Primer arm broke...need help

[44fanatic]

The small primer arm/foot broke on my lee turret press. Popped out of the press, hit the concrete floor and the thin piece of metal that holds the arm in the ram snapped off.

I am trying to swap out the primer seat between the small and large primer arms. Dont seem to be able to unscrew either of them. Is this even possible?
I would assume that it is possible as Lee has replacement parts for the primer cup, spring and a complete arm.

Any reccomendations?

[Caveape]

Yeah!
Buy RCBS next time!:kidding:

I'm sorry. I couldn't resist.
I'm afraid I can not offer any help.

I'm sure some experienced Lee user here can help.

I hate being down due to broken parts!

[44fanatic]

Gee thanks Caveape....LOL

Not more than an hour ago, I posted how danged happy I was with it...shouldnt a said anything...jinxed myself

[Duckiller]

Lyman and RCBS primer arm are interchangeable. Lyman calls their arm "universal". You might try a local gun shop for a replacement instead of ordering and waiting for a package from Lee. If you can get both Lyman and RCBS take the Lyman. Lyman holds the primer cup on with an allen screw. New RCBS primer cup screw into arm and you need a large fine fish hook to turn the cup.

[a.squibload]

I like the handheld style primer tool, with flipper, prime a bunch of cases and
put 'em away in ammo boxes.

[man.electric]

44, much like squib I also prefer hand priming. It is hard to get a good feel of whether or not you primers seated well when you are using a press. With a hand primer, you get that positive feel when your primer seats right. If your .44 is a Ruger, I am sure that you have had at least a few primers that didn't fully seat(barely visible) and wouldn't function in your gun.

[Packy]

They are not threaded just pull it out with a pair of pliers.

[44fanatic]

man.electric...was reloading for 30carbine. If it was for the 44, I hand prime, and am more meticulous about the loading

Packy...gonna give that a try. If I can get the small cup swapped out with the large cup on the other arm that came with the press Ill be good.

Ordered 2 new arms from Lee last night, the only arm that I saw that looks similar is a Hornady arm. According to Lee's webpage, they are swamped...expect 10-30 days for delivery.

So, unless I can swap the cups, will handprime and hold off on loading 9mm (maybe...LOL)

[Lead Fred]

Yes you can get replacement parts. I owuld never use a hand primer tool.
I do a lot of milsurp cases.

Ive used one of these for years. It seats primers in any case evenly.

http://www.a2zoutdoors.com/rcbs_priming.htm

[osage]

I order replacements from Lee after I broke the cup off the LP arm on my Classic Cast turret. Had the parts in a few days. I ordered an extra in case I do it again.

[Muddy Creek Sam]

44fanatic,

PM me your info and I will mail you mine, Never use them.

Sam :D

[44fanatic]

Sam,
give me a few days based on osage's post, lets see how quickly Lee can get them out. If I havnt heard anything by Friday, may take you up on your offer and send you back one of the new ones...dont feel like depriming 9mm cases yet...LOL

My 30 Carbine cases were unprimed and I just primed about 700 by hand...200 more to go...LOL.

[osage]

44fanatic I have had good turn around time with Lee online orders. Nice to see that Sam can help you out if needed.
I broke mine while loading 45acp but did not figure out why until I did some 223 last month. The cup on the arm was dragging on the bottom of the shell holder with the 223. It was making a clicking noise as it popped into the shell holder. To get the arm timed right I added a piece of electrical tape to press base where the arm makes contact. This caused the arm to move into the ram earlier and center under the shell holder.

[44fanatic]

Mine snapped off when it came out of the ram on the down stroke and hit the concrete floor...about the 4th time in an hour.

Any suggestion on how to prevent that?

[osage]

I used a Lee hand primer when I had my Lee three hole turret press. On the Classic Cast turret I have to take the shell holder off the ram. then the arm will drop in the ram. I'm not sure if it is a pin in the ram that the arm slides over. After the shell holder is installed the arm does not come out of the ram. I'm at work now so I can't look at my press.

[Alan in WI]

I would advise getting a carpet remnant or a good size throw rug and put it down under your reloader. I found a indoor outdoor carpet at Menards that was about 6 X 8. That carpet will not only save your primer arm but also dents in dropped brass and bullets. Another plus is that when you drop a primer or two they don't roll. Its easy to locate them and pick them up.

Alan

[Cowboy T]

I have a Lee Classic Turret Press and my primer arm never pops out. Sounds like it might not be getting seated in there fully. The newer (post-2006) Lee Turret Presses use the same Lever Prime System as the Classic Turret.

If I were you, I'd call Lee and tell 'em what happened, and that it's popped out four times.

[a.squibload]

Sam,
give me a few days based on osage's post, lets see how quickly Lee can get them out. If I havnt heard anything by Friday, may take you up on your offer and send you back one of the new ones...dont feel like depriming 9mm cases yet...LOL

My 30 Carbine cases were unprimed and I just primed about 700 by hand...200 more to go...LOL.


Fanatic, don't throw those 9s away, send 'em over here! SOMEDAY BT's
swaging dies will come in, I could use 'em for 40 jackets. :smile:

PS: Alan, carpet scrap a good idea. Guy we bought the house from was a
reloader, you will know it when you vaccuum up a live primer!

[44fanatic]

Fanatic, don't throw those 9s away, send 'em over here! SOMEDAY BT's
swaging dies will come in, I could use 'em for 40 jackets. :smile:

PS: Alan, carpet scrap a good idea. Guy we bought the house from was a
reloader, you will know it when you vaccuum up a live primer!

9mm cases are safe right now...from the press that is. Got about 1000 boolits to load up. Can wait a few days before I get to them. Just finished off hand priming about 700 of the carbine cases...base of the right thumb is feeling it. Thinking about getting a leather wrap for the lever.

[DLCTEX]

You guys need to check out the Lee Safety Prime . I prefer it to the hand prime. The cross pin in the ram is supposed to keep the priming arm in until the shell holder is removed. Is the cross pin bent? Are you using Lee shell holders? However I use RCBS, Lyman, and I think Herters in mine with no problems. Compare the length of the shell holder against others to see if it is shorter. I had a burr on the primer cup recently that caused the primer arm to lift (sticikng in the shell holder) until I smoothed it out.

[osage]

DLCTEX

Both the 45acp and 223 are Lee dies & shell holders used with the Lee Safety Prime. I may increase the depth of the slot in the arm. The tape got me up and running quickly. Most likely it will not take much hand fitting on the arms. I have two layers of vinyl electrical tape between the ridges on the press base.

I broke the cup the first time using the press. I think I was paying more attention to have every thing else was working. Other then a Dillon SDB I had not used a press mounted primer system. I guess I could have broken a more expensive part :bigsmyl2:

[44fanatic]

Ordered two small primer arms Tuesday night, processed Wednesday morning and came in with USPS today.

Thanks for the offers and words of advice.