Hand Priming tool. Is there a good one?

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champ198

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Aug 5, 2010
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#1
I have used an RCBS hand primer that takes the shell holders and I didn't have a great time with it.
I now have the Hornaday tool. Its an even bigger pile than the RCBS.
Does someone make a good one?
I was looking at the Frankford Arsenal one but I think RCBS has a universal one as well.
Are either of these worth the money?
 
#3
www.rcbs.com

Universal Hand Priming Tool | RCBS

Buy Universal Hand Priming Tool at RCBS, the leading producer of high-quality reloading equipment supplies for over 60 years.
www.rcbs.com www.rcbs.com

IMG_3622.jpeg


“Good enough.”

Been using a pair, one for small and another for large primers.

Ok thus far with 9mm, 10mm, .223 Rem, .308 Win.

Works on other calibers as well, but only tried them in significant quantity with the above.
 
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#4
champ198 said:
I have used an RCBS hand primer that takes the shell holders and I didn't have a great time with it.
I now have the Hornaday tool. Its an even bigger pile than the RCBS.
Does someone make a good one?
I was looking at the Frankford Arsenal one but I think RCBS has a universal one as well.
Are either of these worth the money?
Click to expand...
I think it really depends on what you're trying to achieve other than just primer seating. I've have 6 different priming tools, including the Frankford Arsenal that's adjustable, and the one hand primer I like most is the 21st Century priming tool. I like it because it's adjustable, it has a hard stop making it pretty consistent for a hand tool, and it has lot of leverage making it easy on old hands like mine when doing a lot of priming (it's worth the price to me). Sinclair and PMA has one of similar design as the 21st Century and there's been reports of the same benefits. I thought the Frankford Arsenal would be good that way too, but it just doesn't provide the consistency I look for as it doesn't have a hard stop nor is it very easy on the hands.

To get good responses, it helps to specifically describe what you're looking for in a hand priming tool, like what's really important to you (e.g. speed, accuracy, ease of use, etc.). I don't thing there's a hand priming tool that give someone everything they'd like. ;)
 
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#5
straightshooter1 said:
I think it really depends on what you're trying to achieve other than just primer seating. I've have 6 different priming tools, including the Frankford Arsenal that's adjustable, and the one hand primer I like most is the 21st Century priming tool. I like it because it's adjustable, it has a hard stop making it pretty consistent for a hand tool, and it has lot of leverage making it easy on old hands like mine when doing a lot of priming (it's worth the price to me). Sinclair has one of similar design as the 21st Century and there's been reports of the same benefits. I thought the Frankford Arsenal would be good that way too, but it just doesn't provide the consistency I look for as it doesn't have a hard stop nor is it very easy on the hands.

To get good responses, it helps to specifically describe what you're looking for in a hand priming tool, like what's really important to you (e.g. speed, accuracy, ease of use, etc.). I don't thing there's a hand priming tool that give someone everything they'd like. ;)
Click to expand...
IM not really looking for speed or anything. I probably dont load anywhere near what some here do.
But one thing I do load a lot of are pistol calibers.
On thing I have noticed with my Hornaday is it really gives me fits with the small pistol primers. over anything.
Small rifle work fine but the pistols really does not do well at all.
It is also a bit of a pain to change around from one size to another and its just a bit finicky.
 
#6
Hornady's hand priming tool is probably the worst design out there, but I wouldn't say it's too difficult to change around.

The way you swap out a Frankford Arsenal is pretty similar to the RCBS, but slightly faster and also adjustable for seating depth. Swapping between LRP and SRP takes <30 seconds. If you think the FA is too slow for lots of pistol rounds, then you need to be priming on a progressive.
 
#9
The 21st Century tool is indeed a precision instrument. But I choked on the $185 price - especially after comparing 10 rounds loaded by a buddy using that tool with 10 rounds loaded on my Dillon 550 using identical components from my bench. SD values were pretty much identical.

