Hand Primer Tool, Best Performer and Price

[granderojo]

I need to get a hand primer tool for loading for Revo. I would appreciate your opinons as to which one is prefered (easy of use, works best and is reasonably priced). I don't think my 650 is getting them crushed enough from what I read here. Thanks, you guys are a wealth of information and are very willing to share and it's greatly appreciated.

Granderojo

[Graham Smith]

If you want inexpensive, the Lee hand primer is pretty good. As an alternative you can get a single stage press and use that.

[Bubber]

granderojo, The Lee Primeall (sp) is what I used to use. It had a flip tray that held 100 primers. After years of use I noticed that the pin was made of steel and the fulcrum was made of a softer metal, (Pewter I think). Which caused it to wear quite a bit. FWIW. later rdd

[Tom E]

LEE "Auto-Prime". There is no second choice. Shell holders you buy seperately and are unique but inexpensive.

[chirpy]

Are you certain you need one? Are you having trouble with your ammo? If yes, assuming you are using Fed. primers the Lee is good. If yes, and you are not using Fed. primers......switch when you can find them! If no, why bother?

JMHO

Richard

[Carmoney]

Getting those primers crush-seated is critically important when your revolver's action is set for the optimal DA pull. Some presses will do a good job, but my little Square Deal B doesn't consistently seat them all the way, so I reseat all the primers on my match ammo by hand. I don't know the brand of my hand priming tool--it's an off-brand unit I found at Scheels a number of years ago. It's all steel and works great. Somebody had an RCBS priming tool listed on the Classifieds yesterday.

[Tom E]

Getting those primers crush-seated is critically important when your revolver's action is set for the optimal DA pull. Some presses will do a good job, but my little Square Deal B doesn't consistently seat them all the way, so I reseat all the primers on my match ammo by hand. I don't know the brand of my hand priming tool--it's an off-brand unit I found at Scheels a number of years ago. It's all steel and works great. Somebody had an RCBS priming tool listed on the Classifieds yesterday.

I load on SDB's. I was having problems with (adequate/consistent) primer seating. I cut some 5/32" diameter shims .005" thick (I had .005" shim stock). Dropping 2 shims in the hole in the primer slide that the seating punch sits in to hold the primer seating punch up higher did wonders. Only took 2 shims, .010".

Edited May 28, 2009 by Tom E

[S&WIowegan]

I highly recommend re-seating primers even if they are Federals. I load on a 650 and still get the occasional no-bang. I used the Lee hand priming tool at first but bought an RCBS tool which I recommend. The Lee is pot metal and RCBS is steel. RCBS is easier on the hand too.

Bob

A16841

[AzShooter]

Randy Lee stated earlier in a thread that he seats the primers in his 650 then rotates them 180 degrees and gives them another seating. I did this when using Wolf primers and solved all my high primer issues.

I Know it's saffe but I can't get used to puting a loaded round into a lee or any other priming tool.

[Boats]

While I own what some say is the best hand primer, Pope Style from Meachum tool and Die, I use the Lee's. Most of the others are take off's on Lee's design. Couple of tips. They need to be lubracated. Take it apart and add some grease to the pivot points, makes a tremendous difference in usablity.

Plastic parts wear out so get a 2nd use it to re-furbursh your worn one and set the new up for different size primers.

Boats

[Storm52]

LEE "Auto-Prime". There is no second choice. Shell holders you buy seperately and are unique but inexpensive.

+1 except for separately

[ihatepickles]

I Know it's safe but I can't get used to putting a loaded round into a lee or any other priming tool.

It's not as safe as seating primers before there's powder in the case, but it's also not completely unsafe.

If a primer is seated flush (or higher) with the base, there's .005" or more room between the bottom of the primer pocket and the not-so-deeply seated primer. This is enough room for powder to leak through the flash hole and create an explosion risk for further seating the primers. This is a real risk, please use good judgment, I wouldn't try to reseat these.

If a primer is seated below flush and you wish to reseat the primer to make sure it's fully bottomed out, I personally would feel safe doing this. With the primer already seated below flush, I don't feel there's enough room for powder to get lodged after passing through the flash hole.

