338 Lapua hand primer help.

M

Mustang67

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Looking for a recommendation from someone who has experience loading 338 Lapua.

Need a hand primer recommendation please.

I have read customer feedback on the RCBS Universal hand priming tool, Sinclair stainless steel priming tool, etc. Users are having problems holding the brass in place.

Thx in advance!
 
Sorry, I cannot speak for 338 Lapua.:rolleyes:
I use the RCBS Universal handpriming Tool.

Cases up to 500 S&W are no problem for this tool.

The 338 Lapua has a slight bigger base and I have nothing comparable to try here :(
 
Mustang67, I have the Sinclair. The shell holder slides in a Knurled head and 2 set screws hold it in place. You have to turn Krurled head to lock case in place. Their is a warning in the instruction about rim thickness which may cause case to not lock in place and how to fix that.

Sounds like they don't have it set up right.
 
I use the RCBS bench mounted "feeler" primer to load my .338 Lapua magnum. It is called the RCBS automatic priming tool. It costs about $90 bucks at Midway. It is called automatic because it feeds primers but you have to work the lever. I use CCI- 250 primers and Lapua brass. I have also used HSM brass which is decent.... and Hornady (Which I will never ever use again).

I have also primed it with a RCBS hand primer.

I recommend the RCBS bench mounted primer I mentioned above. But make sure you use RCBS shell holders with it. I like it because you can seat them until the primer slightly compresses. I can't do that with a hand primer. It works great for other cartridges too..

But the RCBS hand primer works just fine, but you have to use both hands, one hand squeezes the primer tool and the other holds the shell straight. But here again, use an RCBS shell holder.

80% of priming issues are people using a Lee universal shell holder set in other brands reloading equipment because they are cheap. A 1 or 2 thousandths difference can be all it takes to cause issues
 
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I'll also recommend the bench mounted RCBS automatic tool as mentioned above and as pointed out requires a different shell holder than the usual magnum shell holder.
 
Mustang67, I like the Sinclair and it may be only one that locks case in place. I got it for loading at the range at BR match using 6ppc and I do hand prime most everything.

At one time I was almost full time PD shooter and I got RCBS auto and I'd loaded 400 rds or more each day. You push down with the handle and any play in case rim thickness the case move up then you start to seat the primer. The primer rod assembly is what holds it in place till you start seating primer and RCBS hand primer is same way they use just shorter assembly at least mine does.

The Sinclair and K&M use Lee shell holders and reason for that is their primer assembly housing is larger dia to match Lee's vs what RCBS use. You get more surface for the case to seat on using Lee vs RCBS.

I shot 30-378 Wby and used K&M.
 
Thank you all for the feedback! Appreciated and very helpful.

Going to research the bench primer and Sincliar a bit more.
 
I use my RCBS priming tool, it is not the Universal one though. I don't have any problems with 338 Lapua.
 
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