Author Topic: Lee auto prime (Read 1702 times)

Tad Houston · « **on:** March 16, 2005, 04:47:17 PM »

I would like to ask those of you who use the hand held auto prime how easy is it to change shell holders, and from large to small primers? I like my RCBS, but changing over is a pain.

Thanks- Tad

Glanceblamm · « **Reply #1 on:** March 16, 2005, 04:55:41 PM »

Piece Of Cake :grin:
Select tray for large or small primers....
very light backward pressure on the tray allows the shell holder to be changed easily....
The whole thing is virtually undestructable and can be taken completley down & re-assembled right now.

Tad Houston · « **Reply #2 on:** March 16, 2005, 04:59:49 PM »

Is there a differant ram- small and large- for differant size primers?

SLAVAGE · « **Reply #3 on:** March 16, 2005, 05:19:41 PM »

yeah ther is a smaller an larger pin an spring,
i actualy got two an have one for small an one for large
they were on sale around here i got them for 10$ each so i grabed them both but its only a 2 min change to go from one to the other
i actualy spend more time changing the shell holder than i do changing from larger or smaller

Gun Runner · « **Reply #4 on:** March 16, 2005, 08:39:48 PM »

Tad, if your buying a new one they come with both size trays, with the primer pin in each size.

Gun Runner

KYODE · « **Reply #5 on:** March 17, 2005, 12:21:03 AM »

i like em. very quick n easy to change shellholders too. i also bought 2 of em so i can leave one setup as small, and one setup as large.
plus............in case one breaks down on ya, you got backup. :lol:

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 17, 2005, 01:09:29 AM »

I have 2 of them, I bought one 20 years ago when I first started reloading and it is still working today, I don't know how many thousands of cases I have primed with it. I bought a new one as a back up 2 years ago, but have not even taken it out of the box.

I think it is the easiest handheld priming tool out there. I would not consider any other.

Greybeard · « **Reply #7 on:** March 17, 2005, 01:59:13 AM »

Thirty second or less job. But why bother? Get two as cheap as they are and then only change shell holders. Buy a set of their boxed shell holders and you're always set no matter what and the whole shebang with two Auto Primes and the set of shell holders hasn't set you back but maybe $40 if that.

Questor · « **Reply #8 on:** March 17, 2005, 03:23:22 AM »

I used to love and recommend the Lee autoprime, but I can't any more. I bought one recently and it broke right away. The other two I've had broke too. I use the RCBS instead. Yes, it's a pain to change over, but it really takes only two minutes to put the shell holder in and take it back out.

The basic design of the Autoprime is probably the best there is, but they make it out of some kind of metal or plastic that is very weak and brittle.

jgalar · « **Reply #9 on:** March 17, 2005, 03:39:10 AM »

I really like mine, have been using it for years...

Here is the instructions from Lee:
http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/PT1023.pdf

Tad Houston · « **Reply #10 on:** March 17, 2005, 04:20:44 AM »

I wonder if the current production ones are not made as well as the old ones. I have one of the old lee load all shotgun presses, and its made of metal while the new ones are plastic. Does anyone have a new autoprime they can compare to an old one?

Thanks for the feed back, Tad

Questor · « **Reply #11 on:** March 17, 2005, 04:39:47 AM »

Tad: Though I won't be using them any more, why don't you just buy one. They cost about $15 for the autoprime, and another $2 for the shell holder. Lots of people like them. I have simply had poor -- really poor, in fact extremely poor - luck with all of the Lee product's I've used.

skb2706 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 17, 2005, 05:16:54 AM »

My experience as well.....if it says "Lee" on it you know its cheap thru and thru. I do use their Auto prime II....its also made very cheap...but its wuick and easy. I don't expect it to last very long ......cheesy plastic parts.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 17, 2005, 06:37:26 AM »

Quote from: skb2706

My experience as well.....if it says "Lee" on it you know its cheap thru and thru. I do use their Auto prime II....its also made very cheap...but its wuick and easy. I don't expect it to last very long ......cheesy plastic parts.

Like I said I have been using the same one of 20 years now. I load thousands of rounds a year. I would have to say they are made well.

jhalcott · « **Reply #14 on:** March 17, 2005, 06:59:22 AM »

Please don't take this as a flame! I had 1 lee autoprime break on me.I was reloading some military surplus and forgot to remove the primer crimp.After gorrillaing a bunch of primers in,the thing split at the top.! I have 2 now and keep them set up for large or small so I can grab it and go. After 20,000 rounds I haven't busted another. I occassionally lube the parts that rub together as the original instructions required. I DO have the broken one hanging by my reload bench.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #15 on:** March 17, 2005, 08:53:33 AM »

I'm a newbie to reloading, at the recommendation of many here the Lee primer has worked well for me, have had a couple 22 hornet cases come out of the shell holder on one side, but that may be because I'm using the #7 and not the #20 as they list both for it, the #20 may be a better fit but doesn't come in the assortment box. I've used the primer for .270, 45-70 & 120 so far and I'm real happy with it.

Graybeard · « **Reply #16 on:** March 17, 2005, 12:36:22 PM »

Rudy I can't help feeling you're doing "something" wrong to break those Autoprimes like that. I've been using them exclusively to prime cases for at least 25 years I'd say. In all that time and in all those many many tens of thousands of cases I've broken one, my first. Either that or you are just plain unlucky to get that many bad ones. They really are a pretty durable and very useful tool I'll never abandon.

