Lee Hand Priming tools issues!!!!!

[Brad]

If only I was setup to do brass castings. Making the part stronger at the area that breaks then Casting from a stronger material for final fitting Would be very doable.

Now that I have a rotary table I need to revisit the part I made from scratch.

 

[JonB]

I've seen the Lee older round tray hand primer tools at gunshows every once in a while...I've bought a couple...I even bought one of the early folding triangle tray units, because it had the same lever as the round tray unit. It's always good to have some spares around.

 

[4and1]

Some time ago, a company called 21st Century (I think) made a body and handle replacement for the original LEEs. You used the LEE tray and shell holders, even supplied common shell holders, and it's great. I carry that one in my range reloading box, my other is in my basement reloading area. I have a few part here and there too. One thing that happened to my original, is the ram "knob" wore a groove it it where it pushed the plunger, and it wouldn't seat a primer far enough. So I took that part, it's either aluminum or pewter, and started peening the middle of it and it grew in length and fixed the problem.

 

[david s]

If you'll PM me an address I'll mail it off to you. As a side note if you need any other pieces I stripped the broken primer so there available.

 

[david s]

The plunger/ram always wore the link between the primer body and seating lever on mine (had two). The shell holder rim cracking thru fatigue was a first though. Sinclair makes a similar one without the primer tray and I have one of the RCBS universal units. The RCBS is okay at best but it fits the 348 Win and 338 Lapua cases the Lee's wouldn't.

 

[Bisley]

I've learned to be "creative" in my use of Lee equipment.

The universal expanding die for pistol will take cartridge-specific expander plugs produced by custom aftermarket vendors, allowing me to finely adjust inside case diameter for .38 Special, .45 Colt, etc., with cast lead.

The FCD I bought has found it's problem (to solve): I use it to resize thicker .38 Super brass to a wide enough diameter for cast lead.

I have never preferred aluminum molds from any vendor.

With these two purchases, I have learned how to manage Lee purchases. I buy their products, but not for their intended use.

Handloading is a process of trial by error, at times, and application of Lee products allows a relatively inexpensive learning curve.

 

[Reloader762]

I still have an use on a regular basis two of the original Lee Auto Prime hand tools with the round heads. I have one set up for small primer and one for Large primers and they are at least twenty years old. Once a year I take them apart and apply a bit of grease to all the bearing surfaces and so far they have worked flawlessly.

The new Lee version #3 Safety Prime system that I use on my Lee Turret press has been working great as well, a couple minor adjustment after my initial instillation and it drops primer in the cup every time.

 

[RicinYakima]

K&M Primer Deluxe Hand Priming Tool

If you want the ultimate in hand priming tools - the K&M Primer Deluxe will fit the bill. Benchrest Shooters seat the primer until they...

www.midwayusa.com

This is the K&M hand primer tool, works as well as Sinclair and half the money. Takes Lee Auto Prime shell holders, is unbreakable and if greased will last at least 1 million primers.

 

[Bill]

I repaired both of my handles, first I glued them together with JB weld, then after that set up I made a scab from a flat piece of steel bent to the repaired handles shape, then used my scope tapping dies I drilled and tapped four holes two on each side of break then using accuglass bedding gel I screwed it all together, I think it's a permanent fix because I have loaded thousands of rounds since and they are still going strong, all of mine broke on milsurp 30-06 that I use in matches every month, even carefully reworked they seemed tight for a long time

Bill

 

[Petrol & Powder]

$65 for the K&M hand primer that lacks a primer tray ? No thank you. If I'm going handle individual primers, I might as well buy a RCBS ram prime for $28 and have something that uses standard shell holders.

 

[RicinYakima]

$65 for the K&M hand primer that lacks a primer tray ? No thank you. If I'm going handle individual primers, I might as well buy a RCBS ram prime for $28 and have something that uses standard shell holders.

That is why people buy Lee tools.

 

[Brad]

I would consider a K&M if it had a primer tray.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

That is why people buy Lee tools.

Or RCBS

 

[RBHarter]

The only kick I have so far about the Lee ram prime is that the press bushing is short about 3 threads for the way I want to use it . I've never had a hand primer .

 

[Wallyl]

Look at the difference....

Top the RCBS priming tool.....cost...$69.99

Bottom is the Lee Version....cost $23.99...

The RCBS version cost almost 3 times as much, but it will stand up to heavy useage---if it should break, RCBS will stand behind it.

 

[462]

If only RCBS would redesign their universal hand primer, so the primer tray attaches to the body from the opposite direction, as do Lee and Hornady, I buy it. It's counter-intuitive, to me, to have to hold the case in the shellholder.

 

[Rockydoc]

I also liked the Lee with the round trays but gave up on them when they broke. I then changed brands to something better built from better materials.

I got tired of having to change my RCBS universal hand primer back and forth from large to small primers and from having to empty the primer trays from rifle to pistol and back, so I bought 2 universal hand primers and 4 primer trays and now all I have to do is elect either large or small and then either rifle or pistol and go to work.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I swore off those years ago after breaking three of them in pretty short order all at the "dog bone" pot-metal part.

BUT, I have there LEE bench mounted primer on my bench now and Im on the second one of those!!

I wore out the universal jaws on a RCBS too but it still worked and didnt break. Just didnt work well.

Bought a Hornady unit and quickly boxed and returned that...

The RCBS that uses shell holders has been a good one. As has anyones ram prime I have tried. I also liked the RCBS APS system but dislikes having to handle primers extra and never finding then paying more for them IN APS strips.

The LEE is what it is and it WILL BREAK AND WEAR OUT But its 30$ and if I look at it as a consumable and replace it yearly or so. My brain can wrap around that enough to be OK with it.

CW

I have and have used a bunch of different ones.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

The RCBS unit that takes the standard shell holders is a decent device. Because it uses standard shell holders, it simplifies what you need to keep on hand. It takes a minute or two to reconfigure the unit for another caliber but it's reliable.

I like to have some type of fall back device for priming a few cases if I need to. That can be a on-the-press device or a hand primer.