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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.
RCBS FL Dies- 1979 Compared to New 2010 Dies- 223 Rem.
Priming on a Rock Chucker is faster/easier/as good.But i just run into a NEW problem. 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.
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'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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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