New Primer System?

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Today while loading some 38s my faithful Lee Auto-Prime hand tool died. The handle cracked off, it is the second handle I have broken in roughly 18k of primers. In the last two years my volume of reloading has greatly increased, so I do not really want another hand tool for the sake of my wrist. I have used two press style primer feed systems both Lee’s. One seated the primer on the down stroke, it worked but I did not like the way you had to touch every single primer. The other screwed into the press and jammed constantly. Advice on a new primer tool will be most appreciated.

[wallenba]

The Lee safety prime works on the down stroke and you don't have to touch the primers.
Watch how it works in this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKoye93KgnY

[2ndAmendmentNut]

I have a lee 4-hole turret press. For the most part I have the auto index feature disabled and use the press in single stage mode. Would the Lee Safety prime work on my press?

[jameslovesjammie]

We used a Lee Auto Prime for probably 15 years before it broke exactly as yours has. I replaced it with the RCBS hand primer. What a piece of ****! The lid doesn't stay on tight enough so you occassionally get side ways primers on the ram, which smashes them in the case that way. The only reason I got the RCBS was I use alot of Federal primers which are not recommended by Lee in their hand units.

I've since upgraded to the Lee Classic Cast Turret I have their press mounted easy primer system and it is fantastic! I don't know if it only works on Lee presses, but it is easy to use and I haven't had an error yet.

[jameslovesjammie]

The setup on my 4 hole turret is the same as the one in the video. Try it and you'll love it!

[Ekalb2000]

+1 jlj
Its the bees knees

[2ndAmendmentNut]

I replaced it with the RCBS hand primer. What a piece of ****!

Used a friends RCBS hand prime tool and thought the very same thing!


I was on Midway and I like the look the RCBS Automatic Bench Prime Tool. It gets fairly good reviews, but want to know what you all think first.

[longhorn47]

you do not want to get your strokes mixed up please keep that in mind.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

you do not want to get your strokes mixed up please keep that in mind.

Sorry longhorn, but could you please clarify what you mean?

[Shiloh]

The Lee safety prime works on the down stroke and you don't have to touch the primers.
Watch how it works in this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKoye93KgnY

Interesting device. Is it adaptable to other presses??

Shiloh

[dragonrider]

I use the Lee Auto Prime II, it screws into the top of your press, uses the Lee trays and shutes. The punch fits in the ram and standard shell holders fit in the top of the unit. Works fine, never had a problem with it.

[Landric]

The Lee Safety Prime is what I use on my Classic Cast, Classic Turret, and Breech Lock Challenger. I really like it, its much easier to fill than primer tubes that my Rockchucker and Dillon use, and it works very well.

Its only about $21.00 for both the large and small setup, so it really is worth giving a try.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=548630

[wallenba]

I have a lee 4-hole turret press. For the most part I have the auto index feature disabled and use the press in single stage mode. Would the Lee Safety prime work on my press?

Yes, I have one on my 4 hole, and my Challenger breech press. I have even seen them mounted on other brands of presses. The only problem I ever have is when you get to the last few primers in the tray. Sometimes they will not get picked up by the dispenser at the end of the chute. I cleaned out a few spent primers, filled them with epoxy for weight, and drop them in last as chasers to push the last few out.

[wallenba]

Interesting device. Is it adaptable to other presses??

Shiloh

They can be adapted to any press that uses a primer seater in the ram, but they come with mount brackets for the Lee presses. You might need to make your own mount bracket and fiddle with the adjustment. Go to the page on Midway where they have the ratings by customers, I'm pretty sure that some say they are using them on Lyman presses and others.

[TAWILDCATT]

I use the hand primer got mine when they first came out it just broke so I looked at my newer one and it has more meat.so I will send for a replace ment no sweat
its 20/30 ys old.

[Echo]

I was on Midway and I like the look the RCBS Automatic Bench Prime Tool. It gets fairly good reviews, but want to know what you all think first.

I have an RCBS Auto Bench Prime that I use often (have used for 30+ years) for jobs that don't work on the Dillon, but are big enough to justify over the little Lee hand primers I use for small jobs. The RCBS unit works just fine. I recommend it - in fact I was going to recommend it before I read that you saw one on Midway. Check eBay - you might be able to get one for about half price from new. If not, buy from whoever and use it for ever.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Just updating. I went ahead and bought an RCBS bench mounted Automatic Priming Tool. It is the one that uses the primer tubes. I love it. Reliable and just as fast as the Lee hand tool, but no more cramped thumbs and palms.

[GP100man]

i use the hornady, it`s like a pair of pliers for small primers & the lee auto primeII for large primers.
any hand priming tool gets old fast on large primers!!

my 2 cent

[Dale53]

The original Lee hand tool had no real way to secure the lid on the primer "magazine". It was aggravating if it came loose and the primers turned over. The solution was simple - I just took a small pocket dispenser of Scotch tape with me to the range (that is where I use my hand priming tool). After I get it loaded, I just secure the lid with a couple of pieces of scotch tape. Easy to remove and replace and costs little. It positively stopped movement of the lid.

Lee has since greatly improved the lid locking mechanism. It is now a positive lock. This, in my opinion, is one of Lee's most brilliant contributions to primer seating. I have Lee's, an RCBS hand tool, and come expensive custom ones made by my good friend, "Jake" Simmons. The Simmons is a modern, updated copy of the Pope re-decapper. It has the advantage of being a decapping device as WELL as a priming device. But it is a single primer tool - no magazine.

FWIW
Dale53

[1874Sharps]

Gentlemen,

I feel compelled to share a somewhat embarrassing and potentially crippling incident with a Lee Auto Prime hand held priming tool. Like JamielovesJammie talks about, Lee only recommends several primer brands and not others, but who ever reads the instructions, right?!!! Well, I did not read them several years back and used a non-recommended primer brand. While I had just under a hundred large pistols in the tray I was having a little trouble seating a primer in a case and KABOOM!!! All the primers in the tray went off and turned the mostly plastic piece of junk into a grenade. I was not wearing eye protection like an idiot, either. I guess the good Lord protects such idiots because I did not lose any eyes or fingers, although I had some fragments hit my face (no scars, though) and my right hand got pretty swollen and purple. I share this so that all of you who read it will benefit from that bad experience and consider it when thinking about a priming tool.