I have a mate who has a Lee Pro 1000 and he is a bit disappointed that Lee advises you can only use CCI or Winchester primers with the automatic primer feed on this machine.
The Lee website has operating instructions for this machine and “Safety Considerations” which say: Use only Winchester or CCI primers. Other brands, especially Federal brand, can explode with sufficient force to seriously injure the user or persons nearby.

I have been watching a YouTube video on the operation of the Lee Pro 1000 by a bloke who calls himself San Francisco Liberal and he claims that he regularly uses Federal primers and has never had any problems.
He suggests that Lee may have some issue with Federal that has nothing to do with primers? ( but I don’t reckon it would be much fun to have a hundred of them blow up in your face).

In our location Federal are the cheapest and the Winchester and CCI are the most expensive.

Does anyone here have any opinions or comments about whether or not the Winchester / CCI primers thing is a hard and fast, set in stone, rule that shouldn’t be broken or is it ok to use others?

If this is something that should be strictly adhered to, then maybe Lee should go back to the drawing board with the Automatic Primer thingy and redesign a device which allows more variety of choice.

As always, any comments appreciated.
Campfire

It says that on my Lee Safety Prime and my Lee hand priming tool. I guess they tested it at one time and Federals being "softer" may have gone bang or boom.?

I myself do not use Federal BUT I do put 100 primers (Win, CCI, Wolf) at a time in the primer tool and have not had any problems (yet) Which is against their recommendations.

But that's me, so I am not recommending it and disclaim any knowledge of this post if someone else does it and gets hurt.

I do wear safety glasses.

Is there a way to make a small "blast shield" that will not be in the way. Perhaps Lexan?

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Still Running Against the Wind

I thought they had done this only out of steel. Seems to me I saw a picture of that somewhere. Maybe in one of the Lee manuals?

Found this on page 19 of their catalog. No picture.

I've used 2 Pro 1000's for several years and thousands & thousands of rounds, and while I prefer the Winchester primers, I've lately been forced to use whatever was available including Wolf and Federal... no problems at all.

I believe the Explosion Shield above is intended for the Loadmaster.

I have been discussing your replies with my mate and I think he has decided to go ahead and set-up some sort of a Lexan protective shield.
It shouldn’t be too difficult to make and at least then, won’t have to worry about a batch of primers going off all at once. ( I think it would be worth going to the trouble just for peace of mind).
When we get it all set-up I might post a few pictures and a bit of a report on how it all works.
Thanks for the responses.
Campfire

I HAD A LEE 1000 AND SPENT MORE TIME WORKING ON IT THAN I DID LOADING. I SWITCHED TO DILLION YEARS AGO AND NEVER LOOKED BACK, THEY HAVE A NO BS LIFETIME WARANTY.

Now I'm not wanting to start any "reloader brand wars" as I have an excellent old Lee turret that I kept after I bought a Dillon.

In working with a new reloader who bought a Lee Progressive 1000, I have to say it reminds me of my old "mechanics special" riding mower that I'm getting the last ounce of use out of. You REALLY have to want to use it and learn how to deal with it's particulars.

If not adjusted just right, the 1000 can bind on primers, for one thing. The warnings are there because some (not all) blew primers with it.

Not on mine. here is the skinny from Lee's site:

Lee Safety Prime for Classic Cast & Turret Press

Makes priming on the press a delight. Never touch the primers from box to shell. Primer flip tray features a CAD designed flipping surface that instantly rights the primers. Change primer size in seconds. Primers are dispensed with a satisfying click of the primer feed trigger. Use any brand of primers because the priming operation is remote from the feeder. Works on all presses that have the Lever Prime System (LPS).

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Dom

My mistake. The Lee Safety Prime can use any primers up to 100.

The OP is talking about the Pro 1000 and the primer system that comes with that. The "destructions" state only Win and CCI primers.

