primer tool....

[leadhead]

BMW Rider..... Yes, that's what I thought when I read the reports.
I'll find out pretty soon as I have one coming today from E-bay.
It's new in the box, so we'll see.

[AnthonyB]

leadhead; let me know if it doesn't work for you. I recently went to the RCBS bench mounted tool and will never go back to my RCBS hand primer.
Tony

[Alferd Packer]

I have used lee and like them, but RCBS makes a priming tool with a long handle attached to a little rocking tool post that takes RCBS shell holders.
A couple tubes for large and small primers each hold 100.
You push down slightly an a primer is dispensed like a pez dispenser into the shell holder center post.
Then you slip in a shell and push the handle down.
Primer seated.
Pop out the shell.
Rock the handle and reload the tool post while grabbing another shell to slip in .
Its fast, no wear on the tunnel carpels.
About $90 , but $25 back in the day.
New ones available, used at gunshows occasionally.
At least it was available last time I looked.
Oh, gets mounted on a board.
Tabletop use.
Very smooth, no stress.
Good leverage.You never touch the primers after they are loaded in the tube.

[leadhead]

AnthonyB ..... Well, I got it and it looked new in the box....WRONG....
As I was putting it together with the small primer tray, I saw where
some *** *** filed down the top of the tray where the shell holder
sits. The only way to make it right is to buy another small primer
tray from Lyman. ($8.90) I think I'll just write it off and keep using
my old round tray Lee. Still the best seater ever.
Denny

[AnthonyB]

Denny:
I used a round tray Lee for twenty years. It finally broke, and I bought another. That one broke. I went to the RCBS, which was more sturdy, but didn't seem to work as well as the Lee. Then I bought the bench mounted RCBS and all is right with the priming world now.
Tony

[Green Frog]

I’ve used the round tray Lee, but I really don’t see all that much advantage to a primer feed system... even my fat fingers work fine for inserting primers. If the original Lee First Generation tool with screw in shell holders had been made of bronze or steel instead of using pot metal, they would be the World Standard and everyone else would be copying them.

This of course ignores the combination re- and decappers made by guys like Pope, Petersen, Schoyen, et al. They did both steps with one tool, a boon when loading the same case over and over as a match was shot.

The foregoing is JMHO (or maybe not so humble! ) and you’re entitled to yours. I just collect the dadgum things and have a dozen or two.

Froggie

[dragon813gt]

If the original Lee First Generation tool with screw in shell holders had been made of bronze or steel instead of using pot metal, they would be the World Standard and everyone else would be copying them.

Mine still work fine and I have no issues w/ them. You can find the patent documents online. They are long expired and anyone can use the design. The downside is you have to physically handle each primer. The addition of the tray prevented this.



I have all the Lee hand primers. The round tray version was the best.

[leadhead]

A couple of years ago, I found a old Lee round tray with all the parts for $8.00
I jumped on that with both feet. I still have enough parts to build another one.
Denny

[dragon813gt]

A couple of years ago, I found a old Lee round tray with all the parts for $8.00
I jumped on that with both feet. I still have enough parts to build another one.
Denny

I have a couple spare trays. I did mess one up when I tried to convert it to fill Dillon tubes. One day I will buy a 3D printer and make an adapter.

[Wolverine19D]

When I first started out not long ago I bought the Frankford hand primer based on a lot of recommendations and was very disappointed since I mostly do Lake City 5.56 brass with CCI 41 primers and the tool always left a impression around the primer where it pressed it in no matter how well I swaged or reamed the primer pockets.

I believe it's due to the hole size for the shell holder and could possibly be fixed with a little tweaking but soon after I bought an old Lee Auto-Prime II and that thing is simply amazing. I soon after bought another so I could have one set up for large and one for small primers and have spare parts in case they break down in the future since they are no longer made. You can feel the primers seat very well and have tons of leverage since you use the press itself to prime. You can also adjust the depth of the primers to your liking and it will seat them all identical.

I have since tried a couple other priming methods but this is by far the best option I've had and most people who have used one say the same thing. It's a shame Lee no longer makes them but they can often be had on the for sale sections of reloading forums or ebay/gunbroker for $30-50 or so. They aren't without their faults but they are minor and easy to work around.

If I had to buy another priming tool today and could no longer get the Auto-Prime II it would likely be the RCBS bench mounted unit. No idea how well it works but I imagine it's a decent tool. I'm not a fan of hand priming after the frankford unit which is now collecting dust. It may have worked well on regular handgun rounds with certain primers but after using the Auto-Prime I had no reason to go back to using it.

[Green Frog]

Mine still work fine and I have no issues w/ them. You can find the patent documents online. They are long expired and anyone can use the design. The downside is you have to physically handle each primer. The addition of the tray prevented this.



I have all the Lee hand primers. The round tray version was the best.

Looking at your post, it dawns on my that I may have access to a prototype brass casting facility. As I notice the casting lines on the main body, I wonder whether I could make my own dream come true... the handle and linkage should be readily cast-able.

