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HAND PRIMERS

3K views 39 replies 15 participants last post by  Doublehelix 
#1 ·
Hey guys and gals

Have any of you bought the new Hornaday hand priming tool? It comes with the trays for either the Hornaday shell holder or for all others. My point being a warning.
I just decided I wanted a new one and that my old Lee hand primer was just not good enough.
I got one and have tried both trays. I even went down and bought a new Hornaday shell holder (can't see any difference than my RCBS).
When you fit the clear, plastic top on the primer tray, it still allows your primers to turn upside down or sideways or dumps them out the port for the large primers on the rear side of the tray. I placed duct tape over the port and in the open slot in the front where the primers feed into the shell holder. It still allows primers to dump out at different places and if one of your primers tries to slide into the slot for the shell holder sideways, it locks up the mechanism and you have to take the entire tray off to get it straight. I have lost several primers and had to go surfing with a flashlight to find them.

This thing may have been a good idea but it is the PITS as far as user friendly. All the other items that I have, Hornaday have been excellent.
I'm going to return it to Hornaday with a letter saying I dearly hope this is not an example of their current QC.

BEWARE

UF
 
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#2 ·
I have what could probably be described as over-kill. I have two LEE hand primer tools, both of them are only used to prime pistol cases. One set up for large primers, the other for small. For rifle cases I have two of the RCBS hand primer tools, one for large the other for small primers. If these were going to be replaced, a FORSTER bench mount primer seater would get the nod.
 
#8 ·
I have a Lee ergo prime. It works OK. It has a primer feed hick up every once in a while. I also have an RCBS automattic priming tool that mounts to the bench. It work very well and is what I use when not priming on the press.
 
#12 ·
One Shot
That one in the upper corner is it. Mine dumps primers out that rear port when I have small primers in the tray. Also the slot where the primers feed into the holder on mine is open about 1/4 in beside the feed ramp so when I tip the tray forward to feed a primer, some fall out the hole. I put tape over that one. But mine will spill primers out with the tray cover down and clicked into place.

Coop, that is a good looking primer, will find one tomorrow. I also have the bench mount auto but if you try to prime 223 mil brass with the ringers, even after running them through my dillon swagger, they have to feed perfectly up not the pocket or the tiny ringer will smash the primer or shave a tiny portion and leave it e above the primers edge.

Not going to even try to use it again. Will get one of those displayed by DB or use my Lee in the interim.

UF
 
#13 · (Edited)
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UF,

I'm not seeing how primers can fall out of the tray.

Does your clear tray cover have a long and a short stop 180 degrees apart from each other on the inside of the cover?

The long one keeps them from going out the unused side of the tray. The short one is like an on/off or open/closed gate for the feeding side.
 
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#14 ·
I have that same Hornady hand primer and had had all of the same issues except for having the primers fall out the far side through the unused port. I suspect you don't have the clear cover on correctly like One Shot is talking about.

Another issue I have had is I never had the sensitivity that I expected to get and was finding myself with primers seated too high (needing two firing pin strikes to ignite) or dimpled slightly by the rounded head of the seating pin. I now press prime with excellent results.
 
#20 ·
Also I can prime while I watch something on TV

But if you notice the "block" when he seats the cover is just to the right of the primer stem. Mine has a gap there that allows primers to seep out. I put a p piece of tape over it so thats now OK. BUT, if you shake mine like he did in the vid to get primers to drop in the holder, some of my primers turn over or sideways they do NOT stay laying flat the way I started. Maybe my cover is warped I'll look this week when I get back to the loading room. It has also dropped primers all the way down below the pins into the handle and it is a booger to get them out.
When it works it is smooth as glass, it just is so exasperating to have primers laying the wrong way and having to take the plastic off to shake them out again or having them fall out altogether.

Not the best purchase I have ever made. I'm going to try one like coop shows and see how that one will work. This one will go on the shelf until I send it back to Horn.

thanks for the help guys

UF
 
#21 ·
Also I can prime while I watch something on TV

But if you notice the "block" when he seats the cover is just to the right of the primer stem. Mine has a gap there that allows primers to seep out. I put a p piece of tape over it so thats now OK. BUT, if you shake mine like he did in the vid to get primers to drop in the holder, some of my primers turn over or sideways they do NOT stay laying flat the way I started. Maybe my cover is warped I'll look this week when I get back to the loading room. It has also dropped primers all the way down below the pins into the handle and it is a booger to get them out.
When it works it is smooth as glass, it just is so exasperating to have primers laying the wrong way and having to take the plastic off to shake them out again or having them fall out altogether.

