I have been using Lee's hand held priming tools from before they had magazines. They were a great improvement over priming with a reloading press or with a Lyman tong tool. However, the arthritis in my thumbs isn't getting any better and the Lee tools don't have a lot of leverage, so am looking for a replacement that you squeeze with your fingers. What should I buy?
John
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Hello to all,
I have had an old round Lee priming tool for a very long time. I have never had an explosion and hope I never do, but there is one thing that mine does that could possibly cause an explosion. Occasionally mine will stack two primers on top of each other in the hole in the shell holder. I'm sure if you have no sense of feel and kept squeezing hard enough that it would blow up. I feel it instantly and quit squeezing and take it out. Yes, they don't agree with arthritis, I put my right thumb on the lever and put my left thumb on top of the right thumb. I guess you would call it the Lee two hand grip.
Mashjburn
David a. Cogburn
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"I do like the exceptional feel of the Lee Ramprime on a press ..."
Ditto here.
Bob .45-70 & .30-30
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Make it 4 for the RCBS bench prime,
I like that tool, too. A lot. It's what I use in conjunction with the Forster co-ax. Great feel, AFAIC. But the OP asked about hand primers.
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From the people that I know who have broken them, they are in two categories: trying to seat crimped in primer cases or not centering the case in the shell holder.
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For rifles I generally use my Jake Simmons tool that I bought when I started shooting single shots. For those unfamiliar with this one, it is an adaptation of one produced around the 1890s by Harry Pope. Otherwise I usually use my first generation Lee tool with the screw in shell holders. I've been told they break, so I have bought up several and a bunch of spare parts, but so far I've never broken one(?)
Froggie
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Make it 4 for the RCBS bench prime, I can load 100 primers in a tube <30secs. Also have an original Sinclair hand priming tool purchased in the early 90s and use that when I'm really picky.
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I've used the old, round, Lee Auto-Prime for 30-years or more.
One, that I used the most, developed a crack in the connecting rod that I didn't notice. Gradually, the crack widened and the primers weren't fully seating. It was gradually enough that I didn't notice that the primers weren't seating properly. Then the connecting rod broke.
Calling Lee, the connecting rod for the, old, round Auto-Prime is no longer available, and the connecting rod for the new Auto-Prime is not compatible, even though they look the same.
Luckily, I had a second Auto-Prime from when I had a second reloading setup while working overseas.
I've never had a problem with primers exploding. And I've never heard of primers exploding until I read it on the here.
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I don't think the problem is too much leverage, but don't understand what makes one brand different in a way that would cause it to explode. I have pushed out a lot of live primers and used them later. It usually makes a bump where the firing pin will hit but they seem to work OK -- no explosions.
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Is the problem with the Lee and federal primers too much Leverage? I've never had a primer detonate on me.
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lotech,
You are right, that it isn't dubious internet lore. The instructions with their latest priming tool says it "REDUCES the likelihood of a mass detonation" They further say, "However all types of FEDERAL BRAND LARGE PRIMERS frequently cause the entire tray to explode" Hard to believe it's that bad but I am not going to find out. I wonder what the instructions for other magazine fed priming tools say?
I have been using the Lee square tray model for years and find it works perfectly. Different strokes for different folks.
John
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John-
The original Auto Prime round tray "dangerous" (my word) model worked very well, but there were some reported explosions and injuries that caused Lee to do some in-house testing. This was more than thirty years ago as I recall. The testing was written up in at least one gun magazine; I read it but don't recall the publication. I think the subject may also be addressed in the Lee load manual, so none of this is dubious Internet lore.
Lee advised using only CCI and Winchester primers in the tool. The square tray model supposedly eliminated the danger but was a sorry tool. I threw away two or three of these.
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if you load primer tubes one primer at a time it is about as fast just putting the primer in the primer tool cup .....
same with lubing bullets in a sizer >>> why pick up a bullet, put it in a sizer, pull the handle, turn the lube lever, lower the handle, pick out the bullet, set the bullet down, then later pick up the bullet and seat it ...
i just pick up the dry bullet with greasy fingers and seat it ... works at least for plinking fodder ...
ken
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I have used the Sinclair hand priming tool for a few decades and agree with Tom's comments. I have no problem using the Sinclair but my arthritis is not too bad yet.
I do not think I would prime much faster using a hand held tool with a primer feeding system. I thought the time spent loading tubes or strips would eliminate any time saved using the primer feeder.
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Is safety the reason for using the slower type?
For me, I seldom load more than 40 cases at a time. It is almost a fast for me to pick them up off of a paper towel, than having flip them to orient, load them and shake the magazine to make it feed.
When I was loading 200 a week for pistol Bullseye and 200 for High Power, I used older round magazine Lee.
Reloading and shooting are my hobbies and I enjoy doing both. I'm not in that much of a hurry these days.
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Thanks for all the advice on a variety of priming tools. I was surprised that so many of you are using single loaders. Since Lee came out with a magazine fed loader I just assumed that everybody had gone to that faster type. Priming tools are seldom discussed much so we don't know what others are doing I guess.
I know both the tube type feeders and the other configurations have been know to explode. Have any, or many, of you experienced such an event? Lees claims their latest design is very safe but not with Federal primers and they used to recommend certain brands use in their older magazine models.
Is safety the reason for using the slower type?
John
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How about the old RCBS Auto priming tool ? The one that fastens to the bench and uses a primer feed tube.
Makes 2 of us who like it!And I like it a lot!!!
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I like the adjustability of my Frankfort hand priming tool. Lots of purchase for the entire hand and no sore Lee thumbs.
Mike
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CPA rifles makes a prime de-prime tool that I use and like.
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I like the RCBS hand tool except for the loose primer rod. It took me a few sessions before I learned that you can't turn the thing upside down!
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I have one of the Sinclair units with a handful of shell holders. You insert the primers one at a time. Has lots of leverage but also lets you “feel” the primer being seated. Memory says I paid about $85 for it way back when.
The only time I’ve used it is when out of town @ a two-day match and loading in the hotel room, which has been seldom. Most of the time I use a RCBS bench top mounted unit. But…one primer @ a time with it also. I don’t believe in using the tube magazine. Don’t want the “enhanced risk” of the tube detonation!
Tom
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RicinYakima
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Wm Cook
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JeffinNZ
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Duane Mellenbruch
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Hornet
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lotech
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David Reiss CBA Membership Director
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John Alexander
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Paul Pollard
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beltfed
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