Hand held priming tool, school me up ???

Possibly looking at getting a hand held priming tool and aside from the convenience of not having to sit at the loading desk seating primers on my press is there anything more to know ???
They seem to vary in price from about $50 for the Lee version up to about $180 for the RCBS version with the Hornandy and Lyman versions falling in between them.
Is there any great difference between them ? What makes the $180 RCBS version so much betrer than the Lee ?
Any horror stories ?
Thanks team :thumbsup:
Also if anyone is thinking of offloading one at a reasonable price let me know ?

Been using the rcbs universal one for a few years. Great to use, no mucking around with shell holders as the jaws adjust to fit whatever. Have used on 22-250 up to 338lm, the latter are a bit of a struggle to get in but they do fit. Only criticism is the plastic socket the tray fits into is a little flimsy, I think Frankfort Arsenal do a similar thing around the same price. Can sit in front of the tv and do a couple of hundred really quickly.

I have the RCBS one and it's brilliant, as you say you can prime shells watching TV if you want. Easy to use , can do both LR and SR
I have mine set up for SR all the time and use the press for LR. You won't be disappointed buying one. Can't comment on the other brands but the RCBS is great. I bought mine a fair while back in Canada and they seem to be pricey over here now.

Forgot to mention it’s very easy to tell if your primer pockets are getting a bit too loose as you have much better feel for seating force than using a press, helps you cull out ones that are iffy.

Using one here but don't have the lid for it as son lost the lid or at least has put it in the same place as the priming arm for the press. Don't know what brand it is but probably nearer the $50 range I would think but works perfectly still for my 22-250 and I know he used it for 223 and 270 brass with no issues

IIRC the Lee one needs special shellholders, so I went with the Lyman one. It works well with standard Lyman shellholders, but doesn't work with Hornady or Lee ones as they are too thick and the ram can't reach far enough.

+1 for the RCBS.

Buy two - one for LR, one for SR if you load both.

I got a Lee hand primer so I could do SR primers in 223. Its works fine given price. I still do LR on press as that's what I've always done for 308, 270 etc. But dont take reloading advice from me, I've never moved beyond the basics.

Why would I need a seperate one for small and large rifle primers ?

@dannyb the K&M priming tool is pretty nice - no tray to hold the primers but you get pretty quick with a bit of practice

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Originally Posted by dannyb

Possibly looking at getting a hand held priming tool and aside from the convenience of not having to sit at the loading desk seating primers on my press is there anything more to know ???
They seem to vary in price from about $50 for the Lee version up to about $180 for the RCBS version with the Hornandy and Lyman versions falling in between them.
Is there any great difference between them ? What makes the $180 RCBS version so much betrer than the Lee ?
Any horror stories ?
Thanks team :thumbsup:
Also if anyone is thinking of offloading one at a reasonable price let me know ?

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I have lots of different ones including the basis lee one and the RCBS and lyman hand held ones. My favourite is the lee "ergo" hand primer with the square primer feed. Hard to find as they stopped making them and went to a useless flip tray but if you can find one buy it as you wont regret it. Ive primed vast quantities of cases with it.

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Originally Posted by omark

I have lots of different ones including the basis lee one and the RCBS and lyman hand held ones. My favourite is the lee "ergo" hand primer with the square primer feed. Hard to find as they stopped making them and went to a useless flip tray but if you can find one buy it as you wont regret it. Ive primed vast quantities of cases with it.

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@omark only found this one

https://www.reloaders.co.nz/shop/Rel...ime+90250.html

Presume this is not the one you mean as it has the flip tray ?

There is a different ram for the SR and the LR on the RCBS. You change in and out between size. Only takes 2 mins to swap out. Also need RCBS shell holders. For my one anyway.
I agree with what someone said about the plastic insert being abit average but I've still had no problems.
I bent the rim on a case this morning when the case slipped half out of the shell holder while I wasn't looking, new norma brass was taking a bit of effort so didn't realise till it was too late. $1.93 I'll never see again.

I use a Lee handloading tool. Red and looks a bit like large set of pliers with a central ram . You use it as s loading press bwcause it accepts dies but with the primer attachment is the best I've used. Manual one at a time but good seatingvfeel and precise. They are about $90 and have multiple functions.

I used a Lee quite happily for many years then last year got a Lyman which is bigger and better leverage as well as the advantage of using standard shell holders (I was always misplacing the Lee ones). I much prefer to prime with hand tools and haven't primed in the press for 40 years, having done many thousands of pistol and rifle rounds in that time.

