Ram prime tool

[RBHarter]

The Green Heck has brought a significant amount of my lifetime injuries out in force . Arthritis in all of the abused through normal use has caught up with me , especially that broken wrist...arm actually from the unfortunate sudden stop on the dirt bike .

I've been priming on my Partner press for years and the squeeze repetition is just getting to be too much to be comfortable for large lots . Unfortunately this also let's out hand primers as the major offenders are the top thumb joint and the 2 wrist bones under the once crushed radius tip that aches up in the middle where it was probably green stick fractured also transferred on to the elbow . On good days its invisible , on bad days I drink left handed and eat finger food so I don't have to operate the fork .

That brings me to a ram prime with the high leverage conversion and the push or less priming . I want to stay away from more stuff screwed to the bench even if it means having the little press tied up for exclusive use . Besides loading tubes seems like a pain .

I see the big 3 each make one and they seem to be more or less the same . Any significant preference or is it left to simple best CS or best price ? Midway has Lee , Lyman and RCBS units on the shelf and the customer reviews were about as helpful as muddy water in the stock trough on bath day .

 

[Ben]

I love my Lyman Ram Prime.

Ben

 

[freebullet]

Have you thought about priming on press? The lnl ap does it effortless but with good feel if your not a handle slammer. Have a little setup for the 007 works nice. Rcbs makes similar gizmo.

Using Hornady hand prime for small batches.

Sorry, I'm no help for ram options.

 

[462]

RB,
I've had the Lyman and the RCBS ram primers and much prefer the RCBS.

 

[Ian]

I used the RCBS one for years because it was all I had and came with my first press and reloading kit. The Ammomaster would seat primers just with the weight of the handle. I think the Lee one uses a primer feed contraption of some sort, might be excellent, might be trash.

 

[Spindrift]

I have the Lee and the Lyman. The Lee ram prime started falling apart after a few hundred primers. The Lyman I liked so much, I got two. I actually do most of my priming with them.

I have two single stage presses om my main bench. When I expand/flare case mouths on one press, I immediately move the case to the next press for ram priming. This setup works well for me.

Sorry to hear about your health issues, RB. When your old injuries bother you, try to focus on the fun you had getting them

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I have had the cheapest LEE pot metal bench press ( got free once with die purchase!) With a RAM prime in it for DECADES!!

CW

 

[RBHarter]

I have the Lee and the Lyman. The Lee ram prime started falling apart after a few hundred primers. The Lyman I liked so much, I got two. I actually do most of my priming with them.

I have two single stage presses om my main bench. When I expand/flare case mouths on one press, I immediately move the case to the next press for ram priming. This setup works well for me.

Sorry to hear about your health issues, RB. When your old injuries bother you, try to focus on the fun you had getting them

At the tender age of 54 I probably shouldn't be this bad off . On the other hand if I'd known I was going to be in this rough a shape I'd have probably done more dumb stuff . We all have the same bugs if we lead a manual labor life so this was informational to decision making . Nothing to feel bad about , I have very few bucket items and fewer yet withdrawals . I don't need to touch the stones the Ceasars once leaned and strode across nor do I need to stand where Nepolion once did at the Colosium and Victor's arch . I've touched the stones where William Wallace had his head hung and that's enough of the old world for me .

Thanks for the suggestions and input . The Lee was only in the mix for the price point . If there were no significant issues separating them then I might have bought 2 .

Having sourced other inputs as well the Lyman with a 2nd rod set seems the most popular . However one fellow suggested a CH-4D which comes with LG and SM primer rods and both pocket swage rods . Don't know about cost yet but I can see me with either a perfect solution or a lot of mangled rims .

Michael (Ranch Dog) ditched his Lee ram prime in favor of a hand primer tool . He runs the "low life Lee lovers " Lee loader forum so I'll take that as a hint about the primer feed attachment .

If y'all think of anymore make/break points speak up , please .

 

[RicinYakima]

I have had Lee, Lyman and RCBS ram prime systems, because I love mechanical gadgets. The Lee is the hardest to use because the tolerance are very wide and sometimes things do not line up right. The Lyman works well, except for changing sizes. The RCBS I have has two punch's, one for each size, close fittings and works well. The only thing I added is a Lee O-ring lock nut. You will have to adjust it a few thousandths if you change between brands of shell holders. HTH

 

[RBHarter]

Thanks Ric that is kind of where I'm at now and kind of what the net feed back has been along with cost/value/out of the box usability .

I did check out the CH also ........ At 3x the cost of either the Lyman or RCBS and nearly 6x the Lee I'll turn a swage pin for pockets in the drill press . $65 for the 4 rod set 46 for the swage or primer set vs 23 for the 2 rod RCBS or 24 for the Lyman plus for the second rod . Lee looks to be around $12 . Get what we pay for ...... Right ?

No offense to Kieth or the machinsts but that jump seems a little steep for 2 extra pins that can't be over 3 minutes ea on a manual lathe with a half decent operator .......R&D little guy vs ubercorp .....how's NOE do it , let alone Mountain or Accurate .......
Back in my box I'll stop now ...... Gotta get another shop tool or 2 for a better grasp of the mechanics . Maybe I'll spend a week with a machinist in a small shop .