Lee auto-prime problem

[joeb33050]

Lee Auto-Prime problem
The Lee Auto-Prime wears with the result that primers do not bottom out in the primer pockets. This not-bottoming is not readily apparent. The only way I’ve found to test this is to seat primers with the Auto-Prime, then seat the same primer/case in another Auto-Prime or other primer seater. Some shooters contend that primers that aren’t bottomed out cause some degree of inaccuracy.
A comparison of primer depth below the case head after being primed with an old and worn Auto-Prime and a new Auto-Prime was done. Insert a primer with the old tool, measure, push the primer in with the new tool, measure.

308 Win and 30BR
Old WLP .009”
New WLP .015”
Old WLR .005”
New WLR .007”
Old WSP .005”
New WSP .007”

30-30
Old WLP .005”
New WLP .011”
Old WLR .001”
New WLR .005”
In every case, the primer had not bottomed out. Does it matter?
When the lever of the Auto-Prime bottoms out, (see the picture), it’s time to buy a new “connecting rod” from Lee. Maybe a bit before.
joe b.

[felix]

Yes, it matters, Joe, but only with the guns that can tell the difference. BR guns most certainly can. ... felix

[Throckmorton]

when mine arent' bottomed out I get misfires,but my 'accuracy is 'minute of water jug',so would not be able totell the difference on that score.
good info to pass along tho.

[Rocky Raab]

They'll last a whole lot longer (maybe several times as long) if you lube both ends of that connector arm with a thin film of gun grease.

Make a phone call. Lee will send you a new one.

[MtGun44]

Hmmm. I grease mine and about every 10 yrs or so the rim that holds the shellholder
cracks. No real wear in the moving parts though.

Bill

[geargnasher]

Use silicone dielectric grease like used for spark-plug boots on all parts of the autoprime. It won't cause misfires if it happens to get on the primer pellet and won't destroy the oils that keep plastics and rubber products "plastic" or flexible.

I haven't worn mine out yet, 20 years and counting....

but if I do I'm out what, 15 bucks?

Gear

[Lee]

And nobody else's primer seating equipment ever wears out? And nothing in nobody else's reloading equipment ever wears out? I've seen this frenzied thread elsewhere, I don't play the chicken-little-what-if games anymore.
GIVE IT UP.
If you aren't smart enough to continually inspect what you are doing, you have no business re-loading. Or driving a car on almost flat tires, either.
Period.
(Note to Self)...Time to hit the "Ignore" button!
.
.
.
.
P.S. Rocky Rabb/Mtgun44/et. al. you guys hit it square on the head! It's called maintenance!

[KYCaster]

And nobody else's primer seating equipment ever wears out? And nothing in nobody else's reloading equipment ever wears out? I've seen this frenzied thread elsewhere, I don't play the chicken-little-what-if games anymore.
GIVE IT UP.
If you aren't smart enough to continually inspect what you are doing, you have no business re-loading. Or driving a car on almost flat tires, either.
Period.
(Note to Self)...Time to hit the "Ignore" button!
.
.
.
.
P.S. Rocky Rabb/Mtgun44/et. al. you guys hit it square on the head! It's called maintenance!



:confused:

Jerry

[JRW]

:confused:

Jerry

Yes, Jerry, I too am confused!

[joeb33050]

They'll last a whole lot longer (maybe several times as long) if you lube both ends of that connector arm with a thin film of gun grease.

Make a phone call. Lee will send you a new one.

The instructions that come with the AutoPrime tell the owner to "Use grease or vaseline on both ends of the connecting rod and lever pivot." I did. It wore. I wrote to Lee, no free connecting rod, but the price quoted wasn't high.
The point isn't about wear or money, it's about primers not seated and the shooter not knowing that.
joe b.

[dromia]

Joe is right stuff wears and it behoves us all to watch this.

I found the comparative photos most useful as the tool has a built in wear meter with the position of the handle clearly indicating wear.

Totally obvious when pointed out, but for me at least not obvious 'till Joe posted.

Thanks Joe. :grin:

[skeet1]

Instead of whining about the wear of the the Lee Auto Prime why not just go and buy another one. The price is far less than anyone elses and you can save the worn one for parts. I know that the one I have dosen't owe me anything, it has primed thousands of rounds and if it gets beyond use I'll buy a new one. I have one made by RCBS but like the Lee much better. I also find it interesting that the other companies seem to follow Lee in ideas and design.

Skeet1

[dromia]

I didn't get a sense anyone was whining.

[gasboffer]

Oh Boy! The "ignore list" works. Just added two "know-it-all" posters to my list from just this one thread.

[Rocky Raab]

I hope they return the compliment.