Lee and RCBS hand priming tools are great. I prefer the oldschool Lee Auto Prime. LEE stoped making them(with the round tray).

I treated myself to a Forrester Co-ax primer seater a while ago. Its a benchrest type primer seater with a tube and a nice long lever to manipulate the primers - its a real step up from the hand primers.

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Originally Posted by dannyb

@omark only found this one

https://www.reloaders.co.nz/shop/Rel...ime+90250.html

Presume this is not the one you mean as it has the flip tray ?

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Yea that’s not the one. The flip tray is a pain

The Sinclair hand tool is well worth the investment.
A real heirloom quality tool. However, no auto feed not that I find that a problem myself.

Attachment 160131

These are great to use as well, can set up the exact primer setting depth and you can feel any differences in primer pockets.
And will last a lifetime.

Super Precision Priming Tool

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Originally Posted by Shamus_

@dannyb the K&M priming tool is pretty nice - no tray to hold the primers but you get pretty quick with a bit of practice

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Yes, they're good tool, been using one for over 30 years. The Sinclair and 21st Century versions are equally as good.

For all my target stuff I have for years used a 21stCentury tool. I use CCI primers in those loads. The CCI primers have protruding anvils of various measurements. The 21stCentury (or most hand primers) give good feel to avoid crushing the anvils into the cups. I take reasonable care priming these loads and believe good priming (not crushing) to be important in the overall package.

Press priming is akin to using a sledgehammer, with no feel.

In my non target loads, sporting 308, 22-250, 223, Swiss SR, Hornet, 32/20 I use Fiocchi or RWS primers. The anvils in these two sit flush with the bottom of the cup. These can be seated with a reasonably solid stop till the bottom of the cup contacts the bottom of the primer pocket without crushing the primer. You can obviously still flatten the primer face if too heavy handed.
I usually use an RCBS Universal tool for these.

I bought the RCBS Universal and a Lee at the same time. Tried both and promptly gave the Lee away. The RCBS has much nicer ergonomics. Minor downside is it's a bit fiddly changing between SRP and LRP but this is well offset by not having to have dedicated shellholders. Not sure about the latest Lee's but the RCBS has a safety gate to supposedly prevent setting of the primers in the tray if you have a primer blow whilst seating.

Greetings All,
I got one of the Lee hand priming tools over 20 years ago and it has done most of my priming since. I like the convenience of the tray and not having to touch the primers in the process. When it finally wears out (it will be a close race between me and the Lee hand primer) I might spring for something a bit flashier, or maybe not.
Regards Grandpamac.
PS. I would probably use the press if I ever use the Berdan primers I have for the .308.

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Originally Posted by zimmer

...Press priming is akin to using a sledgehammer, with no feel....

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Good analogy.

Thanks for all the informative responses guys, I have bought a Hornady hand primer that was offered to me at a Lee price.
Hopefully it'll be ok, if not guess I'll bite the bullet and get an RCBS.

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Originally Posted by dannyb

Thanks for all the informative responses guys, I have bought a Hornady hand primer that was offered to me at a Lee price.
Hopefully it'll be ok, if not guess I'll bite the bullet and get an RCBS.

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I was about to say I have a Lee one here you could try first when I eventually get around to doing something about a knife sharpener.....

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Originally Posted by timattalon

I was about to say I have a Lee one here you could try first when I eventually get around to doing something about a knife sharpener.....

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Welcome to come try my warthog sharpener if you like, just touched up the hunting knife now and its back to hair splitting sharp again

I've got one of those warthog sharpener that you could try Tim. Just down the road

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Originally Posted by csmiffy

I've got one of those warthog sharpener that you could try Tim. Just down the road

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Once you get the hang of them they are bloody good

I like the Forster coax loader, mounted on a bench with a F clamp. Gives good feel and is pretty quick. I have used hand held units like the RCBS and the Frankford arsenal, but in my delicate little hands, they are all a bit cumbersome.

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Originally Posted by johnd

I like the Forster coax loader, mounted on a bench with a F clamp. Gives good feel and is pretty quick. I have used hand held units like the RCBS and the Frankford arsenal, but in my delicate little hands, they are all a bit cumbersome.

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Lucky I have the hands of a Sasquatch then :O_O:

Do you?
Are you compensating @dannyb

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Originally Posted by Boxton

Do you?
Are you compensating @dannyb

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So much.......I shoot tiny groups :O_O: