Is anyone using the RF-100 primer filler?

[rodell]

How well does it work? Is it worth the investment?

(Is it covered by the no BS warranty?)

Thanks in advance.

Bob

[sigsauerfan]

How well does it work? Is it worth the investment?

(Is it covered by the no BS warranty?)

Thanks in advance.

Bob

well, i work an RF-100 primer filler ,but since only couple months,so i dont have an extended experience with it but so far it function ok , it may need some tweaking at the beggining, like i had the occasional upside/down primer at the beggining because of the dimer adjusted too high(vibration knob/adjuster).

all considered, i couldn't work without it now ,great time saver, but when in use you must look at it by safety,not focusing your attention elsewhere, i've got some primer flipping right before the pick-up tube,wich is something you dont want to miss lolol

Edited October 16, 2010 by sigsauerfan

[Sterling White]

two thumbs up on the product. as stated, might need some tweaks along to the way.

Edited October 16, 2010 by Sterling White

[Neomet]

Got one off the prize table and it is one of the greatest reloading accessories I have. I have had maybe 10 upside down primers in tens of thousands of primers I have run through it and those were at the beginning while I was playing with the vibration speed.

It sure ain't cheap though!

[freakshow10mm]

The one thing keeping me from buying one is price. Most I'd ever pay for something like that is $50. No way $300.

[DougCarden]

My time is valuable. It is worth every fricking penny. I built a homemade reostat adjustment for it before the upgrade came out. The only problem I have is that Federal primers are so light compared to most others that I have to watch them so I don't get a ton of flippers. Not a big deal.....

DougC

[sperman]

How much time are you saving if you have to stand there and watch for flipped primers? Especially if you have to stop and flip some back over.

I can't find anything specific for the RF100, but most electronic items from Dillon only come with a 1 year warranty.

[jmorris]

I have one, it’s a winner. If you pick up an older one (they changed around the first of this year) call Dillon and buy the vibration controller, it’s worth the $20.

[Pat Miles]

I have a couple of friends who use them. Every once in a while they have an upside down primer that they didn't catch that jumps up and bites them in the ass at the wrong time. I can't see spending the money for one as they are pricey but each to their own. I don't mind taking a few minutes to load a tube as by that time I need a little down time. If I spend an extra twenty minutes to my loading session it's okay.

Pat

[DougCarden]

I have 24 small primer tubes. I load up 1k and then start the 1050 up with the PW drive and bullet feeder. While I am watching the press I continue to load the primer tubes. I am usually loading Win or Rem or Wolf primers, so I just dump them in and let them fill the tube up. When I am loading Revo ammo or Match ammo and am using Federal primers I stand there and watch the bowl while I am watching the press. If I see that is flipped past the last rejection hole then I stop and dump out the upside down primer.

The only time I watch it like a hawk is for Federal primers. It just depends on your quality control steps in loading your ammo. Worst case scenario is that when you case gauge your ammo and check primers you pull the flipped primer rounds and pull them apart later in the deepest part of winter....

You DO need to have some denatured alcohol and some q tips handy at the primer filler. The plastic tip that the primers fall into needs to be wiped out from time to time. You also need to clean the "bowl" area for priming compound every 10K or so. It is explosive compound, after all.....

For me, I find that it was worth it. Like any piece of equipment, it will take some time to figure it out, and once you do I think you will appreciate it. That said, If I had a couple of vibraprimes that didn't wear out I probably wouldn't need the RF unit either....LOL

DougC

[freakshow10mm]

For me, I only have 6 SP tubes so I load them plus dump 100 primers in the magazine so I have 700 on tap. I load that much, then take a break to get another 700 made up and keep going like that. If I had the money to spend getting a PW drive and bullet feeder, that would be nice to have running while I'm filling tubes. I reload commercially so my time is money, but at this point my sales aren't enough to justify fancy stuff yet. I'll take the time to manually place a bullet, work the press, and fill my tubes.

[rodell]

A used one (!) has shown up, I may have to pick it up!

[dansy]

Yap no other way to load for me.....just for the time saving...load for 2 so that is a lots of time...

[XD Niner]

I was lucky enough to buy one used a few years ago. It was the earlier version without the current rheostat module. All I had to do was add a $10 in-line lamp dimmer from the Big Box store to make it work near perfectly. I also have two old mouse pads under it. I get very few flipped primers with this arrangement.

It does save a great deal of time and has been worth every penny I paid for it. I have a Vibra Prime that I use for large pistol primers. I wish that Midway still made them because they are a very inexpensive alternative.

[freakshow10mm]

Frankford Arsenal, the maker of the Vibra Prime, said the demand wasn't there to continue to produce them.

[G-ManBart]

I have a couple of friends who use them. Every once in a while they have an upside down primer that they didn't catch that jumps up and bites them in the ass at the wrong time. I can't see spending the money for one as they are pricey but each to their own. I don't mind taking a few minutes to load a tube as by that time I need a little down time. If I spend an extra twenty minutes to my loading session it's okay.

Pat

I wish I had that time! I ordered a 1050 because I'm already loading a couple hundred rounds a night and am having a hard time keeping up with it. Right now, 20min saved means 200 more rounds loaded. I'm seriously considering the RF-100 as my next purchase. R,

Edit to add: I put all of my loaded ammo in 100rd Dillon boxes, so I'd catch any flipped primers.

Edited October 18, 2010 by G-ManBart

[rodell]

Wouldn't it be handy if the primer filler tubes were clear? You could see one out of whack at a glance before loading them in the magazine.

[2alphas]

Fantastic time saver and an acceptable low rate of upside down primers, IMHO.

TC

[shred]

I've had one about since they came out and loaded probably 80K through it. it's great... But.

Mine absolutely does not get along with Wolf small primers (the copper ones) Major jams and headaches. Dillon said they couldn't do anything for it as it's a tolerance problem with Wolf.

[freakshow10mm]

Good stuff. I know shadowdog500 from GT too.

The concept of the vibraprime is so simple but I'm too lazy to figure out how to get the stuff together and make one myself.

[Youngeyes]

Good stuff. I know shadowdog500 from GT too.

The concept of the vibraprime is so simple but I'm too lazy to figure out how to get the stuff together and make one myself.

The post was sent to a new post, New Homemade primer. I'll let you know how to make one easy if you want

[Boxerglocker]

No doubt the RF-100 a great tool being marketed by Dillon. The price though , I just can't imagine spending $300 plus shipping on something just to fill primer tubes. (That's 1/3 the cost of my XL650 set-up for 9mm.)

I really wish someone would bring back the FA Vibraprime to the market though.

[pjb45]

I have one of the early ones. I had flipped primers which as Pat says does come up and bite you. I had the upgrade installed and reduced the flipped primers to nothing. I used to just dump my rounds into a Zero bullet and go to the range. Now I put my rounds in cases which shows upside down primers right away and my ass has not been bitten lately.

Then everything went to hell in a hand basket after about 100,000 primers. I ended up calling Dillon. I sent the a video of the problem. They sent me some new parts and dimmer the next day. All seems to be better.

I am very very lazy as many can attest. A RF-100 and RL1050 are two of the greatest boons to reloading.

I do not go really fast but by the time I have loaded 100 rounds the primer tube is already filled. The biggest time constraint is getting a new box of primers opened and dumped.

If you have the cash it is worth the investment.

[Fireant]

I use one also. It is the old model and I hated it before installing the dimmer switch. My flipped primers went from about 10 per 100 to none in the last 10K rounds loaded. I have it dialed in for Fed small rifle primers and I don't screw with it.

[TerryO]

No doubt the RF-100 a great tool being marketed by Dillon. The price though , I just can't imagine spending $300 plus shipping on something just to fill primer tubes. (That's 1/3 the cost of my XL650 set-up for 9mm.)

I really wish someone would bring back the FA Vibraprime to the market though.

I decided long ago to forget trying to justify the expense when it comes to shooting and reloading stuff. Heck, I wanted one, I bought it, it works great, I love it, done deal. Some things you never fully appreciate until you have one.