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Thread: Priming With Lee Loader - Any Accidental Discharges?

  1. #61
    Boolit Grand Master

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    If the LEE tool is improperly machined, they will make it right as a safety issue.
    Information not shared. is wasted.

  2. #62
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    I used one as my only way of reloading for my .357 from 1985 until around 2008. Loaded thousands with the Whack-a-mole and never set off a primer. I can't claim to make tiny little groups. I can't claim to hit things way out yonder. But that part there is true, never a pop. (as of 6-19-2016. It might change any day )
    KE4GWE - - - - - - Colt 1860, it just feels right.

  3. #63
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Like many others here I got my start wit a Lee Loader. I still have 4 left and only one will pop primers with any "consistency", that's my .44 Magnum loader. I would get one in about 40 that would pop and I'd have to change my skivvues, but no harm to either the tool, components, or me. I played around with the loader's priming base and made sure the springy plate was free and the pin wasn't hanging up on anything. I also chamfered the primer pocket mouths, just like when I de-crimp military brass and this seemed to help a bit. But whenever I feel "retro" and use one of my Lee Loaders I'll use them with my arbor press, especially for priming...

    Anybody notice this thread started in 2009?
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  4. #64
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    Quote Originally Posted by mdi View Post
    Anybody notice this thread started in 2009?
    Some information is timeless.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  5. #65
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by W.R.Buchanan View Post
    Some information is timeless.

    Randy
    As is the Lee Loader!
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  6. #66
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Oh heck yes ! The first one I purchase in 1967 had a tiny little teat left on the part you set the primer on to seat it, after popping several , I got to looking at it really close and realized the problem. That part should have been dead flat ! Dremel tooled that teat off , polished the seat flat and problem solved. After that I checked every one I bought to make sure it didn't have what amounted to a "fireing pin" on that little seater part .
    Gary

  7. #67
    Boolit Master


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    Yes I am a member of that club too. Mine was while doing 30-30 Win. I think someone else who answered in the afirm crowd also was doing 30-30 Win. Hummm.
    Mark 5:34 And He said to her (Jesus speaking), "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction."

  8. #68
    Boolit Bub
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    I loaded a few rounds with a mallet and was so nervous I got the arbor press out. Loaded for years in 38 and 45 with the press and never had a primer go off. Just couldn't get over the mallet idea.

  9. #69
    Boolit Master

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    I average about one pop every 300 primers, CCI small rifle & pistol. I use a 6 ounce rawhide mallet.
    i noticed on a couple occasions after the pop I'd deprime & reprime the same piece of brass, and get another pop! Weird because I always clean the primer pockets first. Now I wrap blue tape on my left forefinger & thumb, the residue from primers firing on bare flesh is a bugger to wash off. If one pops now that piece of brass goes in the scrap bucket. No sense giving it a second chance.

  10. #70
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    I have to apologize. I misread the question. I thought it was in reference to the lee hand primer tool Not the lee loader. I have very little experience with them.

  11. #71
    Boolit Master 1989toddm's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by needausername View Post
    I loaded a few rounds with a mallet and was so nervous I got the arbor press out. Loaded for years in 38 and 45 with the press and never had a primer go off. Just couldn't get over the mallet idea.
    Welcome sir, to the zoo! It's a great place to hang out.
    For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. Eph. 2:8,9

  12. #72
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    I use Lee Classic Loaders for all my reloading. IIIRC I have popped 3 cci primers in 15 years. Not a big deal, inside they are loud, outside rather quiet. Use CCI primers and safety glasses and you will be fine.

  13. #73
    Boolit Grand Master

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    FWIW, I've found a heavy hammer that "pushes" rather than "tap, tap, tap" , works better for priming on my Lee Loaders (and saves a lot of underwear changes)...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  14. #74
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    Yes, many times back in the 60's. I was loading 3006 into military cases and didn't know about primer pocket swages. It's just a single primer, how much damage can one primer do?

