Lee or RCBS hand primer? - Page 2

Williamr · February 2, 2007, 12:35 PM

The Sinclair priming tool is nice, if you can afford it. RCBS has a variety of priming tools. I don't use the primer arm on my RCBS A2 press that much anymore. I'd rather hand prime. I use the Lee Auto Prime. I am planning to reload the GP11 7.5x55mm Swiss military brass with Berdan Primers as soon as I find a source for them. But with the Berdan Primers, I might have to alter a shell holder and make the seating stem myself. I asked Lee if they would make the parts on there Special Order criterier, they said NO. Bummer!
Speaking about 7.5x55mm Swiss. I found out that Redding makes the dies that match up with 7.5x55mm brass to be fired in the K31. All other die makers to include RCBS and Lee, unless they have changed, make dies to resize the 7.5x55mm Swiss to 1911 standards. Reloading dies are available from MIDWAY USA.

williamr

deadtofall666 · February 2, 2012, 06:29 PM

i just went from a lee autoprime to an rcbs handprimer and i hate it, it seems to be built better and im sure it will last longer but i hate the whole operation of it. When u turn it upside down the piece that actually seats the primer just falls out, and if u forget to put it in before you put primers in they fall down inside and get stuck and then while your trying to get the stuck one out the lid falls off and primers EVERYWHERE. Aswell the simple operation of changing shell holders is not simple at all and you have to take the unite completely apart to do so. THIS THING IS TERRIBLE DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY

Wyoredman · February 2, 2012, 06:41 PM

If you have RCBS shell holders, they wont work in the lee primer.

David Wile · February 2, 2012, 08:11 PM

Hey Ranger,

I admit flat out that I do not like Lee stuff, and I also admit that I have been a real long time RCBS fan. When it comes to hand priming, however, I much prefer my cheaply made Lee AutoPrime over my tank built RCBS tool.

Deadtofall666 pretty well covered my complaints about the RCBS tool. While it is built like a tank and uses regular shell holders, it is simply not user friendly. Changing shell holders and primer sizes is enough to make you swear off priming. The Lee AutoPrime looks like a piece of junk compared to my RCBS unit, but that piece of junk changes shell holders and primer sizes quicker than you can imagine. Yes it does use special shell holders, but I bought a whole set of them for something like $12. I sort of feel like I should be ashamed using the cheap Lee tool, but it really is very user friendly.

Yes, I did break the thumb press thing after about ten years of use, and was I really ticked off. My RCBS wouldn't break like the cheap Lee tool did. So I started using my RCBS tool - for about two weeks. I couldn't stand putting up with the hassle of changing things on the RCBS tool. I went out and bought a new cheap Lee tool and have been using it for maybe 15 years now. I still have the RCBS tool to remind me that tank built RCBS isn't always the best tool for the job.

When it comes to primer safety, I do not see a problem with either of these two tools. I never had any problems safety wise with them, and I simply do not understand the concerns expressed by a couple of folks.

I may not like Lee stuff in general, but I will continue to use my Lee AutoPrime tool any day over my RCBS tool.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

February 2, 2007, 12:35 PM	#26
Williamr Member Join Date: January 23, 2007 Posts: 18	Lee or RCBS hand primer? The Sinclair priming tool is nice, if you can afford it. RCBS has a variety of priming tools. I don't use the primer arm on my RCBS A2 press that much anymore. I'd rather hand prime. I use the Lee Auto Prime. I am planning to reload the GP11 7.5x55mm Swiss military brass with Berdan Primers as soon as I find a source for them. But with the Berdan Primers, I might have to alter a shell holder and make the seating stem myself. I asked Lee if they would make the parts on there Special Order criterier, they said NO. Bummer! Speaking about 7.5x55mm Swiss. I found out that Redding makes the dies that match up with 7.5x55mm brass to be fired in the K31. All other die makers to include RCBS and Lee, unless they have changed, make dies to resize the 7.5x55mm Swiss to 1911 standards. Reloading dies are available from MIDWAY USA. williamr

February 2, 2012, 06:41 PM	#28
Wyoredman Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2011 Location: Wyoming Posts: 1,352	If you have RCBS shell holders, they wont work in the lee primer. __________________ Go Pokes! Go Rams!

February 2, 2012, 06:29 PM	#27
deadtofall666 Junior Member Join Date: February 2, 2012 Posts: 1	i just went from a lee autoprime to an rcbs handprimer and i hate it, it seems to be built better and im sure it will last longer but i hate the whole operation of it. When u turn it upside down the piece that actually seats the primer just falls out, and if u forget to put it in before you put primers in they fall down inside and get stuck and then while your trying to get the stuck one out the lid falls off and primers EVERYWHERE. Aswell the simple operation of changing shell holders is not simple at all and you have to take the unite completely apart to do so. THIS THING IS TERRIBLE DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY

February 2, 2012, 08:11 PM	#29
David Wile Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2001 Location: Mechanicsburg, PA Posts: 585	Hey Ranger, I admit flat out that I do not like Lee stuff, and I also admit that I have been a real long time RCBS fan. When it comes to hand priming, however, I much prefer my cheaply made Lee AutoPrime over my tank built RCBS tool. Deadtofall666 pretty well covered my complaints about the RCBS tool. While it is built like a tank and uses regular shell holders, it is simply not user friendly. Changing shell holders and primer sizes is enough to make you swear off priming. The Lee AutoPrime looks like a piece of junk compared to my RCBS unit, but that piece of junk changes shell holders and primer sizes quicker than you can imagine. Yes it does use special shell holders, but I bought a whole set of them for something like $12. I sort of feel like I should be ashamed using the cheap Lee tool, but it really is very user friendly. Yes, I did break the thumb press thing after about ten years of use, and was I really ticked off. My RCBS wouldn't break like the cheap Lee tool did. So I started using my RCBS tool - for about two weeks. I couldn't stand putting up with the hassle of changing things on the RCBS tool. I went out and bought a new cheap Lee tool and have been using it for maybe 15 years now. I still have the RCBS tool to remind me that tank built RCBS isn't always the best tool for the job. When it comes to primer safety, I do not see a problem with either of these two tools. I never had any problems safety wise with them, and I simply do not understand the concerns expressed by a couple of folks. I may not like Lee stuff in general, but I will continue to use my Lee AutoPrime tool any day over my RCBS tool. Best wishes, Dave Wile