Not the best purchase I have ever made. I'm going to try one like coop shows and see how that one will work. This one will go on the shelf until I send it back to Horn.

thanks for the help guys

UF
Sounds like a problem with the cover. Like you said it could be warped or broken. I have not had any problems with mine that weren't self induced. ;). It really hasn't given me any problems like you are experiencing. See what Hornady says when you call them.
 
#22 ·
I watched some videos on these hand primers. I think I'll stick with my Lee.
 
#24 ·
I have two of the old style Lee had primers and one of the new type. I don't use them much anymore, I can prime on the Dillon if I need. I do have an older RCBS hand prime and it works well, just not much use these days. I do have all the Gee Whiz crap that Lee sells for priming on their presses, I have never even tried to install that junk....
 
#25 · (Edited)
FWIW, I have been reloading for a very long time and I have tried several different priming methods. I still have 2 hand primers, 2 ram prime tools, all my presses still have their original priming systems and a bench prime. I did not find hand primers to have a better feel than most other methods (perhaps because I'm a lifelong machinist/mechanic and well versed in hand tool use). I tried 3 different hand primers but none seemed to fit my hand and I'd have to shift the tool in my hand every time I squeezed it, and after a couple hundred my hand cramped. I found no advantage to using a hand primer, and I do no reloading in front of the TV; it's all done in my shop so portability is not a factor.

I then went to a ram prime and the "feel" increased quite a bit, and I even went to a dedicated priming press; a small Pacific "C" press with a ram prime. I successfully used the ram prime, one in my dedicated priming press and one on a turret with my 9mm dies, for mebbe 15 years.

Lastly I got a Lee Bench Prime and this is one tool that, after I read and followed the directions, works 100%. I can load 100 primers into the tray and prime 100 cases, non stop. (please, no Lee Hater comments).

So, as you can see from all the answers, priming is largely personal preference and most will say their choice is best (but mine is definitely the best :rolleyes:)...
 
#26 ·
Some of these tools are inexpensive enough for a person to try out each style and find what works best for them and not break the bank. And you can sell the tools you end up not using, so it's not a total loss.
 
#30 ·
I recently started using the RCBS APS system. A little learning curve but I like it. There is good feel in the hand tool. Just be careful to have the case rim engage the claws. I don't have the bench tool but guess it would work just fine too. The strip loading tool works well but go slow and watch the details. The good part is your fingers never touch the primers.
 
#31 ·
I just picked up the RCBS APS bench priming system myself. I have not actually used it yet as I had to wait for the strip loader to show up, and now I am still waiting for the strips to show up. The strip loader comes with a couple of strips, so I guess I can actually get started now, but I am also waiting for the Inline Fabrication Quick Mount Adapter to show up so I can mount it on my Ultra Mount.

What advice do you have when you say "go slow and watch the details"? Are there some "gotchas" there I need to be aware of?
 
#32 ·
strip priming system? wow.. I guess if you want to spend extra time loading primers. :).. I hate handling primers.. that's why i don't prime ont he bench much. way to easy to flip a tray of primers into a hand primer magazine, and just feed n squeeze.
 
#34 ·
Yep, much easier that way, but I like the safety aspect of the strip system, and it is really not that hard to load the strips with the strip loader, you can load 100 primers into strips in just a minute or so.

When using the strip loader just make sure the anvils are ALL up. I gently shake the loader and work from right to left to load the primers into position over the strip. Watch carefully (attention to detail) and be deliberate. I am probably a little anal when handling primers but it's safety first. That is one of the advantages of the APS system is I think it is very safe to use. The other thing I have to pay attention to is the strip orientation. Just follow the directions and it good. I seem to forget between uses.
Thanks for the tips. I will be trying to load up a few strips tonight. I also heard it is a good idea to get a small rubber roller (like those used with wallpaper hanging) to make sure that all of the primers are fully seated into the strips.
 
#38 ·
They are probably safe as well, although I have not looked in them as deeply as I prefer a bench mount system. I was comparing the strip loaders to the tube loaders.
 
#40 ·
Loaded 100 cases on my new RCBS APS Bench Priming System, and I have to admit I like it a lot. It is a lot easier to load the strips with primers than I thought, and once the strips are loaded, it takes just a minute or two to seat 100 primers. I did have one sideways primer seating error, but I am pretty sure that was my fault, but I will be loading a bunch more this weekend (hopefully) and will see how it functions over a larger sample size.

I know this is a bench priming technique as opposed to "hand priming" as the title of this thread indicates, but I think in my mind at least, any priming technique that does not involve using the loading press is considered "hand priming". Maybe I am stretching the definition a bit, but I think it is applicable to this thread.
 
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