Which hand priming tool do you prefer?

I use my Rock Chucker to prime all my cases, never tried a hand primer. Not really
looking to switch, as my hands are getting achy in the mornings, joints stiffening up
from too much labour when I was younger.
 
ryan said:
I used the old Lee priming tools years ago, and was happy with them, but the new one I have now is a complete piece of shyte. I much prefer my RCBS Universal hand priming tool.
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^^ agree^^

I liked the RCBS universal tool so much I bought a second one so I have a dedicated small and large hand primer. It's universal so I don't have to change shell holders. The one I use for "large" primers likes to slip the spring when doing 378 wetherby or 338 lapua, but as long as you're aware of the problem it's not a lot of hassle to take a dental pick and slip the spring back onto the post. I am more than willing to live with that little occasional problem when compared to the convenience of not swapping she'll holders.

I still have 3 lee hand primers in a box around here somewhere....... I don't use them anymore but I keep em as spares and for nostagias sake, besides they cost like $20 new, so it's not like I'm out anything!
 
I have used and worn out a couple of different primer tools. My first was a cast metal tool that had to have the primers inserted into the ram cup by hand with each cartridge. It worked well but it was painfully slow.

The next step for me was the Lee hand tool. It worked well but of course wore out. The next tool was also a Lee. When that one wore out I knew I needed something that had more mechanical advantage in its lever than the LEE. My thumb was letting me know the arthritis in its base was acting up.

I finally settled on the RCBS hand priming tool and ended up with two of them. One for small primers and one for large primers.

The RCBS isn't perfect by a long shot and I like the Lee system because it is smoother but once you get used to the RCBS set up there is really no difference other than the plunger lever is operated by the fingers rather than the thumb and it has a lot higher mechanical advantage, which takes the pressure/pain off my thumb.

Using the press is OK but I like to clean my primer pockets before I swage the brass and press in new primers. I can't do this without taking up extra time. I feel your pain TedNugent
 
I started with a RCBS hand priming tool but because I load both large and small primer I got frustrated always having to switch stuff around so I purchased the Forster primer. I didnt like it because I could not feel the primer being seated so I sold it and got the RCBS Universal hand primer. Its the ONLY thing from Forster I have not liked - IT did a good job but I just didnt like the fact that I could not feel how much pressure it took to seat the primer
 
If you guys got a Lee Auto-Prime XR as the "new" one, I agree. It sucks. Try the a Ergo-prime.

Bear hunter, I, too, had trouble with the thumb hurting on the old round-tray Lee. I just turned it around. Kept the lever in the web of my hand and squeezed the tool with my fingers. No more thumb pain.
 
notsorichguy said:
^^ agree^^

I liked the RCBS universal tool so much I bought a second one so I have a dedicated small and large hand primer. It's universal so I don't have to change shell holders. The one I use for "large" primers likes to slip the spring when doing 378 wetherby or 338 lapua, but as long as you're aware of the problem it's not a lot of hassle to take a dental pick and slip the spring back onto the post. I am more than willing to live with that little occasional problem when compared to the convenience of not swapping she'll holders.

I still have 3 lee hand primers in a box around here somewhere....... I don't use them anymore but I keep em as spares and for nostagias sake, besides they cost like $20 new, so it's not like I'm out anything!
Click to expand...

Like you, I have two RCBS Universal Priming Tools, one set up for large primers, and one set up for small primers. I gave my LEE priming tool and shellholders to a new reloader.
 
Old Autoprime and an Autoprime XR. Old one got fitted with the second square tray from the XR, so one is dedicated large primers and the other small. They work great, so I see no point in spending double for the Ergo or another maufacturer.
 
I gave up the hand primers for a bench primer...

I used hand primers for a good few years with good success... then tried a bench primer...

Wow is all I can say. A bench primer is so far superior in terms of ease of use and feel of the primer that I will never go back to hand priming...

Bench%20primertool.jpg
 
Kevin M. said:
I gave up the hand primers for a bench primer...

I used hand primers for a good few years with good success... then tried a bench primer...

Wow is all I can say. A bench primer is so far superior in terms of ease of use and feel of the primer that I will never go back to hand priming...

Bench%20primertool.jpg
Click to expand...

This is spectacularly correct in every way. Except try the Forster Coax primer. Universal Shellholder and gorgeously smooth operation. I easily tripled my priming speed plus they are all extremely uniform. And once you figure out that an old RCBS tray fills them waaaaaaaay easier than a tube, you are off to the races.
 
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