Vibrating Primer Tube fFllers?

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Howa 9700

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Anybody have experience with the vibrating primer tube fillers? Two that I know of come from Double Alpha and Franklin Arsenal. Looks like they work about the same and cost the same ($60 to $80).

Loading primer tubes by picking them up one at a time gets old in a hurry.
 
I bought a vibrating primer tube filler some years ago. It was more trouble than it was worth. (Think how many primers you can buy with that)
 
I have a Franklin Arsenal and use it all the time. the tubes that come with have a plastic top that, if dropped on the top part, will deform the hole in the middle and refuse primers. I found some plain aluminum tubes, (probably Dillon with the plastic pickup ends) that have a hairpin at one end and a plain smooth hole in the other. You have to hold the tube up in place while you activate the vibrator, and it works as well as it did when it was brand new.
CCI primers work the best for me...
 
I use a hand priming tool, and depriming tool, so I dump primers into the tray on my Lee hand tool and shake them until they all turn right side up. Then just start priming cases as I watch TV, or whatever.
 
I use an FA filler. It has its quirks, but it beats stabbing them one at a time.

I pulled the plastic collars off the top and just hold the tube in. Works better that way.

DAA filler looks solid and if I was buying new, I'd buy one.
 
I could not get my Vibra Prime to work with large pistol primers, they would hang up and never drop into the tube, so I ordered a DAA Primafill and it works much better.
 
Mine quit working but I got it going again.

It will fill small pistol Fiocchi and CCI primers but that is about all. Win and Rem won't go down the hole.

I haven't tried large pistol or rifle yet. My Prima Fill was a big disapointment to me, and when I tried to call them for help, no one was home, all week.
I ended up cutting the tips on my pickup tubes back to the aluminum and that made them much easier to use.
primer pick up tube.jpg I can pick up primers with these about as fast as using the vibra prime. I don't mind using them now.
 
tightgroup tiger said:
Mine quit working but I got it going again.

It will fill small pistol Fiocchi and CCI primers but that is about all. Win and Rem won't go down the hole.

I haven't tried large pistol or rifle yet. My Prima Fill was a big disapointment to me, and when I tried to call them for help, no one was home, all week.
I ended up cutting the tips on my pickup tubes back to the aluminum and that made them much easier to use.
View attachment 1198976 I can pick up primers with these about as fast as using the vibra prime. I don't mind using them now.
Click to expand...

I used a set of Number drill bits to open the inside up, reducing the force. I just kept working up in drill size by hand, no power tools till I got the results I wanted.

btw. I have an old utility knife just like that.
 
jmorris said:
I use Dillon fillers the most but have used he vibraprime units quite a bit over the years. They are not a dump in and hit the button machine but if you can watch the exit hole and move the unit around a little they are pretty fast.

www.youtube.com

Topping off a 650

www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
Click to expand...

Ive found that some work great, but sometime you have to hold the unit at just the right angle for feed speed. Ive had the most issue with Winchester primers in that regard with mine.
And sometimes, I put my hat on sideways, hold my mouth in just the right position, and balance on one foot, to get it working. :)
 
Kaldor said:
Ive found that some work great, but sometime you have to hold the unit at just the right angle for feed speed. Ive had the most issue with Winchester primers in that regard with mine.
And sometimes, I put my hat on sideways, hold my mouth in just the right position, and balance on one foot, to get it working. :)
Click to expand...

I have always used that motion like I am fishing with a popper, you can see 4 of them in the 18 seconds it takes to fill the tube in that video as well as altering the angle (feed rate).

I do think there is a learning curve, because I have been given, more than one, the owner said didn't work but they worked fine for me.
 
foxmeadow said:
I have a Franklin Arsenal and use it all the time. the tubes that come with have a plastic top that, if dropped on the top part, will deform the hole in the middle and refuse primers. I found some plain aluminum tubes, (probably Dillon with the plastic pickup ends) that have a hairpin at one end and a plain smooth hole in the other. You have to hold the tube up in place while you activate the vibrator, and it works as well as it did when it was brand new.
CCI primers work the best for me...
Click to expand...
OK, why can't you straighten out that deformity with a tapered pin (an awl) or drill bit shank??
That should be easy enough to do.
Or ask FA for a replacement...
jmo,
.
 
Yeah I bought one about a decade ago and it works just fine. Actually was looking at the Dillon primer filler and just couldn't come up with a reason why I needed it. That almost never happens to me haha.
 
I got the FA Vibra Prime on closeout a few years back. I had to to open the large primer hole a bit.
I also found that shaking it a little if it hangs up helps.
It's faster than hunting and pecking for me.
 
Blue68f100 said:
I used a set of Number drill bits to open the inside up, reducing the force. I just kept working up in drill size by hand, no power tools till I got the results I wanted.

btw. I have an old utility knife just like that.
Click to expand...
I had already drilled mine out and they were still not fun to use. After cutting them they are very fast, not so loose they drop primers, and I don't mind using them now even with the arthritis in my right thumb.

I need to take the dremmel (very carefully) after my vibra prime. There is a tight spot where the primers don't want to pass, on the way to the tube. That tight spot seems to be the only hold up now.
I don't mind using my tubes though now that I fixed them.
 
I picked up a new Frankfort Arsenal Vibra prime on clearance at a gun store for $25. The first few primer trays were a challenge. I was getting about 50% of the primers going down the tube upside down. Eventually I learned a technique to make this thing work. I now load up a tube perfectly and love it.
 
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