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Old June 19, 2014, 10:02 AM   #1
Magnum Wheel Man
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Anyone tried the RCBS unviseral hand prime tool ???

so... I have an old Lee hand prime tool I inherited from my FIL... & I love it... but alas, it's starting to get too worn out... I've seen less stellar reviews of the new Lee hand prime tools, & I load a lot of different calibers, & have a pretty big investment into the special Lee shell holders... popping out my regular shell holder back & forth between the ram & the hand primer seems a hassle, if I were to buy another brand, that uses regular shell holders... would seem like I'd have to buy a 2nd shell holder for each die set ( I have a universal shell holder set, but try to have a specific shell holder in each die box )

so I ran across this RCBS universal hand prime tool, but admit I'm skeptical that it will hold as many calibers as I reload, with "precision"... so do you think it's bench rest precision capable, or is it more like a CAS 2 square feet at 15 ft type of tool ??? I've already run into several issues with my lee hand prime tool, for cartridges like 44 American bulldog, that have thin rims, & not seating the primers in far enough, the looks of the universal shell holder seems like it would be prone to that ???

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/319...vc=subv1319794
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Old June 19, 2014, 10:17 AM   #2
buck460XVR
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I would give RCBS a call or send them an e-mail. I have found them to give prompt and courteous replies to any question I have ever asked them. They could probably give you the best factual reply to your question.
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Old June 19, 2014, 10:18 AM   #3
JimDandy
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Exactly how much precision are you looking for in a priming tool? I think I've used RCBS, Lee, and Hornady hand prime tools. They're all about the same. I suspect you'll get more benchrest results out of other primer pocket tools than worrying about what ram you used to seat the primers. I.e. pocket uniformers, flash hole deburr tools and the like.
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Old June 19, 2014, 10:19 AM   #4
longranger
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I have one,they make 2,one requires you to load "primer strips" I would avoid that one.The other does not require loading a "primer strip"and uses a "primer tray". I have used mine for 7 years and no complaints,it is used for 45-70 through .223.It is fast,reliable and accurate. Great "feel when seating primers,fairly easy to switch from large to small primers. Hope this helps,good shooting.
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Old June 19, 2014, 11:42 AM   #5
Nick_C_S
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Quote:
I have an old Lee hand prime tool I inherited from my FIL... & I love it... but alas, it's starting to get too worn out... I've seen less stellar reviews of the new Lee hand prime tools.
I'm a big-time RCBS guy. Almost all my equipment is RCBS, save a few items. But one of those non-RCBS items is my priming equipment. I use Lee.

I have an "old Lee hand prime tool" - probably just like the one you got from your FIL. I got mine in '84 and it still works. But, it is - how should I say: "well run in" - and I have since put it in a well-deserved state of retirement. In its place, I bought two of the new Lee hand primer tools (one for small, and one for large).

The new Lee tool is more complex than the old one. With the old one, the primers simply fed into the ram directly from the tray. With the new one, the primers have to first go up a ramp, then feed onto the ram. I assume it's a safety feature designed more by lawyers than engineers. It's more complex and therefore, less reliable. And this change is probably what precipitates the "less than stellar reviews."

Sometimes the primers can flip sideways or upside-down and you have to keep an eye on it. It works more reliably when the whole unit it tilted at a steep angle (which is how you should hold it for safety anyway - it's just more critical to its function now than with the old unit). And even at that, problems can still occur. I keep a pair of tweezers handy for said event(s). BTW, this is far more prevalent with small primers. Large primers feed much more reliably - to the point where it's hardly an issue at all.

I'm a patient person. And priming brass is done best with a patient mindset anyway. So for me, it's no problem. Even with the above-mentioned idiosyncrasy, I still stand behind the Lee hand primer. Yes, it's more persnickity than the old one. But it still works well and I like the finished product - it primes to the perfect depth and very consistently.

