I'm looking for some feedback on the best way to prime shells. I am leaning towards a hand primer. Any input on which way to go and what brand would be appreciated. If there is a better method than hand priming let me know.
I don't have a progressive press.

Thanks,
Deuce

Precison or cost savings?

Most of my priming is done with an old RCBS bench mounted primer...the older one that takes primer tubes. Can feel the primer bottoming out and with some care, and maintain the same priming pressure.

Have a couple of others arround. If they use the press (as in one of the press mounted swing-arm primers or the one that mounts like a die) the leverage of the press makes it hard to feel the primer bottoming out and hard to maintian the same seating pressure for each. they wrok, but are kind of awkward.

The hand tools, like the Lee Auto Prime, give a good feel and can be consistant...but hear a lot about Auto Prime breakage (and I've managed the trick a time or two myself). Find that having to hunt up the specail shell holders for the Lee is a pain.

The RCBS version of the auto-prime costs more, but seems to work as well and doesn't have the same reputaion for breaking.

The slowest way I've ever uses is the Lyman nut-cracker (310) "Tong Tool". Slow, but it works well...can SEE the primer seating, can easily feel it seat and bottom out, and easy to maintain the same force...but as stated, it's WAY SLOW and you have to touch each primer wich increases contamination risks.

If you don't like the bench mounted units, then take a look at that RCBS hand primer.

I prefer the Lee Auto Prime. I have two, one set for large primers and one for small. If one ever does break, I'll have the other to use until the broken one is fixed or replaced. Having a set of Lee shell holders for the auto prime makes it easy to find the one I need. For what they cost, the convenience makes it well worth it.
A note of caution though, I don't load but about 20-30 primers at a time in the Lee Auto Prime. I have never had a problem with mine, but a friend had a whole tray of primers ignite and blow up in her face. Not a good thing.
I have an RCBS hand priming tool also, but it doesn't fit my hand as well as the Lee. Personal preference I guess.
Just my $.02.

I use lee Auto Primes. Can't add a whole lot after the first 2 posters - they've covered it pretty well.
I agree that, if you use the Lee, get the shellholder kit- it doesn't cost much, and has the shellholders for about every cartridge.

Went looking at MidWay...the Lee is the low price champ, and does a good job. Perhaps ham-handedness was the cause of my breakage, but others use it with no problems reported.

Was looking at the Foster bench unit...not that I've managed to wear the RCBS one out...wondering if the adjustable head is as much of a pain to get adjusted as I suspect it would be (but you'd not have to use shell holders).

I'm being a butt head here..........
The Brits get a chuckle out of us Yanks referring to cartridges as shells. They will ask you how large a gun you are using because shells are used cannons!
Jim

I'm being a butt head here..........
The Brits get a chuckle out of us Yanks referring to cartridges as shells. They will ask you how large a gun you are using because shells are used cannons!
Jim

Got that figured out...don't know where the term "hulls" comes from, but have heard that used here (US) for empty shot gun cases/shells...."shells" for loaded rounds, "hulls" for empty ones.

Had one guy from old Rodesia call them (all types..guess its a generic term) "droppies"....kind of like that one.

The Lee Auto-Prime is my choice. Primed thousands of cases without any problems. I do clean and lube the parts once in a while. I haven't noticed any wear on any of the components. I bought it as a factory second.

I'm looking for some feedback on the best way to prime shells. I am leaning towards a hand primer. Any input on which way to go and what brand would be appreciated. If there is a better method than hand priming let me know.
I don't have a progressive press.

Thanks,
Deuce
Deuce,
I've used the RCBS hand primer for several years,and like it.
However,since my hand was operated on,I no longer can use it. I got the RCBS APS priming System.
It's a little pricey,but it is the best system that I have ever used.
Frank

The Lee Auto-Prime is my choice. Primed thousands of cases without any problems. I do clean and lube the parts once in a while. I haven't noticed any wear on any of the components. I bought it as a factory second.

Thanks for the info guys. I think the hand primer will do for me right now. Will have to think about which one though.
Good feedback on both.

Deuce

Have had a Lee Auto Prime for years now - can't really say how many CARTRIDGES have been loaded with it, but must be in the thousands.

That may be part of the problem - recently noticed it is leaving the primers slightly high. Used a steel straight edge and sure enough, it stopped at the primer. Switched out the components and loaded some small primers in .22 Hornet CASES and did not have a problem. Guess the large rifle primer components are wearing out.

Cheap enough to toss the whole kit and order another. Until then, been seating the large rifles in the primer seater on the Bonanza Co-Ax press. The seating can be felt with that unit and does a nice job. Only, you have to handle the primers and seat them individually - no automatic or primer tube.

