Lee Safety Prime

[kbstenberg]

I have looked at the Lee website an read the posts here. But today i was at Cabalas an was going to buy the Safety Prime for my Lee Classic Turret Press. I opened the box to look at the direction an the only press that they showed how to mount the Safety prime to was the Classic Cast single stage press. I didn't think there was a difference, but i didn't know for shure. An i didn't want to get home (125 miles away) an find out i had gotten the wrong part.
Also have they changed the color of the device? The peace that puts the primer on the primer arm was white, I thought it was black.
I also checked out the price of primers. OUCH. Even at my favorite store The Wolfs Den, Federal LP primers have gone up 9$ since last spring.

[Cowboy T]

There are two of them, one for small primers, one for large primers. One's white, the other's black. There are two plastic mounting pieces to attach the Safety Prime. One's for the Classic Cast (single stage), and the other's for the Classic Turret.

Since I also have the Classic Turret Press (great piece of machinery, BTW), you just gave me a great idea for my next video--how to install and adjust the Safety Prime system on it.

If you're looking for affordable primers, check out Powder Valley and Widener's. The latter recently had a sale on Wolf primers of all types (they work very well) for $18/1000. Not sure if they still have 'em in stock at that price, but check every so often.

[geargnasher]

Cowboy T knows his Lee equipment! Check out his videos. I watched all of them before committing to a Pro1000, all after watching all the vids on the Loadmaster site, I decided on the Pro1000 and only looked back long enough to buy an additional one, extra shellplate carrier, tons of small parts and every accessory they make sans the bullet feeding stuff.

There are three primer kits, IIRC all the kits have both of the different mounting brackets. One kit for the large primers, (white dispenser with the thicker primer tray), small primers (black), and for three dollars more you can buy the kit that has both and two separate primer arms (instead of the hammerhead shark looking one with both cup sizes).

Your classic turret instructions shows which bracket and how to mount it. If you don't have the instructions, go to leeprecision.com and download the pdf. Great site, you can see pictures of just about every part of the machines as well as instructions.

Gear

[buck1]

Gear , so how are you likeing the pro 1000?
I too watched Ts videos ( thanks "T") and am about sold on getting 1 or 3, but I am still on the fence about it. ..Buck

[cajun shooter]

It was a pain to mount and adjust but works well.

[geargnasher]

Gear , so how are you likeing the pro 1000?
I too watched Ts videos ( thanks "T") and am about sold on getting 1 or 3, but I am still on the fence about it. ..Buck

Get one. They come with dies and shellplate and appropriate sized primer tray/chute/punch for the caliber you choose, so all you need to add is a case collator (12$) and some lag screws/washers to mount it to the bench.

The issues are, as with all progressives, learning the adjustments. Getting the case feeder tubes the correct height (READ THE INSTRUCTIONS) and learning how to time the shellplate index (again, RTFM) are the biggest challenge. Adjust the dies exactly like they say, and in the order they say or you will overstress and break the shellplate support. Use a toothpick or similar tool to hold primers in the tray until you get it stabbed in the chute or they will spill everywhere. Adjust the tension on the powder measure return chain LAST, AFTER you have permanently adjusted the depth, or you can break the chain on the downstroke. Undo the chain any time you make an adjustment, this is easy to forget. You can buy new chain at any store that sells ceiling fans.

Be patient with the learning curve, load one cartridge all the way through several times before going progressive, and learn how to lift the shell plate carrier a tad, reverse-index the shellplate by hand just enough to slip a case into or out of the priming station. Get good at that, it will help you if you get a primer that doesn't feel right seating, you can back up the shellplate, remove and inspect that station, and either put it back or leave it empty, no matter if you leave it blank at that point. Set up a light behind the machine so you can check the powder in each case before seating the boolit, it IS possible to double charge a case if you get distracted clearing a primer issue. If the primer chute is kept clean of powder granules (it sits right under the measure and gets sprinkled with granules that leak out of the measure from the movement of the charge disk0 you won't have any problems. Keep that chute FULL of primers, never let it get fewer than just below where the tray plugs in, because they gravity feed and you will seat them sidways if there is not enough pressure on the ones going into the shellplate carrier. Keep the primer tray tapped around, primers tend to bottleneck and jam up and the "shaker" pin that rides on the back of one of the columns isn't always enough to keep them feeding into the chute.

Gear

[buck1]

Thanks!Thats some good sounding advice! I am going to copy and save it as I am sure to forget some of it by the time I get the press in.....Buck

[Cowboy T]

Agreed on everything gear said.

I had a double-charge once on a Pro 1000, because I had short-stroked the press. Fortunately, I caught it and up-ended all three of them over the powder hopper just to be sure. Then I kept going. Yeah, I know, I only had to up-end two of them, like I said, I was making sure. So, what did I do with the two cases that were already primed? That's when that single-stage press comes in handy. Yes, I have a second set of dies for use on either the single-stage or the Classic Turret. With Lee gear, I can afford to do that.

However, out of over 20,000 rounds made on Pro 1000's, that was the only time I ever double-charged on one. And the double-charge was really my fault, not the press's. My procedure now is that if I see a short-stroke, I stop right there and deal with the case under the charging die. I have not short-stroked again since, though.

--End Hijack--

For handgun, I would definitely recommend a Pro 1000. For rifle, the Classic Turret with the Safety Prime gets my nod.

[chasw]

Check out these two models. I replaced my Lee Autoprime with a K&M priming tool. Seats one primer at a time, but is much more precise and uses the Lee shellholders. - CW

http://www.kmshooting.com/catalog/pr...er-deluxe.html

http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pi...r_Priming_Tool

[Cowboy T]

That certainly looks like a quality tool, but I guess it depends on how much precision is needed. For handgun rounds and deer-hunting rounds, the Safety Prime is certainly good enough. Maybe if you're doing benchrest competition, then it might make a difference. Me, I just want to be able to hit the deer or feral hog so that 1.) the animal doesn't suffer long, and 2.) I have good meat for the dinner table.

BTW, the video series is up now.