[4570guy]

I wore out my auto-prime after about 3000 rounds. I must admit, I probably didn't lube the con-rod ends as often as I should have. The problem manifested itself in my 1911 with numerous FTFs. The first hammer strike would finish seating the primer and a second strike would set off the round. I also encountered a couple of these in my 03A3. I replaced the Auto Prime with the Lee Ram Prime. Its just about as fast and there's no question that you get the primers seated.

[Rocky Raab]

Only 3000 rounds seems a bit short. That's about how often I re-lube mine, but I get three or four times that much total life out of them. Still, as mentioned, it's an inexpensive tool easily replaced.

[dromia]

OK gentlemen lets be a little less tense about things.

Its OK and encouraged here to disagree on things here, however with that comes the responsibility of respecting one anothers point of view.

Ultimately the owner and staff will make the call as to the unaccepability or otherwise of a point of view here.

However, lack of respect for contrary views will not be tolerated.

So argue your case but don't be dismissive, rude or insulting.

This is an open forum and all visitors/members here ultimately have to make their own judgements on the value they place on what they read here.

[Ricochet]

I appreciate the heads up. I need to check and see if this may be contributing to my problem with my soft-striking K-31's FTF issue. I also need to buy a new striker spring for it! I notice, though, that thoroughly cleaning primer pockets (a step I usually omit) helps. I do grease my Auto-Prime's link whenever I have it apart to switch the large and small primer setup.

[Uncle R.]

I had one - wore it out with several thousand rounds - don't have exact count. Never repaired or replaced it - switched to Auto Prime II which I like ever so much better. It's still not perfect - you have to watch for primer feed and jiggle the primer tray as required to make sure there's a primer in the seating punch and that it's right-side up and ready to seat. It won't feed the last twenty or so primers without "help" and you have to watch for that too. Despite those minor flaws it's very fast and ridiculously easy to use without the "thumb fatigue" of the regular Auto Prime. It seats primers to adjustable and uniform depth and I haven't worn mine out with MANY thousands of primers seated. I like it a lot.
Uncle R.

[MakeMineA10mm]

I had a connecting rod snap in two from wear, but only after I'd seated many thousands of primers with it.

I keep two Auto-Primes on my bench - one always with the small stem installed and the other for the large stem.

After the connecting rod snapped, I took both of them apart and inspected them very carefully. I gotta say, that even though they're made cheaply, the design is a good one. The only things I think could be improved is to make the connecting rod out of better quality metal (delaying this wear problem and probably preventing my breakage problem) and to shape the thumb-lever more ergonomically. Other than those two things, I think they're great, and the cost to replace the connecting rod was rediculously cheap from Midway.

I considered, but saw no reason, to "upgrade" to an RCBS or other brand, which would cost a lot more money (initally and to repair). I'm sticking with the Lee. Good design, good price.

(Maybe one of the machinists here at CB could start up a side business making replacement Lee Auto-Prime Connector Rods out of better steel and maybe a few thousandths longer than the factory part, so it could still be disassembled, but wear would basically be a non-existant problem......)

[Ricochet]

I considered, but saw no reason, to "upgrade" to an RCBS or other brand, which would cost a lot more money (initally and to repair).
I got mine to replace an RCBS hand primer after I found it couldn't accept my .45-70 shell holder. (Too large in diameter.)

[Frank]

Ricochet says
I need to check and see if this may be contributing to my problem with my soft-striking K-31's FTF issue. I also need to buy a new striker spring for it! I notice, though, that thoroughly cleaning primer pockets (a step I usually omit) helps. I do grease my Auto-Prime's link whenever I have it apart to switch the large and small primer setup.



My Ruger Redhawk has several fail to fires. A lot of people are messing with changing springs and transfer bars, but they get the same problem. How does one primer get cratered good, then then the next doesn't? Does the spring change? Everything on the gun is clean. So maybe a primer that isn't seated fully is contributing to the light strikes.

I checked and almost all are not seated fully. So I used the press method to do the priming and it does seat them to the bottom. I'm pretty sure I'm not crushing primers.

Now the BFR is another topic. It takes Large pistol primers, but it's pocket is deep. The press tool is the only one I have that does the job. But they all fired when they were seated "out". Maybe the single action gun has better spring pressure to overcome the defect.

[watkibe]

I have 4 Lee Auto Prime tools...I really like to have 2, and I keep one set up for small primers and one for large primers. (My stuff was in storage in another state for a while so I bought 2 new ones; now I have 4. Which, I will point out, I could never have afforded with the RCBS tool !)

I have never had a problem due to primers not seated deeply enough because of wear to the tool. I have also never lubed my tools, or even looked to see if they needed it.

I appreciate the reminder to READ THE INSTRUCTIONS that come with my tools. Thanks !