  15. #75
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    It should be noted that this type of tool which is essentially a glorified Wilson Hand Die was never meant to be ran with a hammer. Lee recommends a soft plastic mallet which is considerably different than a Brass Hammer.

    All the original Hand Dies,,, and they have been around since people could reload and are nothing new. Were designed to be ran with an arbor press. I am referring to the article on the .400 Whelen By Mike Petrov. Petrov Managed to actually get ahold of Whelen's Original Hand Dies for the .400 Whelen and took measurements off them and published them in the article. He also loaded ammo for the article with those same dies,,, Using an Arbor Press.

    That said,,, Lee took the Hand Die Concept and integrated all the operations into one die body and recommended a Soft Plastic Mallet as an alternative to run the thing. Lee also made the Hobby of Reloading so inexpensive that it allowed many more people to get in the Front Door so to speak. As a result I'm writing this, as well as many others here. My first one was $9.95 in 1971.

    Typically a primer is about .002-3 below the base of the cartridge when seated correctly. If you were to start the primer and then put the case on a solid flat surface you could push it into the case even with the base. If you put a palm knob on the rod you could probably do it by hand. Then use the Lee Loader tool to push it the rest of the way in with a single very gentle tap. The amount of force you use at this point would be the governing factor in popping or not popping.

    I think the main cause for popping a primer is the urge to hit it several times to make sure the primer is all the way bottomed out. When it is probably all the way there with the first or second hit.

    I have recommended many times here using a Drill Press as an Arbor Press when running a Lee Loader. The ability to feel when the primer is seated would be a good reason to do this. The adjustability of the table to the head makes it easy to change for the different lengths needed for the different operations. I can almost guarantee that you will never pop a primer using the press method.

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  16. #76
    Boolit Master
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    Out of curiosity I primed a few cases using that method and never set one off. But even as a teenager I thought of Lee as a dim bulb when it comes to designing reloading tools. No one in his right mind would turn a hammer loose on a primer except Lee.

    >>>Lee recommends a soft plastic mallet which is considerably different than a Brass Hammer.<<< I disagree and I have as a lot hammer time. Certainly a lot more than the usual Lee Whack a Mole customer. While you are at it define soft as opposed to hard? Are you talking about a soft elastomer compared to a soft plastic? What plastic?
    I use a 40 year old DoAll 8 oz dead blow hammer. One side is hard nylon the other is some sort of soft urethane. There is really no hammer fit to seat primers with the Lee tool as far as I am concerned. You can defend Lee all you want but he basically sells a tool in which you use impact energy to drive the primers into the case.
    Last edited by EDG; 06-21-2016 at 02:56 PM.
    EDG

  17. #77
    Boolit Master
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    I have found that a plastic faced 16oz hammer works very well particularly when used gently. The weight does the work. It is great for use at the range or when hunting. You might find tha some bullets can be pushed into place by hand
    I frequently load roundball with a firm push.

  18. #78
    Boolit Master
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    The Wilson outfits as well as the Lee Loader go back to the Civil War era and have proven their value since then. They are good loading systems that work.

    The caps are not very strong and simply wearing safety glasses will keep you from getting hurt. Keeping your face away from the top of the tool is also helpful.

    Rather than building an additional room for my reloading equipment I can put mine in my back pocket and go to the range. Which I find to be of high value.

  19. #79
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I've read on reloading forums about using a drill press to use a Lee Loader. Some go to great lengths to degrade Lee Loaders, stating how "primitive" they are, but has anyone brought out/posted that a drill press is not an arbor press (same primitive shop practices)? Drill presses are not designed to apply a great deal of pressure. Poor shop techniques, kinda like using a screwdriver as a chisel or a claw hammer on a punch. (life long machinist mechanic here). That's primitive...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  20. #80
    Boolit Master
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    The Lee Classic Loader held the US record for the smallest 5 shot group at 1,000 yards for 7 years in the 1990s. Very small group. They are not primitive and are used by bench rest shooters.

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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