hand priming tools options

curseyou

curseyou

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So being a book schooled reloader I never thought much of it, until I took a class and saw someone else hand prime. My rcbs hand prime tool always bottoms out without crushing the primers. My instructors has quite a bit of leftover by the time he seats his primers. I think the rod in mine is too short. I have have a few too many misfires because the primer didnt go off so Im working on troubleshooting this. (Maybe too shallow/too deep?) The finished product looks ok with the primer seated just slightly below the case head.

I would appreciate confirmation from others that the priming tool should not bottom out. I would also like suggestions on a better primer tool if there is on the market.
 
The primers do need to be seated fully. With the boxer primers we want the legs of the anvil to be up against the bottom of the pocket so that when the cup is struck it can correctly pinch the priming compound between the cup and the anvil.

A sure fire tell tale sign that your priming tool is seating them too shallow is if the failed round fires on the next try. The first hit sets the primer then the second time fires it correctly. Have you tried that with your failed ammo?

I sort of like the idea of a positive stop. But instead with my Lee hand primers I rely on trying to get a feel and inspect each case after it's primed.

Have you taken your RCBS hand primers apart to see if there's any crud built up in there that needs cleaning? Or perhaps you can lightly file or grind off the travel stop to get a few more thou of travel? You probably only need a hair's worth more travel and when it's that fussy a little crud can easily foul up the works.
 
If the primers are seated too deep, which can cause issues, then the priming tool is obviously working correctly, but there is another issue. If the rod was too short, a visual inspection should show that the primers are not fully seated.
 
I use an RCBS hand primer for my rifle loads (308Win) and it does not bottom out. Comes close, but I've got maybe 3-4mm of travel left in the squeeze grip when the primer is fully seated.

Your primer should be slightly below the bottom of the case when it is fully seated. Running a finger over it you should feel a slight depression.
 
jimmyjazz said:
Looks great but way to slow I'd lose my patience pretty quickly.
Click to expand...

Yeah, having to handle the primers individually looks like a minor PITA.

I have a Lee tool, and will keep it at least until it wears out. Works well, good feel, and easy enough to change sizes and cartridges. Cheap as chips, too.

One of the other things I dislike about the tool in that link, is that the depth is settable. You could easily end up with a batch of nice looking, but less than reliable ammo, if you set it too shallow. In theory.

Cheers
Trev
 
Your primers should be seated with a preload on the anvil with a "slight" primer crush, military primers are seated .006 to .008 below the surface. I uniform all my primer pockets, this removes the rounded corners in the bottom of the primer pocket and all the primer pockets the same depth. When the primer pockets are uniformed in this manor your "feel" during seating are all the same as the primer bottoms.

Boxer-Primer_zps2da9c2c8.jpg


If you can't feel the primer bottom out in the primer pocket your priming tool needs adjusted or tossed in the trash.

I have been using the RCBS priming tool below since the early 1970s and it has very good feel when seating the primers.

RCBSPrimer-b_zps7e084f16.jpg
 
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I use the cheap Lee one. Couldn't afford anything else, and If it works why bother with something more expensive?

It does not bottom out when seating a primer. 100+ rounds of 303 done with it and they all went bang first try. (I know, small sample size...)
 
I currently have two RCBS Universal Priming Tools. I leave one set up for small primers, and one for large primers. I very much prefer these tools to the LEE units that I used previously.
 
Are you sure you are using the correct rod for your cartridge?

The large primer rod being used to seat small primers will not fully seat the cap. Conversely using the small rod on large primers can deform them.
 
As much as I avoid Lee as possible, their hand primer works effortlessly.
Got the old school round one with the round top tray.
I just doesn't git any easier than this.
 
Your problem may be your brass. I use a RCBS universal priming tool. It does not bottom out. I have only ever had 1 FTF in my life and it was due to the brass having too deep of a pocket.
 
kamlooky said:
As much as I avoid Lee as possible, their hand primer works effortlessly.
Got the old school round one with the round top tray.
I just doesn't git any easier than this.
Click to expand...

Yep. You can spend more money, but it won't work any better.

Sorta like so many things, a lot of the differences in stuff are more about selling the mind game to the customer, rather than the product.

Cheers
Trev
 
I know I need to ditch brass where the pocket is too large. Some go in with feel others glide in effortlessly. those need to go. win white box reused.

Edit w/ update. I just loaded some 45 acp with the large primers and it is too short. The tool bottoms out and doesnt fully seat the primer.it obviously sits high. I had to put a piece of primer box under the rod so it would be long enough to fully seat.

I guess I got a dud? Ive been using it for years and never had a problem w 223 or 357. but 45acp and 308 are not happy.

Hmmm something just occured to me. the 45 and 308 both ise the same case holder. Could that be my problem?
 
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trevj said:
Yep. You can spend more money, but it won't work any better.

Sorta like so many things, a lot of the differences in stuff are more about selling the mind game to the customer, rather than the product.

Cheers
Trev
Click to expand...


Agreed, it's searing primers, how complicated do you want to make it? A basic hand primer does the job perfectly. No need for "mind game" whirligig gizmo zen devices with flux capacitors and indicators measuring tenths!!
 
I have several hand primers....mostly so I do not have to change shell holders when I am loading different cases.

I have 2 - RCBS units, 1 Hornady, 3 old style Lee [round primer tray] units, and 1 New style Lee [Square primer tray]

They all do the job well, but I have broken the handle on a couple of the Lee old style units. [Had new steel handles made for them]
FWIW, despite all the kerfuffle about Lee Hand primers and Federal primers, I have probably seated 50,000 federal primers with my Lees
and nary a problem.

If I had to pick a favorite, I guess the Hornady unit would win, but I am actually quite happy no matter which one I use.

Regards, Dave.
 
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