SLAVAGE · « **Reply #17 on:** March 17, 2005, 12:56:00 PM »

tad
check midway an midsouth an ebay
they all ways have deals were you get an auto prime an a set of the shell holders for like 20$

Tad Houston · « **Reply #18 on:** March 17, 2005, 05:08:23 PM »

Thanks everyone! cabelas has them in their '05 shooting catalog for $20 with the shell holder set. Guess i'll order one tomorrow- got some Cabelas points burning a hole in my pocket!

Graybeard · « **Reply #19 on:** March 17, 2005, 05:50:17 PM »

Is that $20 for BOTH the AutoPrime and the Autoprime shell holder set? Midsouth sells the Autoprime for $10.64 and the Shell holder set for $13.70 for all eleven shell holders and the box to hold them.

I've never seen Cabela's beat Midsouth's price and I've been buying from both for over $20 years.

SLAVAGE · « **Reply #20 on:** March 17, 2005, 06:08:04 PM »

what it is that lee started selling them as a set about 4- 5 months ago i seen it when i was down at cabelas in wv a few months ago

thats

quickdtoo · « **Reply #21 on:** March 17, 2005, 06:57:44 PM »

The Lee Autoprime w/shellholder set is selling for $21 at Cabelas...

Lee Autoprime

Questor · « **Reply #22 on:** March 18, 2005, 03:36:09 AM »

GB:

I press at the end of the lever to get the most leverage out of it, then I press until I feel the primer seat. If I were to put my thumb farther down, I'd be working harder and the tool might not be breaking, but then it wouldn't be a tool anymore either. A telling thing is that one of the local gun shops sells replacement levers for Lee autoprimes.

Graybeard · « **Reply #23 on:** March 18, 2005, 03:44:55 AM »

I also use it as you mention Rudy but I'm thinking you're being a bit heavy handed. There is a "feel" to when it bottoms and you do not generally need to stand on that lever to make it happen. I suspect you're using way more force than needed and perhaps pushing way too hard on the primer after it is fully seated.

Questor · « **Reply #24 on:** March 18, 2005, 04:56:12 AM »

Maybe sometimes, but I've got the feel down pretty good. I press until I feel that the primer is seated. But it's moot now. I'm very pleased with the RCBS unit. It's more comfortable when priming large amounts of cases, as for prairie dog shooting, too.

I'd bet a six pack of root bear that the people who have good luck with them tend to have short hands and those of us who break them have long hands.

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #25 on:** March 18, 2005, 05:32:53 AM »

Quote from: Questor

Maybe sometimes, but I've got the feel down pretty good. I press until I feel that the primer is seated. But it's moot now. I'm very pleased with the RCBS unit. It's more comfortable when priming large amounts of cases, as for prairie dog shooting, too.

I'd bet a six pack of root bear that the people who have good luck with them tend to have short hands and those of us who break them have long hands.

You owe me a six pack of root beer. I have long hands.

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #26 on:** March 18, 2005, 06:13:22 AM »

I,m just a little feller only 6' 270lbs but I find myself overdoing it with those hand primers. I like the way they work, but lately I've been useing the autoprime II in a cheap lee press, I don,t over do it as bad that way.

Graybeard · « **Reply #27 on:** March 18, 2005, 07:33:13 AM »

I had a discussion of this thread with John Lee of Lee Precision earlier today. His thoughts were that most of the time when folks break the handles that they are pushing too hard and too far on the handle. It's pretty much never needed to press the handle completely against the tool to properly seat the primers. He has spoken with folks who've broken the handles that felt they had to press it all the way flush.

Now at times I've had mine go flush on certain cases but generally speaking I stop well short of that and can feel the primer when it bottoms. That's the time to stop pressing.

Questor · « **Reply #28 on:** March 18, 2005, 08:27:04 AM »

GB:

I don't understand your last post. Everything I've read says the primers should be seated about 3/1000" inches below flush with the case. This usually means seating the primer until it bottoms out in the primer pocket. Are you saying that Lee advises otherwise?

Just from the number of posts here, we know that the breakages is a common problem.

I wonder if Lee keeps the common business man's sign on their premises:
Rule 1: The customer is always right.
Rule 2: If the customer is wrong, see rule 1.

The problem is not with the customers, it's that the lever is too weak for ordinary usage.

Graybeard · « **Reply #29 on:** March 18, 2005, 08:53:49 AM »

What I am saying Rudy is that all you need to do when seating a primer is to bottom it out in a clean primer pocket. When you get there your job is done. With the Lee Auto Prime it is not necessary to push on the operating lever until it touches the body of the tool. If you do this you've more than seated it, you're crushing it. The tool is designed so that you can feel the primer seat fully into the pocket. That's when you can stop pressing. Continuing to apply pressure only over stresses the tool and tends to crush the primer. Neither is a desireable outcome.

Certainly the tools can be broken. I've broken one myself in something like 20-25 years or more of constand use. I have no clue how many tens of thousands of primers that little less than $5 at the time tool loaded before it broke.

I think all John Lee or myself either are trying to say is the tool can be used successfully to properly seat primers without breaking for very long periods of time. It can also be broken rather quickly but from my own personal experience with it not if it's used as designed. That's not to say there has never been one that didn't have a manufacturing defect that caused it to die early. That's possible. But it's certainly not the norm.

There is a point when the primer is fully seated before the lever is pressed fully against the body of the tool. This point will vary some depending on the primer pocket and primer. But unless the primer pocket is cut too deeply or the primer is not of normal height the tool should not in normal use have to be pressed until the lever contacts the body of tool.