RCBS Hand Primer

I

igor

New member
My RCBS hand primer is leaving a slight circular mark/dent on my primers. I am using Winchester and Remington primers. Often it is just a half circle dent. Tool is not a year old and was not impressed with quality of device when purchased. Is this common or should I find another hand primer? Rounds are shooting excellent groups (moa and under at a hundred) but like a lot of you I am searching for perfection. Thanks
 
Also, ensure the plastic carrier is fully seated. Also, just a couple of strokes on emery paper to knock the (rod) edges off wouldn't hurt.

At any rate, I see no reason to blame those indentations for any ill effects of the loaded rounds. At least not IME.
 
Call RCBS
If you're doing something wrong they'll help you figure it out.
If it's the tool they'll replace it immediately no questions asked.
They have one of the best CS dept's in the industry, and stand behind their products no matter who the original owner was or what you or they may or may not have done to it.

I bent the rod you speak of pushing primers into crimped pockets that weren't properly swedged.
They sent me a new one in two days free of charge even though it was clearly my fault which I admitted when the conversation started.

Other than that, I've pushed literally thousands and thousands of primers in cases without a single problem.

Call em, they're good people.
 
I agree that something is out of alignment...Double check the fit of all parts and then call RCBS...I recently bought a new a new one, as I had misplaced the large primer seating base and was in a hurry to build some .44 mag loads, and I didn't think the parts were quite as easy to get aligned as the old one,,,,It took rearing it down and putting it together a second time for everything to line up...
 
Now that I think about it,,,,, when I bent my rod I was still able to load the rest of that batch so's I could get the testing I wanted done that day but most of the primers ended up with the quarter moon dent you spoke of.
Betcha the rods bent. Easy enough to tell, just roll it on a flat surface.

Luck
 
This

Originally Posted By: ninehorsesIt sounds to me, that your squeezing too hard after the primer has hit bottom, and crushing the primer a little.
 
I should have taken a closer look at the tool before starting this post. The rod is not bent. The problem is the cheapo plastic housing is not aligned with the rod bore. The rod is not centered in the plastic housing when it comes to the top. That's why I get the semicircle little mark. The rod is just canted enough to put uneven pressure on the primer. I have tried realigning the plastic fitting and the shell holder to no avail. I also forgot to mention that I am not the only reloader that has had this problem. I saw it mentioned in a post just the other day and figured with the expertise exhibited in this forum some light would be shed. After priming 5 or 6 thousand rounds with an earlier version of the RCBS hand primer with no problems I think I have the right feel for administering the proper pressure but I know I am not infaliable. I wish RCBS still sold the earlier version. I will be on the phone to RCBS tomorrow and I bet an answer will be forthcoming.
 
I had this problem before. My buddy left the thinner rod (for small primers) in and I was loading large primers. Make sure your have the bigger rod and problem will be fixed.
 
I do this sometimes. Your squeezing the primers a little to hard but it won't (or hasn't in my case)cause a problem.
 
Originally Posted By: igorI should have taken a closer look at the tool before starting this post. The rod is not bent. The problem is the cheapo plastic housing is not aligned with the rod bore. The rod is not centered in the plastic housing when it comes to the top. That's why I get the semicircle little mark. The rod is just canted enough to put uneven pressure on the primer.

If you want to replace it with a better one, the Sinclair works great.
It's on sale right now too.

http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-eq...-prod37732.aspx
 
The Sinclair looks well made for sure. Only issue is you have to handle each primer individually. OK this calls for another opinion. I was told way back don't handle primers cause normal oil on hands can be detrimental to primer. With all other manufactures you never have to touch the primer. Got to be possible to keep hands clean and dry enough or use medical or some type of plastic glove huh. What do you think. I sure like the look of the Sinclair.
 
is the flat side of the rod up? If so, you are squeezing to hard. You can also check to make sure there isn't any build up on the flat side of the rod and that your primer pocket are clean.
 
Last edited:
I will reiterate for those of you that did not read the full thread. It has been determined that the bore is not aligned in the housing. It obviously is slightly tilted and rubbing one side. My bad for bothering this forum's experts before a close examination of the tool. It is a manufacturing defect. Anyway I talked to a nice lady at RCBS CS and she said send it in and they would send me a new one. Thanks to all of you with constructive comments and rest assured I know which way the rod goes LOL. I would still like opinions on the Sinclair model that looks so good but makes you have to handle each primer individually. I am concerned with primer contamination from natural body oil. I as I am sure most of you try to maintain a pristine bench but all the major hand primer manufacturers have engineered their tools to eliminate any handling of primers so I don't think it is just an old wives tale that one should avoid handling primers with bare hands.
 
Originally Posted By: igorI I would still like opinions on the Sinclair model that looks so good but makes you have to handle each primer individually. I am concerned with primer contamination from natural body oil. I as I am sure most of you try to maintain a pristine bench but all the major hand primer manufacturers have engineered their tools to eliminate any handling of primers so I don't think it is just an old wives tale that one should avoid handling primers with bare hands.

I wash my hands before I start.
No problem for me so far.

 
Most of us do before and after and I admit here in the Texas panhandle it is so dry there should not be any oil on my skin. I just wish the Sinclair had a tray for that price. I like your Thompson. I shoot one also.
 
Hey igor

Mine does the same thing as yours (kind of off to on side). I was just playing around with it and then came across this thread. Funny how that works.

Let us know how your new one turns out?
 
I have two of them and they both do the same thing. I just push the plastic holder in every so often. I have also noticed that with the Remington primers it seems to happen a little more often. I am thinking they are either softer or thinner than some of the other primers out there.
 
I've been using the Lee Auto Prime hand tool for many many years and I love it. I would NEVER buy an auto prime tool that you have to handle each primer.....wow that has to be a pain in the butt.
thumbdown.gif
 


Write your reply...
Back
Top