Hand priming tools?

[CLT65]

I wondered why my acquaintance who recommended the Lee tool never broke one, and I broke every one I ever touched. I came to the conclusion that the brass he loaded was always nice, clean, precision rifle brass, all the same lot and headstamp. He was very particular about what he loaded. I think he was one of those guys who would never load a case that he hadn't personally fired or purchased new himself.

That's not me, not at all. I'll load any brass that passes my inspection, even if it came out of a garbage dump (No kidding, I knew a guy way back in the day who worked at the county dump. He brought me a couple bags of brass that he'd found.)

The Lee tool worked fine for most things, but sooner or later I'd run across something with tight primer pockets. S&B used to be terrible. Inevitably the Lee tool would break. It worked great if babied, but wouldn't hold up to much hard use at all. I want tools that will hold up to at least a little abuse without falling apart. As much as I love some Lee products, the priming tool is not for me.

 

[RVTECH]

A guy could probably 'whittle' a new link pin (or whatever it's called) out of a piece of aluminum pretty easily - and it would probably never break.

 

[Caveman Jim]

I gave up on the hand priming tools last year and got an RCBS bench mounted model. Arthritis was the deciding factor for me.
I prime all cases off press and make a marathon run of 500-1000 at a time, easy peasy.

 

[quneur]

I'm probably going to replace my Lee auto prime. Its okay but it 'hangs' up often pushing the lid up. I have to watch each closely. But my biggest gripe in the design.is leverage. I don't have enough strength or leverage with my thumb (vs rest of my hand) to seat the primer deep enough. I have to turn it around and use both hands to squeeze the short lever completely.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Mine broke after 40 years of hard use so I painted it blue and sent it to dillon and they sent me a new car.

 

[fstdraw]

Too funny deaf.

 

[P7M13]

Mine broke after 40 years of hard use so I painted it blue and sent it to dillon and they sent me a new car.

A blue Pinto?

 

[kbuc nw]

A blue Pinto?

AMC Pacer

 

[bbbass]

My Lee was one of the older models with the round tray.... you use all your fingers to squeeze the lever. I don't think I could use the new thumb operated model due to bad arthritis in my thumbs. No go.

Nobody's ever had a primer blast off due to using the kind of hand pressure that can break a part of the priming tool???

I clean primer pockets every 3-4 uses of a shell, because residue makes it hard to impossible to fully seat a primer, and I've had failures when the primer winds up sticking out aways. I don't try to recover the pocket of crimped cases. Any problem with cases and I throw them away... new cases/100 of 9mm are what, $7-$8? But I haven't had to buy cases in decades. I'll reuse any case that is not beat up or has a rough surface from laying on the ground for years. But esp tarnished cases do get a run in the tumbler. YMMV

 

[Alexx1401]

My Lee tool is so old I can't remember when I bought it. Have not used it in a while but sure sounds like at some time here they (Lee) have cheaped out on how they are made now. Kind of sad. The Frankford Arsenal one seen by another poster here looks like the deal. Will have to order one to keep on hand since sooner or later my old Lee will give up.

 

[Alexx1401]

My Lee was one of the older models with the round tray.... you use all your fingers to squeeze the lever. I don't think I could use the new thumb operated model due to bad arthritis in my thumbs. No go.

Nobody's ever had a primer blast off due to using the kind of hand pressure that can break a part of the priming tool???

I clean primer pockets every 3-4 uses of a shell. I don't try to recover the pocket of crimped cases. Any problem with cases and I throw them away... new cases/100 of 9mm are what, $7-$8? But I haven't had to buy cases in decades. I'll reuse any case that is not beat up or has a rough surface from laying on the ground for years. But esp tarnished cases do get a run in the tumbler. YMMV

Man does that bring back memories, unpleasant ones Back when I used to end up with a lot of once fired Mil brass and had to ream those damn pockets out. Was too cheap back then to buy anything better than one of those hand tools. Brass at that time was pricey enough to make me deal with that damn stuff. Now days if I ran into some of that I would give or toss it. It was a PITA reaming those pockets out.

