Okies, Derraco Engineering PCPS-Lite Primer Seating Tool review, as promised.
tl;dr circa $200 and I love it.
link: https://www.derraco.com/product/pcps-lite/
…but first, my usual rant!
After polishing a turd called Lee Auto Bench Prime, I finally gave up. Just fuck them. Anyway, it served a purpose, but over time it just started falling apart. Not a bad value, around $90, but after some usage parts started snapping, it started jamming and everything just went wrong. Typical Lee equipment. After replacing 2 parts and having issues with it again, I am already looking at more than the base ($139.95) price of Derraco unit, I threw Lee priming unit in the bin and started looking for a better solution.
Honorary mention to hand priming units… They have their place, but God help you if you get S&B brass or Hornady crimped brass. Which I have in spades, so it’s either a solid ram it in kind of unit or processing every primer pocket by hand (not for me).
I do have a press priming arm, but it’s one of those one at a time deals, so pretty slow for the quantity I load (i.e. anything more than 10 cartridges, my inspiration runs out). And progressive is not for rifle calibres…
There’s also a pretty sharp jump between price tags. I would say you move from circa $100 immediately into $400 territory. Which is crazy. This unit I think is on par with the best of them at less than half the price.
I did buy a Rock Chucker auto priming setup (attaches to the press), only to be told by (not Cleavers) a shop that they are shitc*nt’s and actually don’t have one in stoc, not even ordered or pre-ordered. But they could add mine to order… WTF right?
I actually looked up Australian consumer laws and unlike Cleavers, they were doing things that could land them in trouble (not the first time it happened with the same shop). The shop will remain nameless, but I don’t think I will order from them again.
Anyway, yes, sure, not too late, we can add it to our existing pre-orders. Err, hold on, so it hasn’t been “pre-ordered” because if it’s not too late, it means orders haven’t been shipped. Ok, I think to myself, I am in no rush… I asked, what is the maximum date when I will have it in my hands? Oh mate, I don’t know, look, maybe… Nah, I don’t play these games. Got a full refund and kept searching. Eventually, found this guy (Australian manufacturer too, so a bonus).
Ordered and had the unit within days. How it should be!
There are 2 models, I went for the base model, because it’s a lot cheaper and I don’t need a micrometre.
Unit came with what you see in the pic:
Including spares, which is nice, some extra bolts and an expansion spring. I wouldn’t think much of it, but I do use Dillon 650 a lot and I know the value of the spare parts kit! This, free, noice!
It didn’t come with instructions however, so it took me 60 seconds to figure it out. First 30 to put it together, the second 30 to take it apart and reassemble the right way. So super intuitive, very well made and runs super smooth. I really have no complaints here.
The unit did not come with a priming tube, I have a few of them, so that wasn’t an issue.
The unit does require Lee Auto Bench Prime shell holder types:
Also fine, since I had the Lee unit which was gently placed in the bin with extreme prejudice.
Other than additional hardware, I am super impressed with the contraption. Very intuitive, very smooth, very easy to use, very fast to use. Actually, comparing it to Lee and how careful you have to be with it; factoring in disassembly on bad jams, etc. - Derraco is a lot faster.
The base unit is $139, but I factored in shipping, shell holders and a primer reservoir tube (realistically, you’d need 2 - LP and SP), so I just rounded up to $200. Maybe it’s a little conservative, could be $220. All things considered, pretty sweet.
Best video of usage I could find:
Actual usage from about 1min 40sec (https://youtu.be/xPZFTrmJ6bs?t=101)
Have you used it? Yes.
Buyer’s remorse after use? Zero.
Usage: 9.8/10 (0.2 I could pick flaws, but I would be trying really really hard for the sake of it).
Build quality: 9.8/10 (0.2 I could pick flaws, but I would be trying really really hard for the sake of it).