Lee Bench Primer!

[Freightman]

Ordered one off ebay $27.97 Shipped. screwed it to a 2x6 and primed 500 45acp. Just thump it every once in awhile works great, and I set it in my lap in my recliner.

[mdi]

Yep. Mine works as well as yours...

[Dancing Bear]

I like using mine too. Retired my Lee hand loader.
Ps: Just saw it advertised for about $23 on Amazon.

[HeavyMetal]

tried one, kept jamming, not as bad with large primers but terrible with small primers!

jammed so bad I'd have to strip it and take a paper clip and pry it out to get to work then 2 or 3 primers later it would do it again!

my RCBS bench tool never does this so the Lee went back for a refund!

ya and good going for the refund to Titan Reloading.

HM

[Stan_TN]

I just purchased the bench primer today - should be here in a couple days. I will see how the Lee works and let ya'll know. From the first two reviews, I was excited...but the last one has me thinking different all of the sudden.

[FredBuddy]

Stan:

I like mine !

[retread]

Had trouble with the small primers jamming also. Used my tray from an old Lee hand prime in the bench press. It works just fine.

[mdi]

I often wonder about "reloaders" that can't get any Lee products to work, but there are some out there that don't know how to use a hammer. For the Bench Prime I read the instructions, follow them and have 99% success (that means in a full sleeve I might have to "flick" the tray once or twice to get the primers to fall). A couple important things; mount the Bench Prime solidly. the tool needs to be solid for the primers to drop in the tray and for the full travel of the handle. And the handle needs to move through it's full travel (I lightly lift the handle at the top of the stroke). I have my tool situated so I can see a new primer in position, so I haven't had an "invisible" primers trying to be seated.

[jmort]

^^^ Completely Agree

[fast ronnie]

I haven't used the Lee but I really like the RCBS. I've stated on another thread that someone borrowed my auto prime and didn't return it. They did me a huge favor, but I did not realize it at the time. Every once in a while, a primer will flip out of the pocket, but you see it because it is right in front of you. The unit has a pretty good feel, so you know what is happening.
They are a little more expensive than the Lee, though. Not Cheap, but well worth the price.

[Stan_TN]

Got the Lee bench primer - mounted it up and was off to the races. Whole lot easier than the auto prime hand loader from Lee. Small primer tonight, got a little out of rhythm a couple times, but at the last 300 I did them non stop without issues. Does anyone load it all the way up - I can fit about 170 small primers at one time. Kind of tight so I went with 150 small primers loaded and primed. I will invest in a couple extra trays so I will have them ready. Thanks.....Stan

[EDG]

The performance standard for my 50 year old original Lee priming tools with the screw in shell holders is 100%. Why can't Lee get all new designs right the first time or at least by the 3rd or 4th generation?

I often wonder about "reloaders" that can't get any Lee products to work, but there are some out there that don't know how to use a hammer. For the Bench Prime I read the instructions, follow them and have 99% success (that means in a full sleeve I might have to "flick" the tray once or twice to get the primers to fall). A couple important things; mount the Bench Prime solidly. the tool needs to be solid for the primers to drop in the tray and for the full travel of the handle. And the handle needs to move through it's full travel (I lightly lift the handle at the top of the stroke). I have my tool situated so I can see a new primer in position, so I haven't had an "invisible" primers trying to be seated.

[greenjoytj]

I have mine bolted sideways on my bench so I can just see a primer sitting on top of the insertion rod. It’s important to be able to see the primer, the last time I use the tool I was in a rush and two cases got their primer inserted sideways. So don’ rush the priming. Always lift the handle all the way up and feel the handle compress the “Oh-ring” stop.
My primers don’t flow down on their own, so I must tap the side of primer tray every 5 cases to keep the primers flowing down, it not a big deal to do that.
The only 2 gripes I have with this tool is: 1) The shell holder likes to slowly rotate partially blocking the access to one case rim channel. I must re-center the shell holder frequently. 2) The bench mounting holes are too close to the tool body and operating leaver in particular, this makes it awkward to get a socket or nut driver onto the hold down bolt heads.

I like this priming tool it my new favourite. All tools have their idiosyncrasies that the user needs to learn to deal with.

[cwlongshot]

First off, let me say that I am not a fan of LEE. But I acknowledge that some of there products work very well and I own and use them, Others well, not so much.

I bought this last year and screwed it down next to one of my single stage presses. I have to say its worked perfectly for about 10-12K primers. I did break the small size adaptor, but was my fault and now remember to remove the primer tray when completed priming.

CW

[three50seven]

I bought one and have used it to prime about 500 9mm cases so far. It works ok, IMO. I've used the Lee hand primer up until now and I'd say it's about on par with that. I seated about 8-10 primers sideways, which was annoying. The primer feed also jams fairly often which is kind of bothersome. It may be better with large primers, I haven't used it for that yet.

[RedDogForge]

quite happy with mine, at first i was a little dismayed because of its rather light construction, im kinda ham handed so always worry ill over torque stuff * blacksmiths curse heh* runs like a champ on 308

[Bmi48219]

Had my Lee bench primer for a couple years, all in all I'm satisfied with it. As others have said, the trick is to make sure to lift the arm ALL the way up after each down stroke. As long as I pay attention it doesn't jamb. Mine is mounted on a board I clamp to the edge of the work bench. I can see enough of the primer push rod to make sure the primer is right side up/out. Maybe once in a thousand times it's backwards. I load the tray with 100 primers, small ones drop better than large. Have to tap the tray every 6 or so until it's half empty, then seldom have to tap. I did have to replace the LP head, cracked it not paying attention. Not bad considering I've primed almost 15,000 cases with it. Think I'll keep it.

[RED BEAR]

got mine and set it up on my bench worked great for about 100 rounds then i can't get it to feed primers. they just will not feef down through the thing i guess i will get to check there customer service. and i actually do know how to use a hammer it took quite a while but i finnaly got it. i can now wack nails to my hearts content. next i will move on to adjustable wrench.

[mdi]

Look at how the primer tray works. A plastic assembly that holds small brass "pellets" sits in an angle and the "pellets" slide down in place. The "pellets" are extremely light and sometimes gravity isn't quite enough for the "pellets" to overcome friction. Lee installed a small spring on the back of the assembly to add a bit of vibration to help the light "pellets" to slide. If/when I have this "problem" it take me a whole 1/10 of a second to flick the tray with the index finger of the hand that operates the handle...

When I couldn't get a tool to work or was having a problem, my Daddy used to tell me; "First, ya gotta be smarter than the tool"...

[RED BEAR]

i can see how it works but the primers will not drop down no matter what its like the slot is not lineing up or is to small. it is obviously not to small or it wouldn't have ever worked. there is something not lineing up right becouse no amount of tapping or shaking will get them to go through it. the soft plastic part doesn't go back far enough for a primer to drop. as for being smarter than the tool i will tri to get some mor edumication before i tri to takel it agin.