My two cents' worth is to consider the Lee.
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Old June 19, 2014, 02:03 PM   #6
F. Guffey
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universal shellplate which will accept virtually any case from the tiny 32 ACP to the large 45-70
I have the press mounted primer seater, the bench mounted RCBS primer system and the old Herter bench mounted system. I have the strip primer mounted system by RCBS. I have the Lee universal system, I have the old Lee one at a time hand primer system.

And I have the system that is installed on the 550 B Dillon.

The two I use is the Lee automatic and the RCBS automatic.

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Old June 19, 2014, 04:35 PM   #7
higgite
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I have the universal model with a primer tray that I have used to prime .308, .223 and 9mm brass. I don't know if it's any better or worse than other brands, but it does what it is supposed to do and does it well. Since I got an RCBS bench primer for rifle loading and a progressive press for pistol loading, both of which use APS strips, I use the hand tool sparingly now.
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Old June 19, 2014, 05:33 PM   #8
lee n. field
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Quote:
I've seen less stellar reviews of the new Lee hand prime tools, & I load a lot of different calibers, & have a pretty big investment into the special Lee shell holders...
Looking at Midway, Lee's Ergo Prime gets better reviews than the Lee XR, which would be the direct replacement for the older tool.

I;ve got no complaints about my Ergo Prime.
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Old June 21, 2014, 08:20 PM   #9
02bigdogs17
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I have a Lee XR, Lee Ergo Prime, and an RCBS universal hand primer and out of all of them I always go for the Lee Ergo primer. It is awesome and very comfortable to use. I don't know why I keep the others because they don't even come close to being as good as the Ergo.
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Old June 22, 2014, 09:09 AM   #10
Elkins45
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I don't have the one with the universal shellholder but I have the regular one, an old Lee and a Lee XR.

I haven't had the problems with the XR that others have. I tend to use the RCBS unit just for .473 case heads and large primers. I leave a Lee #2 shellholder in it since I get a new one with every set of Lee dies and use it for 45acp, 30-06, 270, 308 etc. The two Lee units tend to be used with everything else and mostly small primer rounds.

My bottom line is that I'm perfectly happy with every priming tool I have. I have no reason to think the RCBS universal unit wouldn't do a good job just by virtue of the fact it's been on the market for so long. If it were a dud then I think RCBS would have dropped it a long time ago. Since they service everything they sell forever it would get really expensive and annoying for them if they had a lemon out there on the market.
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Old June 22, 2014, 06:17 PM   #11
jag2
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I've been thru the XR and the Ergo. The Ergo is okay but I just went to e-bay and bought another Lee auto, I'm happy again. There are usually several for sale, some times the price seems a bit high but who cares. If it lasts another 15 or 20 years I won't be around.
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Old June 22, 2014, 07:10 PM   #12
John C
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I have both RCBS priming tools, the one that uses the APS strips and one that uses a tray. Both are excellent. The universal shellholder works great, no trouble there at all.

The only "issue" with the tray mounted version is that in order to switch from large to small (or vice versa) primers, you need to swap out a piece of plastic that guides the primers to the ram. No biggie, and I don't know how that compares to other brands.

My only direct experience with hand priming tools is the Hornday. It was junk! I hate that thing.

I'm happy with my RCBS tools, and feel that the extra money was well worth it.
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Old June 22, 2014, 07:33 PM   #13
1stmar
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I have obe, I like it, only thing I don't like is the priming rod threads too easily. Always concerned that it may adjust on its own. It's difficult to adjust the height of the ram without taking the shell plate off.
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Old June 22, 2014, 07:42 PM   #14
mehavey
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Quote:
RCBSS Universal priming tool...
Yes. I have and use it. See HERE.
As far as seating depth goes, it will seat as deep as the pocket will allow.

And as far as "precision" goes, the My Alexander AR-Grendel seems to like it just fine.


Last edited by mehavey; June 22, 2014 at 07:49 PM.
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