RCBS Bench mounted hand primer tool

[Divernhunter]

The hand primer tools I now have(Lee) are less than satisfactory in function and getting harder to use with the RA in my hands.
I looked at the Lee mounted unit and a friend bought one. It is a POS and his broke quickly.
So I am looking at the RCBS bench mounted unit that uses the primers in a tube(not the ones in the plastic strips) as a possible choice. Anyone use one of these and if so how do you like it? Does it work well?
Thanks for any info anyone can give me.

[hambam105]

Heck yah!
Just go ahead and buy one brand new, and don't forget to buy extra tubes and the tray.

I must have broken 3 or 4 of the Lee hand priming POSs. And when you see the RCBS bench mounted tool that is used and for sale at the gun show, buy that one as well. They usually go cheap because seller thinks it's broken or doesn't know how to use it properly.

After you use it then you can thank me later.

[longrange1]

personally id rather have one from bullets.com but they are going out of business and they are out of stock...this would be my second choice over the RCBS...

https://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-equipment/priming-tools/benchmount-tools/co-ax-primer-seater-prod37249.aspx

[Divernhunter]

Thanks. I have always had good performance with RCBS stuff but thought I would ask.

[longrange1]

i am by no means saying RCBS is bad or junk but i will say without a doubt there are better tools.

[NorCalFocus]

The best priming tool ever is the CPS. But most guys won't spring for the bench model and currently the CPS lite is not being made. Its hard to convince people to spend that much money on a priming tool, when everyone else sells a POS for $20-$50.

I love my CPS lite, its faster, easier to use, and more accurate than any other priming system I've used.

[OzzieDoc]

i am by no means saying RCBS is bad or junk but i will say without a doubt there are better tools.

This,

I've had one for years and only pull it out occasionally to remind myself why I don't use it.

Firstly it's a pain filling all those expensive tubes. The time you spend filling those tubes you may as well have a one at a time hand tool.

Secondly it lacks feel despite what others will tell you.

It needs to be seriously well mounted to something solid to have any sort of "feedback" as the primers are seating so it's not really a portable tool.

[longrange1]

This is why I prefer a single feed hand tool and the K&M with the gauge to be specific...I have no doubt where my primer is seated.


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['ol shooter]

I have RA too, and the hand starts to hurt after using my older thumb lever type Lee handheld primer after about fifty reps. A few minutes rest and I'm back for another fifty. Pacing is what it's about. I keep using it because it works. I can adjust myself to it's shortcomings, and I can drop 100 primers on the tray right out of the box without diddling around loading primers in a tube or one by one.

[9mmepiphany]

I looked at the Lee mounted unit and a friend bought one. It is a POS and his broke quickly.

I can't even imagine which part of the Lee would break unless the operator tried to "muscle" it. It only requires finger tip pressure to seat primers.

It is really too bad that you've had a poor experience with the Lee as it is a superior bench primer compared to the RCBS.

Assuming that you're disregarding the single feed precision primer seating tool, the Co-Ax (linked in post #3) could well be the class of the field...unless you can afford the CPS

[hambam105]

Unfortunately I too think RCBS QC has been headed south for a couple years now. When I read that reloaders were having issues with the funnel...geeze, what next. It is really too bad because RCBS has some dedicated hard working people and my 1970s RCBS equipment has always been excellent.

I will buy the Forester bench mounted priming tool when I see a used & neglected & unappreciated piece for sale for ten cents on the dollar. Okay, maybe twelve cents. I've seen three or four of them over the years and nobody wanted them. Kids. They know everything. Now that I'm searching for one it will be years before I see another for sale.

OzzieDoc:
These priming tools are not portable, or not designed to be portable anyhow. Bench-Mounted, all the way.

Longrange1I hear you on the K&M reloading tools. However, 99% of reloaders start having strong heart palpitations when you mention single one-primer-at-a-time loading tool that costs $100 dollars. I snap up K&M reloading tools of all kinds for cheap whenever I can because so many reloadingers are unaware or are disinterested in using & paying for top quality tools.

OP:
Many reloaders apparently prefer to 'Prime On The Press'. That's fine. And then there are a few, that you have found here, that prime off the press and have some very strong opinions for some very good reasons. Remember that it's all good. Looks like some solid advice and best of luck to you.

[OzzieDoc]

Unfortunately I too think RCBS QC has been headed south for a couple years now. When I read that reloaders were having issues with the funnel...geeze, what next. It is really too bad because RCBS has some dedicated hard working people and my 1970s RCBS equipment has always been excellent.

I will buy the Forester bench mounted priming tool when I see a used & neglected & unappreciated piece for sale for ten cents on the dollar. Okay, maybe twelve cents. I've seen three or four of them over the years and nobody wanted them. Kids. They know everything. Now that I'm searching for one it will be years before I see another for sale.

OzzieDoc:
These priming tools are not portable, or not designed to be portable anyhow. Bench-Mounted, all the way.

Longrange1I hear you on the K&M reloading tools. However, 99% of reloaders start having strong heart palpitations when you mention single one-primer-at-a-time loading tool that costs $100 dollars. I snap up K&M reloading tools of all kinds for cheap whenever I can because so many reloadingers are unaware or are disinterested in using & paying for top quality tools.

OP:
Many reloaders apparently prefer to 'Prime On The Press'. That's fine. And then there are a few, that you have found here, that prime off the press and have some very strong opinions for some very good reasons. Remember that it's all good. Looks like some solid advice and best of luck to you.

I realise it's meant to be "bench mounted" but some of the tools I use less frequently or want to use in different places, I mount to blocks of wood then C clamp to the bench. Lee and perhaps others make propriety versions of bench plates and reloading stands for this reason.

However anything other than a direct and rigid attachment to something really heavy just doesn't feel right with the RCBS bench tool.

[hambam105]

The more rigid the better with the RCBS.

[longrange1]

The best priming tool ever is the CPS. But most guys won't spring for the bench model and currently the CPS lite is not being made. Its hard to convince people to spend that much money on a priming tool, when everyone else sells a POS for $20-$50.

I love my CPS lite, its faster, easier to use, and more accurate than any other priming system I've used.

i will agree the CPS is a very nice tool and faster but when it comes to ACCURATE the K&M with the gauge is hands down the most accurate priming tool made.

as far as seating by feel...the Sinclair tool is the winner there...ive talked to several old-er bench and F-class guys that swear by seating primers by feel and they all use the sinclair...i called BS(in my mind)every time i heard this "seat by feel".

i had to know so i bought a sinclair...its true....you CAN seat by feel with it...it seats so effortlessly that you can actually FEEL the primer bottom out in the pocket and has enough leverage that you have to be careful with it or you will OVER seat primers.

and yes OVER and UNDER seated primers is a thing and will cause problems and this is where the K&M comes in and removes all the guessing...most ppl do not realize how important a properly seated primer is to low ESs and SDs as well as accuracy.

ive been using the K&M for about 9yrs now and the one thing about it PPL should know is that it is a heavy tool and awkward until you get use to using it so if you have hand issues the K&M is NOT the tool for you.

[Dragginpanda]

I have the RCBS bench mounted tool. It works great, 5 out of 5 stars.

The Lee makes it easy to prime and watch tv though.