Nope. Do NOT use a hex shaft, unless you find some smooth sleeving to protect the distributor bushing. Which you might do. Otherwise use a proper priming shaft, which you can make if you have an old intermediate shaft.
Also as I mentioned earlier, START with the oil filter OFF, (and a container under) The pump should pick up "right away" with no head pressure against it.
All I've ever done is squirt some oil into the pump before installing.
(I had mentioned earlier about O rings / gaskets and there it was!!) I actually had a pump once "blow" an o ring / gasket external to the pump, not far from NAS Miramar where I was stationed, perhaps 10 mi. I had extra oil in the car and just kept pouring it in, LOL. I "bet" the CA CARB would not have wanted to hear that!