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Thread: Broke my good ol' Lee hand priming tool.

  1. #21
    Boolit Master

    Moonie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by waco View Post
    Best hand held priming tool out there. Die cast zinc, heavy, just.Plain.Works.
    https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/58...d-priming-tool
    Yup, same one I use. Just primed 30 500 S&W a little bit ago with it.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master


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    I actually wore out 2 of the Lee auto-prime's. Kept them properly lubed too. Bought the RCBS single hand tool when they came out, then their version of the auto-prime hand tool. I think it's been 30+yrs. Never a problem. Must be 150-175,000 rounds by now.
    I HATE auto-correct

    Happiness is a Warm GUN & more ammo to shoot in it.

    My Experience and My Opinion, are just that, Mine.

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  3. #23
    Boolit Master
    GOPHER SLAYER's Avatar
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    I feel your pain. I have used the Lee hand priming tool for many years. I do all my priming with them. I have two, one for large and one for small primers. I was given a new RCBS hand priming tool, The one that uses the primer strip. It works well if you have the hands of a professional basketball player. My thumb could't take the punishment. I sold it. After many years of use one of the primer tray covers broke and I have to switch the one good cover from one hand tool to another. If you decide to discord your hand primer I would like to buy the tray cover.
    A GUN THAT'S COCKED AND UNLOADED AIN'T GOOD FOR NUTHIN'........... ROOSTER COGBURN

  4. #24
    Banned



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    I have several of the Lee single ones they made before the ones with the trays and use screw in shell holders. I like them, but they are a lot slower because of having to load a primer in individually. Broke the thumb levers on two of the ones with the round trays after years of use, the older single ones seem stronger.

  5. #25
    Boolit Master
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    I have to say I’ve been using the new Lee for about 3 years. I must have loaded 10,000 round of 9x19 and 9x18 with it ( I was hitting the range 2 to 3 times a week). The small primer mechanism broke within the first 3 months of owning it. I called Lee and I had a new one within 3 days of speaking to them. I haven’t had a problem since! And that 10,000 was just small pistol primers. I also load 30.06, .223, and for about the first two years my son was using it also. He was loading 9mm, .308, .223, and 300 blackout. I certainly can’t complain about it’s performance. I don’t know if I just got lucky or what. I would recommend a new Lee hand prime but you have already expressed your dislike for it so it wouldn’t do me any good to recommend It
    Long, Wide, Deep, and Without Hesitation!

  6. #26
    Boolit Master
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    Since you load like me with a single stage lee press the lee ram prime is not bad I like it

  7. #27
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I have a few of the Lee hand primers.
    Stopped using them when the handle broke, and i get the RCBS hand strip primer.
    Worked so well, I get the press mounted strip prime.
    Never went back to the Lee.

  8. #28
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
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    Still using a very old round-tray Lee for small primers, because it hasn't broken yet. I use a Hornady Hand Prime for large primers.

    Even at my height, I never did more than 200 rounds a week. Hate the idea of switching over my press to prime, especially because I often do just 10 to 20 rounds at a time for testing. Those plastic strips are just silly.

    Like the look of that Frankford Arsenal tool, but the price is a bit breathtaking. Don't see any value in the "adjustable seating depth" feature, either.

    I'd buy another Hornady if the Lee ever breaks. For one thing it's aluminum, not cheap, fragile zinc. For another it fits the hand better than the Lee. Not as fatiguing to use.
    Cognitive Dissident

  9. #29
    Boolit Master Ole Joe Clarke's Avatar
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    I used my old Lee priming tool to do 450 9 mm hulls over the last couple of days. I checked it and re lubed it before using. I only do small pistol primers on it. From my records I have primed around 20,000 pcs with it. Have another on standby.

    Have a blessed day,

    Leon

  10. #30
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I have worn out or broken several of those older Lee tools. They did a good job but I was not impressed with their life expectancy. My current hand primer is from Sinclair. Expensive, yes! ut its high quality, smooth and sensitive. Sinclair usually puts them on sale at Christmas time. I liked it enough that I bought another one to have a set up for both large and small primers. It has no tray so you load it one at a time. K&M and 21st Century make a quality tool also.

  11. #31
    Boolit Master
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    Repaired mine when the thumb lever broke with a couple of thin bolts on a peice of aluminium to bolt it together but if that fails I'd buy the Lee bench primer tool as it uses the same shell holders etc.

  12. #32
    Boolit Master
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    I use the RCBS universal hand priming tool. No shell holders needed and is very smooth. I have 2 of the lee hand priming tools with square trays as back up.

  13. #33
    DOR RED BEAR's Avatar
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    i have used several different types but always come back to the old lee. i bought a few off ebay so i have a good supply for now . don't look forward to having to use something else.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check