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Priming tool you use?

L

lrgrendel

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
May 6, 2012
494
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62
Sanford. FL
Just broke my old Lee hand priming tool.
Probably will buy the LEE ERGO unless I hear something different here.

Just wondering if you guys have any thoughts to share?

BTW. Single stage press and rifle rounds only.
 
I checked out the Lee Ergo-Prime when I was looking, and ended up buying the RCBS. The Lee is a little easier to change from small primer to large primer, and doesn't require as much "touch" to ensure you have the shell centered and are seating the primer properly. Still, something about the RCBS fit my hand better, so that's what I bought - no real complaints about either.
 
Depends on how much you want to spend on it.
I have a 21 century shooting stainless steel priming tool, very high quality product, easy and comfortable to use, adjusting seating depth is very easy, and shell holder changes is also rather quick.
S.S. Priming Tool

They also make a tray fed version i have never tried, but they're products is top notch generally, so i assume these are of good quality.


K&M shooting also makes some good priming tools.
https://www.kmshooting.com/catalog/primer-seater-tools/primer_gauge.html
https://www.kmshooting.com/catalog/primer-seater-tools/primer-deluxe.html

None of these options are cheap, but they're the best you can get hold of as far as i know.
Wether you want to spend 120$ on a primer seater is another thing, that's just you that can decide.

I believe in having the best components i can for my reloading, to make as concentric ammunition as i possibly can, that's just my look on it though.
 
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RCBS here, no shell holders, fits the hand, and good feel when seating. The Lee just seemed chincy, the RCBS feels like it's built to last.
 
Presently I'm using the 21 Century hand priming tool with the square tray.
Works well. Has a good feel. A little pricey but worth to me.
BTW I tried the Lee Ergo and did not like it at all.
 
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I use the trayless 21st Century tool:

21st Century Hand Priming Tool Review | Bison Ballistics

It's fantastic. The single loading of primers turned out to not be as big an issue as I thought. It really goes quickly. For high volume loading, I'd probably spring for the tray, but I tend to load a couple hundred at a time, and it's no problem.

In the past I've used the Lee and RCBS units. Neither was particularly well made, but they got the job done.
 
I had a Lee for years and was very satisfied with it. The handle finally broke about a month ago and I looked at the RCBS and the Lee Ergo. I went with the ERGO based on my previous experience with my Lee primer and the fact that I had a bunch of Lee shellholders. Plus, it was a good bit cheaper than the RCBS.

I received the ERGO the other day and while it really fits my hand, I don't like it. It has several improvements over the plain Lee, but so far it has been very aggravating.
 
lrgrendel,

I have three of the Lee's left and tried three other brands. Now I use the K&M for most stuff, similar in design to the Lee and uses the same shell holders. I've bought a couple of them used for $40, but that was before the current price insanity.

HTH,
DocB
 
Some one told me to grease the lee tool at the pivot points and it will last u longer.....
 
Another vote for Sinclair...probably not what you want for mass production, but seating feel and control is first-class for precision rifle work.
 
I bought the 21st century about a year or so ago and couldn't be happier with it. Priming cases is a breeze with this tool. I can't imagine that I would ever purchase another priming tool after using this one.
 
herofish said:
any of you guys use the coax priming built in? if so/not, why?
Click to expand...
All day everyday, it works like a charm IF your only reloading one caliber and type of brass. The biggest complaint I have with it is it's a PITA to have to adjust it eveytime I switch to a different round. I've been eyeing a Sinclair tool for a while now
 
Hey, OP, Have you tried to buy the part? When I broke mine I was able to get parts. (5yrs ago?) I went to Scheels and bought a new one to keep loading. Now I use one for small and one for large primers. Just a thought.
 
I have 4 RCBS reg ones, one for each caliber I load, and an RCBS aps priming tool with adj jaws. But after priming 400 new Lapua brass, and 300 more to go, piss on it, I see Gunstop shipped a new coax bench mount tool this afternoon.
 
herofish said:
any of you guys use the coax priming built in? if so/not, why?
Click to expand...

The primer needs to be seated until it touches the top of the pocket, with handtools you can feel that and not crush the primer in, with the Co-Ax priming device it's much harder to get that feel, and it's slow, I used it for a couple hundred rounds before getting the Lee that I later broke.
 
txs - I have a new co-ax and am waiting for dies... so I figured I would use the co-ax after all the marketing info from Forster on how great it works - no way to get it wrong essentially (I am guessing once its setup properly) - good to hear from folks to have used it - think I will look at the 21st century as well. I am not doing massive runs - so a hand tool should be fine for me.
 
I've been using the RCBS Hand Priming Tool (the one that requires shellholders) for the past 10 years without any negative incident and have been happy. One day when I'm feeling froggy, I'm gonna "splurge" on the RCBS Universal Hand Priming Tool and not worry about changing shellholders anymore.
 
RCBS Hand Primer. Its simple and works and no primers flipping,

Had the lee for 2 days, was quit unhappy and sore thumb
 
21st Century; built like a tank, quick swaps from large to small primers, micro adjustable and repeatable. Only negative is price, but you get what you pay for.

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk
 
RCBS Universal Hand Primer.

No, shell holders, metal barrier in between primer being set and the primers in the tray, doesn't ever jam primers at the ram, doesn't flip primers when you slide them back into the tray.

What I'd *really* like is the Hornady handle (ergonomics, stands by itself) attached to the RCBS Universal feed mechanism using Lee trays (best for flipping primers) :)
 
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