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Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
#6861808
08/19/17 08:39 PM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 838
stxhunter
OP
Tracker
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OP
Tracker
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 838 |
I'm looking to upgrade from my press priming setup. I'm open to any suggestions. Thoughts on bench primer vs hand primer?
So far I've looked at
RCBS bench prime 21st century hand prime and the version with lee auto prime tray K&m Primer Sinclair Bald Eagle Priming press
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: stxhunter]
#6862447
08/20/17 02:15 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,317
Deans
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,317 |
I use the Lee hand priming tool that I purchased before current styles. Have served me well.
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” ISAIAH 41:10
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: stxhunter]
#6862464
08/20/17 02:35 PM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 32,482
kmon11
junior
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junior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 32,482 |
I have tried several and the older Lee one is my favorite hand primer. Hornady was seating primers too deep with the required hornady shell holders, RCBS was ok, the new Universal RCBS works quite well and might become my new favorite when the Lee wears out.
For a bench primer the Forster one is very good IMO
lf the saying "Liar, Liar your pants on fire" were true Mainstream news might be fun to watch
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: stxhunter]
#6862501
08/20/17 03:27 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,633
DStroud
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
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Posts: 3,633 |
The 21st Century with the tray would be a good choice if it was the older tray. I have a half dozen of the older Lee's as the new ones seem to have issues with the trays or at least the one I bought did. I also use the RCBS bench primer a lot too. Primed 200 rounds of 284 Win this morning on it and it works fine.
"Anyone taking up handloading necessarily plays with unknown factors and takes chances. But so does anyone who drives a car,goes to a cocktail party,eats in a restaurant,or gets married."
Jack O'Connor 1963
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: kmon11]
#6862529
08/20/17 03:50 PM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 9,273
blackcoal
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 9,273 |
I have tried several and the older Lee one is my favorite hand primer. Hornady was seating primers too deep with the required hornady shell holders, RCBS was ok, the new Universal RCBS works quite well and might become my new favorite when the Lee wears out.
For a bench primer the Forster one is very good IMO I'm still using Lee hand primer when using single stage presses. Been doing that since 73-74.... Certainly there may be better but I like my system.
The Greatest Enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.--Stephen Hawking
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: stxhunter]
#6862551
08/20/17 04:10 PM
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,189
Smokey Bear
THF Trophy Hunter
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,189 |
It depends on your loading style and volume. I load single stage and mostly for centerfire bolt guns. I have both the Hornady and RCBS hand primers and like them both about the same. Both give good feel when the primer bottoms out. That is what I like for my rifle stuff. It is not high volume. I usually load 50 round batches. For pistol ammo and higher volume without the meticulous case prep, I use an auto primer on the press and prime at the same time I bell the case mouth.
Smokey Bear---Lone Star State.
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: stxhunter]
#6862600
08/20/17 04:54 PM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 33,946
Buzzsaw
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Posts: 33,946 |
My main one is the RCBS Universal. It works very good. The tray feeds VERY good. It did take a little break-in time with the "jaws" which holds the shell rim.
I also still use the press primer
My hands are arthritic old and priming hurts. I'm thinking of going to a "portable" bench press. I think the extra leverage will help me.
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: stxhunter]
#6862626
08/20/17 05:17 PM
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 1,100
TackDriver
Pro Tracker
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Posts: 1,100 |
Been using the RCBS hand priming tool for ages, works well that I never decided to experiment with another. You can feel the primer bottoms out in the case.
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: stxhunter]
#6862673
08/20/17 05:54 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 19,229
Judd
#1 Creedmoor Fan
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#1 Creedmoor Fan
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 19,229 |
The primal rights is the one I'd have if I had room for a traditional press in addition to the co-ax. The Bald Eagle bench mount looks really good by bullets.com
I use a Lee AutoPrime...it is one of the very few Lee pieces I own. I recently bought a new one with the white plastic fold in half tray. I don't like it as well as the square black tray with clear top.
Don't let your ears hear what your eyes didn't see, and don't let your mouth say what your heart doesn't feel
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: TackDriver]
#6862682
08/20/17 06:02 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,158
J.G.
THF Celebrity
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,158 |
Been using the RCBS hand priming tool for ages, works well that I never decided to experiment with another. You can feel the primer bottoms out in the case. Same here.
800 Yard Steel Range Precision Rifle Instruction Memberships and Classes Available
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: Judd]
#6862695
08/20/17 06:18 PM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 33,946
Buzzsaw
THF Celebrity
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Posts: 33,946 |
The primal rights is the one I'd have if I had room for a traditional press in addition to the co-ax. The Bald Eagle bench mount looks really good by bullets.com
I use a Lee AutoPrime...it is one of the very few Lee pieces I own. I recently bought a new one with the white plastic fold in half tray. I don't like it as well as the square black tray with clear top. The Bald Eagle looks really nice Judd. I could C-Clamp it to my bench. Expensive critter though
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: stxhunter]
#6863051
08/21/17 12:48 AM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 4,877
Teal28
Extreme Tracker
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RCBS bench mount is wat I use and like a lot better than the Lee hand held I used for yeas. The bald eagle is sweet just don't like the load one primer at a time. The primal rights is sick but for $600+ I'm out.
