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Priming tools

Tacreloader

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 15, 2010
51
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Ak, Anchorage
What is a better tool for the job? I was looking at the three different priming tools by RCBS and they are the Automatic priming tool, Hand priming tool, and the Ram priming unit. which is better or is there a differance?
 
Re: Priming tools

The Lee universal hand priming tool will do the job well.
 
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+1 on teh RCBS Universal hand priming tool. I use mine on my .260, .284 Winchester, 7WSM, and 338 LM Improved. No case holder to change and its fast.


JeffVN
 
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RCBS Universal Hand Priming tool. I really hate messing around with shell holders.
 
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I have used the LEE AutoPrime hand tool for probably 30 years. I've actually worn out 1 and have 3 others. I keep a large and small in the shop. I keep another with changeover parts in my range box. A little vaseline or other light grease on the pivot points and they'll do a lot of work.
 
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+1 for the Sinclair priming tool. If you use this or the Lee Auto prime I recommend buying the possum hollow shellholders if they are available in your caliber over the Lee Auto Prime shellholders.
 
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<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JSTARSZ</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The Lee is the cheapest and it works.</div></div>
I'm concerned with Lee's warning to use this tool only with specific brands of primers.

Any comments?
 
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Anybody...? What primer brand do you use with Lee hand priming tool?
 
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The Sinclair is the mack daddy priming tool but its SLOW. I use it only for priming brass I use at national or international level matches. Not that it really does a "better" job, but that I know EVERY primer I seat with it is perfect.

For 99% of my priming, I use the RCBS auto cause I use the Dillon RF primer loader thingy to load the tubes and I just drop the primers into the RCBS tube and then go to town. Fast and efficient....and I will NOT use primer pick up tubes...that sucks! But the Dillon RF works just fine for loading them!
 
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Personally I use the RCBS hand priming tool, but the others mentioned also work well. I have used CCI BR2, CCI#41, and Federal 215M primers in it with no problem.
 
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Sinclair, for all. 10,000+ per year. Not slow when you get the hang of it.
 
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<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mudcat-NC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

For 99% of my priming, I use the RCBS auto cause I use the Dillon RF primer loader thingy to load the tubes and I just drop the primers into the RCBS tube and then go to town. Fast and efficient....and I will NOT use primer pick up tubes...that sucks! But the Dillon RF works just fine for loading them!
</div></div>

would like to see your setup
 
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The Dillon RF primer filling system will fill both large or small, but to be honest, converting it is a little bit of a PITA. I use mine constantly, so what I did was I sold some crap and bought a second one. So I keep one in use in Large primer and one in use in Small primer. Considering the time and aggravation it saves you from loading primers tubes, they are well worth it. And I think they are something that once you buy them, you never need to worry about it again.

Guess they are like Dillon presses...yeah, you can get by with one, but more than one is oh so sweet!

John
 
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Of the three you mention here, I would rate them in the order that you listed them in.

If you want to try for greater precision; go for the K&M or the Sinclair.

Remember, reloading is like shooting, consistent proper technique will be needed to get the best results from any equipment.
 
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Personal preference for sure.

While I have no doubt that the Lee and RCBC work just fine, I'm with the crew that rates the Sinclair as the premium product. I hand prime all my LR rifle loads. I've used it with CCI BR2, Fed Match, and WLR primers. It has a really good tactile feel in achieving a secure, piece-of-mind seating depth.

I don't use any of my three dillon presses priming stations for LR rifle. Why? I don't like the up-stroke tactile feel of the 650 for this application. Pistol? Sure, who cares. And, I've never set up my 1050s for LR rifle. I do use the S1050 priming for WSR for .223 but I consider .223 a long pistol anyway.
 
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FWIW I have a S1050 set up for 308 and have no problem with primer seating or depth. I have actually found I can load sub MOA ammo with Varget with the existing powder measure. I was trickling powder in when I first got the machine but at the insistance of a friend went ahead and tried the Dillon Powder station andit worked to two tenths either way with Varget...

Tend to use CCI BR for primers'''

I also use the RL Primer fillers and have for several years. Saves a ton of time...
 
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<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: insectguy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Anyone use the Forster Co-ax priming tool? </div></div>

I use the one on the top of the Co-ax press and it works great. The bench mounted one is supposed to be good too.

I used Lees before I got the Co-ax press. I set up one for SR primers and one for LR so I didn't have to swap out parts and pieces.
 
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I use the RCBS Automatic Bench Priming tool. I got it used at a gun shop years ago but I finally set it up about 3 years ago and started using it and I like it way better than the hand primer tool types. If you use it enough you can 'feel' the primers going in like the hand primer tools and you can visually see if the primer is facing the right way before before you put the case in the shell holder, something you can't do as well with the hand primers.
Works well for me on priming several hundred rifle cases at a go. I usually do my brass in stages like all FL and deprimed in a large batch, case prep in a large batch, clean in a large batch, pick the grit in the flash holes as a group, then I start the priming step and that is where I start in smaller groups because of the limit of case trays I have so I may do 200 cases primed, then powder, then bullet seat. That way if I need to call it a night or have to be somewhere I can usually finish up the smaller number and not have a lot of primed cases sitting out over night or a week till I can get back to them. I have had some primed cases sit awhile like a month once and a few not go off. Not fun pulling bullets off rounds because the primers were contaminated some how. So I try and load them up in smaller batches per session now and try not to leave primed unloaded cases sit. No telling what could make a primer go bad sitting out like that from humidity to accidently getting spray gun cleaner or WD-40 overspray from down the bench drifting onto them.
 
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I also use the RCBS Bench mounted priming tool and after using the RCBS universal & Lee hand tools I like the bench tool much better. It has just as good of feel as the hand tools and is much faster overall than messing with the hand tools. My SD have went into the low single digits since I started using this priming tool so I believe my priming operation has gotten much more consistent, sometimes 4 of 5 shots will have the same exact velocity across the chronograph.
 
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I use the RCBS APS Hand Priming Tool for everything - .22Hornet up to .338LM and everything in between. Awesome bit of kit.