Lee Bench Primer

[17nut]

I'm 200+ primers into this thing and can say this:
Unless i relese the handle at the bottom and let it flip up, the thing does'nt feed primers much all.
And sometimes it does'nt despite. Then i have to knock the primer tray with a knuckle to feed.

It works like a charm when it feeds, but i suspect it will be a dust collector on a shady shelf in no time flat and i will use my good old trusty Lee hand primer for the next 30 years (it's from 1986).

I read the manual, i saw the youtube films and still it operates so fine and elegantly that there is not enough disturbance to trickle primers from the tray by itself.

[No Blue]

Try making some kind of spring loaded 'finger' that will tap/wack the tray as you cycle the lever. Shouldn't be hard if you can mentally roll around different scenarios in your mind. And for sure the third or fourth version will be better than the first....

[DougGuy]

I sent mine back for a refund. ***.

[tazman]

Probably like the safety prime. It needs to have all the plastic mold fins cleaned out of it before it will work properly. I had to do that to my safety prime but after I did it works a treat.

[MT Chambers]

Bring back the "ZIP TRIM", a similar engineering masterpiece.

[17nut]

I think i know why it didnt work!

In desperation i trimmed the locking lever thinking it was at fault jamming primers flowing down.
Well that went off like a fart in a diving helmet and i rummaged through the Lee spares/surplus case and found a primer tray just like it but different. The "old" one has no red print on the front and that worked like a charm. It just plain worked without a hitch.

So i set out to see if there is a difference between the two and what do you know, the "old" one has a ridge holding primers up just enough so they don't pack hard before they merge and slide down the end.



"new" with red print:


"old" without print:

[17nut]

Yay, the new and "improved" model is the one without the ridges.
Lee messed with what worked and made it ****

[Moonie]

I like the tool, it works great for me.

[Bmi48219]

I've run at least 5000 primers (SP & LP) through mine. Yeah, if you don't raise the handle all the way up the next primer will occasionally be sideways on the ram, I classify that as operator error. Average occurrence is 1-2%. I've got into the practice of looking before I set brass in she'll holder.
And yeah, need to tap the primer tray (especially when it's full) occasionally to get them to drop into the feed slot. You can see if the slot is getting empty through the clear plastic.
Sure there are better systems available. For 4 times the price. For my money the Lee Bench is the way to go.