Hand Held RCBS Priming Tool

C

Colorado Redneck

New member
My old RCBS Rockchucker has the primer attachment with a tube. It is old, and it has been used fairly hard by me. The small primer work was going really bad. Darn primers would flip over when seating them which was making for more work.

Guy at LGS told me he has an RCBS hand held priming tool and he loves it. Bought one and brought it home. Took 5 minutes or so to read the instructions and put it together. Then it took 10 minutes or so to prime a hundred 204 Ruger brass. never missed a beat! Takes minimal effort and the primers are seated correctly---just a hair recessed. No complaints, just works great! Highly recommend!:D
 
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Rifletom

New member
Roger that, the RCBS handheld is the way to go. I haven't used the tube thingy in about 6-7 years now. And you are correct; the handheld seats primers perfectly.
 
M

Mal H

Staff
Agreed. The RCBS hand priming tool (and several other brands as well) is the only way to go if you're not using a progressive press. The Rockchucker priming system leaves a lot to be desired. I never felt it did a good job even when it was brand new.
 
T

That'll Do

New member
Most of my priming is done on my progressive press, but for rounds that aren't primed on the progressive, I love my RCBS primer. I have model with the universal shell holder. I bought it after breaking the handle on my Lee primer for the 3rd time (yes, Lee replaced it free of charge each time, but that's not the point).

The RCBS primer is smooth and easy to operate. And should something break (very unlikely) RCBS will replace it, no questions asked. Truly a great company, in my opinion.
 
L

larryf1952

New member
Yep, the RCBS hand primer is the "sliced bread" of the reloading world. I, too, used to prime via the spring loaded dog leg of the single stage press. It was slow and cumbersome. When the RCBS hand primer was introduced, I jumped on it like a rooster on a worm. As is typical from RCBS, it's a great design and works well. As someone has already said, I can now sit in front of the TV and prime 500 cases in a matter of minutes.
 
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hooligan1

New member
Yes I love mine as it is slick as glass....Just remember NEVER point it at your face,,,I always wear safety glasses when I prime cases!!!!!;) (you never know) That's why some smart guy named it an ACCIDENT!!!:rolleyes:
 
C

Colorado Redneck

New member
Thanks for the positive posts. I even dreamt about that darn thing last night. Funny--20 years ago that would have been the LAST thing I would have been dreaming about. :D
 
F

FrankenMauser

New member
Mine gets a lot of use, but I'm really considering upgrading to the Universal Hand Prime.

The plastic inserts for large/small primer sizes are wearing very quickly*, and have to be sanded to fit even RCBS shell holders.
(*My last set of small primer inserts {white} lasted less than 3,000 rounds, causing the majority of primers to flip. Now, the replacements are starting to show significant wear with about 500 rounds through them. Maybe I have plunger alignment issue...)
I feel a bit disappointed in the engineering, on occasion. ... But the ergonomics are fantastic, and primer seating "feel" is great.
 
M

Marco Califo

New member
RCBS makes 2

Which would both work, and be cost effective, for 223/308/9mm/40SW? Differences beside cost? (Univ cost about $10 more)

RCBS Universal Hand Priming Tool
Product #: 319794

RCBS Hand Priming Tool
Product #: 329291

***Nevermind***
Univ does not use shell holders.
But, I already have the shell holders.
 
A

abber

New member
I love mine. Never used the ones that came with the RC. They are parked in the parts bin for the next owner, if there ever is a next owner.
 
M

Marco Califo

New member
Priming crimped 9mm cases

Priming crimped 9mm cases seems to be a non-issue. That is good because I have 5000 military cases that are crimped. It is time consuming to use the swager and or reamer. But there is no need, since the RCBS hand primer only requires a little more effort to seat them without removing the crimp. I like that.:cool:
 
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scsov509

New member
I bought it after breaking the handle on my Lee primer for the 3rd time (yes, Lee replaced it free of charge each time, but that's not the point).
Click to expand...

I literally just broke my third Lee hand primer Sunday night, which was fairly inconvenient since I have major shooting planned for this weekend. Rather than wait for Lee to ship a fourth replacement, I went shopping Tuesday to get a replacement tool. I had to laugh when I picked up the Lee at my LGS and saw, "Unbreakable comfort curve lever," printed on the side. The RCBS followed me home instead...
 
T

That'll Do

New member
scsov509 said:
I literally just broke my third Lee hand primer Sunday night, which was fairly inconvenient since I have major shooting planned for this weekend. Rather than wait for Lee to ship a fourth replacement, I went shopping Tuesday to get a replacement tool. I had to laugh when I picked up the Lee at my LGS and saw, "Unbreakable comfort curve lever," printed on the side. The RCBS followed me home instead...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I got a chuckle out of the "unbreakable" bit too. After the darn thing broke for the 3rd time, Lee lost my business, at least for that particular tool (actually, for all of my reloading tools).
 
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Saltydog235

New member
I bought a Lee shortly after getting into reloading and finding the RC system was pretty pathetic. It didn't take long to break the Lee even though like above they replaced it 3X. I bought the RCBS and have never looked back. The only thing that I don't like is the round tray with mine. I'm going to order the square one for it right now, thanks for the reminder, I always seem to forget about it.
 
D

deepcore

New member
Love my RCBS hand primer.

Considering it for pistol priming off my progressive because it's getting to be a pain keeping track of how many primers are left in the priming tube, getting it wrong, and spilling powder into the nooks and crannies of my press.
Plus you can feel which primer pockets have come loose.
I have the older (shell holder needed) version.

Do other brands of shell holders work with the RCBS Hand Primer? Don't have any in 9mm and .44, and Lee's holders are cheaper.
 
M

Marco Califo

New member
Do other brands of shell holders work with the RCBS Hand Primer? Don't have any in 9mm and .44, and Lee's holders are cheaper.
Click to expand...

Yes, other brands will work. They are generally all interchangeable. I just primed a few with my Lee 9mm shellholder. My only complaint with the Lee shellholders, in general, is that they are designed to fit multiple calibers on the same shellholder. For example, you use the same one for 9mm and 40 S&W. What that means is that they therefore are not necessarily an exact fit. For pistol calibers, maybe no big deal; but in rifle cases, I have ripped the rim off of some stuck cases, and attribute it to this. The great thing about Lee shellholders is I never pay for them. I like Lee dies, and they come with the shellholders!

What I noticed with the RCBS hand primer though, is that if it needs my Lee 9mm shellholder, then I have to take that off my press and then can't load 9mm or 40 until I am done priming and put it back. To avoid that in the future I am ordering Hornady shellholders in 9mm and 40 S&W. Those are two different shellholders, and they only cost $1 more than Lee shellholders purchased separately. Except that Lee combines these two shellholders, which is why I am one shellholder short to begin with.
 
B

bamaranger

New member
never

Never used the press mounted primer in my early Rockchucker.

Wore out a Lee priming tool, and replaced ie with the RCBS unit, and have not looked back
 
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