I've had the Lee hand primer since they came out, somewhere around 20 years, and I like it fine. There was some problem with breakage early on, but once I wrote a nasty letter to Richard Lee, I got several replacement parts in the mail, and since then they've been a lot tougher. It was usually the connecting rod that broke, it was made of a soft alloy, and the new ones are a lot tougher. The two I have now are about 12 years old, and if they start to bind, I lube the pivot and it works just fine.
I don't know how someone got a tray of primers to blow up, but I suspect she got a primer trapped halfway out of the feed channel, and squeezed anyway. I have put up to 200 primers in the tray at a time, and don't worry about it. I often reprime in front of the TV, not paying real close attention, but my fingers know that if the ram doesn't want to go up, stop squeezing and check it out.
I have a Lee Turret Press that's 20+ years old, works fine, but I use it as a single stage, and just enjoy the quick-change turrets one die at a time. It's not the fastest setup, but with clean, primed brass, I can easily load 200-300 rounds an hour, and that's good enough for me.
PJ

My Auto prime seems to seat the primers slightly crookedly, one sde seems to be slightly higher, doesn't seem to hurt anything. Do you think it may be my technique or? I have only just started reloading and have only reloaded 44 special and mag so far. I only load about 10 primers into the tray at a time, still cautious, you know.
Andy

Kdub- I have a Lee hand primer, and even without too much milage on it I noticed that the handle was fully squeezed in without a feel for when the primer seated . I cut out a small brass disc and loc-tited it in the depression on the linkage. I think it was about .015 thick. This effectively lenghtened the linkage enough so that I have a 'feel' when the primer bottoms out. A little moly grease and it works real slick. I just don't quite have the knack for getting all the primers properly oriented in the tray without touching them. Clumbsy hands I guess. Maybe that's why my groups look like a shotgun blast.

ribbonstone,

The Forster IS a 'pain' to adjust and if you don't get it pretty much perfectly adjusted there can be problems with crushed primers or primers pushed in side ways.

Best primer seater I have is a 'Lachmiller' - - but I can't find shell holders for most of my cartridge calibers now.

Went to the Lee Auto Prmimer I am satisfied with it and I simply adjusted the Forster for .44 Rem. Mag and leave it set.

- - - Fletch

"I just don't quite have the knack for getting all the primers properly oriented in the tray without touching them."

You just shake or rattle the tray and they will flip "pop" side up. I've never had to handle them.

K&M Services has a hand tool similar to the Lee Auto-Prime that benchrest shooters use. It even is available with a pressure gauge. It's $97.50 with the gauge. It does not feed primers, they are placed in the Lee Shell Holder one at a time. I will stick with the Lee Auto-Prime.

Michael

Hey Deuce, glad you're still having fun. Have always primed on the press,(progressive or single stage). Lately I started using the Lee Auto Prime for .45Colt, as they don't drop well through my case feeder. Kinda like it. It makes for an extra step in my process, but I don't bowl or golf so I gotta fill the hours some how. "Safe Shooting"

Hey Deuce, glad you're still having fun. Have always primed on the press,(progressive or single stage). Lately I started using the Lee Auto Prime for .45Colt, as they don't drop well through my case feeder. Kinda like it. It makes for an extra step in my process, but I don't bowl or golf so I gotta fill the hours some how. "Safe Shooting"

I use the RCBS APS hand tool, it doesn't require shell holders and handles everything from .22 hornet up to .50-110 Winchester. Also have the RCBS APS bench tool and the older RCBS bench tool with metal tubes. Also have a couple of Lee type hand tools - they are so old that I can't remember what they really are! Also have a couple of those nifty bench rest hand tools, the one at a time precision adjustable everything! Like the RCBS hand tool best for its simplicity. Hand tools let you prime while watching TV or some otherwise useless activity.

axlenut

I'm votin' for the Lee system, I have also primed quite a few brass on presses and with the Lee and I'll bank it for feel against any method. I agree that you do have feel with a press, but once you get accustomed to the Lee you can feel the cup base"heel" to the pressure, and it is possible to prime a ton of brass in a pretty short time.

I like my RCBS Hand Priming tool. It allows great feel and works real fast

I have used them for years and they are cheap and work very well. All the best...
Gil

Been using the Lee Auto Prime for quite a number of years and would estimate quite a few thousand cases have been primed with mine with only one case screwed up with the primer being seated upside down. Excellent tool for the money. I usually just dump a box of primers and shake them to turn them up correctly, sit down in front of the one eyed monster and prime away.
Rich

Been using one of those lees since it came out, thousands and thousands loaded. Broke it last year. Called Lee and they sent me the part free. can't gripe on that. I think they say stay away from Winchester primers in the directions...

Guys:

Thanks for all the great feedback. I finally went with the Lee Auto Prime and the set of shell holders to go with it. Don't have it yet but it's on the way.

Thanks Again,
Phil