 

[bbbass]

My Lee tool is so old I can't remember when I bought it. Have not used it in a while but sure sounds like at some time here they (Lee) have cheaped out on how they are made now. Kind of sad. The Frankford Arsenal one seen by another poster here looks like the deal. Will have to order one to keep on hand since sooner or later my old Lee will give up.

This thread has been great for info on alternatives.

I like the looks of the Frankie Arse, but I think I will check into the bench model Caveman recommends due to my arth creeping down into my fingers.

 

[Alexx1401]

This thread has been great for info on alternatives.

I like the looks of the Frankie Arse, but I think I will check into the bench model Caveman recommends due to my arth creeping down into my fingers.

Fore sure. My old Lee works fine but, my hand gets tired and I find myself turning it all the time. Using fingers for a while then thumb for a while. Anyone with trouble in the hands it would be no way in hell. For them some kind of bench mounted model would be the way to go.

 

[Camelfilter]

This thread has been great for info on alternatives.

I like the looks of the Frankie Arse, but I think I will check into the bench model Caveman recommends due to my arth creeping down into my fingers.

$116 on midway & $110 on Amazon, ATM for the non-strip bench mounted type.

Looks to be the strip type @Caveman Jim has...

 

[bbbass]

$116 on midway & $110 on Amazon, ATM for the non-strip bench mounted type.

Looks to be the strip type @Caveman Jim has...

I'll be checking that out..... I've been stimulated you know!

 

[4x401]

I've used many hand priming tools by many manufacturers over the last 45 years.
I appreciate the "Feel" the Sinclair tool provides, but it's slow and best suited to the precision work required for bench rest ammunition. The RCBS, Lyman, & Lee tools work well providing decent feel also...at the expense of hand fatigue if doing many at one sitting.
Some years ago I switched to the RCBS bench mounted tool and never went back.

Since I fully prep all of my rifle brass before loading (deprime/swage if needed, size/trim, chamfer neck, ream primer pocket to uniform depth/clean, debur/chamfer/uniform flash hole), the RCBS tool was a God send for me.

I never liked the priming system on my Dillons from the start. It often deformed the primer when being seated, and was less than consistent. But it was a bonus that the Dillon priming tubes (which I have in abundance) work in the RCBS bench tool.

The RCBS bench tool provides a good feel, abundant leverage, and doesn't induce the fatigue like hand tools. It's all I use.

 

[bbbass]

I never liked the priming system on my Dillons from the start. It often deformed the primer when being seated, and was less than consistent. But it was a bonus that the Dillon priming tubes (which I have in abundance) work in the RCBS bench tool.

I stopped using the priming system on my Dillon 550 because any time it would get the slightest amount of powder, etc, in it, it would stop working. Too much hassle and stoppage of the process or loads with missing primers. Not good.

Good to know about the tubes working with the RCBS bench tool. Thanx!!!

 

[4x401]

I stopped using the priming system on my Dillon 550 because any time it would get the slightest amount of powder, etc, in it, it would stop working. Too much hassle and stoppage of the process or loads with missing primers. Not good.

Good to know about the tubes working with the RCBS bench tool. Thanx!!!

You're absolutely right. Been so long since I've used it, I'd forgotten about that aspect. I now also remember that rechid slide bar getting repeatedly gummed up and needing cleaned....big PITA.

 

[bbbass]

I now also remember that rechid slide bar getting repeatedly gummed up and needing cleaned....big PITA.

That's it exactly. I hate that slide bar!!!

But the powder measure works well for my pistol loads. For rifle I weigh each load out individually after dropping it a lil short of right on with my Uniflow.

 

[4x401]

I get along really well with Dillons powder measures.
I found along time ago that every single stroke of the press (from down to the bottom and back to the top) has to be absolutely consistent to get accurate charges.
Last week I loaded 1K of 7.62 X 51 for a match over Father's day.

When I load, I check charge weight every 10 rds., sometimes every 20 depending on the powder being dispensed (ball powders). I was loading with Varget last week.

With that 30 year old powder measure (bought my first 550 in '91) I'm still getting +/- .01 grain accuracy, and most charges are right on the money. Again, if I do my part. I have a lot of confidence in Dillon's powder measures. I rarely hand measure, unless I'm doing load development.