Lee Priming tool?

[leadhead]

Hey Guys,
Anyone have the new lee priming tool, and how do you like it?
I'm talking about the one with the square trays.
I bought one at the gunshow this weekend and I don't think i'm
going to like it. I've used the old style for years and thought it
was the greatest thing since sliced bread. What do you think?
Thanks,
Denny

[oldhickory]

I'm pretty much of the same mind as you about it, had to have it and when I got it, I'm not so sure I like it. In fact I used mine once since I bought it 4 months ago when my other LEEs were giving me problems. I dug out my old RCBS hand primer, cleaned and lubed it, the LEEs are just sitting around.

[kbstenberg]

Leadhead I don't have the square trey but I do have the Safety Prime for my Classic Cast turret. I like the one I have. It seems to flip the primers write side up easier than my RCBS hand primer tray. I know its not apples to apples but its what I have.
Kevin

[Toughbutfair]

I did not use the earlier style round tray Lee hand primer, as I always used the built in primer on the press. I am doing things in batches now, so the hand primer is a nice addition.

I have been using one of the square tray style hand primers for a few months. The only thing I don't like is the unit seems pretty temperamental with crimped brass that I have chamfered. I really have to make sure the chamfer is pretty pronounced to assure I don't get a jam. On all non-previously crimped brass it has worked flawlessly (couple thousand rounds)

All in all, I think I would give it 4 out of 5 stars.

[leadhead]

I don't like the idea of that second pecker that pushes the next
primer up to the loading ramp as it were. I guess it's a safety
thing but damn, there wasn't anything wrong with the other
one. I bought it for the square tray thinking it would be a lot more
easy to load the primers in the tray, and it is, but I don't like the
rest of the design at all.
Denny

[jcwit]

Thank the lawyers for the 2nd pecker. After all someone must protect us from ourselves.

[John Guedry]

I'm gonna' stick with the old model.

[dhain]

Not a fan of the new one either. Will probably end up giving it away.

[LEADLUBBER]

I lucked out and scored a brand new in the box older model Lee hand prime at a pawn shop yesterday for $20....

figured that was ok being that I couldn't find a NOS older model elsewhere for sale and I read this thread about the square tray models being less desirable....

[Green Frog]

I still like the original (screw in shell holder) priming tool. If they had made one of those out of real metal, it would have lasted forever and given perfect service. Of course there was no primer tray because it was a single feed, but that made for total control of each primer installed. Yeah, I'm old school, and I'm proud of it!

Froggie

[Jerry11826]

I liked the old model better. With the old model I could prime cases while I watched TV. With the new model you have to pay attention or it will mis-feed. The new one is probably a little safer, but as far as I am concerned, a big step backwards.

Jerry

[Baron von Trollwhack]

I like the new one. It operates a little differently which takes a few hundred primes getting used to but I think it may be a little more convnient and faster.

BvT

[davydtune]

I have the old one and I love it! I used to use the set up right on my RCBS Rock Chucker but the Lee hand primer is much better, IMO.

[Mike Kerr]

KBSTENBERG, since the safety prime is somewhat similar to the others in that the primers must be flipped; let me ask if they stay flipped as you use the priming trigger? . Lee really hyped the Safety prime for a period of time then they quit the advertising push and went to a square tray on their new hand held???

I had the older Lee hand held auto prime with trays which was reliable then I switched to an RCBS hand held primer (older with the round tray) and found it faster for long sessions with minimal hand fatigue.

Now I have decided I will attach my new safety prime to my Lee Classic Cast but I wonder why Lee changed to a square tray on the hand held and kept the round tray on the Safety Prime ??? There must be a reason.

This thread may answer whether the square tray is an advancement or a lateral move for the hand held but why go to square on one (hand held) and round on another (safety prime) ???

regards,

[TreeKiller]

I just got the new square primer, was priming once fired Win Brass for 7.62 X54R and had to use a pair of pliers to seat the CCI primers. Tried Wolf primers and they could be set without pliers but still hard. Broke out the old single load Lee primer tool and was able to set the rest of the primers without a problem. Not enough leverage on the new tool.

[liljohnnie]

I have the old model and with all this talk of peckers and such i think i will stick to the old style. Haven't had a primer detonation yet,on my Dillon and certainly not on my Lee hand priming tool.

[STAR4ever]

I have 2 old style and one new one. Once you get used to the new one staging a primer I think you will like it. It is probably much safer to use and works swell. I like the bigger tray.