I’m looking for a hand primer and need some recommendations. Want a hand held one tattoo I can sit on the couch and prime brass while I bing watch Netflix lol.
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Recommendations for hand primer
- Thread starter gcsdborr
- Start date
Second the recommendation for RCBS, I use one if I am running my single stage press. Back when a single stage was all I had I would watch tv and prime a thousand or so in a run.
RCBS universal prime has done me well for the last 8 yrs.
Yeah I’m interested for sure. Pm me and we can work something out.
I have a Lee and RCBS hand primer. The Lee is a POS, the main part is plastic and keeps breaking. You can order new ones for free from Lee, and the Lee also requires a different shell holder to work correctly. The RCBS is metal, and has one small part in plastic, that part holds the tray and the shell holder, I've used it to press about 3K to 4K primers without incident. The Lee typically lasted for about 2K before I had to order an new part.
Get the RCBS... you'll be much better off.
Get the RCBS... you'll be much better off.
I've tried most of them. Hornady, Lee (old round all the way to the new crappy one's and the ergo), RCBS both the standard and the one with the universal holder. Only one I've not tried is the lyman...but it doesn't look like anything special.
The only one I can now recommend is the Frankford Arsenal Hand Primer. It's built like a tank, you can adjust the seating depth, has a an awesome flipping tray, and is very easy and fast to convert from small to large primers.
I took both RCBS's back to cabeles and the Lee's..well, cheaper to just keep em. I did send the Ergo back to Midway, but I kept the other cheap ones.
Just look at it!
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...latinum-series-perfect-seat-hand-priming-tool
The RCBS would be my second choice, but it's not a close 2nd. The primer tray is a real pain and you end up dumping primers all over the place when you try to "pop" the top on. The little inserts are also cheap and converting from small to large is a pain. Not like any of it is digging ditches in the hot sun...but if you are going to spend you money and you want the best...all these little annoyances add up. And the RCBS gave me a blister. Probably a hand size issue...but I have normal size hands, so I'm skeptical. I tend to prime thousands at a time, so that could also factor into it.
If you are on the fence, get em both and take back the one you like least. But if you want to skip the hassle...go for the FA.
The only one I can now recommend is the Frankford Arsenal Hand Primer. It's built like a tank, you can adjust the seating depth, has a an awesome flipping tray, and is very easy and fast to convert from small to large primers.
I took both RCBS's back to cabeles and the Lee's..well, cheaper to just keep em. I did send the Ergo back to Midway, but I kept the other cheap ones.
Just look at it!
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...latinum-series-perfect-seat-hand-priming-tool
The RCBS would be my second choice, but it's not a close 2nd. The primer tray is a real pain and you end up dumping primers all over the place when you try to "pop" the top on. The little inserts are also cheap and converting from small to large is a pain. Not like any of it is digging ditches in the hot sun...but if you are going to spend you money and you want the best...all these little annoyances add up. And the RCBS gave me a blister. Probably a hand size issue...but I have normal size hands, so I'm skeptical. I tend to prime thousands at a time, so that could also factor into it.
If you are on the fence, get em both and take back the one you like least. But if you want to skip the hassle...go for the FA.
I have had several including Lee and RCBS. The old Lee was great but then some genius made a design change and turned the new ones into a piece of crap. I have a RCBS universal and it works great. However, it is a little bit of a pain to change over between small and large primers.
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I too found the new Lee stuff to be: Shoddy. I got a Franklin Arsenal and have found it to be adequate to the task. The grip is stout, more ergonomic and provides for better results. The adjustable depth feature is something that I have not found a use for ... it only comes into play when changing over shell holders. I had a problem with the small primer set-up as it continuously jammed ... I returned the unit to Cabelas and got a replacement which works just fine!
I got mine on sale with free shipping from Cabelas.
As an aside: So much of what comes from China is "spotty" in quality. Unless a manufacturer has troops on the ground constantly inspecting production, there will be problems with quality!
Earl Clark
Cumming, GA
I got mine on sale with free shipping from Cabelas.
As an aside: So much of what comes from China is "spotty" in quality. Unless a manufacturer has troops on the ground constantly inspecting production, there will be problems with quality!
Earl Clark
Cumming, GA
I just got this primer and love it. Primed 100 .223 cases in under 5min.
NO SHELL HOLDERS.
The Forster Primer Tube Loader works great also.
I also installed it on a 2x4.
CreedmoorSports has good prices and free shipping(orders over $99)/no tax.
-- Forster Co-Ax Bench Primer, $83
-- Foster Primer Tube Loader, $19; $102 delivered
https://www.creedmoorsports.com/product/3594/shop-by-department
The goto hand primer is the RCBS Hand Priming Tool, that will run around $60, plus you need a shell holder for each case.
NO SHELL HOLDERS.
The Forster Primer Tube Loader works great also.
I also installed it on a 2x4.
-- Forster Co-Ax Bench Primer, $83
-- Foster Primer Tube Loader, $19; $102 delivered
https://www.creedmoorsports.com/product/3594/shop-by-department
The goto hand primer is the RCBS Hand Priming Tool, that will run around $60, plus you need a shell holder for each case.
