Priming With Lee Loader - Any Accidental Discharges?

[dudel]

Accidental discharge from the equipment or the person running the loader? One leads to the other.

I expected a primer detonation to happen each time I used it. I now cheat and use the Lee Autoprime to seat primers.

[W.R.Buchanan]

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.

>>> 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.

As a Machinist/Toolmaker I see the Lee Company as having some of the Best Toolmakers in the business. You as a Machinist/ Toolmaker should recognize that the fact that they make Reloading Tools that are as good or better than lots of other brands,,, at a price nobody can compete with,,, in volumes that nobody can compete with,,, as somewhat more than Dim Bulbs.

That is a very successful outfit that has been running strong for over 50 years, and they didn't get that way by being stupid.

I think he felt ( and probably the Lawyers as well) that any damage caused by a Popped Primer was so negligible that it was not a significant risk. Also far offset by the cost of the tool in the market place which allowed so many people to get started. I have never heard of anyone actually getting hurt? and they have been making the tool for 50+ years?

No need to defend here. This outfit, and this product in particular, has stood the test of time, and their products have introduced more people to reloading than all others combined.

My .02

Randy

[W.R.Buchanan]

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...

MDI: Drill Presses are Arbor Presses with a hole in the ram with a rotating spindle. The reason they exist is because they can impart more directional force than any hand drill can. Hence the term "Press."

Every one of those Hand Presses I built had the Cross Pins installed with a Roll Pin Punch chucked in my 75 year old Craftsman Drill Press which had more than enough pressure to do the job. I also used another old non running Craftsman Drill Press I have out in the shop to Press tight fitting Top Plates onto the Guide Rods. The Feed Lever on that DP is only 8" long and yet it still had enough force to push parts together that would hardly move with a Dead Blow Hammer.

It takes virtually no pressure to seat a primer with even the smallest Harbor Freight Drill Press. Pressing the Cases into the Sizing Die is even easier, and obviously Seating Bullets is easier than that.

Try it,,, I think you'll see there's no harm to the machine whatsoever as the amount of force you are using to do these operations is less than it takes to run a 1/8" drill into aluminum.

Randy

[country gent]

One of the plusses to ahrbor presses, drill presses or bottle cappers and similar tools is the way the push is done, Its normally squarer and more alighned push than the mallet is and not the sudden shock. Things tend to press easier and better with less force when held square and solid in alighnment. Let it cock a little starting or going in and forces go way up. A drill press with a good square table should do well here.( On the cheaper ones I might "swing" the table with an indicator to make sure it is close to square to the spindle.) I have a friend that uses a 4" vise to push cases and seat primers with one of the lee tools and a c-clamp could probably be used as well.

[GhostHawk]

If you were really concerned about it. Put a single primer on an anvil, hit it with a hammer.

That right there is the worst it can be. When seating primers the gases have to go up through the case should a primer pop. I would assume you don't have your face to the neck of the cartridge?

Plus there is a punch and a hammer in the way.

Granted it might scare you.

Personally I bought a lee hand press and a RCBS universal priming tool, so it is pretty much a non issue for me. However I do still load a few rounds each year in 7.62x54r and some of the time it is with the Lee Loader. I do cheat and use the hand priming tool.

I also reload .410 brass shotgun shells from time to time and for those I use essentially a homemade lee loader. Never had one go off but I use a rubber mallet and light taps until I know it is started and straight.

[MT Chambers]

[QUOTE=W.R.Buchanan;3686733]As a Machinist/Toolmaker I see the Lee Company as having some of the Best Toolmakers in the business. You as a Machinist/ Toolmaker should recognize that the fact that they make Reloading Tools that are as good or better than lots of other brands,,, at a price nobody can compete with,,, in volumes that nobody can compete with,,, as somewhat more than Dim Bulbs.
What????...anyways I think that in the 21st century we have progressed beyond hammering on reloads, oh and please explain what is made by these wonder toolmakers that is "as good or better than lots of other brands" brands like Forster, Redding, RCBS???

[mdi]

W.R.Buchanan, +1 on your post #82! But #83 is full of beans. I learned waaaay back when I first picked up a hammer, mebbe 60 years ago, to use the proper tool for the job...

[jhalcott]

I used a Lee Loader kit to load a few THOUSAND 6mm cartridges. Often while hunting and away from home. I noted a response here about a shotshell going off when the primer was SEATED!??. That sounded fishy to me. I have graduated to the Auto Prime units (I have 2). I HAVE managed to flip a primer on its side and crush it to remove the case from the unit. I have NOT popped a primer ,ever! As for Lee's quality I have dies and molds from many makers. Lee's tools are made well and for the average reloader on a budget. They may not last as long as some under continued stress. I can show you several "mistakes" from high dollar makers. I have yet to get a Lee tool that was MIS marked! I HAVE worn out an inexpensive Lee press in my 71 years. It was used when I got it and loaded for sillywet shooting for over ten years. About 30,000 rounds of MY handloads and the handle connection broke. Lee had made changes and the part was not available.

[W.R.Buchanan]

MT Chambers: we have had this discussion several times. But one thing that comes to the surface everytime... A Set of Lee Rifle Dies $28,,, a set of Redding Dies $165. There ain't $140 worth of difference. Both do the same job and will do it for as long as anyone could want.

