RCBS Universal Hand Priming Tool

Guns Magazine, May, 2007 by John Taffin

Seating primers correctly has always been the most difficult and sometimes most frustrating aspect of reloading.

I started with a No. 310 Tong Tool in the 1950s. To prime a case, it was necessary to place one case and one primer at a time in the priming die. The primer laid in a channel and the operation of the handles of the tool pushed it into the primer pocket. It was slow and great care was necessary to make sure the primer entered the primer pocket correctly. Shortly thereafter I graduated to a single-stage bench press, which also required loading and seating one primer at a time in an arm, which swung under the cartridge case when it was in the upward position. This process worked better but it was still slow.

Over the years I used and wore out many plastic hand-priming tools all the while wishing for one constructed of steel. RCBS brought my dream to reality with their Hand Priming Tool, which accepted RCBS shell holders. The downside was many of my shell holders had to be replaced, as the older style did not have the concave shape in the bottom of the center hole necessary to fit the RCBS Priming Tool. Nevertheless, the tool works exceptionally well, has a tray accepting 100 primers, and has been used over the years successfully priming thousands upon thousands of cases.

Now RCBS has upgraded to the Universal Priming Tool, which does not require separate shell holders for each cartridge case. Instead spring-loaded jaws adjust automatically for rims in size from the .32 ACP to the .45-70. It requires a little more effort as the case head must be put in place against spring pressure, but this is more than overcome by the fact one does not need separate shell holders. The other evening I primed 1,000 .375 Winchester and .38-55 brass cases while watching Whispering Smith. Both the movie and priming chore were most enjoyable.

RCBS

605 ORO DAM BLVD, OROVILLE, CA 95965

(800) 553-5000, WWW.RCBS.COM