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Old September 16, 2012, 09:52 AM   #1
rebs
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hand primer tool ?

Which hand primer tool do you guys find works the best and is the preferred one ?
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Old September 16, 2012, 10:13 AM   #2
jmortimer
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I think the new Lee Precision is good, liked the "old" ones better, many like the RCBS. For the $$$ I'll stick with Lee - it has two primer trays which I set-up for LP and SP. You need special shell holders. Right now the new Lee Ergo Prime is $25.99 on Midway and is rated at 3.5 stars, the RCBS is $34.79 and is rated at 3.5 stars and the RCBS Universal Prime is $61.99 and is rated at 4 stars. the RCBS Universal does not need shell holders but I prefer them for better fit.
I really like priming off the press with a hand primer.

Last edited by jmortimer; September 16, 2012 at 10:21 AM.
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Old September 16, 2012, 10:30 AM   #3
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My Lee is going on 30 years of age. Just get the shell holder set which comes in a case you never have to worry about shell holders again. (15$)
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSe...lee+auto+prime
I use it from 32 autos to 30-06 and have done some 300 Win mag with it.
I would have to guess, but it has to have primed well over 20,000 cases in 30 years. For the price it’s a very hard tool to beat.
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Old September 16, 2012, 11:48 AM   #4
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I got the Lee Auto Prime XR in my kit and I think it works great. I gave priming on the press a try and the hand primer is a lot quicker.
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Old September 16, 2012, 11:48 AM   #5
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I like the way the hand primer seats over the press...
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Old September 16, 2012, 12:20 PM   #6
chris in va
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I much prefer the Ram Prime over that junk XR I bought recently.

Primers get jammed all the time and the flimsy clear plastic cover cracked right off, rendering the unit INOP.

The Ram Prime gives you much better feel for primer seating and much less chance of a flipped primer.
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Old September 16, 2012, 12:55 PM   #7
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K & M hand priming tool.
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Old September 16, 2012, 12:58 PM   #8
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I have been happy with the Hornady handheld priming tool, which I've had for a year or so now. It has plenty of leverage to over seat primers if you aren't kinda careful. My only complaint is with small pistol primers. It doesn't feed those smoothly 100% of the time.
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Old September 16, 2012, 01:35 PM   #9
jmortimer
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The Hornady at $33.99 gets 2.75 stars on Midway. The K&M looks nice at around $50.00 or $100.00 with gauge plus shell holder cost for each and the Sinclair seems like the ultimate at $100.00 plus - and then add the shell holder around $20.00 per caliber. If $$$ is an issue I would try the new Lee Precision Ergo Prime. Otherwise, I would go for the Sinclair if I had the $$$.
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Old September 16, 2012, 01:38 PM   #10
Woody55
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I have an RCBS hand primer. I don't know what the model is, but it has a plastic, circular magazine that holds a lot of primers - probably 200 or so which feeds them into a hand squeezed device that uses a small ram to press them into the case which is mounted on top of it.

It works ok. Sometimes you have to jiggle it to make sure it feeds right.
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Old September 16, 2012, 01:40 PM   #11
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Where you buying shellholders? This has just about every one you need and sure isn't $20.00 for the whole set.

https://fsreloading.com/lee-set-ap-s...ers-90198.html
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Old September 16, 2012, 01:47 PM   #12
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I bought an RCBS hand primer some time ago and was very displeased with it, it is fast and it does work, however, it marrs up the the back of the primer. It may not seem like a big deal, I find it unacceptable.
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Old September 16, 2012, 01:49 PM   #13
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You will find an awful lot of reloaders that loved the older Lee Auto Prime but Lee quit making them a few years ago and also no longer make some of the parts that tended to break over time. Since then I've bought the Lee XR (don't like it) then tried the Lee ERGO (don't like it either, I'd like to know whose hand they used to design it) then tried a very expensive one that sounded good but had to send it back twice (the last time for a refund). Guess what, went on Ebay and bought the original Lee Auto Prime. Couldn't be happier. I do occasionally use the others but not often. The Lee ergo gives you a lot of power so I will use it when loading Wolf large pistol primers as they tend to be very tight.
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Old September 16, 2012, 03:17 PM   #14
rebs
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Thanks for the replies, maybe I should just stay with priming on the press
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Old September 16, 2012, 04:04 PM   #15
jmortimer
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I will only prime off the press. So easy. It will only cost you around $35.00 to find out and if you don't like it, you can sell your equipment and cut your losses. I think once you try it you won't go back. Just saying
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Old September 16, 2012, 04:21 PM   #16
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Cost no object, the Sinclair and 21st Century priming tools are the best available... but at $110. The K&M has almost as good a feel at half the price... an excellent compromise of quality and price.

The good old stand-by Lee Auto-Prime tool is hard to beat for the price... and if you polish and lubricate the working surfaces, will provide a very nice degree of feel that, although not as smooth as the previously mentioned seaters, is excellent on a value for dollar rating.

Cheers,
C
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Old September 18, 2012, 08:15 AM   #17
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experience

After breaking both my LEE units during the same (marathon) priming session (I believe, even though well and properly lubricated, they simply overheated past their pot-metal breaking point), I bought a pair of the RCBS units, the one that takes actual shellholders.
Recommend.
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Old September 18, 2012, 08:17 AM   #18
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millions served; surgey scars to prove it

(The only press I prime on is my XL650; all other priming is done by hand.)
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Old September 18, 2012, 08:19 AM   #19
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I like my Lee Autoprime, but if you're not paying attention it will sometimes flip primers over and can possibly seat them backwards
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Old September 18, 2012, 08:43 AM   #20
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I sure like my RCBS hand primer. Uses standard shell holders. It has primed thousands of rounds now since the 80s. Much better than the priming in the press as you have more 'feel' when priming. Have not tried any other hand primer as this one just keeps on working!
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Old September 18, 2012, 09:33 AM   #21
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I use the old model Lee (round tray) have one for large one for small and one for parts.
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Old September 18, 2012, 10:06 AM   #22
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I've got (and had many previous) two old-style Lee Autoprimes that I use daily. One large primer; one small primer.

I've seen/tried the new Lee machine that the lawyers designed. I'll pass.

I bought my son the new RCBS kit that came w/ their hand primer. Other than it requires that a bit of a process to remove the shellholder from the ram and put it in the primer tool, I guess it's OK.

I bought THIS version of RCBS's primer tool last December when I needed extra leverage getting primers into tight Lapua 6.5 Grendel brass. I would recommend it to any/all new reloaders for the simple reason that it needs NO shellholder:

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Old September 18, 2012, 10:07 AM   #23
FiveInADime
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I never owned an original LEE auto-prime so I cant say that I wouldn't prefer it to the XR but I have had no complaints about the XR. What is the major issue with it. Granted, I have only primed a thousand or so cases with it, I haven't seen it falter or mis-seat a primer.
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Old September 18, 2012, 10:22 AM   #24
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I'm going to have to invest in one of these for priming on football Sundays.
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Old September 18, 2012, 11:09 AM   #25
ConRich
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The Problem with the Lee XR

The problem with the new Lee XR is the clear plastic cover, it is held in place with flimsy plastic ears that break off WAY too easy. I have had to replace two covers after loading only about 500 rounds.

Rich
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