What is the best priming tool?

I've been priming my .308 brass with a handheld Lee priming tool. It works okay but occasionally is rough and doesn't seat the primer flush. I have to put the primed brass back in the tool and press the primer in further. This leaves minor marks on the primer. I know this sounds very anal, but when you're buying Lapua brass, benchrest primers and weighing each individual load you don't want something simple like a less than perfect primer negatively affecting things. What is the best way to individually prime your brass? Thanks!

Buy the Sinclair hand priming tool

Been using the Lee and have found no reason to change

Not seating primers flush is probably more a problem with your primer pocket uniformity....different issue

All primer pockets have been cut to the same dimensions when I prepared my cases. When you put them back in the Lee hand primer you can seat them the rest of the way, if the pockets weren't uniform they wouldn't seat deeper on the second pass. It feels like the Lee tool (mine anyway) has a catch and just doesn't feel the same at times when I'm priming. I really think it's the tool, not the brass. Thanks for the suggestion on the Sinclair priming tool, I'll look into it.

RCBS APS press or bench mount priming system. It's all I use. I had a Lee handheld and own an RCBS APS handheld but the press and bench mount are far and away superior!

The rcbs handheld tool is a better fit in my hand than the lee and I have worn out a couple lees in the past 20 years. YMMV

Forster makes an excellent bench mounted priming tool.

Did you grease (not oil) the pivot points on the LEE....? That helps.

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RCBS handheld universal primer. That's after I broke 2 Lee primers.

I've primed several thousand rounds using my Lee hand primer. Every once in a while I do have to re-seat a primer, but it's operator error in my case.

RCBS handheld. I like the universal, and used the APS allot. BTW. after loading about 30,000 rds. the APS did not want to accept the studs, and the universal came appart, and I was too dumb to line it back up right. I sent to RCBS, and received two NEW tools, free... That is why i use RCBS. D-451

My only gripe about the RCBS is the rod that seats the piston can fall out of the tool. I moved and lost one.

I bought the RCBS to replace an OLD Lee. The old ones used a cheap pot metal connecting link from the handle to the priming rod or whatever it's called. The end that rested on the rod wore a flat spot, this may be the OP's "catch". Eventually the flat spot grew to where it wouldn't seat a primer deep enough. At that point I shimmed it with a piece of aluminum and loaded another 1000 or so with it until the rod just broke in half.

After I lost the rod for the RCBS I picked up a new Lee and found they replaced the pot metal part with steel so it should last a lifetime.

Realistically the leverage with the Lee and the RCBS should be about the same.

I bit the bullet (no pun intended) and bought the Sinclair hand priming tool. After polishing the shell holder (tight fit) and adjusting the push rod, I primed 30 cases. This tool is fantastic, you can actually feel the primer as it is being seated into the primer pocket of the case. You know exactly when it bottoms out in the pocket and when to let off pressure. Hopefully this equates to greater consistancy and accuracy! Cons: EXPENSIVE. I don't know if it was worth the cost ($110 + shipping), but it is very well made and sure looks cool!

Geaux68 wrote:I bit the bullet (no pun intended) and bought the Sinclair hand priming tool. After polishing the shell holder (tight fit) and adjusting the push rod, I primed 30 cases. This tool is fantastic, you can actually feel the primer as it is being seated into the primer pocket of the case. You know exactly when it bottoms out in the pocket and when to let off pressure. Hopefully this equates to greater consistancy and accuracy! Cons: EXPENSIVE. I don't know if it was worth the cost ($110 + shipping), but it is very well made and sure looks cool!

$110 and you still had to work on it? Sinclair does make good stuff, but it can be expensive

As you reload more, the feel part will become more evident. You'll have a feel for the primer seating and the neck tension when you seat a bullet. It's all about consistency.

Enjoy the ride and never be afraid to ask a question, no matter how "dumb" you may think it is. Remember you have an explosive action taking place just inches from your face, with tens of thousands of pounds of pressure. Safety is rule 1.

Economics! If the LEE primer is what you like or familiar with. Lubricate it at its friction points, if that doesn't help noticiabbly then go buy a NEW one. They aren't that expensive.

Note, if you are using CCI BR primers they are slightly oversized and are hard to seat easily. I know this because they are my favorites but I still use them because they shoot so well.

The RCBS bench mount primer:
From MidwayUSA--
RCBS Automatic Bench Priming Tool
$94.99
However, I have been happy with the primer system on my progressive presses.

i prefer the rcbs handheld. I like the ability to judge the tension when seating the primers. With the handheld a loose primer pocket is very easy to identify.

The question is: what is the best tool? - If you are looking to very precisely seat primers for precision shooting - the Sinclair tool is the one to have.
For volume - I have found the Lee hand tool to work very well - my technique is to insert the case – seat the primer and before removing the case, ease off on the pressure and rotate the case appx. 180 degrees and press the handle again – doing so will more uniformly seat the primer. I have also rotated the case 90 degrees and pressed and repeat process.
If you try this, only relax your grip on the ram just enough to free the case for rotation – if you fully release the handle another primer may fall onto the ram and complicate matters.
I use the same rotation technique with the Sinclair and find doing so increases uniformity of seating. A hand held priming tool – to me - is faster than a press mounted ram and will not crush primers as you have a hand feel………..for what it’s worth.

msredneck wrote:Buy the Sinclair hand priming tool

Been using the Lee and have found no reason to change

Not seating primers flush is probably more a problem with your primer pocket uniformity....different issue

+1 for the Sinclair at almost any price for precision work. Lately they've had it on
a slightly reduced price on sale, not sure if it still is or not but the savings I got
saved me most of the shipping costs.