WE obviously have a difference of opinion here.

MDI: 50% ain't bad,,, is it?

Randy

[MT Chambers]

Yugos were cheap too!

[country gent]

Lees reloading and casting equipment have started alot out reloading and casting. It would take a pretty big field to hold all the people who just started out and use the lee loaders. They work And will load good ammo I started out loading 222 on a Lee loader kit ( didnt use the dipper alone but also a scales). An old nieghbor gave it to me when I bought the rifle and was using factory ammo. I also used an old bottle capper we had Dad and I modified to do this chore instead of an hammer or mallet. I have and still use some lee equipment not alot anymore but theres still some here. Depending on whats being done and quanity needed the Lee tools may be the best answer. The actuall quality and accuracy of the ammo depends more on the operator than the tools used. There are some that dont understand or care about quality control and what it takes.

[Texantothecore]

I don't understand why so many are afraid of a cap going off. It's a cap, that's all it is.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I think they envision the rod going thru their eyeball or some such malady.

Randy

[Texas by God]

I only had it happen with Western round face small pistol primers loading .38S&W for an Enfield revolver that my history teacher sold to me at school. Did I just date myself? Twice and Mom told me to go reload in the barn! Best,Thomas.

[Texantothecore]

MT,

I agree with you about Lee's machinists. 20 bucks for a bullet mold, 30 bucks for a complete reloading kit.

In addition, many of the extras on other brands are licensed to them by Lee.

Top notch manufacturing operation.

[EDG]

Lee will always remain a bad tool designer. They are stupid stupid stupid when it comes to seating a primer with a hammer.
Tool makers ?? You have your terms all wrong. Reloading tools are so simple anyone can make them.
Not everyone can design them and Lee has proven they cannot design them many times. How many failed priming tools have those fools designed? Basically all of them...
Eventually that hayseed design that hammers discontinued. No one else produces such a joke for good reason.
The shot shell version of it has been gone for years because it was really beyond the strength of most shooters to use it. Only someone detached from reality would design such a tool.

Proof of Lee's 50 years in the business is they are making 7/8-14 dies and O frame presses just like other companies were already doing back in the 50s before Lee came along. But guess what. Lee had everyone else's designs to to copy and more than 50 years and he still designed in a lot of crummy features that he has had to change and others that he is too stupid to change.
Any one here have a Lee perfect powder scale ? jajajajajajajajajajaja I rest my case

As a Machinist/Toolmaker I see the Lee Company as having some of the Best Toolmakers in the business. You as a Machinist/ Toolmaker should recognize that the fact that they make Reloading Tools that are as good or better than lots of other brands,,, at a price nobody can compete with,,, in volumes that nobody can compete with,,, as somewhat more than Dim Bulbs.

That is a very successful outfit that has been running strong for over 50 years, and they didn't get that way by being stupid.

I think he felt ( and probably the Lawyers as well) that any damage caused by a Popped Primer was so negligible that it was not a significant risk. Also far offset by the cost of the tool in the market place which allowed so many people to get started. I have never heard of anyone actually getting hurt? and they have been making the tool for 50+ years?

No need to defend here. This outfit, and this product in particular, has stood the test of time, and their products have introduced more people to reloading than all others combined.

My .02

Randy

[EDG]

Apparently you have never seen an X ray of one driven into someone's hand.
It is it just a cap put one on an anvil with your face about 4 inches away and hit it with a hammer.
I guarantee that you will never say it is just a cap again.

I don't understand why so many are afraid of a cap going off. It's a cap, that's all it is.

[EDG]

I don't think you can name a single thing that anyone has ever licensed from Lee.
If you can - name it.... Name all them.

MT,

I agree with you about Lee's machinists. 20 bucks gor a bullet mold, 30 bucks for a complete reloading kit.

In addition, many of the extras on other brands are licensed to them by Lee.

Top notch manufacturing operation.

[Old Ironsights]

And yet... other than the unobtanium Tong Tool(s) has any other reloading tool company come up with products that can be used around a campfire in a TETOWAWKI scenario (or whilst sitting around a recently made expedient airstrip in BFE?

[RoyEllis]

Lee will always remain a bad tool designer. They are stupid stupid stupid when it comes to seating a primer with a hammer.
Tool makers ?? You have your terms all wrong. Reloading tools are so simple anyone can make them.
Not everyone can design them and Lee has proven they cannot design them many times. How many failed priming tools have those fools designed? Basically all of them...
Eventually that hayseed design that hammers discontinued. No one else produces such a joke for good reason.
The shot shell version of it has been gone for years because it was really beyond the strength of most shooters to use it. Only someone detached from reality would design such a tool.

Proof of Lee's 50 years in the business is they are making 7/8-14 dies and O frame presses just like other companies were already doing back in the 50s before Lee came along. But guess what. Lee had everyone else's designs to to copy and more than 50 years and he still designed in a lot of crummy features that he has had to change and others that he is too stupid to change.
Any one here have a Lee perfect powder scale ? jajajajajajajajajajaja I rest my case

And so I take it from your denigrating magnanimous post you are far more brilliant and successful with your own reloading equipment company?...........................yep, thought so