I very rarely start a thread....

[pbike]

But,... I thought I need to today. Last week one of our older RCBS priming tools broke. The cast aluminum lips would no longer hold a shell holder, the casting had primed 100's of thousands of cases, I mean it! We have a spare for a reason. We can now use it, but we figured we had better get a spare for that one. Kinda like putting a flat tire in the trunk and fixing it rather than driving around with a flat spare. The old style RCBS tool is no longer available and I consider the new one to be of little use (It's best attribute is that it can be used as a bad example of a priming tool). Having seen the other tools in use at matches over that last 13 years or so, we decided to order a K&M TOOL. I got a chance for the first time today to try the K&M Tool. Wow what a difference. $40 bucks can't be more wisely spent anywhere, period. This is the best tool that we have purchased for this little money in the entire basement and trailer. I can't believe it took me this long to try one. Tomorrow I will shoot some of the cases that have been loaded with these primers from the K&M Tool if there is any difference in the group close to the difference in the feel, you guys are in trouble!

Thank You Ken, you make "Good Stuff".

Paul

 

[caroby]

I got a chance for the first time today to try the K&M Tool. Wow what a difference. $40 bucks can't be more wisely spent anywhere, period. This is the best tool that we have purchased for this little money in the entire basement and trailer. I can't believe it took me this long to try one.

I totally agree Paul.... Great tool and a hellava deal

cale

 

[rputansu]

So is there a picture of this tool available? Where can it be purchased?
Thanks,
Robert

 

[Gary Morgan]

K & M tool

I agree with all the accolades about the K & M priming tool. I have one that has perfectly seated many thousands of primers. The only small drawback that I can think of is the fact that it can rust when exposed to sweaty palms and humid conditions. This isn't a big problem at all since it is just a surface rust and only an aesthetic and feel problem. Just wanted to mention this to remind everybody to apply a thin coat of oil occasionally.

 

[Jay Idaho]

I have three of the K&Ms, they are great. One thing that I did change, though. To me, the bend at the tip of the handle just didn't feel right, maybe I have long thumbs. So, I heated one of them up and straightened it out. The next two were just clamped in a vise and made nearly straight. Much more comfortable for m.

 

[virg]

Hand feed....

Have to disagree here. If I have to hand feed a priming tool, I might as well use the built-in primer in my RCBS Partner press. If not, I prefer my RCBS auto primer with the universal shell holder which does not require a separate shell holder.

Does one really believe that any brand of priming tool could affect group size if common sense primer pocket cleaning and seating routines are followed?


virg

 

[Boss Hoss 540]

Love the Tool myself!!! Still use RCBS when I can because they have always taken care of me over the years!

 

[virg]

My experience...

You should not use Federal primers in some mass feed primer tools as they have been deemed dangerous for this. As our RCBS hand tool was aging, the body of the tool was wearing where the shell holder is held in the tool. This was resulting in primers being seated in a canted postion. To counteract that we were seating, giving the brass a half turn and pressing again. RCBS no longer makes the single feed hand priming tool. I have never seen a primer operation using a Partner Press at a benchrest match. With the K&M Tool, the primers are being seated square in the pocket. An organized and coordinated person can hand feed and prime cases about as fast as a clumsy person with a multiple primer tool. Also, we use Federal primers. I'm not saying you are clumsy.

Just got back from the NBRSA Hunter nationals in St. Louis and about twenty percent of the shooters were using Lee Auto priming tools (this is not a recommendation). The RCBS auto primer uses a "wall of steel" between the primer being seated and the rest of the primers in the tray. Also, the RCBS Partner press was very evident with about 40 percent of the shooters using it. This is a strong economical press that will load as accurate as any. I use CCI primers myself since I find them to give a tighter fit for a longer period of time in my brass.

virg

 

[pbike]

Here are pictures that Francis took this morning of the K&M and the RCBS that we use. The Aluminum casting that the RCBS model uses had broken at the point where the casting holds a shell holder. On the K&M model that area is Steel and looks to be bult to last forever. The "Wall of Steel" that Virg mentions proved to be a "Pain in the Neck" portion of the tool when I used it particularly when changing shell holders or priming stems like from small to large primer. Like for going from .30 BR to .30x47mm, as you would do in a hunter, or score match that you are loading for 2 rifles. Another point, yes we see Partner presses used also, but not for seating primers!

 

[virg]

Last entry....

Here are pictures that Francis took this morning of the K&M and the RCBS that we use. The Aluminum casting that the RCBS model uses had broken at the point where the casting holds a shell holder. On the K&M model that area is Steel and looks to be bult to last forever. The "Wall of Steel" that Virg mentions proved to be a "Pain in the Neck" portion of the tool when I used it particularly when changing shell holders or priming stems like from small to large primer. Like for going from .30 BR to .30x47mm, as you would do in a hunter, or score match that you are loading for 2 rifles. Another point, yes we see Partner presses used also, but not for seating primers!

The new model RCBS priming tool with the universal shell holder is easy to use and seats primers as good as I need. Handy, fast, and reasonably priced. There are many fine priming tools out there; Sinclair, K&M, RCBS, Lee, etc., etc. They will all do the job and to my mind it's just a matter of choice. This is my last entry on this tread; we've done it to death.