Question about RCBS APS Strip Loader

[Spyguy]

Does it come with any APS strips? If so, what sizes and how many of each?

RCBS is notoriously short on information about their products.

[Ferrum]

They do. I don't recall what mine came with (for Pro-2000), but I do know quantity varies between kits. I.e.- press versus bench top priming unit.

[Spyguy]

I'm not buying a kit. I'm planning to purchase the APS Hand Priming Tool (88507) and the APS Primer Strip Loader (88505). I don't think the APS Hand Priming Tool comes with any strips, but some Ebay photos of the APS Strip Loader shows some strips with the tool (but there's no information about if they came with the tool, or what size they are). RCBS gives no information about this on their web site or in any of their product descriptions.

The APS strips are ungodly expensive (for what they are) when bought in packs of 8. So I'd rather just buy what doesn't come with the loader and then wait until I can buy some CCI APS primers pre-loaded on strips to build my reusable APS strip collection.

[stilly]

I do not recall them coming with strips, but I could be wrong. Mine was used.

The strips hold 25 primers each and are either Small or LARGE.

HOWEVER, they will sell colors for EVERYTHING. THey got colors for SP, LP, LPM, SPM, SR, SRM, LR, LRM... But when it comes down to it, I think there is only SMALL and LARGE, the colors are for YOU to use to organize your primers.


If you are buying the loading tool from ebay then ask the seller. But I think that if you can get about 10+ strips for large or small then you should be good.

Heh, yeah though I kow what ya mean, $5.00 for 8 of them? :\ WTFE...

I think I found a guy selling them and I made an offer and got 3 packs for $11.00 delivered.

[Spyguy]

Colors have nothing to do with primer size. The colors are used to distinguish the type of primer:

White Primer Strip:

#300 Large Pistol, Standard: 88511
#500 Small Pistol, Standard: 88513

Red Primer Strip:

#350 Large Pistol, Magnum: 88515
#550 Small Pistol, Magnum: 88517

Yellow Primer Strip:

#200 Large Rifle, Standard: 88510
#400 Small Rifle, Standard: 88512

Blue Primer Strip:

#250 Large Rifle, Magnum 88514
#450 Small Rifle, Magnum: 88516

Black Primer Strip:

#BR2 Large Rifle, Benchrest: 88518
#BR4 Small Rifle, Benchrest: 88519

Orange Primer Strip:

#34 7.62mm (Military): 88521
#41 5.56mm (Military): 88520

Buying the strips alone is a total rip-off: >$5 for only eight strips. If you buy the CCI primers pre-loaded on APS strips, the price is ~$5 more per thousand vs non-APS CCI primers. So for about the same cost as eights unloaded APS strips, you get 40 strips.

[stilly]

Colors have nothing to do with primer size. The colors are used to distinguish the type of primer:



Buying the strips alone is a total rip-off: >$5 for only eight strips. If you buy the CCI primers pre-loaded on APS strips, the price is ~$5 more per thousand vs non-APS CCI primers. So for about the same cost as eights unloaded APS strips, you get 40 strips.

They are reuseable again and again...

My POINT is, There are really only TWO sizes, Small or Large...

Pick your own colors, I only grab Small of whatever and load them or large of whatever and load THEM since I am only loading for one caliber/type at the time.

When you buy the APS stripped CCI, I do not know what colors they give you. I would THINK that they would hold true to their color chart, but who knows. I do not care for CCI primers so I do not care to buy the APS CCI for $33+ a box. I WILL pick up APS loaded strips if the primers are cheap enough.



Hold a sec. I am trying to figure out why I appear to be defending myself here. :scratchinghead: Yeah I must not have got something.

You asked if they came with, I said I did not know, I said to ask the seller, then you reinforced the rip off portion of your hmmm, irritability and quoted some mysterious color code, prolly the RCBS site.

Okay help me out please. What is the problem again? I have a Syntax Error load block on line 411 and my chosen code is not getting past the logic statement here... :\


I will go back and load up some more LPM into my 8 white strips, I gotta make some .44 mag ammo for tomorrow night. Good luck with that...

[TKM]

Put up a WTB. There are guys out there with 5 gal buckets full of empties.

[Germz]

I would like to understand why APS strips were even invented. how is this efficient? was this a precursor to the hand primer with a feed tray?

[jdmstuff]

I've got 2000 SPP CCI primers loaded on APS strips that I got a hold of during the shortage and I don't even have an APS loader. I've been popping them out and throwing away the strips. If I had known they were worth anything, I wouldn't have thrown them all out. I'd be glad to swap with someone who can use these for non-APS primers if anyone's interested.

[nahpungnome]

The loader does come with small and large strips, but I forget how many of each. I love this system as I hand prime my brass to get a feel for the primer pocket.

[nahpungnome]

I've got 2000 SPP CCI primers loaded on APS strips that I got a hold of during the shortage and I don't even have an APS loader. I've been popping them out and throwing away the strips. If I had known they were worth anything, I wouldn't have thrown them all out. I'd be glad to swap with someone who can use these for non-APS primers if anyone's interested.

Too bad you don't have 2000 LPP, I'd trade you 2000 Winchester LP for them

[Spyguy]

I've got 2000 SPP CCI primers loaded on APS strips that I got a hold of during the shortage and I don't even have an APS loader. I've been popping them out and throwing away the strips. If I had known they were worth anything, I wouldn't have thrown them all out. I'd be glad to swap with someone who can use these for non-APS primers if anyone's interested.

I'd swap you for primers. But I'm in the SF Bay Area so it's not practical.

But I'd love to have your de-primed strips if you wouldn't mind mailing them. I'll pay the USPS postage fees.

[stilly]

I would like to understand why APS strips were even invented. how is this efficient? was this a precursor to the hand primer with a feed tray?

SAFE-TY (pronounced: SAFE - TEE)

By having the loaded strips you do not run the risk of having STACKED primers on top of each other in a METAL TUBE and running the risk of an ESD and blowing the lid off and possibly exploding in your hand. Sometime last year or so A Calgunner did just that IIRC, Maybe it was two years ago, not last year, but damn what a mess. Apparently it DOES happen to people who are not being uber careful with their primer tubes.

I am sure that all (minus one) calgunners in THIS forum have NEVER had that happen to them... :rollingeyes:

But it was designed for Dillon or RCBS on one of their presses and it was a safety design. But if it was for Dillon then They strayed from the idea and I think only RCBS still uses it.

BUT, it is a cool design now because if you have the Universal APS hand primer then you can load up these 25 rd strips and prime shells at any angle with no shell holder needed. IT is a pretty cool thing. I really enjoy mine.

I have the strip loader and the hand primer. Super easy to load the strips.

JDM should hold on to those. Other folks like OP can find them useful for trades or what not. They really have no value but I do not know the longevity either so having a few hundred on hand might be a good idea and who knows how long those will last ya.

[zoid52]

Ive got the bench mounted Aps tool that I bought in the late 1990's at the old LA gun show in Pomona. It was unused but was the frame only. I paid $10. When I got home I called RCBS & they sent me all the missing parts for free. So Ive owned this tool for 15+ years & never used it.

[jdmstuff]

I haven't had a need to crack into my APS stash since I've found regular packaged primers but I'll be sure to save the strips for anyone who needs/wants them.