# Prime on or off the press?



## PanaDP (Jul 20, 2007)

I'm trying to make some decisions on what I would like to start out reloading with. I have narrowed it down to the two kits offered by Lee with their challenger single stage press.

One is supplied with their ram prime system to prime on the press and the other is supplied with their "auto prime" hand priming press and shell holders. 

Is there a marked advantage to priming on the press or off?


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## txpete (Nov 29, 2006)

PanaDP said:


> I'm trying to make some decisions on what I would like to start out reloading with. I have narrowed it down to the two kits offered by Lee with their challenger single stage press.
> 
> One is supplied with their ram prime system to prime on the press and the other is supplied with their "auto prime" hand priming press and shell holders.
> 
> Is there a marked advantage to priming on the press or off?


imho the lee auto prime is the best tool for priming.it is nice to "feel" the primer seat in the primer pocket.I keep 2 on the bench small and large.
pete


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## mccoy (Dec 31, 2007)

I just started with the Lee classic cast (single stage) with primer arm.

I can tell you it's slow, although, like all simple things, it is very reliable and you tend to develop some velocity after a while.

The disadvantage is that you have to pick the tiny primers by your fingertips and put them into the tiny seat on the arm.

Since almost nothing is fast with the single stage, you can hardly load, I reckon, more than 200 rounds a week. unless you are enjoying retirement. So anything which makes it faster as autoprimer and powder measuring tools can be a blessing. Depends on your time + patience...


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## mactex (Jan 23, 2007)

I'll throw out a slightly different option that sort of combines the best features of both the options presented. The Lee Auto Prime II allows you to use the press, like the Ram Prime, but has the same primer feeder as the Auto Prime to help speed up the process.


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

I can feel my primers set on the press and I use a SDB Dillon.


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## mccoy (Dec 31, 2007)

I just bought an autoprime 2 and a powder feeder. The feeding process is much faster now, the disk feeds a pretty consistent amount, as I could verify by weighing random samples.
Tomorrow i'm going and try the autoprime 2, I'll let you know.


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## Tex Denson (Mar 15, 2008)

*Hand Prime*

I primed on the press (RCBS) for over thirty years. Just bought a RCBS hand primer. Don't know how I ever got by without it. I am no longer tied down to the bench. I can prime just about anywhere. I usually shoot close to max loads in my hunting revolvers and rifles and use a single stage press. I was priming as a seperate operation anyway so the hand primer has not slowed down my production. My vote is for convienence.


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## mccoy (Dec 31, 2007)

Tex Denson said:


> I primed on the press (RCBS) for over thirty years. Just bought a RCBS hand primer. Don't know how I ever got by without it. I am no longer tied down to the bench. I can prime just about anywhere. I usually shoot close to max loads in my hunting revolvers and rifles and use a single stage press. I was priming as a seperate operation anyway so the hand primer has not slowed down my production. My vote is for convienence.


I concur about the convenience. Priming wherever you wish is a bonus.

Today I tried the Lee autoprimer (it didn't say the autoprimer 2, though) on my single stage press and found it very awkward. I changed back to putting primers on the prime arm seat by hand. Only item in the autoprime set I found useful was the tray, I can shake'em all upright and handpick'em.

I believe i'll get an hand primer as soon as I find one.

Any significant difference between the Lee and RCBS handprimer tools??


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## Charlie (May 13, 2006)

mccoy said:


> I just started with the Lee classic cast (single stage) with primer arm.
> 
> I can tell you it's slow, although, like all simple things, it is very reliable and you tend to develop some velocity after a while.
> 
> ...


Fingers have oil on them, primers don't like oil. I've got some tweezers I use sometimes. It's best to not touch the primers with bare hands if at all possible. I just recently acquired the RCBS "tube" feeder thingy mechanism (can't remember what they call it) and it works great. Pick up the primers with the end of the tube (up to 100), turn the tube upside down and insert it into the mechanism, push the lever (handle) down and it automaticly feeds the primer into the hole on the shell holder, insert case and push the handle 'bout 1/2 inch down and waaa........la! Works great!

Here's a link..... https://shop.rcbs.com/WebConnect/,D...reenlabel=index&productId=2886&route=.C06J030


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## mccoy (Dec 31, 2007)

Charlie said:


> Fingers have oil on them, primers don't like oil. I've got some tweezers I use sometimes. It's best to not touch the primers with bare hands if at all possible. I just recently acquired the RCBS "tube" feeder thingy mechanism (can't remember what they call it) and it works great. Pick up the primers with the end of the tube (up to 100), turn the tube upside down and insert it into the mechanism, push the lever (handle) down and it automaticly feeds the primer into the hole on the shell holder, insert case and push the handle 'bout 1/2 inch down and waaa........la! Works great!


Evidently the RCBS feeding thingamajig works better than the Lee's equivalent.

I picked 150 primers by hand, at the range one of'em misfired, firing the sencond way around. they were Winchester's.

I was careful to wash my hands, without exageration. Also, temperature is not high and it's soon for sweated hands, that may be a factor.

You are basically right though, even for safety reasons primers are better not hadled directly. I might fall back on tweezers until I find something appropriate.


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## Guest (Mar 15, 2008)

I have a bench mounted RCBS Primer system that uses the primer tubes and I like the off the press system. After I have cleaned and sized/deprimed the brass I'll then prime all I am going to load and I'm ready to start.

The RCBS system works great at seating firmly to the proper depth and I don't have issues with mis-fires. I load the primers in the tubes by hand but make sure my hands are clean and free of oil.


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## Charlie (May 13, 2006)

mccoy said:


> Evidently the RCBS feeding thingamajig works better than the Lee's equivalent.
> 
> I picked 150 primers by hand, at the range one of'em misfired, firing the sencond way around. they were Winchester's.
> 
> ...


I wasn't trying to "rag on ya'" and I must admit I've picked them up off the floor with my fingers after crawling around things and not having any success with tweezers, etc. I don't thinks it's a real safety issue (unless you're expecting to shoot a critter for self defense and it doesn't work!) just frustrating if one doesn't fire. If I have a "bad" primer or one in the dust too much and I want to kill it, I just put a drop of oil in it and throw it in the trash. We just need to be as gentle as we can and never look down the case while you're pushing a primer in it. :smt023


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## mccoy (Dec 31, 2007)

> If I have a "bad" primer or one in the dust too much and I want to kill it, I just put a drop of oil in it and throw it in the trash.


That's a good tip, Charlie, I was just wandering how to safely dispose of bad primers...


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

Are you still planning on purchasing a Pro 1000 mccoy? If so it will make priming considerably easier.

:smt1099


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## gmaske (Jan 7, 2008)

TOF said:


> Are you still planning on purchasing a Pro 1000 mccoy? If so it will make priming considerably easier.
> 
> :smt1099


Dittos on that!
I haven't put that many rounds through my Pro 1000 yet but the priming function seems to work really good.


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