Hogleg Hunter Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 I have been using the hand held Lee priming tools forever it seems. I got their latest model a few months ago and it seems to be more problems than it is worth. Operator error probably. anyway I have been thinking about stepping up to one of the RCBS bench mounted priming tools. I thought before I ordered one that I would get some opinions. They have 2 listed, one using the APS system and one using a tube feeding system.I hve the following questions: a. which one is better or are either not worth the money? b. does the ABS primer strip loader work? c. is there a good (fast & easy) way to load the tubes if I get the one with the tube feed? Any other thoughts are welcome also. Just for the record I am too anal, paranoid or whatever to use a progressive press and too old to change my ways . I have a progressive and just do not trust it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Reb Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 I use the tube feed model and like it fine. The tool is easy to use and has a nice feel when seating primers. I use a primer flipper to orient the primers properly on a flat surface and then it is just a matter of pressing the tube over individual primers. Very fast and easy to accomplish. Never used the ABS system, so no comment on that. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 My first thought was why on earth would anyone be hand priming CAS ammo? Then I saw your last two sentences. I guess my first reaction would be there are a heck of a lot of progressive presses being used so get over it and use it. Very few cars come with manual transmissions anymore. If you want to hand prime both the RCBS primer tools work OK. If you buy the one that uses the primer strips don't forget you also have to buy a strip loader. If I was going to use a hand primer I would get the tube feed model and get one of these. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/890424/frankford-arsenal-vibra-prime-automatic-primer-tube-filler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyd Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Used the bench one for years works great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack, SASS #20451 Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 IF you insist on getting a bench mounted priming tool you may as well get the best: Forster CO-AX. It is no more expensive than the RCBS stuff and is far superior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Henry Quick Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 I have been using the hand held Lee priming tools forever it seems. I got their latest model a few months ago and it seems to be more problems than it is worth. Operator error probably. anyway I have been thinking about stepping up to one of the RCBS bench mounted priming tools. I thought before I ordered one that I would get some opinions. They have 2 listed, one using the APS system and one using a tube feeding system.I hve the following questions: a. which one is better or are either not worth the money? b. does the ABS primer strip loader work? c. is there a good (fast & easy) way to load the tubes if I get the one with the tube feed? Any other thoughts are welcome also. Just for the record I am too anal, paranoid or whatever to use a progressive press and too old to change my ways . I have a progressive and just do not trust it. There's no reason to mistrust a progressive loader, but I still use a single-stage and hand prime because I enjoy it and I'm too cheap to upgrade - I'd rather spend my money on guns and ammo. My son had a Lee hand primer and it was junk, but the RCBS hand primer works quite well, so you might want to give it another look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hogleg Hunter Posted September 1, 2014 Author Share Posted September 1, 2014 Come to think of it all of my vehicles have manual transmissions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace_of_Hearts Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 I, like you, am anal about my ammo. I deprime, then clean, then hand prime all my ammo before loading it on a progressive press. I had been using a LEE hand priming tool until they changed the design a few years back to "make it safer". The current design is just plain awkward and stupid in my opinion. I tried a bench mounted tool by RCBS and didn't like it either. Filling tubes was just a pain and the occasional sideways or other wise misaligned primer was not in my song book. I ended up with a Hornady hand priming tool which is very similar to the old Lee. I have been using it for about three years and it works well and holds up to the use. It has a couple of small over engineered problems but they can be easily overcome with a little silicon caulk. I love the design of the handle as you can use it without wearing out your hand. http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/756549/hornady-hand-priming-tool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 Come to think of it all of my vehicles have manual transmissions. Well, there you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 You said you have a progressive press. What kind do you have? Maybe we can stage an intervention for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hogleg Hunter Posted September 1, 2014 Author Share Posted September 1, 2014 I have a Lee progressive that I use to finish the rounds (expanding case mouth , powder, seat & crimp the bullet). I shoot frontiersman most of the time so I am only loading rounds for the rifle. Haven't seen the need for a Dillon for the couple of hundred rounds that I shoot monthly. What I need is a progressive shotshell reloader. HATE loading shotshells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Hacker, #60477 Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 My solution to this problem was not the most economical, but works great for me. I too, feed primed cases into a progressive(SDB) but do not use it for priming. I use an RCBS turret press for that purpose for my 45's and my wife's 38's. I think the priming setup on the RCBS is a great tool for that purpose. It then doubles as a nice machine for reloading those calibers that I do in lighter volume(32-20, 44SP) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Faraday, SASS #5749 Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Reminder, this post is answering the questions regarding the RCBS primer tool, not whether or not hand priming or priming with a progressive press is better. Thanks, let's keep it on topic. Doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Christian Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 My solution to this problem was not the most economical, but works great for me. I too, feed primed cases into a progressive(SDB) but do not use it for priming. I use an RCBS turret press for that purpose for my 45's and my wife's 38's. I think the priming setup on the RCBS is a great tool for that purpose. It then doubles as a nice machine for reloading those calibers that I do in lighter volume(32-20, 44SP) Personally, I do not trust progressives for priming and powdering. I have used a Dillon and was not impressed. I have seen too many pards with high, reversed and sideways primers, squibs and overloads from various progressives. Being a meticulous loader raised in the precision games, I knew that I wanted better. Similar to Hogleg, Ace and Mack, I prime off of the progressive- powder charge too with a visual inspection. I DO use a progressive - the dreaded old school Hornady Projector - to size, deprime and expand. Then the cases are inspected for neck cracks, primer pockets cleaned and primed with an RCBS hand tool. After powder charging, it's back to the progressive to seat bullets and crimp. We do not have any issues with my ammo short of a couple of dud Wolf primers a few years back. Back to the OP, I have read that the RCBS bench tool has a good fan base with volume loaders, so they must be doing something right. After using (and breaking) the LEE hand primers for years, I upgraded to the RCBS and have never looked back. The bench tool would be great to save tired old hands if that is an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackey Cole Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I use the tube setup for their rock Chucker press I guess the tube primer is very similar to that setup. It's just like the Dillon except that you must manually move the primer holder under the case on the down stroke but then again it is a single stage manual press vs a manual rotating progressive press. I use the rcbs for rifle and brass shotgun reloading. I load all my handgun on the Dillon 550 but the rest on the rcbs except for plastic 12 ga on a MEC progressive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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