking at my Lee single stage "O" press with the Auto prime II die installed, my Lee three hole turret loaded up with my 9mm X 19 die set minus the resizing/decapping die that is standing by in a rack for use on that same single stage press, my Lee Auto Disk on top of the turret and my RCBS Powder Pro electronic scale warming up with my Midway trickler next to the scale...I wonder what I should suggest to you what to get...

 

[brokencowboy]

I have a Dillon 550 press & I will be the first to say their priming system can be a PITA. You can only get 100 primers in the tube, the primers can get stuck in the release so that no primer drops in the cup, etc., etc.,etc. I finally got feed up with having to stop during a loading session to have to clear a jam or remove the system because of something that needs fixing. I now prime all my brass by hand while sitting in my easy chain watching TV; I just have to remember to pull the depriming pin from the sizing die. I find removing that one step makes the job of loading go faster & a lot easier.

 

[Bboomer]

I would think that the type and amount of shooting, that you do, would dictate your press needs.

How much/often do you shoot? (two questions)
What type of shooting will you be doing?
What caliber(s) do/will you reload?
How much time do you have for reloading?

 

[The_Antibubba]

I prime for match loads, using a Sinclair hand primer - the Lee and RCBS are utter rubbish by comparison.

How so? Not to challenge you on this--I'm genuinely curious as how it is better.

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

I am quite satisfied with my "utter rubbish" RCBS Universal hand primer. I use a single stage press.

I personally know two users of Dillon RL550b progressive presses, and both of them use hand priming tools instead of priming on the press.

Dillon dies have lock rings that do not lock in place, except when jammed up against the press or tool head. For that reason (and others), I would not recommend Dillon dies for a single stage press, unless you used the Hornady LNL bushing system on your press.

I agree heartily with Bboomer; the type and quantity of your reloading will determine whether a single stage or progressive press is best for you.

Andy

 

[res45]

I have been using a Lyman Crusher single stage press to do all my reloading with for almost 25 years. I use Lyman,RCBS and Lee Dies along with many of there products. I like the Lee hand priming tool too never had a problem with it.

As far as setting the dies up I usually lock the resize/decapping die down the bullet seater and crimp die I lock down if I only use one bullet style for that particular caliber ie 158 Gr. SWC hard cast bullets I shoot in my .357 thats all I ever shoot in it so no need to change things.

The others seater dies and crimping dies I use on my various rifles I just set up as needed because I use specific bullets for targets and hunting requirements. I keep good load data and measurements on my reloads so it's no problem to duplicate any of my favorite load and get equal results from batch to batch.

 

[.38 Special]

The Sinclair tool is $100 of very finely machined steel. It gives a very precise feel; with properly uniformed primer pockets you can seat primers essentially perfectly. The only downside, other than the price, is that unless they've changed it it's one primer at a time: there is no primer tray/feed.

Which is why I use the RCBS tool unless I am playing with a benchrest rifle, and I haven't played with a benchrest rifle in more than a decade. The RCBS tool puts primers in pockets with minimum hassle, and it certainly does it well enough for any gun I own.

FWIW, I haven't used the 550. I have used the Square Deal B and the XL650, both of which work perfectly, primer feed included. For a first progressive, I think the SDB is just about ideal, and I cannot think of a reason in the world why someone would not use its priming system.

 

[AgentAdam]

I like the Hornady and LEE hand primers. The Hornady one seems a little more heavy duty but it doesn't feed very well when using RCBS shell holders due to the different inside diameter of the shell holder or maybe its the CCI primers im using. The hornady has a longer pull and you can seat them regular or really deep by the feel of it.

The lee requires lee shell holders but is more compact and easier to use. There isn't much of a feel to how deep there seating but its puts them in there good with a short stroke. They feed perfect also.

If i still had the receipt for the Hornady hand primmer i would probably take it back and get the RCBS primer . I would like to try the one with the primmer strip instead of a tray also.

 

[Steve C]

Can the decapping and priming steps be omitted on the press? But then it seems the resizing should be done before priming. If so, what's the way others separate these steps?

Back to your original question. You can just pull the decapping stem out of the sizing die and not put any primers in the press. There's no real reason why you can't size primed brass. When I've bought new primed brass I've sized it in the sizing die without the decapping stem, then expanded and flared etc. with no problems.