Priming tools

[Sasquach]

Not bashing Lee products. Just the Ergo Prime. Primers would get turned sidewise and jam. The "elevator" would stick and not go back into position. Bought it on ebay and returned it. Overly complicated for what it does. Have one of the older ones and it works with no trouble but is a little hard on the hands. Thought this might help, but not.

[John Boy]

I have the Lee Ergo Prime. It mostly works except for the occasional jamb. That was an annoyance enough for me to put it back in it's box and put it on the shelf.

VHoward, my experience & tip with the Lee XR & possibly with the Ergo because it is the same design as the XR except for the handle ...to make them work perfectly. Put the plastic cover on the primer tray with the primers on the tray. Bring the hand primer up to eye ball level. Does the clear plastic cover lay completely tight on the tray? Probably not and is the reason for the primer jams. My XR had a space between the black tray & the plastic cover causing primer jams. So I took a metal hinged paper fastner and clamped the cover down tight to the tray - works perfectly. Also contacted Lee with the issue - they sent me a new plastic cover and the same space existed. Have they changed the design of the plastic cover how it attaches to the tray? Unknown but my XR works perfectly with zero primer jams. Never had this issue with the discontinued round tray except the handle arm snapping because it was made with pot metal. But Lee sent me new ones every time I called
So ... my XR primes like a champion now with zero jams and Sasquach your Ergo will too!

[MT Chambers]

I liked the Lee "Zip Trim" so much that I converted one to prime, just pull the string and you're good to go!

[VHoward]

VHoward, my experience & tip with the Lee XR & possibly with the Ergo because it is the same design as the XR except for the handle ...to make them work perfectly. Put the plastic cover on the primer tray with the primers on the tray. Bring the hand primer up to eye ball level. Does the clear plastic cover lay completely tight on the tray? Probably not and is the reason for the primer jams. My XR had a space between the black tray & the plastic cover causing primer jams. So I took a metal hinged paper fastner and clamped the cover down tight to the tray - works perfectly. Also contacted Lee with the issue - they sent me a new plastic cover and the same space existed. Have they changed the design of the plastic cover how it attaches to the tray? Unknown but my XR works perfectly with zero primer jams. Never had this issue with the discontinued round tray except the handle arm snapping because it was made with pot metal. But Lee sent me new ones every time I called
So ... my XR primes like a champion now with zero jams and Sasquach your Ergo will too!

The cover on the primer tray would lift up and that is when the jambs would occur. Taped it down and that doesn't happen. The binder clip would have worked easier, but I didn't think of it. Looks like Lee has made an effort to fix the problem with this: http://leeprecision.com/new-style-re...ys-covers.html . The new hand priming tool made after January 2016 are now shipped with this new updated tray and primer punch assembly. The update kit is only $10, so I may get one and try it out. I have heard that the old round trays will fit the new primer punch assembly so that could be an option.

[VHoward]

I just ordered the update kit from Titan. $8 + $7.30 for shipping. I happen to have a round primer tray. I will try it and see if it fits. Never had any problem with that lid lifting.

[John Boy]

Can buy a lot of binder clips for 8 bucks!

I never had a problem with the round tray hand primer either!

[VHoward]

I'm one of those people who think things should work without modification. The upgrade kit lets you prime without adding another step like attaching a binder clip or 2. I just let people know it was available if they were interested.

[fast ronnie]

I had a Lee hand primer and someone borrowed it. They must not have remembered where they got it. I bought an rcbs auto bench primer. I'm glad that someone borrowed the other one, and I hope they don't remember where they got it.

Ron

[Sasquach]

The Ergo Prime must have a problem with the primer tray as they sell them in package of two. The hinge probably lets go after a while. I sent the agravating thing back and got my money back. Enough problems without having to put bandaids on their screw ups.

