Thoughts on hand priming tools?

I use the RCBS universal one and love it. I actually have two, one set up for large primers, and one for small. The RCBS one fits my hand best out of all the ones I've tried(L to XL gloves here)

I have an RCBS universal, and I like it a lot. nice ergos, smooth as butter with a good sense of feel.
But, mine is relatively ancient (late 70s, early 80s maybe), and I have no idea about new versions

For many years, maybe decades, I used the Lee Auto Prime with the round tray. I liked them but they did not last. Handles would break, links would wear and, once in a while, the main handle would fail. The priming tool was cheap enough that I would keep a spare on hand for parts. Over time, the parts got more reliable and replacement parts were more available. Unfortunately, Lee discontinued the round tray Auto Prime and t's replacement was not as good.

I currently use the RCBS universal priming tool. I have both the tray model and the APS strip model. They work well but there a few cartridges that do not work well with the universal shell holder. I still have the old Lee priming tool for those cartridges.

With my progressive presses, I still prime off the press. If I have a large run to load, I use the RCBS bench mounted priming tool for APS strip priming. RCBS provides a plastic insert for the shell holder to match the primer size in use. I found that to be of limited reliability and modified the shell holder with a brass insert. Works better and lasts longer than plastic insert.

There are other hand priming tools on the market that I have not used so I cannot comment on them. I'm sure they will also work fine. I'm sad that Lee discontinued the original Auto Prime and I'm happy with using the RCBS universal priming tool.

Oops, shows how much I know. Mine uses shellholders, and so it's not a universal.

I use the Frankford Arsenal Perfect Priming tool. I’ve cranked out as many as 800 primed cases at a sitting. Adjustable seating depth, large and small rams included, as well as all the shell holders needed. When hand priming I don’t use anything else. Fantastic tool for $60.

I am still working on my last Lee round type. I have tried the new Lee and the new RCBS type. Both have been given away and I go back to my old one. I am watching local estate sales for a spare or two so I can continue as I wish. I am going to try a bench mounted type next time if my hand is forced but will probably gripe about having to refill the APS strips as that looks like the one I want to try. YMMV

I've all but abandoned hand priming. These days I set up the Hornady LNL and use the case feeder to run the cases through the press in "single stage" mode. I don't have to handle individual cases and it's easier on my hands.

Filling the primer tubes is the biggest chore. I use a FA Vibra-Prime for this and it takes about 5 minutes from dumping the primers in the tray to a ready press.

.40

Get another, older Lee priming tool and buy spare parts for it, as I do.

The RCBS is a PoS and the company should be ashamed of selling it. The unit has small parts that go flying into orbit when trying to change calibers. RCBS is aware of the problem but has not fixed it.

The Lyman unit is ok and I use it for 50-70 Government, but primers sometimes get stuck in it, so the unit is not perfect.

All of this is based on my usage of each unit, and others here have different experiences.

I’m a K&M priming tool owner and user, these are built like a tank with excellent leverage.
I couldn’t imagine a better tool for the price.
J

Every time I saw the old style round lee hand priming tools at gunshows I'd buy it. Finely got around to putting them all in 1 place.


I guess this is called hording, 10+ of the darn things.

Got a Frankfort Arsenal after the Lee broke.....stainless steel.

gave all the hand primer,s away and have not looked back and my hands thanked me. YMMV.

For me, the round tray Lee was the best. But even before I broke my next to last lever, I was having issues with my thumb joints hurting during long sessions. So, in looking for an alternative, I wanted a design where you pull with fingers instead of push with the thumb(s). I have a Hornady and a Lee finger pull. Both work okay (after some fiddling), but still not as reliable as the old Lee. I tried going back to tube fed, but I quickly remembered why I left that.
I use the Lee press mounted system when I can now. When adjusted right, it isn't bad (for me).

Funny how opinions vary so much.
For myself the use of the trays was probably the most awkward tool ever invented.
J

The Lyman is solidly-built, but I have to be extra vigilant with SRP as those primers can invert.
LRP work flawlessly. I like not having to use proprietary shell holders.

Kevin Rohrer said:

The Lyman unit is ok and I use it for 50-70 Government, but primers sometimes get stuck in it, so the unit is not perfect.

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I have no problems using the Hornady for Small primers - the Large primers were a mess though for whatever reason- about 10% flipped over or stuck primers whereas the small is solid. Plus I can flip it and squeeze instead of pushing with thumbs.
the FA is a good one too.
for priming cases that I load on the Co-Ax that is.
For my pistol cases, I prime on press.

Trey Veston said:

When I first got started a few years ago, my dad gave me an old Lee hand priming tool. It worked great and I loved it. Then the handle snapped about a year ago and I drug out a new version of it that came with my press kit.

That thing is nearly useless. Hate it.

So I just used a Lee primer attachment on the press and it works well, but is slower and less convenient than a hand tool.

I see RCBS, Lyman, and Hornady all make their own versions.

Any thoughts as to which one would be a good choice?

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Take the thumb lever from the new one, and the new pot metal cam, and thin the top of the cam until it fits in the old unit. If you need to shim it for height, a small machine bolt nut (like for a 6 or 8 bolt) fits right up in there. That's how I've kept my two old Lee units running. I haven't broken one of the new thumb levers yet; that was the Achilles heel of the old unit.

If I were buying new, that Frankford Arsenal one looks nice.

I have an RCBS Hand Priming Tool (#90200) that I have been using for many years.

For quite awhile I have only used it to prep small batches (50-100) of cases when developing new load ladders.

Early-on I added some washers on the slide so that I could not inadvertently apply too much force when seating the primers (I have a history of breaking those large-spring hand exercisers).

Like most replies so far, I use the RCBS Hand Priming Tool (not the universal one). I do like it but have to be careful. If I shake it to move primers toward the loading port I sometimes get two primers in the loading port or the one primer in the loading port gets flipped sideways. If then seated this results in not being able to pull the shell case out because the primer(s) stick below the case head. have to dismantle the Tool to get the case out and then have to reassemble.
After this happened a couple of times I learned to be easier on the shaking and never shake up or down, just gently sideways.

I only use this device (just tedious to place the primer in the tube)
very new to reloading yet.

Lee hand press. Can do much more than just prime

i have picked up extra primer tubes at gun shows for .50 to a dollar, i have four large and four small primer tubes and keep them full so i can prime(large-small) close to 200 cases with out stopping.

Another vote for the RCBS hand prime. Using Winchester primers, which are oriented bottom up in their tray, I can prime 100 at a time without touching the primers.
I have a Hornady hand primer that’s made very similar to theRCBS, but I hate that thing.