Priming off the press or on the press?

[Doodlebugger45]

I am curious as to why some people prefer to prime off the press with a hand primer tool when their press is capable of doing it right there? Up until yesterday, I had no choice in the matter. My Lee Challenger setup forced me to use a hand priming tool or use the ram primer system mounted on the top, which didn't look like it saved any time. My RCBS hand primer has worked very well for me all this time. But it was kind of a pain to have to take the shell holder off the press after sizing, then assemble all the pieces with the correct shell holder and primer punch in the hand loading tool. Then take it apart and go back to the press to resume the loading.

But it worked just fine.

Last night though I got my new Lee Classic Turret press set up on my bench. I don't have the Safety Prime system or the Auto Disk powder measure attached yet but I was playing around just to see that everything seemed to function like it should. Even without the Safety Prime feeder system, I could put a single primer into the cup and prime a case after sizing and decapping. The new primers appeared to be pressed into place perfectly. At this point, I am eagerly looking forward to using the press mounted priming system as soon as I finish getting everything else set up like I want.

But I still remember hearing all the folks who say they prefer to use the hand priming method. So I am wondering if there is some bad experience waiting to bite me down the road?

[Poodleshooter]

Because feeding a ram priming system that requires you to either seat primers in the little cup, or using Lee's various press mounted primer feeding units is like trying to stack BBs on top of one another. If I wanted to take my stubby sausage fingers and make myself angry at small little parts, I'd take up model making.

I'll agree that the RCBS hand priming tool is a PITA to set up. I sold mine and bought a Lee hand priming tool, which takes about 5 seconds to set up and works like a charm.

That said, if I had a good progressive like a Dillon or a Hornady LnL that fed from tubes, I'd prime on the press.
Until then, priming separately is far faster for me. It's also one of the main reasons I don't have a turret press.

[PA-Joe]

I deprime off press, clean and case prep. Then lube, resize, clean again to remove the lube then trim and chamfer. I then prime off-press away from the powder.

[twins]

I started with the RCBS hand primer tool when I first learned to reload from a friend. But once I got my own reloading gear I've been using the Lee Priming System (same as OP's Lee Classic Turret Press) and there's no turning back.

The Lee Priming System is very easy to use and I haven't had a problem with it.

I do have the Lee hand prime tool as a backup but it is relegated to paperweight duty for now.

[brickeyee]

I am curious as to why some people prefer to prime off the press with a hand primer tool when their press is capable of doing it right there?

Excessive handling of primers if you use a simple cup system, and presses have way to much leverage and mass to give a good feel when seating.

I still use an RCBS Automatic Bench Priming Tool for all primer seating.

The smaller hands unit use a cam operation that decreases feel (even when lightly lubed).

The Bench Priming tool allows you to easily feel when the primer hits the bottom of the pocket, and apply the last little bit of force to pre-stress the priming pellet against the anvil as the primer fully seats.

There is enough leverage to easily do the job, while still giving a very good 'feel' for what is going on.

[Slamfire]

But I still remember hearing all the folks who say they prefer to use the hand priming method. So I am wondering if there is some bad experience waiting to bite me down the road?

On my first out of battery slamfire in a Garand, I used ammunition I primed, dumped the powder, and seated the bullet, on a Dillion progressive.

Therefore I was never truly certain if the slamfire was due to Federal primers or a high primer. I certainly have had pistol rounds come off the Dillion with high primers. Plus I have lots of cocked primers.

At the time, conventional wisdom was that only high primers caused slamfires.

After that first slamfire I decided to always hand prime every rifle round. I verify 100% of the time that each and every rifle primer is seated below the case head. On my 30-06, 308 ammunition I also ream the primer pockets to depth. Been doing that to .223 recently.

So when the second out of battery slamfire in a Garand happened, I knew it was not due to high primers. I knew it was due to those overly sensitive Federal primers and I also knew that conventional wisdom was all bunk. :barf:

When my AR15 slamfire happened, I also knew it was not due to high primers. I had that one with brass Winchester primers, a brand I will not use in AR’s again. I won't use Federals in a gas gun either.

No slamfires with CCI#34's or CCI #41's and I hope that I never had another.

[dlb435]

I like to prime on the press. I use progressive presses and they are made to prime as you load. Still, getting the priming system sorted out can take some time. I have an RCBS progressive that will do large primers with no trouble at all but misses once in a while with small primers. I now just use that press for large primer rounds only.
There are usually several different adjustments that need to made to get a primer system working well. Everything from the transfer bar to the Z bar to the seat depth stop. Not to mention just getting the feel for that particular press.
The only major draw back to priming on the press is that you don't get to see the primer until the round is finished. This can cause spilled powder or smashed and offset primers. Then you have to pull the bullet and start all over again. Considering the speed of a progressive press, I'm willing to put up with the few failures I get.

[PA-Joe]

There is a great thread on adding a lead weight above the primers in the dillon tube. Prevents the primers from flipping. See the Wolf Primer/Dillon Thread below.

[Smokey Joe]

(1) Don't like handling the primers. Oil from hands could contaminate primers.

(2) The Lee Auto-Prime has worked well for me since the day I got it. Now run 2 of 'em, one set up for small primers and one for large. Dump the primers onto the tray of the Auto-Prime, feed 'em by gravity, never touch them at all.

For me, the Auto-Prime works just fine. Yes it's made of pot metal, and yes, it can break. Lee has been great about replacing the few broken pieces over the years.