[44magLeo]

I don't see how you can break the Lee lever. You must be using a lot of force when priming.
As far as wearing out a drop of oil on the hinge pints keeps things from wearing.
One thing I didn't like about the Auto Prime was using my thumb on the lever. A bit tiring.
The Ergo Prime I use my fingers on the lever. Much less tiring.
When I started I used an RCBS Rock Chucker press with the press mounted primer. Even with mods to the tube it was slow to use.
This was about 1978. I got the Lee Auto Prime and never regretted it.
I have bought Lee loader kits with the priming tool included, works very well.
I have Lyman 310 tools that prime very well.
I have been thinking of getting Lee's bench mounted primer tool. Looks like a winner. I may get the up graded tray kits first though.
Leo

[alamogunr]

I've got the RCBS hand priming tool and the automatic priming tool. The hand priming tool I got as a freebe for something I bought or subscribed to. Wasn't expecting much and got a lot. Bought the auto tool from a member here and use it most. I have never used a press mounted priming attachment.

I've never used a Lee priming tool but if one dropped in my lap, I wouldn't throw it out without trying it.

[John Boy]

The Ergo Prime must have a problem with the primer tray as they sell them in package of two.

Yep, the 2 trays are marked Small and Large ! Note the words small & large! Because the 2 different primers are made differently in size!

Install appropriate primer tray and cover (small or large). The tray is marked on the bottom as small or large, and the cover is marked small or large above the safety glass warning.

Sasquach, are you an experienced or inexperienced reloader?
Because your inexperience is showing. BTW, when you sent the hand primer back, did you tell them it was a "Real piece of ****" ?

[Sasquach]

As a matter of fact,I did. If that is the case, why did it only come with one? Do you work for Lee?

[John Boy]

Do you work for Lee?

Wish I did! The amount of Lee products I've paid for in addition to their molds, if I worked there no doubt I'd get discounts ... 97 Lee molds for starters out of 192 in inventory. One can never have too many molds for my different calibers including sets of dies, etc!

I cast - reload and shoot black powder & smokeless pre and post the year 1900 caliber long arms, from 22 rim fire to 50-70 center fire. Primarily single shot rifles in the collection including several late 1800's German Schuetzen rifles of metric calibers

[alamogunr]

I cast - reload and shoot black powder & smokeless pre and post the year 1900 caliber long arms, from 22 rim fire to 50-70 center fire. Primarily single shot rifles in the collection including several late 1800's German Schuetzen rifles of metric calibers

Now I'm beginning to get envious. Things like that just don't exist around here.

[wonderwolf]

Lee is fantastic especially for those with some mechanical know-how and ingenuity. I've had issues with RCBS bench priming units as well as the priming unit occasionally on my Lee loadmaster but its rare. The RCBS needs to be cleaned about every 500 rounds and the arm bolt or whatever tends to work loose as well about every 100 rounds. I should drill it for a set screw or loctite it in place really as I'm sure that would cure it. Sometimes the priming stem gets hung up and on what I'm clueless because I've gone over it a dozen times, wonder if i should lap it in

Short of it is everybody makes good and bad stuff...RCBS does and lee does. Lee has made some products that I'm flat out IN LOVE WITH....they think outside the box but yes at times it does seem like their thinkers are the better part of the company and their production and QC could use a boost.

[mdi]

Hmmm. In my reloading experiences, 30 years worth, I have found no hand priming tool works correctly 100% of the time. Most, including the Lee tools I've tried have small "glitzes" at one time or another. For every 1 unsatisfied user, there will be 100 that report "no problems" with any make of hand priming tool...

BTW the two trays I got with my Last Lee tool designated "Large" and "Small", so I figger one is for large primers and one is for small primers...

[Sasquach]

I agree, My old Lee had two trays. Large and small. The Ergo had only one and the way it was boxed from the factory, there was not room for another tray. Makes me think they intended you to use the same one for both. There was two "elevators", or what ever they call them, large and small. But only one tray.

[roysha]

Well, this one thread inspired more responses than his total post count. I don't know what that means, but there it is. The one big truth that has emerged from this is that perfection is in the eye of the beholder, at least as far as priming tools go. Each of us who have actually tried a variety of the available tools have gone in a variety of directions based on many factors. I'll go out on a limb here and say that there is no single answer to the question, "What is the best priming tool?" and we can each make up our own minds by trial and error and pick what is best for us, but we can take input and suggestions from those with actual experience. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Froggie

How dare you inject common sense and rational thought into this "discussion"?

[Green Frog]

How dare you inject common sense and rational thought into this "discussion"?

Sorry, I forgot myself for a moment there. It won't happen again... I'll be too busy priming cases with my first model Lee, my 310 tool, and my Simmons tool.

Froggie