I don't reseat primers to save components on rounds that had flaws during the first seating. I'll reseat primers when the first seating went normally for some extra assurance that my lightly actioned revolver will make the round go bang.

I use a Lee hand priming tool and only for my match ammo.

[Carmoney]

This is a real risk, please use good judgment, I wouldn't try to reseat these.

I have heard this theory before, but nobody has ever been able to reliably substantiate that this actual scnenario has ever occurred in the real world. And frankly, I can't see how a few granules of powder trickling through the flash hole (I shoot mostly Clays, I doubt if those flakes are even capable of trickling through) would create a real risk anyway.

There are lots of things in the world to worry about. From my perspective, this ain't one of them.

[ede]

i have a RCBS with the universal shell holder which is a pretty slick set up. down side is i get a blister on my index finger using it for more than 200 rounds, even with a glove on my hand.

[uscbigdawg]

For a hand primer. The RCBS is much better than the Lee.

Rich

[cliffwalsh]

For a hand primer. The RCBS is much better than the Lee.

Rich

+1 the lee is made of cheap metal. the lever breaks very easily. RCBS makes a solid tool and you don't need a shell holder.

[chemepharmd]

I load with a 650, and although it slows the reloading process down, I push really hard on the forward stroke on every round when loading for my 625. This also wears you out quicker. Having said that, I haven't had any problems with my reloads when loading this way. Just my $0.02, and I'm sure the hand priming tools provide more insurance against problems.

Edited May 28, 2009 by chemepharmd

[jasond]

This is a real risk, please use good judgment, I wouldn't try to reseat these.

I have heard this theory before, but nobody has ever been able to reliably substantiate that this actual scnenario has ever occurred in the real world. And frankly, I can't see how a few granules of powder trickling through the flash hole (I shoot mostly Clays, I doubt if those flakes are even capable of trickling through) would create a real risk anyway.

There are lots of things in the world to worry about. From my perspective, this ain't one of them.

I like the rotate 180 and reseat idea, I'm going to try that.

I sometimes get a kernel of walnut on the primer punch that dents a few of them, no incidents thus far. I think speed is the key to getting primers to light. Has anyone ever had a primer go off in the press?

I trust you guys that a blowup is extremely unlikely, but might be a good time for safety gargles anyway?

[DougCarden]

Yes, um....anytime you handle primers at all and whenver you are loading or priming I would think the prudent loader would have glasses or safety glasses on.......I have seen to many Lee Reloading press users with scars on their faces to ever think about loading ammo without them on, regardless of what I load on......

DougC

[Allgoodhits]

Yes, um....anytime you handle primers at all and whenver you are loading or priming I would think the prudent loader would have glasses or safety glasses on.......I have seen to many Lee Reloading press users with scars on their faces to ever think about loading ammo without them on, regardless of what I load on......

DougC

+1

[hearthco]

Getting those primers crush-seated is critically important when your revolver's action is set for the optimal DA pull. Some presses will do a good job, but my little Square Deal B doesn't consistently seat them all the way, so I reseat all the primers on my match ammo by hand. I don't know the brand of my hand priming tool--it's an off-brand unit I found at Scheels a number of years ago. It's all steel and works great. Somebody had an RCBS priming tool listed on the Classifieds yesterday.

Mike,

Take the primer seating pin out of the square deal and chamfer the end that seats the primers. I did this when I got my Randy guns and dont have to re-seat. The primer pin will go up into the primer pocket after chamfer. Dave

[snertley]

I started using my Lee tool for crush seating until I found the box with my RCBS tool in it. The RCBS is by far more comfortable to use and for me gives better control of the crush.

[vrmn1]

After having Lee replace one 5 or 6 times. (I ain't real smart)

I bought a RCBS and never looked back.

Buy the RCBS never look back.

[Shawn Knight]

What about hte Hornaday tool? Just wndering because it is about half the price of the RCBS. Anyone use that one?

I have the RCBS...

Now if I could just find it....

[revoman]

Loading on a 650 for years for my 625 and 627's and I have had not one misfire due to the primer not being seated enough. Once I feel the primer go in I just bump it and then on to the next. All Federal primers and 4.5 to 5.5 triggers. Maybe I am just a lucky one with a good primer seater on my 650.