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Hand Primer suggestions??? I have issues??

2K views 15 replies 9 participants last post by  357SigFan 
#1 · (Edited)
I have an RCBS universal hand priming tool. The one with the square tray. It works great for priming large primers and magnum primers.

It is a nightmare however for priming small primers. I know how to switch them out and have even had replacement parts sent to me but it is still impossible to prime small primers with this thing. Out of 100 I will have 20 or so that dont seat correctly or have a crease in the primer. I have these issues when trying to prime 5.56 and .300 blackout brass. I ream the snot out of the primer pockets and still have issues. I am using federal gold metal match small primers #205M. Its like the automatic shell holders dont hold the small shells perfectly centered to insert the primer. It a guessing match. The primers wont go all the way in the pocket or it crushes them partially. If you press to hard the shell just flies off the tool with the primer not seated correctly and you cant try and reseat it. You have just wasted a primer.

A friend of mine uses the regular RCBS hand primer that uses exact shell holders and he has no issues with small primers. I have thought of purchasing one of those and one shell holder for about $45.00 total and just leaving it set up for small primers and use the universal just for Large and Magnum primers.

Then I saw a Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Perfect Seat Hand Priming Tool that comes with all the shell holders in a kit for $59.00 but I dont know anyone who uses one.

I was just thinking that having a tool that uses a shell holder would help my small cartridge alignment and seat my small primers. I dont want to buy all new shell holders though, but I could buy one for just 5.56 and .300 blackout.

What is everyone else using????? Any thoughts??
 
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#2 ·
Reaming the snot out of primer pockets leaves you with uncertain results. I use a Dillon primer pocket swagger on my .223/5.56 brass and prime with a Lee hand held priming tool. As a side note the rims on different brands of brass varies wildly and may also be part of your issue with shell holders.
 
#6 ·
I am betting on it being the shellholder. If the case can be pushed out of the shellholder by hand pressure without seating the primer due to misalignment with small cases and primers then it' too sloppy of a fit as well as not securing the case properly. This does not happen with large primers and cases which take about the same pressure to seat.
 
#9 ·
I have the universal model that doesnt use shell holders. It has the square tray. It works great for big primers.

Today I bought a second rcbs hand primer with the round tray a and the correct shell holder for .223. I am going to use the universal one for large primers and try the second one that uses shell holders for just small primers and see if that works. No more having to switch out parts.
 
#11 ·
I think thats the issue its got spring loaded grips that hold the shell. You can look at it on midwayusa and see it. Its like two spring loaded jaws that hold the case.

They dont work worth a crap on small shells. There is too much play in the springs.
 
#12 ·
Are you sure you have the small primer ram and shell holder for your tool? Check out his video at the 9 minute mark. Shows how to replace the large primer ram and shell holder with the small ram and shell holder for smaller caliber shells.

 
#13 ·
When it comes to reloading, I am a firm believer in there is no such thing as 'universal' when it comes to doing specific tasks like priming. Use an RCBS hand primer with the correct shell holder and your problem should be solved. If it isn't, you're either doing something wrong (which is hard to do with a hand primer) or you need to change brass.
 
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#14 ·
I never could get the hang of my hand primer so i just use the press. I haven’t started loading .223 yet so I may check back in here when I do.
I’m starting to invest in .223 stuff so I’ll be asking, for a lot of other reasons as well.
 
#15 ·
What Mike & Tommy said.
 
#16 ·
Your brass is likely military brass that had crimped primers (guessing the .300 BLK was 5.56 'converted' to .300 BLK). What is the brass you're tying to prime head stamped? I have the same hand primer and have used it almost exclusively for small primers (the only large primers I've run through it were for 7mm Mag), and I've never had any issues priming anything.
 
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