Priming Tool Comparison

[Justin Crossley]

Some of you know I have been using the Primal Rights CPS for the last few years and really like it. But at $675, it's not something I recommend to people who are getting into reloading and asking for advice. It's just too expensive unless you load a lot of ammo and want to use the best tool available.



The other day, @realunlucky told me about the PCPS from Derraco Engineering.



I was intrigued, so I ordered one from Amazon. I got it set up today and tested it out. It seems like a great tool for anyone who wants to get a really nice tool that works well, is precise, and also doesn't cost an arm and a leg.



I still prefer the CPS because it requires less force to seat the primer and is slightly faster for me. But, if I was buying one today, I would likely buy the PCPS and save myself $475.



Let me know if you have any specific questions.

 

[realunlucky]

I saw where people were using the extended shell holder and making the stoke shorter when using pcps. Think it would speed up the process?

I'm still waiting on mine to arrive. I ordered from https://www.uglyreloadingusa.com/product/precision-primer-seater-patent-pending/

 

[Justin Crossley]

I saw where people were using the extended shell holder and making the stoke shorter when using pcps. Think it would speed up the process?

I'm still waiting on mine to arrive.

Yes, I think it would be an improvement.

 

[Dos XX]

How do you decide where to set the micrometer? Or, maybe better said, how do you decide how deep the primer is going to be?

I want my primer bottomed out in the pocket, and maybe a couple thousandths of crush. I might be confused about how it works. It is a state I find myself in often.

It seems like you would have to have pockets uniformed to the nth degree and know how tall your primer is to use something with a micrometer on it? Am i overthinking it?

 

[Justin Crossley]

How do you decide where to set the micrometer? Or, maybe better said, how do you decide how deep the primer is going to be?

I want my primer bottomed out in the pocket, and maybe a couple thousandths of crush. I might be confused about how it works. It is a state I find myself in often.

It seems like you would have to have pockets uniformed to the nth degree and know how tall your primer is to use something with a micrometer on it? Am i overthinking it?

I simply adjust until they are deep enough and I judge that by feeling the bottom of the case with my finger.

I have seen zero evidence on a target that measuring primer seating depth makes a difference.

Here's 15 rounds with zero load development and seating primers with the CPS to the depth that feels right to my finger.

 

[plebe]

You have to modify the primer tubes to make it work with the SAC press and need an adapter for the Co-Ax. For those that have them.

 

[Dos XX]

I simply adjust until they are deep enough and I judge that by feeling the bottom of the case with my finger.

I have seen zero evidence on a target that measuring primer seating depth makes a difference.

Here's 15 rounds with zero load development and seating primers with the CPS to the depth that feels right to my finger.

View attachment 847680

I don't measure them either. I seat to the bottom of the pocket. I don't understand how to find the bottom of the pocket with thst device. It might not be made to do it.

Are you just seating to at or below flush?

 

[Dryfly1]

Does the unit come with primer tubes?

 

[Dos XX]

I don't measure them either. I seat to the bottom of the pocket. I don't understand how to find the bottom of the pocket with thst device. It might not be made to do it.

Are you just seating to at or below flush?

Actually, thst would be no different than the hand primer I am using. It has click adjusments. I just adjust it to where it always goes past bottom and the seat to bottom by feel. I just need to see what the feel is like with this device.

I think i will order the non micrometer model to see.

 

[Justin Crossley]

Actually, thst would be no different than the hand primer I am using. It has click adjusments. I just adjust it to where it always goes past bottom and the seat to bottom by feel. I just need to see what the feel is like with this device.

I think i will order the non micrometer model to see.

It's really easy to measure with calipers if you want to. I just don't care.

Does the unit come with primer tubes?

Yes. Little short ones. The only thing you have to buy is the Hornady shell holders.

 

[peaches]

I still prefer the old hand held Lee auto prime for feeling a primer bottom out.

Glad I didn't think these niche tools were required for good loads when I got started downloading...I probably wouldn't have started.

 

[Justin Crossley]

I still prefer the old hand held Lee auto prime for feeling a primer bottom out.

Glad I didn't think these niche tools were required for good loads when I got started downloading...I probably wouldn't have started.

Hand primers work just fine if you don't shoot much.

These tools are the only way to go when loading 100s of rounds at a time.

 

[plebe]

Does the unit come with primer tubes?

I bought mine as a kit from Carl Schroeder at Ugly Reloading in early December. It came with tubes. You can buy them separate as well. At least you could then.

 

[realunlucky]

I still prefer the old hand held Lee auto prime for feeling a primer bottom out.

Glad I didn't think these niche tools were required for good loads when I got started downloading...I probably wouldn't have started.

The entire reason I was even looking at the Pcps is I didn't have a hand primer, and most top end models are 75 to 100+ bucks.

While definitely more money, I hate squeezing the handle on a hand primer. Since mine hasn't arrived, I'll reserve judgment on if it's worth the money or not.

Sent from my SM-S926U using Tapatalk

 

[peaches]

Hand primers work just fine if you don't shoot much.

These tools are the only way to go when loading 100s of rounds at a time.

Hand primers work just fine (period).

Takes maybe 10 mins to prime 100 cases and I'm in no hurry either.

 

[Dos XX]

I have loaded 10's of thousands of rounds with a hand primer.

I don't care to or want to measure primers or primer depths. I have been down that road already. I want to seat them to the bottom of the pocket.

A micrometer is really not useful for that, or at least I dont see how it is unless you know the depth of pocket and the height of your primer are the same every round. I don't want to know that either. I just want the primer to bottom out in the pocket.

You can feel that with a hand primer. I don't know if the press has the feel or not. I may order one of these and play with it.

 

[Justin Crossley]

Hand primers work just fine (period).

Takes maybe 10 mins to prime 100 cases and I'm in no hurry either.

It probably doesn't take five minutes to prime 100 cases by hand. Hand primers work great for that.

They are terrible when you load more than that at one time. I typically load 300 or more rounds at a time and sometimes double that. If others choose to do that by hand, that's cool. I'm not going to.

 

[Justin Crossley]

I have loaded 10's of thousands of rounds with a hand primer.

I don't care to or want to measure primers or primer depths. I have been down that road already. I want to seat them to the bottom of the pocket.

A micrometer is really not useful for that, or at least I dont see how it is unless you know the depth of pocket and the height of your primer are the same every round. I don't want to know that either. I just want the primer to bottom out in the pocket.

You can feel that with a hand primer. I don't know if the press has the feel or not. I may order one of these and play with it.

That's the best part about the CPS. No hand fatigue but you still have really good feel as you seat the primers.

 

[deadwolf]

This is the best bang for the buck in my opinion, doesn’t break the bank, and loads primers as quickly as you can. Not discounting any other method or device previously mentioned, this one just seems to work great for me!

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[Wrench]

Has anyone compared the forster to the cps? I have the forster, but admit that my priming is done with my rcbs hand tool as I've been too lazy to go down the primer crush rabbit hole.