New $600 Competition Primer Seater from Primal Rights
Seating primers is kind of a “dark art”. Many top shooters prefer to seat “by feel” using a hand tool. Others prefer bench-mounted tools that offer higher work-flow rates — with a good bench tool you can prime more cases in a given amount of time, plus it’s easier on the hands.
There have been many bench-mounted priming options — Forster has a tool, as does RCBS, and Lee. But there is a new player in the game — Primal Rights of South Dakota. And Primal Rights’ new Competition Primer Seater (CPS) may be the most precise bench priming tool yet offered to the public. It is certainly the most expensive. This patented tool costs $600.00! But the CPS delivers something special — superb, repeatable depth control, along with the ability to prime 1000 cases per hour. For some reloaders, that precision + productivity will justify the high price.
The Primal Rights CPS is built like a Swiss watch — the machining is beautiful. It also uses some unique internal engineering to achieve a superb “feel” when priming. Unlike some other tools, it is also very easy to adjust — simply turn a wheel to adjust seating depth. You can see this in the photos — the word “Deeper” with the directional arrow.
Operation of Competition Primer System Shown in Video:
Key Features of the Primal Rights CPS, as stated by the manufacturer:
Speed with Precision: Some priming tools are very fast. Others are very precise. The CPS is the only priming tool to combine both features into a single unit. You can achieve seating depths accurate to within a thousandth of an inch, all while priming at a comfortable rate of over 20 cases per minute. At that pace you can easily prime over a thousand cases per hour.
Precision Primer Seating Depth Control: The CPS has a revolutionary adjustable shell holder system which allows you to raise and lower your case in relation to the priming rod. You can seat the primer deeper or shallower in .001″ increments. The adjustment mechanism has tactile and audible clicks to ensure you stay on your desired seating depth. One click = One thousandth of an inch adjustment.
Integrated Shuttle Feeding System: The CPS uses a manually-operated shuttle system to slide primers from the primer tube into position over the primer rod. This ensures that any jams or misaligned primers are easily and safely discovered by the operator.
Check Out Competition Primer Seater Gear Review on Rifleshooter.com
Our friend Bill at RifleShooter.com has just released a detailed review of Primal Rights’ bench-mounted priming tool. He was very impressed with the Primal Rights CPS, finding that it was fast to use yet very precise, with great feel: “The CPS uses a rotational drive system to seat primers. Unlike the lever systems you’ll normally encounter, this allows you better feel as the primer seats. The CPS is expensive. However, it is a solid tool. Amortize it over the time you’ll be reloading and it’ll be worth every cent. If you load a lot of precision ammunition and have the budget to support it, take a look at the CPS. I found it is a game changer. I wish I had one twenty years ago!” READ REVIEW.
» Read Competition Primer Seater Review on Rifleshooter.com
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Tags: Bench Priming Tool, Competition Primer Seater, CPS, Primal Rights, South Dakota
The press-mounted version is very slightly harder to set up BUT it costs $200 (two hundred USD) – save $400 an get the CPS_Lite version – https://www.primalrights.com/equipment/base-cps-lite
For 600 bucks surprised the shuttle doesn’t move automatically.
This just seems another example of old innovation(a bench primer) dressed up.
At 3:20 it loses ground to the indicated K&M. This is where he talks about determining the pocket & primer dimension for a calibrated setting. Well, best is not just doing that for one case/primer combo and considering that the same for all other case/primer combinations. With the K&M(the best) you do measure and account for these, each and every one separately.
The reason that progressive press manufacturers put safety tubes around primer tubes is not because they are set off by crushing a primer so much as that they can be set off by a lot less. Primer residue can accumulate over time and it may be set off by simply tapping the tube to get primers to feed better. I have read accounts of that exact thing happening. I mention this because such a safety tube is obviously not a part of this tool’s design. $600 for a priming tool? You have to be kidding me.
Ian – yes, seems some “automation” would be expected for $600. If you view the CPS_Lite video you’ll note that it could be operated very close to “automatic” with a little practice – likely faster than the bench unit.
Mike – The K&M is a hand-held unit that has a dial gauge to show you what depth you are getting. It is not intended to load at the CPS’s rate. Really quite a apples-and-oranges comparison.
Boyd – they include 3rd-party primer tubes with the unit. It would be pretty simple for the end user to slide a length of heavy wall tube over the supplied primer tube for all the safety they desire – would need a cut-out near the shuttle to avoid hitting the case holder retainer. Virtually zero cost. Thanks for the implicit suggestion to clean out primer tubes on a very regular basis.
Thank you for making my Sinclair hand primers look sensible.
that’s a primer seated every 3.6 seconds. I’m not sure I can stick a case in, seat the primer, and remove it in twice that time. Then there’s the issue of how to load 1000 primers in tubes. I have two Dillons, and it takes me about three minutes to tube 100 primers.
This is one fine piece of equipment, no doubt, but it looks to me like something to impress your buddies with more than actual use, especially at a match.
I’ll stick to my K&M, thank you…
This would have been a great article for April 1
Ok I am really tempted to bash along with everyone else. REALLY TEMPTED. But I will give them this much, that is a really nicely machined piece of equipment. No tool marks whatsoever. Very nice. That said I will stick with my Lee Auto Prim hand tool for $20. It gives me a good feel. I tried seating primers to a measured depth but it is not as good as the feel method, period.
$600?!?!, well maybe if it came with 30,000 primers I could hand out the cash.
Otherwise its really overpriced. Now I know it probably costs that much to make, but does it really fulfill a need to justify that cost? I think not.
Thoughts from your friendly Grimstod.
K&M is all I need.
I was not convinced of this, until now.
Remember when the old Lee auto prime came out for $11.00? Best priming tool since sliced bread. I have three on my bench for daily use and still have three of them new in the boxes. I would not trade them for this tool.
In this day of high speed CNC mills and lathes their is probably less than 50.00 in each unit to manufacture. Not sure how they come up with a 600.00 price tag. Another April fools day in the middle of May. Lol.
Paul
Santa… I’ve been VERY good this year.
How much of a difference in group size does this actually make?
$600 bucks, another insanely overpriced
item of the hobby we engage in. Come on,
$1200 front rests, $3000, and up, scopes, where does it stop?
Been installing primers with the press mounted primer system that was on the very old RCBS A-2 Rock-chucker I bought second hand years ago . Funny thing . Every primer is seated to bottom , and never had primer issues I know of . At what point will we ever quit attempting to re-invent the wheel ?
Grimstod is correct . It is a beautifully machined piece . But $600.00 dollars ? Let’s see…8 pounds of 4350 , 200 Lapua cases , several hundred 200.20x Berger’s .. and don’t forget to throw in some primers .Yup ! Sounds about right
Change the name to Tactical Primer Seater. They will fly off the shelf.
it looks just like the ordinary press. nothing else.
exept Seating Depth Control…
i wonder if it is safe not to seat to the end of pocket…??