New Lee Ergo Prime -Hand Priming Tool

[RGMJ]

Guys,

I was browsing Lee's 2012 catalog and saw they are offering a new hand priming tool - ERGO prime.

They also offer a roller handle for the Lee Pro-1000 progressive press.

Has anyone have these new stuff? Wanted to buy a new hand primer tool after my old Lee hand primer gave up its ghost after almost 10 years.

Thanks ofr any reply...

[zuke]

I'm gonna have to go and look at their site now.......

[462]

Looks like an RCBS and Hornady clone. The down side is that it still uses the XR tray.

You may want to read this thread: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=113351

[bumpo628]

I found it on page 16 of the catalog here:
http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/2012.pdf

It looks backwards. I think you have more leverage pushing with your palm like the original, than with your fingers. Kinda pricey too at $40.

[HARRYMPOPE]

at least the realized the Autoprime XR was junk.I hope it is a least as good as the old reliable autoprime

[gnoahhh]

Yeah, me too. I'm sweating the day my 20 year old autoprime cr*ps out on me.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I see that Midway has LEE primer arms listed for $1.99, the part #272-339 shows temp. out of stock. I`m wondering if this is a handle for the older prime unit?Robert

[C.F.Plinker]

As I recall, Lee said they no longer had levers for the round tray priming tools and the levers for the square tray tools did not work on the older tools. Howsumever, there have been several threads on this board as well as other boards that said the newer levers work on both the square tray and round tray priming tools.

Does anyone here have experience with both?

[Chicken Thief]

Use the tray you like and this handle:

http://www.21stcenturyshooting.com/Priming_Tool_Round.php

[tward]

Got my ERGO Prime tool from Midway on monday1/30/2012. Seems well made with far heftier castings than other Lee priming tools. Works well and they put a small "hat" over the primer elevator area, got no primers turned sideways or inverted and leverage seems better. They could use some type of noslip on the handle but OK otherwise. Tim

[Ben-WSU]

I liked the Ergo Prime. I would give the original auto prime a slightly better rating, but the Ergo Prime is alright.

-Ben

Video
http://youtu.be/wvY5UGopigM

[jimkim]

Lee says the XR lever doesn't fit the original autoprime, but the reviews on the Midway site say it does. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/272339/lee-auto-prime-xr-hand-priming-tool-replacement-lever

I kinda like the looks of the Ergo Prime, but if the XR levers fit, I'm sticking with my auto primes.

[Dale53]

I have had a new, still in the box, XR priming tool for some time. I finally needed to use it. After all of the negative comments on here, I was somewhat dubious. Well, I believe most of the negativity is misplaced. It took a bit of learning how to best use it but once learned, I find it a good tool. I like the larger square tray and once I figured out how to best get the primers to run, found it "good to go".

FWIW
Dale53

[Moonie]

I like the XR and no its handle does NOT fit the previous model, I tried.

[Gillie Dog]

After using the round tray Auto Prime for a long time I got an Ergo Prime to reduce thumb fatigue.

The Ergo Prime works just as well as the old one and seems easier to seat the primer with finger pull. You still have all the "feel" of seating like you did with the thumb operated one.

I did have to shake the tool a couple times to keep the primer feed groove filled with primers but all in all it worked as well as the old one and was easier to operate.

Once a big batch of priming is done I will be able to see how well the fatigue issue is cured or shifted to the hand. My guess from this small run is it will be a big improvement.

GD

[Sonnypie]

I've seen "New and Improved so much in my life, I no longer have to wash my clothes. The dirt just jumps off of them.... :groner:

Yep, got to keep you buying the latest model zombie-glitcher.

Yer "New and Improved" at a deeper discount. Go get em, boys!
http://www.titanreloading.com/priming-tools-and-shell-holders/lee-ergo-prime

And don't forget your new batch of shell holders!

http://www.titanreloading.com/image/cache/data/D2g/90250-250x250.jpg

[Bill*]

Use the tray you like and this handle:

http://www.21stcenturyshooting.com/Priming_Tool_Round.php

That tool only fits the Lee round trays. They DO make a square tray version though. Click on the yellow bottom right corner notice.
And thanks for the link Chicken Thief

[462]

I like the XR and no its handle does NOT fit the previous model, I tried.

Hmmm . . . the new curved and reinforced lever fits my round-try primer perfectly, and works the same.

[dromia]

What is it with Lee? Three different types of shellholders now.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/adamsutherland/Smilies%20FB/icon_***.gif

That has got to have been an opportunity missed by them.

[evan price]

What is it with Lee? Three different types of shellholders now.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/adamsutherland/Smilies%20FB/icon_***.gif

That has got to have been an opportunity missed by them.

Shell holders that fit the press and the prime tool must be patented by somebody, or else Lee just wants that extra money for a set of primer holders or something.

[dromia]

Looks like greed to me. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/adamsutherland/Smilies%20FB/icon_thumbdown.gif

[Dale53]

Actually, as I read it, the new hand priming tools use the same shell holders that the old Lee tools did.

Regarding greed - no Lee is not greedy - check the price of a complete set of Lee shell holders (either for the press or for the priming tool) against OTHER tool suppliers.