If Lee would make an Auto-Prime out of good solid steel I'd buy one in a heartbeat--But then it probably would cost as much as the RCBS unit anyhow.

I like Poodleshooter's comment above, re: Stubby sausage fingers!

[steve426]

I like the feel of my RCBS hand primer plus to keep up my rhythm I buy two shell holders for each set of dies. Works like a champ for me

[demigod]

(1) Don't like handling the primers. Oil from hands could contaminate primers.

I guarantee you couldn't kill a primer with your natural hand/skin oils if you held it for a week straight.

There was a thread over on another forum where a guy literally tried to kill some primers with chemicals and all kinds of nonsense.... they are actually pretty hard to kill

Also, if you look at how the Sinclaire priming tool works, you'll see that (even in their youtube video) you handle every single primer with your bare hands/fingers.

[maggys drawers]

I load with a single stage press. I find it faster to prime a batch with my RCBS hand primer than to prime each round on the press (Rock Chucker).

Additionally, I like the feel of the hand primer system for making sure the primers are seated.

PITA ? I guess it's what you get used to.

[demigod]

My reason for going off press for priming is QUALITY. I don't mash, mangle, and mis-seat any primers anymore. And I'm not distracted from powder charging and bullet seating to clear up a primer cluster fudge on my 550b.

When I load from primed brass I can really crank ammo out quickly. It just costs a little time up front when I'm priming brass in front of the TV.

[Unclenick]

Benchrest shooters prime by hand with more expensive hand tools to feel the primer anvil touch down in the primer pocket. They believe that's produces the most consistent ignition. I often prime by hand for non-progressive loading just because I can sit in front of the idiot box at the same time, making use of what would otherwise be an utter waste of time. However, I also load primer tubes for my Dillons in front of TV, too. With some practice, I find the Dillons are reasonably reliable.

For gas guns like the ones Slamfire has had trouble with, I often prime by hand, then run the primed cases through the press priming station on my Forster Co-ax press. It is designed to force the primer 0.004" below flush with the case head, as the factory primers do. It's the only such design I am aware of being currently available.

[rdmallory]

I like the feel of my RCBS hand primer plus to keep up my rhythm I buy two shell holders for each set of dies. Works like a champ for me

+1

Now Dillon is selling a press without the primer feeder and powder drop.

[oneounceload]

On the press with the RCBS tubes - never an issue with handling primers - they go from the case to the primer "flip" tray and then into the tube - 30 years and no issues

[willr]

For me, the advantage of off-press priming is that I can easily see a high primer and so avoid slam-fires from that cause. I use the Lee Auto Prime hand primer and really like the job it does.

willr

[Hardcase]

On the press (Lee Turret) by putting each primer in the cup by hand. If whatever is on my hands manages to kill a primer, it'll probably kill me, too. I've broken the lever twice on my Lee Pocket Prime, so I quit using it. I've had more primer seating problems with it by far than with priming on the press.

[CPTMurdoc30]

My reloading bench is in an unheated uninsulated shed. I would much rather sit in my warm house and prime with my AWESOME RCBS Hand priming tool than sit out in my cold to the bone shed and prime with the priming arm on my RCBS press.

It takes me maybe 10 second to put the shell holder on my RCBS primer put the safety arm in it and stick the primer plate into it.

Plus I am on the long sausage fingers verity myself and I hate checking and making sure my RCBS priming arm is seating the primers correctly.

When you are priming 1k cases a hand primer and kids come in handy too .

[noylj]

I have always used two methods to prime:
1) on the press
or
2) RCBS bench mounted primer tool
#2 was used when i was using my Forster Co-Ax--Great press, lousy priming system.
Many people want to feel the primer being seated and use a hand priming tool.
Let us know how the Lee priming system works.

[johnjohn]

Started with a Lee hand primer very early in the game. It's quicker and has a more positive feel. Just my .02.

[flashhole]

I favor the RCBS bench-mounted primer tool. I keep one set up for both large and small primers.

[testuser]

I have three priming tools: Lee safety prime, Lee auto prime II, and Lee auto prime.

I tried doing all of the operations on my turret and found that once and a while I'd forget to prime a case. It doesn't happen often, but often enough that I decided when I load I did not want to focus on what I consider case prep. Case prep for me is sizing, priming, and the case or rifle rounds trimming, deburring, chamfering.

Sizing is mindless work and easily separated from other operations. I like to listen to the radio, size and store the brass in tupperware for later.

When I need to reload I start by patch priming on an Auto Prime II. It's faster than a hand held priming tool.

When it comes to priming, if it's something I shoot often, then I size and prime at the same time using the safety prime. I also store the prepped brass in for loading later. I especially do this for 9mm.

The Auto Prime is really the ugly duckling. I hardly use it anymore. Batch priming is so much faster using a cheap $25 Lee single stage and the Auto Prime II. The only time it gets used is when I need to prime one or two rounds, which is somewhat better suited to the hand held auto prime.

[jmortimer]

The Lee Precision Auto Prime is so easy to use and I like to inspect every case. Can crank out 50 or 100 fast and precise. Like they say, it does not matter if the cat is black or white, as long as it catches the mouse. There is no one best way. I tend toward simple.

[flashhole]

testuser - You make a good point in that I too consider priming part of brass prep. I will bag preped brass in lots of 100 and when I decide to load them the first thing I do is prime them on the bench mounted priming tool, then run them through the rest of the process.