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi-data...uct/TR2441.pdf





FILL THE PRIMER TRAY
WARNING: Use only CCI or Winchester brand
primers. Other brands, especially
Federal, can
explode with sufficient force to seriously injure
the user or persons nearby.
ALL PRIMERS ARE DANGEROUS and it should be
anticipated that the primers in the tray could explode
through accident, misuse or spontaneously.
Should an explosion occur, our tests have demonstrated
that safety glasses will normally prevent serious
injury to the user if CCI or Winchester primers are
used, because the explosion is minimal. Other primers,
however, can explode with sufficient force to seriously
injure the user, or persons nearby.
We do not take any position with respect to the quality
of performance of primers available on the market.
However, ONLY those primers manufactured by CCI
or Winchester are recommended for use in the Lee
Pro 1000—and when loading those primers—safety
glasses must be used. NO OTHER PRIMERS should be
used with the Lee Pro1000.
Place no more than 100
CCI or Winchester brand
primers in the tray.
(Use of any other brand
exposes the operator to
unnecessary risks.) With
the cover off, shake side
to side to turn all primers
right side up.
With the cover on, use a
pencil to hold the primers
in the tray while assembling
it to the priming tool.
Shake the unit side to side
to fill the primer trough
LOADING A SINGLE CASE

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Still Running Against the Wind

You might want to check out the following site:

loadmastervideos.com :: Index

It covers Loadmaster, Pro 1000 and other Lee items.

The Pro 1000 is a minimal cost system that presents some challenges to users, especially those with no or little patience and or mechanical abilities that should probably not be loading ammo. It is a low cost system that will not break the bank should you decide loading is not for you.

I used one successfully for several years and many thousands of rounds. I used Federal, CCI, Winchester, Fiochi and Wolf primers. No primer exploded except in my guns and I did crush a few.

I transitioned to the Loadmaster which is a reasonably priced press. I have been quite pleased with it. I definitely recommend it over the Pro 1000.

Dillon makes good machines and Lee does also. Lee provides a case feeder with each Pro 1000 and Load Master. It costs an additional $250 + for a case feeder from Dillon, more than a Load Master system costs.

During the shortages I used what ever primers I could get my hands on. So over this past winter I reloaded probably 3000 or so rounds with Fed primers.

My two presses at that time were a Lee Challenger Breech Lock & a Lee Pro 1000.

No booms. Although I'd like to see that (from a safe distance)

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John 3:17
<><

trust me.

Just blew my press up ab hour ago with federal primers. Do not use them unless you hand prime them.

I began rotating out some 40cal on my lee1000. There were no other primers available at local gun shop besides federal, so I took bad advice from so called gurus on some forums who have reloaded "thousands of bullets with federal in lee bla bla bla". The lee 1000 instructions say to specifically not use federal primers. I should have listened

long story short, I must have had an alignment problem, however with no more force then usual, my primer tray EXPLODED after about 20 rounds.

Human error on my part is completely possible, but how I got through 20 with no problems is beyond me.

Anyways, the tray fractured into sharp plastic , there was a casing or two, a bullet from my left hand, and about 50 primers and these became shrapnel.

From the following pics, you will see the damage created on my reloading bench, as well as my hand. In addition to my hand, I have puncture shrapnel type injuries on my face (approx 10), and my arms. My cotton shirt was imprinted with pokes that are still evident.

My lee 1000 will go to the garbage I think, and a dillion will soon grace my bench. Whether it was 100% the presses fault or not who knows, but I know that it is at least partly to blame with its bulls**t loose tolerances.








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Wade,
Man, glad you are OK! Welcome to the forum by the way! What a first post!

10 rounds to the face! OH MY WORD! (Hope you were wearing your safety glasses!) Tee shirt pierced! ITS A WAR ZONE!

All kidding aside, this does illustrate one thing; Lee knew that there was a problem with their equipment. When they post a warning not to use a certain component they knew what they were talking about. I wonder why though. Is it the tolerance issue? Who knows.

As I have said before, the big player's machines work like they were designed. Read the instructions and save yourself some aggravation!

Have fun, be safe.

Welcome Wade, I'm happy you were not seriously injured. And I'm sorry that your first post to the forum could not be under better circumstances.

I have been using a Lee 1000 for nearly 20 years to load .38 special and have always used CCI and Winchester primers, I was unaware of the Federal primer warning. The only Federal primers I have are large rifle primers. My Lee 1000 is very finicky in the primer loading stage and it often gets dirt and powder in the feed area that can cause not to index properly and crush primers or load them sideways. I have made and installed a brass shim under the primer feed ramp to help the primers feed better and it sorta helps. But then I have done a lot of little tweaks with a bend here a shim there and some polishing to tune the 1000 so that it works better. I suspect some crud got in that area on your press causing it to blow. Don't throw away you Lee 1000 you could send it to me as my crusty old Lee 1000 is in need of parts and I'm holding it together with bubble gum and bailing wire.

I also have a Dillon 550 that I use for all my other pistol calibers and it is a much better press. I think you will be much happier with a Dillon. I do my rifle calibers on a single stage press.

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II