You can get a set of the priming shell holders for less than $12.00 for eleven shell holders. You can get a set of loading press shell holders for less than $20.00 for eleven shell holders. Lee charges just over half for the priming shell holders as they are less expensive to make.

That's not greed by ANY stretch of the imagination. Lee has made it possible for many ordinary income people to fully enjoy reloading on a budget. If it wasn't for Lee's prices holding the other companies in check, we would ALL be paying more for our reloading supplies.

No, I don't work for Lee and have no financial interest in any thing that they do. However, I know good products when I see them and I, for one, fully appreciate Lee's making them available.

Is everything Lee makes the "best"? Certainly not. There are several of their items you won't find in my shop. However, you will also find many sets of Lee Dies and two full sets of shellholders (both press type and primer type). I put my money where my mouth is:mrgreen:

FWIW
Dale53

[Sonnypie]

Now come'on guys!
You aren't playing the new and improved game right.
You don't want a new truck with 5 year old doors on it, right? :confused:
[smilie=l:

They sure ain't makin no money off me with my old Original Style hand priming tools.
Shucks, I'm still using a primer pocket reamer (http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa382/Sonnypie/Acc-u-ream2.jpg) from the 1960's....

[Sonnypie]

Looks to me like they still only offer the same-O, same-O shell holders.
No special ones for ERGO or the Extra Crispy versions, as far as I can tell.

HERE (http://leeprecision.com/hand-priming-tool-shell-holder-set.html) you look.

I do know I'm using two with #2 holders because one in LP and the other is LR primers. But 45 ACP and 30-06 both use numero 2uno shell holders. :-?

[Beekeeper]

You guys had me worried for a couple of minutes
I just received some ergoprime handles to use on my original auto prime.
For me they work great.
There is a slight casting burr in the socket where it hooks to the handle but a couple of seconds with a round jewlers file and it fits and works well.
Actually like the handle,fits my old hands better and now I do not have to use my thumb as the curved handle fits the heel of my hand good.


beekeeper

[Gillie Dog]

You guys had me worried for a couple of minutes
I just received some ergoprime handles to use on my original auto prime.
For me they work great.
There is a slight casting burr in the socket where it hooks to the handle but a couple of seconds with a round jewlers file and it fits and works well.
Actually like the handle,fits my old hands better and now I do not have to use my thumb as the curved handle fits the heel of my hand good.


beekeeper

Beekeeper,

With all due respect this is not possible. The ErgoPrime is a different animal. The ErgoPrime handle will not fit XRs or original AutoPrime. I do not have an XR but do have the other two.

Did not want folks to think so.

Maybe XR handle is what you got.

GD

[Beekeeper]

Sorry about that it is the handle for the XR that will work on the old primer.
Got my numbers crossed.

Was looking at the new one and trying to write about an old one.
The XR handle does work tho and quite well for me as I can use the part of the hand under the thumb and not the thumb ( does that make sense) to operate it and my hand doesnot hurt afterwards.


beekeeper

[Pitchnit]

I also had to replace my old auto prime. The lever simply snapped and I could not find another anywhere. I find the bad info about the tool is just that "bad info". I think it works fine. HOWEVER, if you want to use the round trays simply use the old linkage pin and ram with the old round style trays with the new lever and handle. It will work fine. I do like the new tool because I can watch the primer drop into position. I dont get 2 primers lined up in the head and I dont get any backwards. I think the XR is just as good as the old tool and it has a heavier reinforced lever that should not break as easy. YMMV, Regards-Pitchnit

[bumpo628]

What is it with Lee? Three different types of shellholders now.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/adamsutherland/Smilies%20FB/icon_***.gif

That has got to have been an opportunity missed by them.

I think there's only two.
One for the presses and another for the primers.

[crawfobj]

Not sure about the new tool, and I won't try unless/when my Autoprime dies.

As Dale mentioned, the new one uses the same Autoprime shellholders that Lee has always used.

And like Dale, I find them (and Lee's shellholder set for your press) to be one of the best values in reloading, period. Buy both sets, and you'll never curse yourself for not having the shellholder you need when you finally have time to load some rounds in that new caliber for that new toy that followed you home. Yes, that's happened to me more than once, but not since I bought Lee's shellholders.

[ErikO]

I got to try the roller handle at Cabela's and it's pretty nice.

[fcvan]

I used the original autoprime for years and broke a lot of the old pot metal connecting rods. Whenever I broke one, I ordered two replacements parts. once, I was so desperate for a new connecting rod I bought one of the hand priming tools that didn't have the primer tray just to keep loading. When the new rods came in I then had two autoprime tools, one for small and one for large.

The newer connecting rods were tougher and so I started breaking the levers. I recently purchased the XR levers which work on the old autoprime. The new XR connecting rods will not work unless they are modified. One other thing I noticed, the new levers push the primers up just a smidge further than the old ones. This is great because with all the wear they've seen I was having trouble fully seating small primers into my 9MM cases. Problem solved with the new levers.

Using a priming tool sure is a time saver, plus it gives my hands something to do while watching some TV programs. Frank

[reddoggm]

I think there's only two.
One for the presses and another for the primers.
The got three they made the thread on ones for the Zip trim