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: Judd]
#6863120
08/21/17 01:22 AM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,633
DStroud
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,633 |
The primal rights is the one I'd have if I had room for a traditional press in addition to the co-ax. The Bald Eagle bench mount looks really good by bullets.com
I use a Lee AutoPrime...it is one of the very few Lee pieces I own. I recently bought a new one with the white plastic fold in half tray. I don't like it as well as the square black tray with clear top. I also have the Primal Rights very nice piece of equipment.
"Anyone taking up handloading necessarily plays with unknown factors and takes chances. But so does anyone who drives a car,goes to a cocktail party,eats in a restaurant,or gets married."
Jack O'Connor 1963
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: Teal28]
#6863126
08/21/17 01:27 AM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,516
RiverRider
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,516 |
RCBS bench mount is wat I use and like a lot better than the Lee hand held I used for yeas. The bald eagle is sweet just don't like the load one primer at a time. The primal rights is sick but for $600+ I'm out. It's beyond ridiculous. The guy who developed it is a genuine horse's a$$ and a total egomaniac. You don't need the world's finest steel to make an effective hammer, and I don't believe you could ever prove any advantage to using his Rube Goldberg priming machine. A Lee AutoPrime does just as good a job if operated correctly.
"Arguing with you always makes me thirsty." -Augustus McRae
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: stxhunter]
#6863246
08/21/17 03:36 AM
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,015
pertnear
"Demolition Man"
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"Demolition Man"
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,015 |
For single stage precision reloading, first uniform all primer pockets with Sinclair's primer pocket tool then prime with RCBS's Ram Priming unit set to a precise stop. It doesn't get any better than this.
Last edited by pertnear; 08/21/17 03:42 AM.
"Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.” - George Orwell
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: stxhunter]
#6863449
08/21/17 01:09 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,633
DStroud
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
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Mine is the CPS Lite didn't cost nearly that much. I have also used a friends RCBS that's modified by Holland shooting Supply to measure seating depth.
"Anyone taking up handloading necessarily plays with unknown factors and takes chances. But so does anyone who drives a car,goes to a cocktail party,eats in a restaurant,or gets married."
Jack O'Connor 1963
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: stxhunter]
#6863484
08/21/17 01:35 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,533
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,533 |
I have the RCBS hand primer that comes with the Rockchuker kit. Has worked without a flaw for me.
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: stxhunter]
#6863649
08/21/17 04:06 PM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 18,934
ChadTRG42
THF Celebrity
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Posts: 18,934 |
I use the old Lee Auto Prime 2 press mounted system to prime my single stage cases. It allows you to adjust the seating depth of the primer, and it provides a constant amount of pressure to keep a consistent primer depth. You also get the leverage of the press for mechanical advantage. It also has a gravity feed trough that feeds the primers in. And, it uses regular RCBS and Hornady shell holders. I prime way too many cases to use a hand primer system.
I like the idea of the Primal Rights system. I will be looking into this one. I don't like how it uses the flat Lee style shell holders, since I can not get some calibers in these shell holders. The Bald Eagle one looks good, but forget loading 1 primer at a time.
A little about primer depth- you want your primer to be seated .002"-.008" deep, below flush, per ATK technical specs. The sweet spot is .003"-.004" deep. I go for this sweet spot when seating primers. I had some issues with some hang fires and primers not going off on some brass that had too deep of primer pocket on the brass. I made some calls about this, and got some good info of technical specs for primers.
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: stxhunter]
#6865216
08/22/17 07:09 PM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 838
stxhunter
OP
Tracker
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OP
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 838 |
Thanks for the recommendations.
I like the looks of the 21st century hand primer, but really not too sure I want to single load primers by hand and have heard mixed reviews on the lee folding primer tray. I'm wanting this for my precision rifle /hunting stuff, may load 100 or so at a time. For pistol I'll continue to use the priming system on my press.
NO WAY I"m paying $600 for the primal rights! I would be willing to swing the bald eagle unit, but again I'm back to single priming.
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: pertnear]
#6865625
08/23/17 01:51 AM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 154
240z
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 154 |
I prefer the Lee auto prime, it gives a better feel for loose primer pockets than priming on a single stage press. Just my personal preference.
Harley Davidson Motorcycles.....the most efficent way to convert gasoline into noise, without the side effects of Horsepower.
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: stxhunter]
#6866025
08/23/17 02:22 PM
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Joined: May 2016
Posts: 2,420
yotehater
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 2,420 |
It's hard to beat the freedom a hand priming tool gives you. Especially since my reloading room is detached from the house. You can sit out on the porch or on the couch and prime cases.
One shot is all it should take.
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: stxhunter]
#6866071
08/23/17 02:53 PM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,037
Vern1
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
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Posts: 3,037 |
I usually load 200 rounds at a time.
I have used hand primers a good bit but my hands start to hurt after a while.
I have started using the on press safety primer on my LEE press. Punch out old primer and full length size on way up, prime on way down. The press lever has nice feel so you can sense a loose primer or deformed pocket easily.
Cheers, Vern1 Texans since The Old 300 in 1824 NRA Lifetime Member
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Re: Bench or Hand Prime recommendations
[Re: stxhunter]
#6867075
08/24/17 01:30 PM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 33,946
Buzzsaw
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
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Posts: 33,946 |
Think I'll go with the Forrester Co-ax primer system, mounted to a hunk of 2X4 for portability.
watch them all on YouTube. Forrester looks like a good one.
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