Recommend a Top Quality Priming Tool

[Phil3]

New to reloading, and have everything I need, but a priming tool. Primed 30 cases in the Forster Co-Ax press, but slow, and somewhat awkward. My wants and needs are consistency (accuracy nut), quality tool, effort that does not kill my hand or thumb after a couple hundred rounds. I don't want to spend a fortune, but will spend for the right tool. Tools under consideration:

K&M w/o dial indicator (single loader) $45
Sinclair (single loader) $120
RCBS APS Hand Tool w/Strip Loader and One Strip. About $85.
RCBS Bench Auto Prime (non APS). $85.
21st Century Priming Tool (single loader) $80
(http://21stcenturyshooting.com/Priming_Tool.php)

Comments from those who have compared one to another would be quite useful. I have never hand primed, so do not know what to expect with these tools.

- Phil

[xfer42]

I can tell you that I have bought 2 and broke 2 Lee Auto prime hand tools. I used to use it for 30-06,.270,.44mag (large rifle/pistol primers). The lever just snaps off. I probably seated a total of about 250 primers between both.

[C.G.]

I never really liked the RCBS hand primer, except that you can feel the primer seating, so I got the RCBS auto bench prime (non-APS), which I still use sometimes and it works well. Most of my priming is done on my Hornady LNL AP, nowadays.
I prefer primer tubes over APS.

[BigBronco]

I have primed thousands and thousands of cases with the lee hand prime tool. I bought it 20 years ago. It still works great.

[Divernhunter]

The lee hand primer works fine. I have loaded many thousands of rounds with mine. I did ruin one but it was my fault as IF your READ the directions you will do what I did not and put alittle lube where you are suppose to.
And I am not a great lee fan.

[rg1]

Used to prime on the press but bought the RCBS bench-mounted auto-prime and highly recommend it. It has just the right amount of leverage and feel. I wouldn't prime on anything else. Uses standard shellholders and I would buy extra ones if you want to size and prime in consecutive steps. Worth the price in my opinion.

[Boots]

I started out with the primer feed and tube set-up that came with my Lyman press... that was until last week when I was up in Sacramento and decided to stop by a gun store to "window shop" and saw that they had the RCBS hand priming tool there for $39, so I thought why not. Got home, threw in my shell holder and did 20 .223 shells and right away fell in love with it.
What I liked was that, as already mentioned, I had a better feel of the primer seating. I've also noticed I'm more consistent with the seating depth now. And love the fact I don't need to be stuck at the press, in the garage during the process now.
For the price of shell holders, I ordered one extra of the calibers I load so I can have one available for the press and the other for the priming tool. And god forbids something happens to a shell holder, now I have spares. (or if I get a second press)

[J-cat]

Hornady.

[EBR Works]

Used to prime on the press but bought the RCBS bench-mounted auto-prime and highly recommend it. It has just the right amount of leverage and feel. I wouldn't prime on anything else. Uses standard shellholders and I would buy extra ones if you want to size and prime in consecutive steps. Worth the price in my opinion.

^^This. An excellent tool.

[Rem222]

Lee hand prime tool. Never had a problem. Thousands of rounds loaded....

[mif_slim]

wow, if someone broke a hand priming tool that person is doing something wrong. I have loaded at least 10k rounds with the lee hand priming tool an it's still working as new today!

[spencerhut]

I'm not really sure how old my Lee hand prime tool is, but it's really old and I've never had a problem with it.

[T-Bear]

I highly recommend the RCBS universal priming tool. If you have med-lrg hands this is a good to perfect size. I can't tell you how many rifle rounds I have done with this tool.
But the quality and feel is excellent. No shell holder to worry about as well.

[Rule .308]

I have been using the RCBS hand prime tool, the one that uses the standard shell holders, and a Lee Auto Prime forever. They both work very well.

[EBR Works]

The OP stated that hand priming tools hurt his hands. I had the same issue with the RCBS unit. I sold it and switched to the RCBS Bench Auto Prime and it has been flawless and painless:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=457599

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