Hand priming?

[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.

 

[SMSgt]

And I bet you already have standard shell holders for every caliber!

 

[mstem]

I have been using the RCBS hand priming tool for years. I did buy a Lee hand priming tool & it was junk! The lever that you squeeze to seats the primer broke in less than 100 cases. I threw it in the trash & got one from RCBS & have had no problems since.

 

[goatsnguns]

I have the Lee tools but have changed over to the Forster Bench mounted priming tool, it has reversible adjustable jaws, that will accommodate just about every case made. I use it for .17 Hornet to 45 ACP, easy to set up. Very well made, holds 50 primers at a time stacked sideways as a safety precaution.

 

[Boogsawaste]

Just thought I'd update. Grabbed an RCBS at the show this weekend. The regular one that uses shell holders. Works good. I flipped a few primers at first but got the hang of it quickly after. No casualties as I peeked in to check if a primer was in position before I placed cases on.

As a bonus I snagged an rcbs 10-10 for the pricy sum of $60! Works great and was verified with my weight check set starting at 1/2 grain up to the supplied weight at 250 grains. Of course there was some other deals that were good in my opinion like the 1lb of vv n320 I picked up for $25 (ran out of cash or I would have grabbed the 4lb for $75), a set of k frame magnas that were decent for $20, 2 100 packs of old cci 500 primers for $2. And 500 hard cast DE wadcutters for $30.

Good pull this weekend! Forgot to get another 38/357 shell holder and primer pocket swager but I'll probably just order those from somewhere.