Three Ways to Load Primers (Double Alpha Academy)

Double Alpha Academy offers a variety of primer handling products at a price point for every reloader. There is something for the hobbyist or budget reloader, and the reloading pro looking to increase throughput. In this story we do a brief overview of 3 solid options for primer handling from Double Alpha.

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Primer Pickup Tubes

Primer pickup tubes are the most affordable and simplest way to pick up primers! Double Alpha recently introduced their own primer tubes which work great and are more affordable than most alternatives.

From the DAA Webpage:

The DAA Primer Pickup Tubes are made of the highest quality aluminum, produced using custom-made extrusion tools and tightly controlled for accuracy and finish. Close attention is paid to the consistency of the internal and external chamfering to ensure optimal feeding. The matt-finish anodizing makes identifying the primer size immediate, while giving these tubes a striking attractive look. Blue Anodized pipe and end pieces for LARGE Primers, Red for SMALL.

Much testing and development went into the plastic pickup and drop ends of these tubes.

The Pick-up end is engineered to provide a more ergonomic shape, making it much more comfortable to grip in one’s hand. A very noticeable improvement for those loading many tubes in one session. The wider, larger finger-support area, with its smooth support ring, prevents hand fatigue and cramping, as you do not need to close your fingers as tightly, like you do with other tubes.

The tip was redesigned as well, and includes two “teeth” (not one, as others do). Carefully designed deep slots provide just the right amount of flexibility. The dual teeth work in union to pick up the primer horizontally while creating just enough pressure to ensure a firm grip on the primer while  they are picked up.

Both the Pickup and drop ends are made of translucent material making it easy to see the primers as they slide through the pipe ends. This is particularly handy when emptying the tube into your press, as you can easily see when they are all through.

These end pieces slide onto the tubes with a firm fit to ensure they do not come off accidently.

Prima-Fill

Prima-Fill is a semi-automatic primer tube filling solution that works for any standard primers (large or small) and comes in at a price-point that won’t break the bank!

Here’s the video I published covering Prima-Fill: (full story HERE)

From the DAA Webpage:

The Double-Alpha PRIMAFILL is a semi-automatic primer-tube filling solution, able to quickly and easily fill both Small and Large primer tubes. It allows you to switch between Small and Large primers instantly, without tools or assembly.

The PRIMAFILL can be used with any primer tubes which have an 8mm outer diameter, such as Dillon, or DAA tubes. It does not require a custom adaptor piece fitted to the tube, as other competing products require. So using the PRIMAFILL, you will be able to fill all your primer tubes!

The Extra-Large flip-tray area is convenient when emptying large primer boxes, such as Federal and others. The tray is large enough for the entire box to fit over.

The PRIMAFILL is powered by a regular 9v battery (not included). A momentary ON switch falls naturally under your index finger as you hold the device for right hand use, with your thumb centered on top of the lid. Hold the button down as you feed the primers into the tube, and release as soon as the last primer vanishes down the exit hole. Since this action should take 20 seconds or less, one battery charge will last for many thousands of primers.

The spring-loaded orange latches incorporated into the output posts enable you to snap a tube into place, or remove it, instantly without any twists or turns, the latch falls naturally under your thumb: you press down on it as you insert the tube up, and  you press up on the latch as you extract the tube downwards. An Easy and natural apposing thumb action.

Primer Pro

Primer Pro is the “Cadillac” solution from Double Alpha for filling primer tubes. This fully-automatic primer tube filler is for small primers only, and will load primers faster than your machine can load ammunition!

Here’s the video I published showing Primer Pro in action: (full story HERE)

From the DAA Webpage:

The PRIMER-PRO by Double-Alpha is a unique new approach to handling primers, and the solution reloaders have been waiting for!

As any reloader knows well, manually filling primer tubes can be the most time-consuming and aggravating step in the whole reloading process, and few good automated solutions exist.

Until now!

The PRIMER-PRO by Double-Alpha is an innovative patent-pending design which departs from the traditional vibratory bowl solution used by all other automated primer tube machines. The PRIMER-PRO uses a collator type solution where the primers are allowed to exit the bowl through 20 precisely formed channels, ONLY if they are orientated in the correct direction (Anvil side up). If they are Anvil down, they will not pass through the channel, and rather slide back into the bowl as their channel reaches the top of the rotation, to enter again later, correctly oriented.

This rejection-type design makes it practically impossible for a primer to enter the output channel if incorrectly orientated, making this device extremely reliable. During development, we ran many successful tests in which 100 tubes were filled (10,000 primers fed) without a single up-side-down primer!

As the primers slide down the covered output-chute, they pass through an optical sensor which counts them and stops the collator once 100 primers have been counted into the primer-tube. The electronic processor board also monitors the sensor and is programed to stop the collator if, for whatever reason, primers hang-up on the exit hole and stack up along the ramp. The collator will be stopped before the primers stack all the way up and jam the collator. In such a case, the LED will flash quickly to indicate there is a problem. Once cleared, pressing the start button again will allow the collator to run and the count will continue from where it was stopped. Or alternatively, a long press on the button will start the count a new.

One of the most innovative design solutions of the PRIMER-PRO is the Output Actuator Arm, which is activated by a lever system off the Timing Disk at the bottom of the Collator Assembly. This Output Actuator Arm slides the primers from the bottom of the ramp slide, moving them over to above the output hole, holding them there for a split second to ensure they are static, horizontal and stable, and then retracting to allow the primer to fall cleanly down into the awaiting primer tube. This dynamic solution for the exit hole greatly reduces the chance of primers hanging up while exiting into the tube, a problem common with other automated primer fillers.

The PRIMER-PRO is currently available only for Smaller Primers, and handles Small-Rifle or Small-Pistol Primers equally well. A Large primer version may be offered in the future.

One Magnetic Collar for a Dillon Primer Tube is included with the unit. A PRIMER TUBE IS NOT INCLUDED! Since the PRIMER-PRO can refill a single Primer Tube faster than you can use the previous 100 primers in any reloading press, only one tube is strictly necessary.

However additional Magnetic Collars can be purchased separately, for those who prefer to fill multiple tubes before starting their reloading session.

The unit is powder by a 12v DC power supply (dual voltage, 110-230), which ships including a suitable European and US prong set (included). The power cord is 2 meters (6ft) long, and includes an ON/OFF switch in the cable.

NOTE: Primer tube not included.

Get the Gear

You can get all your primer handling gear at Double Alpha Academy!

Primer Handling including Tubes, Storage Racks

Prima Fill

Primer Pro

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