Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by bigfellascott » 04 Nov 2019, 7:04 pm

I've got the round Lee Hand Priming Tool - it's been great, never had any issues. I liked it that much I bought a 2nd one as a spare for when this one finally gives up the ghost.
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by GQshayne » 05 Nov 2019, 7:47 pm

I only ever use my press. It gives good feel, so I have never had reason to change. But I only do limited loading compared to many. Usually only 50 or 60 rounds at a time.
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by No1_49er » 05 Nov 2019, 8:12 pm

in2anity wrote:Do yourself a favor, and eject that piece of crap tool from your life - they are utter garbage. Indeed It's a waste that you've already purchased all of the shell holder inserts (I know, I have about ten of them for various calibers which I may as well throw in the bin) - but once you start using a superior tool, you'll regret not doing it sooner

+1 for the RCBS hand primers - I have the universal one (ending the need for shell holders) - and it works an absolute treat. Buttery smooth with a nice consistent feel to it - you instantly know when the pocket is cooked.

Lee mostly does adequate tools; that hand primer is not one of them.

I guess I've had a somewhat better run with my Lee primer then. It's been in use for something like 40 yr so far and still going strong after I don't know how many thousands of primers. It can get a bit tough on the thumb after a while though.
To fix that problem I got one of the Lee Auto Bench Prime tools #90700. Increased leverage makes it so much "lighter" to use. Easy to switch primer trays for small/large primers too. But the old one is staying in the kit.
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by deye243 » 05 Nov 2019, 10:36 pm

Stix wrote:
deye243 wrote:There's a reason I have 3 RCBS hand primers ......

Because you have 3 arms...?... :unknown:

Narh mate it's coz I'm too bloody lazy to change shell holder's......

That and they work perfectly......
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by SCJ429 » 06 Nov 2019, 6:18 am

deye243 wrote:
Stix wrote:
deye243 wrote:There's a reason I have 3 RCBS hand primers ......

Because you have 3 arms...?... :unknown:

Narh mate it's coz I'm too bloody lazy to change shell holder's......

That and they work perfectly......


What do you do if you want to prime 308 head stamp with small rifle primers or primers into something bigger than Magnum head stamp? Buy more RCBS Hand Primer units?
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by bigfellascott » 06 Nov 2019, 6:39 am

TassieTiger wrote:So after cleaning and sizing some 250 x 223 cases, I settled in for some hand priming.
Couple days previous I had to do 100 x 30/06 and I had to pull the hand priming tool apart at least 5 times, so I figured the 223 is using small rifle primers so should be better.
Fark me. Every 5 bloody primes or less at times, the primer would get jammed and I’d have to pull shell holder, spring and lever and spring Mech - dislodge the primer, put all back together and hope to death, the next primer would feed...but yep. It was the most frustrating priming session ever. Is this just the lee tool in general or just mine or ? This is the second lee I’ve bought as previously, this jamming s**t happened once too often and it flew out of my hand...is there a fix for this ?


I take it it's the square shaped primer tool not the round one?
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by YoungBuck » 06 Nov 2019, 3:42 pm

I've got a Lee hand primer - loaded about 200ish rounds of .243 shells with it, not had a single fault.
It'll shoot the fleas off a dog's back at five hundred yards, Tannen, and it's pointed straight at your head!
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by TassieTiger » 06 Nov 2019, 4:37 pm

Mine works okay with large rifle primers...but small and magnum ?...ffs. Magnum have very little clearance in the feeder shoot so get hung up constantly, Small primers have too much clearance, they can and do flip over onto their edge and then get stuck.
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by fenderstrat » 29 Nov 2019, 4:48 pm

I've been using a new model lee hand primer for the last 2-3 years, small and large primers, thousands of cases, absolutely no problem.
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by Oldbloke » 29 Nov 2019, 6:12 pm

Use a punch and small hammer. The Lee classic uses that method
Last edited by Oldbloke on 02 Dec 2019, 8:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by trevort » 01 Dec 2019, 5:14 pm

the best way yo fix your lee hand priming tool problem is to make it someone elses problem and get an RCBS. My first lee hand primer broke, tight pocket hard squeeze, handle snapped. I've now got two rcbs. I recently picked up two lee in a package deal from a bloke giving up. I thought I would set them up for a few different cartridges but used them twice and moved them on. You buy Lee for the price and thats it
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by Zappa » 03 Dec 2019, 6:17 pm

priming on a drill press , possible without fireworks ?
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by Oldbloke » 04 Dec 2019, 5:17 am

Zappa wrote:priming on a drill press , possible without fireworks ?


Great idea
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by sungazer » 04 Dec 2019, 7:07 am

It could be done but I think it would be slow and fiddly. The hand primers are cheap they keep all or most of the primers in one place.
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by Cooper » 04 Dec 2019, 8:35 am

I started with the Lee hand primer out of the cheap Lee Breech lock press kit. It worked ok. But my mate had the RCBS hand primer which I preferred. I find it pretty easy to swap between small and larger primer. But I mainly run small primer (6.5 creed, 6.5 Grendel, and even 308 (I also have large primer cases for 308)

The other primer tool I have is the Forester Co ax bench mounted primer tool which I do my 223,204 and now 222 on as all same case head. I really like it.

