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What do you like for a priming tool?

I used a Lee hand primer for years and even bought a back-up for just in case.

Now i use a RCBS bench primer and it is nice.

I started with press mounted priming units then went to hand primers including both RCBS variations, Hornaday, Lyman and now the Frankford Arsenal. I like the Frankford Arsenal the best of the ones I've used...

I've been very satisfied with the RCBS hand primer . It has good feel for the primer seating and holds a lot of primers so you don't have to stop in the middle of a long run of priming.

^^^^
Agreed, I have had excellent luck with my RCBS hand primer.

I am having problems with my RCBS hand primer. It is not pushing the primers all the way in. I push the handle all the way to where it hits the primer frame and the primers are still protruding outside (above) the case. Thus the question; "What do you like for a priming tool?"
I'm thinking about purchasing another.

I've used the Lee hand tool for 20+ years and, on occasion, use the press-mounted system on my Redding.

x3

RCBS has some of the best customer service I have ever experienced. If it were me, I would call them and describe your issue... I'm betting they will make it right very quickly.

Just to satisfy my curiosity- which model do you have? Are you using the RCBS shell holders in it? Are you cleaning your primer pockets before priming?

Bob

Been pushing primers for 25+- years. Used this RCBS unit for a whole lot of that time. Now it's misbehaving. Can't see any reason why. I have used CCI, Winchester, Federal primers in Hornady, Winchester, Rem cases. In the last 100 + cases the various primers in the various cases are now not seating deeply enough. Thinking something needs a change.

I have a whole buch of the original Lee priming tools and I really like them. Even better though, is the Lachmiller tool. It uses standard shellholders and has great feel. GD

I like the RCBS Automatic Bench Priming Tool but....

I realized the feed tube was too low, and spitting primers over the floor and never working, not even once.

I was wrapping masking tape around the tube to control height.

Finally I got around to drilling and tapping for a screw that adjusts tube hight.

I was gifted a Lee auto prime hand tool 35 years ago and it's still going strong. Countless quantities of primers have been fed through it, with one glitch- the handle broke 6 or 7 years ago. Even though it's a first generation tool and I was told "modern" parts don't fit it, I found that a new handle fit right in and I was back in business. I've thought many times about replacing it with a bench mounted unit but then I think "Why, it works just fine" and go about worrying about more important things like beer and hot dogs.

I do sometimes use a 1909-vintage Frankford Arsenal de-re capper. (The original U.S. gov't Frankford Arsenal, not the recent upstart makers of mass-market loading stuff). Works for any .30 caliber .30-06 or shorter, and .45's too.

Lee hand prime since the early 80s.
I have 2 one ready for small and one for large primers

EATING CROW! - MAJOR DUH! - MESSED UP!



I began this thread KNOWING that my RCBS hand priming tool has a problem. I took it completely apart and inspected every part looking for broken parts or wear. There are only a few parts and it was evident that every thing is in fine working order. Put it back together and picked up a 270 case that I had primed. Slipped the case in and raised the ram to look for why it isn't rising far enough to push those primers in fully. Nothing!

As I slid the case out of the shellholder I noted that it had a sloppy fit. There is space in the shellholder for some lift as the primer is being pushed in. Case rim doesn't fit tight. Pulled the shellholder, looked at the size designation. (2) The #2 is the shellholder for my 6.5X55. WRONG SHELLHOLDER.
The primer seating problems are with my 270 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor and they use #3 shellholder.

Put in the RIGHT shellholder and pushed 170+- primers the rest of the way in.

Red Faced Jim

Don't beat yourself up. We've all done Stupid Human Tricks like that.

Wise man to my dumbass self as a kid: "If you're not making mistakes, you're not working."

Thanks for the sage advise. I've proven myself highly capable of those "Stupid Human Tricks." Just stand around and watch. Levity in abundance.

Love it!
As per many things made then it comes with a "cradling box." My Dad was born 1900 and frequently said if it's made by a craftsman it probably will come in a "cradling box."