Hand priming?

[Double-O-Dave]

I've used a Lee Auto Prime for over 25 yrs. without any problems. I recently purchased a new version because Lee finally made a square shaped primer tray (the old one is round, or circular shaped) which makes it easier to transfer primers from the original container without spilling them. The old Lee Auto Prime is going into the back-up box, or I'll probably end up giving it to my son once he decides he wants to start reloading.

Regards,

Dave

 

[iouri]

I use Lee's hand priming tool to prime *drumroll* - 25 ACP , cause I don't have a shellplate for this caliber for my 550B

 

[Boogsawaste]

Lots of love for the Lee and RCBS. Thanks to everyone who shared what they use. There's a show this weekend (along with one last weekend...wife's gonna kill me), so I'll see if anyone has one for sale. If not, I'll pick one up online.

 

[SMSgt]

Just bare in mind that Standard shell holders won't work in a Lee, and Lee changes their "special" shell holders with each model upgrade. If you're loading more than one or two calibers, it can add up.

 

[Nemo288]

After I developed arthritis in my thumbs, I needed something with a longer arm.
I use the Sinclair hand primer.
Sinclair Priming Tool
It uses the Lee shell holders.
Sinclair's version of these are better made and stronger (thicker lips).
It's expensive but will be the last one you ever buy.
You can adjust the depth of the stroke too.
A cheaper version of the same basic thing is the K&M Primer deluxe.
K&M Primer Deluxe
21st Century Shooting also makes a stainless primer with click head adjustment for depth.
S.S. Priming Tool
None of these use a tray and will ever wear out.
Probably not for the person who loads thousands of rounds a month.

There is something about the heft of these that makes priming actually fun.
The Sinclair weighs 11.5 oz.
Once you get the hang of using them, they are 90% as fast as the tray models and way more precise.

===
Nemo

 

[Boogsawaste]

Yeah I saw that lee shell holder thing. It is something to keep in mind.

And nemo, thanks for the links to those others. First I've heard of those companies as I'm fairly new to loading. They look like some tough units! Something to consider for sure. I like the adjustable seating depth as well.

 

[Dave Workman]

I only hand prime rifle cartridges. I use a progressive Piggyback on an RCBS Rock Chucker. Works peachy

 

[SMSgt]

Using my Lee hand press and RCBS primer, all my handgun cases get sized, primed and flared while I recline in my Laziboy in front of the TV. No one said reloading has to be hard.

 

[novalty]

Save up the extra money and get the RCBS Automatic Bench Priming tool. Your hands will thank you.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-638LgQp4gc[/ame]

 

[Geoduck]

Just bare in mind that Standard shell holders won't work in a Lee, and Lee changes their "special" shell holders with each model upgrade. If you're loading more than one or two calibers, it can add up.

I have two of the lee hand primers, one of the older ones with the round tray and one of the newer ones with the square tray. The shellholders are interchangeable.

The ergonomics with either leave a little to be desired but they get the job done fairly quickly.

 

[DWalt]

Just bare in mind that Standard shell holders won't work in a Lee, and Lee changes their "special" shell holders with each model upgrade. If you're loading more than one or two calibers, it can add up.

Not quite. I use two of the old-style Lees autoprimes. You can use the RCBS-type shell holders with them, but you have to take a Dremel tool with a cutoff disc and slice off the piece on the bottom. It's very hard steel, but it can be done. I generally do my priming on a coffee table in the living room sitting in front of the TV. I normally do several hundred cases at a time. Having used the Lee since about when they first came out, I have no problem whatsoever with it, and see no reason to use anything else.

 

[Mtnfolk325]

Like Geoduck, I have both styles of the LEE & the shell holders are interchangeable. I have had 2 of the earlier version since they have been offered set up for Large & Small Primers. Last year I finally broke the handle on the one set up for small, so I bought a new one and set it up for small. FWIW, I started reloading in 1974 & upgraded from the original LEE Hand Priming Tool, the one that you used tweezers to set the primers in for each stroke ..... Still have both of them too, one each set for Large & Small. BTW, I started on LEE Loaders & progressed to a RCBS Rock Chucker, then a Dillion RL450, then a Dillion SDB & finally to a Dillion RL550. Now I am back to the original RCBS ..... ;o)

 

[lebomm]

SMSgt;
I have a couple of Lee die sets, and their shellholders fit my Rockchucker just fine. My RCBS shellholders snap cleanly in & out of the Lee Ram-Prime unit, so what am I missing about "standard" shellholders not working? (never used a Lee bench press or hand-priming unit)

Larry

 

[Nemo288]

The Lee handheld primers (and a couple of others) use a sawed off shell holder not fit for use in a press.

===
Nemo

 

[SMSgt]

SMSgt;
I have a couple of Lee die sets, and their shellholders fit my Rockchucker just fine. My RCBS shellholders snap cleanly in & out of the Lee Ram-Prime unit, so what am I missing about "standard" shellholders not working? (never used a Lee bench press or hand-priming unit)

Larry

The Lee hand primer uses different shell holder, even different from Lee dies--which won't work in its hand primer either. Then when they change/upgrade primer models, they change shelholders again.

I had the old, no-tray Lee primer and didn't buy a new Lee because none of the shell holders would work in the newer models. The Lees work well but I don't care to buy a new batch of shell holders to use a new hand primer when RCBS (or Hornady, etc.) use standard shell holders

 

[kbm6893]

I batch load. I tumble, resize, and expand a big bin full of brass, then sit in front of the TV and hand prime using my hornady hand primer. Do about 400 before my hand gets tired. I have 1500 pieces of brass all ready for powder and bullets.

 

[Boogsawaste]

Save up the extra money and get the RCBS Automatic Bench Priming tool. Your hands will thank you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-638LgQp4gc

I did see those. They look pretty neat. Since I do 100% of my loading at my bench it won't hinder me that I can't sit in front of my tv or anything. Just one more tool to consider!

 

[Boogsawaste]

I batch load. I tumble, resize, and expand a big bin full of brass, then sit in front of the TV and hand prime using my hornady hand primer. Do about 400 before my hand gets tired. I have 1500 pieces of brass all ready for powder and bullets.

I started by batch loading single stage style on my turret. Now I just have clean brass laying around for when I'm ready to sit down and run it with auto index. However I do not like priming on my turret. Can't explain it, I guess it's just the upstroke seating I don't care for.

So for the longest time I was using a Lee auto prime II. Thing is great except for when the primers get low they stop sliding down to the ram and the last 10 or so I always have to use a little dental pick to help them along. Kind of annoying but livable. This is why I was looking for another way. I go slow with it but I've caught primers 1/2 on the ram when the primer tray gets low and I started to pull the handle. Just afraid to have one pop from this issue and have the whole thing explode in my face. I wish there was a different feed system on it because otherwise I like it a lot. Those darn Lee feed troughs...

 

[Mr.parker]

I use the rcbs hand held. works great for me, I primed 525 45acp cases last night while sitting in my recliner watching tv. took about and hour and a half.

 

[rwsmith]

Yeah, you're right.....

The advantage of the RCBS over Lee is Lee insists on using "special" shell holders whereas the RCBS uses standard shell holders. I started out with an old Lee and slap wore it out. Then I upgraded to RBCS for the mentioned reason and never looked back.

Fortunately Lee Shell holders for the auto prime are cheap.