The top my of Co Ax press also does priming. Which I do 303 on. I only usually do 20 rounds at a time so I just leave it set to do 303. Works for me
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by Zappa » 04 Dec 2019, 9:00 am

Oldbloke wrote:
Great idea


Never know when OldBloke is serious. :)

Kids dont try this at home... unless you have the camera rolling and can post on youtube.
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by Oldbloke » 04 Dec 2019, 9:41 pm

Zappa wrote:
Never know when OldBloke is serious. :)

Kids dont try this at home... unless you have the camera rolling and can post on youtube.


Im serious, should be ok. Your pressing a primer, not hitting it with a center punch.

Some of the old classic loaders used a hammer and punch.

Place primer on smooth flat surface, facing up.
Place case ontop of primer.
Insert punch into case and tap with nylon or wooden hammer.
Bingo, job done. Not ideal but works.

Remember the primer is designed to go off if hit with a pointy object in the center. It needs to be a firm hit.
Wear safety glasses.

Safer using a drill press
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by Zappa » 05 Dec 2019, 7:30 am

fair enuff.
Not to hijack the OP's thread but does anyone know of a USA dealer that ships reloading bits and accessories to AUS ?
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by sungazer » 05 Dec 2019, 7:36 am

What bits are you after. I have had exceptional service from Accurate Arms and Ammo www.accuratearmsandammo.com at the time the US$ was not so bad for us and they had the best deals on Redding dies. A strange thing they do is give better prices than are on their website so ask. Shipping was really good and fast. the will also ship via the normal post if the item is small and you ask nicely. they prefer not to do this as the other service is just so good but a bit steep. It is the same practice that most US sellers do on ebay rather than have someone say they didnt get it.
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 05 Dec 2019, 2:06 pm

Brownells....
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 05 Dec 2019, 2:21 pm

Saying that if you getting let, cheaper and less hassle would be eBay or even your local gunshop
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by Zappa » 05 Dec 2019, 3:46 pm

sungazer wrote:What bits are you after. I have had exceptional service from Accurate Arms and Ammo.


Reloading dies, accessories, magazines, etc. Belts, holsters , pistol bling, pistol and rifle 3rd party action upgrades. Reloading components i can source locally.
cheers
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 06 Dec 2019, 3:17 pm

For all that local only most need permits.. except dies
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by Over The Hill » 09 May 2022, 8:41 pm

Ok so does anyone here loading rifle cartridges still use the lee hand primer or the precision auto bench prime 90700. If so what do you think of it. I have loaded countless thousands of pistol rounds in my old lee hand primer (with the round trays) and now getting into more precision loading for the 223 so wondering if an upgrade is necessary. Prob not doing batches more than 50 a time. Does the hand tool get to hard on your hands, do you have enough "feel", does the bench mount provide any significant advantage or is there a better way altogether. I have a Lyman T-Mag press and have used it for rifle priming successfully in the past but I think it might not be sensitive enough for more precision loading as it can be easy to be over exuberant when pressing the primers in. I will still be using the T-Mag for my loading so dont want to invest in a new press or anything expensive hence why I am considering the bench mount priming tool. Appreciate the feedback on what you are using and why
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by Larry » 09 May 2022, 9:30 pm

The Lee hand primer if it is working then it works really well. Its only if a bit of the plastic chips or breaks do you have a problem. For the price of them I would just keep replacing them as needed.
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by wanneroo » 10 May 2022, 12:15 am

I did a review of the RCBS bench mounted priming tool recently on my Youtube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E2gJBSEPQI

After my Lee hand primer started to go on the fritz, I tried some other hand priming tools and wasn't happy with them. Then decided to look at some bench mounted systems and the Lee bench systems had a lot of mixed reviews, so I decided to try the RCBS bench tool and very happy with it. If someone can come up with a better tool than the RCBS I'm happy to look at it.
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by Blr243 » 10 May 2022, 11:52 am

After 30 yrs of useing the old style lee hand primer I’m not really looking at other options. I like the feel that letsme know what’s goin on in the pockets. It was getting a bit physical on my arthritis thumbs but a little lubrications on the internal s make it a lot easier
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by fxdwg28 » 10 May 2022, 7:28 pm

FIXED mine.... i had a little problem to with mine but fixed it and now i have no problems...

the problem was ..... with the shell holder not being central in the loader..( push down on the adapter ) to let the slide from the try to pass up by the shell holder near the shell holder gap.

hope this may help
hoops
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by animalpest » 10 May 2022, 9:30 pm

Have used a Lee hand primer for donkeys years loading cartridges from Hornet to 30/06. Never had an issue.

Now I use a couple of different tools, one for small and one for large primers.
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Re: Lee hand priming tool - I’m getting pizzed

Post by fxdwg28 » 11 May 2022, 12:35 am

g'day ... animalpest ....

i use the ... primer arm ... on my lee press and or my lee hand held ... depending on my mood at the time...

hoops
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