Froggie

[Dapaki]

I use the LEE bench prime exclusively now, it does have hiccups now and again but my carpel tunnel will not allow me to use any of the 'squeeze' machines and I refuse to load tubes or buy strips.

I did decide to use the old round trays though since they fit fine, the square folding tray just does not work for me.

[Wolverine19D]

I use the LEE bench prime exclusively now, it does have hiccups now and again but my carpel tunnel will not allow me to use any of the 'squeeze' machines and I refuse to load tubes or buy strips.

I did decide to use the old round trays though since they fit fine, the square folding tray just does not work for me.

I imagine this is almost as good as the press mounted Auto-Prime II and a good option for the money for those that don't want to wait to find a used Auto-Prime II. I did a lot of research on those before I decided to try the old Auto-Prime II instead. Very glad I did and love the fact I can adjust primer depth with the press mounted unit and it allows you to feel the primer seat very well without any effort.

With the bench mounted Lee I believe the primer depth varies depending on how much pressure you apply which is the same for many priming methods. Not a big deal I suppose but I like the idea of them all being the same on the press mounted unit.

[Drew P]

I think it’s really stupid to have these lever pivot on the pinky side of the hand. Do they really think that’s how the human hand best works? Your pinky is the weakest finger, therefore it should be the farthest from the pivot, giving it the most advantage, this creates a balanced feel and maximum comfort and that why you NEVER see this type of lever on a motorcycle or etc. I won’t buy one until they understand that point

[Green Frog]

I think it’s really stupid to have these lever pivot on the pinky side of the hand. Do they really think that’s how the human hand best works? Your pinky is the weakest finger, therefore it should be the farthest from the pivot, giving it the most advantage, this creates a balanced feel and maximum comfort and that why you NEVER see this type of lever on a motorcycle or etc. I won’t buy one until they understand that point

This presupposes that you are trying to provide effort upon the lever with your pinky finger. My two strongest fingers (trigger and middle) do most of the work with ring finger and pinky mostly along for the ride. Of course this also helps work the stronger fingers more so I control gun and trigger better... an added bonus. I guess it’s all in your perspective.

Froggie

[Scrounge]

Yes, shell holders seem to matter for the Lyman primer tool. I have one and if I use my Hornady #1 shell holder in it, the primers don't seat as deeply (i.e. - not deep enough) as they do when I use my Lyman #1 shell holder. Also, sometimes the small primers can flip in the tray with the lid on if it gets bumped. Haven't had any issues with large primers.

According to the shell holder cross reference chart I downloaded a few days ago, The Hornady #1 isn't the same as the Lyman #1. Hornady #1 fits 30-06, and the Lyman shell holder for 30-06 is the #2. Lyman #1 fits .357 according to the table. It's the Dark Canyon Shell Holder that was posted here at CB a few days ago. The couple that I checked, Lee & Lyman #1 are the same, and likewise for their #2 shell holders. Won't swear anything else matches between the two line. Been looking at this pretty hard myself, as I've got an old Five Star Auto-loader press I got to set up a decapping station, the the shell holders for it are unobtanium, these days. Bought a spare set of the Lee Auto/EZE Prime shell holders to braze or silver solder onto copies of the two shell holders I have for it. What I have are #10 (from Brownells) and the #7 that came on it. #7 fits the .38/.357 shells I have. So far, nothing I have in the way of brass fits in the #10 shell holder, though it looks like a fair match for the Lyman J #5 I've got sitting here. I don't actually know what I have for the Spar-T press.

[leadhead]

Well, I got the Frankfort Arsenal primer tool and I'm glad I did.
It's a very well built tool, and comes with all the shell holders
I'll ever need. It also uses the Lee holders as well. This one
will last me till I fire my last shot.
Denny

[onelight]

I just recently purchased the Frankfort Arsenal tool also . I have no experience with any other hand priming tools and prefer to prime on the press most of the time. The FA tool seems to be very heavy duty it comes with a set of shell holders which I like so I don't have move the shell holders from the press or buy duplicates . It has an adjustment for seating depth , a good thing .
I have only used it on 50 cases so far but at this point it appears it will suit my limited needs for separate hand priming .
If I was going to use it a lot the ergonomics would be my only concern at this point it is quite large so it would probably take a bit more use for me to find the most comfortable way to use it.
It seems to be a neat package that comes with every thing in the kit and as mentioned a shell holder that is not in the kit could be added from Lee.
It fed primers from the tray with no problems after a short bit of learn time .
That is a brief review from a guy with no experience with of the other units .

[onelight]

An update,
I just ran another hundred cases through the Frankfort Arsenal tool they went very smoothly with no issues feeding from the tray. I found the most comfortable way for me to use it was with it sitting on my knee with the primer tray facing me leaned away from my body slightly so the case is pointed away from me , this position angled the feeding side of the tray so that the primers fed down hill into the cup. I found that releasing the handle a little quick would rattle the primer tray enough for them to feed very well. I like it at this point but it is the only hand priming tool I have used so nothing to compare it to.