So I bought the Frankford Arsenal tool. It's done fine. In larger-sample comparisons of .223 ammo loaded by me with the FA tool and by my buddy with his 21st Century tool, ES/SD values are pretty much the same. Full disclosure: the .223 ammo with similar SDs loaded by both of us is using Starline brass. In our 6BR loads using Varget, Berger 105HT, and CCI 450 in the same lot of Alpha brass, his SD values are better than mine.

Fwiw.
 
#10
I like my 21st Century priming tool. It is click adjustable for seating depth. It allows you to feel the primer bottom out. It allows you to make small adjustments if the primer sits proud, unlike automated shit machines.
 
#13
When my Lee hand primer wore out I bought the Frankford Arsenal tool. Much nicer and easy to use,also in addition to the supplied shell holders the Lee holders work too.
 
#14
I've only ever used the FA perfect seat hand primer and I really love it. Priming is fast and reliable with the ajustable hard stop.
What is also great about it, is that it comes with 12 shell holders.
 
#15
I have always used the RCBS universal and it does the job. For those using the Frankford, do you have troubles seating the primer deep enough? A buddy has one and he brought it over so I could compare. Even with the depth adjustment set the deepest, the primer was only flush with the case and not as deep as my RCBS seats. Maybe there was an issue with his?
 
#16
Dog Doc said:
I have always used the RCBS universal and it does the job. For those using the Frankford, do you have troubles seating the primer deep enough? A buddy has one and he brought it over so I could compare. Even with the depth adjustment set the deepest, the primer was only flush with the case and not as deep as my RCBS seats. Maybe there was an issue with his?
Click to expand...
Apparently, something is right with his Frankford seater. I have the Frankford adjustable set and do not have that problem at all. Though I find it a bit difficult to get primers fully seated to where I want them as the leverage is just not as good as I'm used to with the 21st Century hand primer.
 
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#17
Dog Doc said:
I have always used the RCBS universal and it does the job. For those using the Frankford, do you have troubles seating the primer deep enough? A buddy has one and he brought it over so I could compare. Even with the depth adjustment set the deepest, the primer was only flush with the case and not as deep as my RCBS seats. Maybe there was an issue with his?
Click to expand...
Absolutely no issue with mine. My primers are 0.125" and primer pockets are 0.129"
I seat the primers at 0.006" below flush to get a 0.002" crush.
 
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#18
Dog Doc said:
For those using the Frankford, do you have troubles seating the primer deep enough?
Click to expand...
On brass with tight pockets, yes. They want to seat ~0.005" proud. When I make sure I fully squeeze to bottom out, I believe I'm getting post deflection. It's worse on LRP.

Still working on this though, I don't have enough confidence to say I'm not the problem.
 
#19
Interestingly ... I've found a seating depth setting for my Frankford Arsenal priming tool that gives me a perfect depth for literally all of my reloading calibers (all Large Rifle ... either standard of Magnum). Works for 6.5-CM, 300-WM, 300-NM, 300-PRC and 338-LM. Haven't changed my depth setting in a couple of years, and all primers seat and shoot perfectly. Absolutely "love" the FA priming tool.
 
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#22
Maurygold said:
Frankford is the best hand tool - Hands down. single feeding is a non-starter for me
Click to expand...
Yeah, single feed is just not gonna happen for me. I only use the ugly reloading now but I have 3 FA hand primers and they work pretty good. Set the depth and leave it and pretty consistent but with primer tubes the ugly reloading primer is the way imo
 
#24
BuildingConceptsllc said:
Yeah, single feed is just not gonna happen for me. I only use the ugly reloading now but I have 3 FA hand primers and they work pretty good. Set the depth and leave it and pretty consistent but with primer tubes the ugly reloading primer is the way imo
Click to expand...
The ugly reloading is a great option. I Bought one for dad and he loves it. I use the primal rights and it’s obviously fantastic.
 
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