Haven't had one pop on me yet, but I use a Lee Hand Primer tool for priming most of my cases...
Haven't had one pop on me yet, but I use a Lee Hand Primer tool for priming most of my cases...
"An analog guy in a digital world..."
NRA Life Member
NRA Firearms Instructor
Anyone who primes with the Lee Loader and hasn't had one pop, just hasn't been doing it long enough,.................. or is lying about it. ALWAYS wear your eye protection while reloading but ESPECIALLY with the Lee Loader.
"Investment" is the new "Throw money at it!"
Detectives, and Cobras, and Agents!
Oh my!
Never had problems with my Lee hand primer 30 yrs old? I did have a primer fall into the ram of my RCSB turget press. Instead of disassembling the press I tired to "work it out" and boom. Primer frags in my left hand below the thumb. Was a "teaching moment"
Never had a primer detonation in my Lee Loader till I got some early import Seller & Bellot .303 that had a primer pocket that had a radiused pocket bottom that almost always caught the edge of the anvil legs.
I reamed the radius away with a handtool I made from a spring steel pocket clip from a pen.
From what I've heard later production S&B cases are better configured for US manufactured primers.
Later on I started using the handle of my drill press to push the case down over the primer with a piece of tubing in the chuck inserted in the case, using the priming cup of the LL to seat properly below the surface.
I'd primed .38 and .32 cases this way a few times, leaving those flush against a steel plate.
I use the DP to seat bullets also, using copper or aluminum tupes tapered inside to match the ogive.
I have a Lee Handpress, a Christmas present from a few years ago, but haven't sent off for dies yet. Probably will soon, cause I recently aquired a .25-20 and I doubt the LL would be gentle enough with the flimsey necks that I've heard are a problem with this case.
"Priming With Lee Loader - Any Accidental Discharges?" Yup............right afterr the primer went off.
Paul G.
Once I was young, now I am old and in between went by way to fast.
The end move in politics is always to pick up a gun.
-- R. Buckminster Fuller
In over 40 yr, not a single primer detonation. The first 10 years with the universal priming system on a RCBS Jr. The rest with Lee handprimer. I've had to replace several of the links, but will do it this way from now on..
It looks like some folks here aren't familiar with the infamous Lee Loader.
The original question referred to the infamous Lee Loader, not all priming tools made by Lee or others. Hammering primers? Not for me, thank you.
In 1981, I was standing at the counter of B & B Gun Sales in N. Hollywood, CA and another customer gave me some of the best advice I'd ever gotten. As I was reaching for my wallet to buy a Lee Loader in .357, the guy asked me "Are you going to load more than 50 rounds a year? Then DON'T waste your money on a Lee Loader. Get an RCBS Rockchucker and you'll never be sorry."
I thank God for people like him.
.
“I have strong feelings about gun control. If there’s a gun around, I want to be controlling it.”
Clint Eastwood
Hey, maybe I'm just lucky. I've loaded thousands of rounds with Lee Loaders in a variey of cartridges, mostly just for the heck of it. I have plenty of regular gear. Never one primer pop. You just gotta hold your mouth right. I do wear eye protection and make sure my face is well back, just in case. It's a simple tool built for a specific purpose which it does well. I look forward to buying more. I like to use the things I collect. When mama isn't home I bring in a big brick, set it on a towel on the kitchen table, get the PLASTIC mallet out and load up a box of good ammo in no time.
While I seldom load more than 20 at a time, I have loaded two hundred .303 in one sitting.
I liked my 310 a lot better but sold it when I sold my first Mauser.
I'd like to get another 310 for .303 and .25-20. But I already have the hand press so I'll give it a go first.
Hey, what's wrong with a little excitement? If a primer does pop how bad can it be? Has someone actually been hurt with one of these? It's a simple tool, does what it's supposed to do. Could be a good choice for some people. They sure have started a lot of guys out.
Well stated, sir! It was just this sort of occasional mishap--and the primer/case drive rod getting launched--that prompted a major upgrade to the RCBS RS press in roughly 1978. Lee loaders made GOOD ammunition--some of my most accurate early results in 223 and 30-06 were made with these simple, effective tools. But the primer light-offs got a little more of my attention than I was willing to give, so the rest is history.
I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.
Yes, I have. That is the one feature on the Lee Loader I don't like. Switched to the Lee Hand Primer and havn't had a problem since.
So 5 1/2 years since the last reply here. Many years ago, when I bought a WinchestercModel 70 in .222, I had no loading gear, a friend talked me in to a Lee Hand Loader, a 'Whack-o-Matic' as one funny fellow here calls it. Never a problem, great accuracy which testifies to whether it is any good. So I bought a 1911 A1 this year, only dies available was a Lee hand Loader, Whackem type. And it blows primesr steady. Upon close examination, the anvil that the primer sits on is not machined flat. It looks like when it was turned in the lathe, it was done incorrectly, leaving a raised area that detonates the primer, almost every time. So, lost the receipt, going to call Lee onMonday and see if they will warrant it without the receipt. If not then I will use a very small end mill and clean up the face myself. Hoping I don't need a diamond type cutter for it as it appears to be extremely hard steel.....
It is up to us to maintain that which so many have fought and died to gain
Ive never had a primer discharge with the few I used for a short time. But I never used a mallet or hammer with them. We had a small ahrbor press that I used for awhie then a converted bottle capper. No hammering but a steady even push to do the task. Was easier and quieter. Wish I could find another of those old bottle cappers. I use an ahrbor press I made with them now and the wilson straight line dies.
If you start the primer by hand and then place it on the priming device and gently tap it home you won't blow up any.
I have removed literally hundreds of live primers with the Lee Depriming Punch and Shell Holder. Again using some discretion with the amount of force that is used.
If you beat on the thing it eventually will pop one. Hint: Don't beat on the thing!
The first accessory I bought for my Lee Loader was a Lee Hand Priming Tool, and a small Redding Scale, I still have both and use them frequently, but if I needed to load with only the Lee Loader I wouldn't worry about popping a primer simply because I know how to use the tool.
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
One time.
It woke me up.
I still love my lee loaders.
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ive used them for probably 40 years. I don't know how many rounds ive primed with them but its well north of a 100k and I mean WELL NORTH. I never once had a primer explode. But the when things don't feel right I stop and check what the problem is.
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BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
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