hand primer tool ? - Page 2

slugoo · September 18, 2012, 05:31 PM

The simple fix for the plastic cover on the lee primers is to take a file on its edge and file a small notch in the bottom center of the plastic cover. Than you take a longish rubber band, loop it into itself so you have 2 rubber bands to work with. Now take the two rubber bands over the whole assembly to the notch you've put in the plastic on the botom, than take the two rubber bands and put them to each corner on the top making a V with the rubber bands. That lid will not come off unless the rubber band breaks. I'm still on the same original plastic covers, have gone thru a dozen rubber bands and 50,000 primers. Charlie

primerman · September 20, 2012, 01:44 AM

I had a Hornady, it came with the Classic Kit, and it works fine. I too had a little trouble with the small primers. I bought the RCBS Universal hand primer, the one that does not require shell holders and it works great. I think I found it on ebay or amazon for around $56.00 and RCBS gave me back $10.00 on a rebate that I had to mail in. So far it has worked great and is pretty easy to maintain. I forgot to mention that I got free shipping with is too.

serf 'rett · September 20, 2012, 10:54 AM

I've enjoyed the RCBS which came in the press kit. Changing the shell holders is not difficult once it has been done a few times. My only complaint is the seating rod will fall out if the device is inverted.

It has worked well enough, that I will look at the RCBS Universal Hand Primer whenever (if ever) I need a new hand primer.

ConRich · September 20, 2012, 12:25 PM

Any chance you could post a picture of that rubber band trick ? I'm having a hard time trying to visualize it.

TIA,

Rich

Ozzieman · September 23, 2012, 07:07 PM

Well that’s the last time I say good things about a reloading tool.
This weekend I primed over 2500 cases. This afternoon I was loading 45 Long Colt cases and all of a sudden the primers were not going deep enough. I was even having a hard time getting the cases out of the tool. When I finally got it out I noticed that the metal handle where the shell holder sets is cracked on both sides.
I just ordered another one from Midway

45YearsShooting · September 23, 2012, 08:31 PM

I love the RCBS hand primer. Uses standard shell holders. Works wonderfully and quickly, and is comfortable in my hand.

Ozzieman · September 25, 2012, 05:52 PM

After reading all the complaints about the new Lee auto primer called the ergo I contacted Lee and asked them about new lids so I can have spare.
I talked to their manufacturing manager (don’t know how I got hold of him) but they he acknowledged the problem people are having with the lid and said that they have made the lid out of a different plastic material and the problem has gone away. And if you have a cracked one and send it to them they will replace it free.
Very nice people at Lee.
I will let you know when it shows up this week.

jmortimer · September 25, 2012, 05:54 PM

"Very nice people at Lee."
Yes they are

Romeo 33 Delta · September 25, 2012, 06:10 PM

Having used both old (round tray) and the new, XR (square tray), I had no real problem with either ... following the usual learning curves for each. What I didn't like about the old style was that the nubs holding the cover would wear with age and the cover would NOT stay on if you had to put the unit down. As for the XR, yes, the ORIGINAL cover tabs were weak ... though I loaded several thousand cases before they finally gave out. The NEW design covers seem to have corrected this weakness ... we'll see.

That said, I've always had good service and a good relationship with Lee ... Mary on the phone and Dave Shano (sp) on the tech side. Just remember, work with the tool (whatever tool, as a general rule) and learn how "it" wants to do the job ... then adapt to it. If you do that, you're a team and not fighting each other. For me, after loading primers and locking the cover, I hold the tool straight up and angled away from me about 45 degrees. When I need to reload the right side feed way, I bring it back straight up, roll it off to the right to position the primers, bring it back up and then angle to 45 degrees again and the off to the races. I can prime 50 cases in somewhere between 5-7 minutes without straining ... and that's more than good enough for me.

hooligan1 · September 25, 2012, 07:03 PM

I use the older model RCBS hand primer that uses various sized shell holders. don't want anything else at this point.

mohr308 · September 26, 2012, 01:55 AM

I also have the Lee XR, no complaints, I have primed about 400 cases with this and no problems yet. I do keep a rubber band around the cover so it doesn't slip off and break anything. I don't have a lot of $$ so its right in my range for quality and price combo.

old roper · September 26, 2012, 08:28 AM

I've been hand primer lot of year and I use the K&M also Sinclair primer.

At 70 I have no extra strength in my hands but I prime with one hand object is to feel the primer seat. If you have to use two hands to seat primer better to use other system.

William T. Watts · September 27, 2012, 08:08 PM

What Woody55 says, I have a RCBS model 90200 I have no idea how old it is, I should add it's the only hand priming tool I've ever owned! I'm satisfied, I think that says it all.. William

Ozzieman · September 28, 2012, 03:07 PM

I got the order from LEE. I went ahead and ordered a new ergo-prime and the new body for my 30 year old Lee auto, 5$.
After using the Ergo, I will never use the old one again.
Several things that make it great.
1. The tray will take any primer container tray easily.
2. I like the small pin that extends as the handle is pulled blocking any primer from entering primer rod.
3. They did fix the plastic tabs, I think, its hard clear plastic and thick, about the thickness of the old lid.
4. Initially it was a dislike, the handle you compress to prime the case is at the front of the tool instead of the rear as in my old auto. It felt wrong and my hand soon started hurting. But after several hundred cases it felt fine and over all a much better fit to the hand and very smooth. My guess it was mussels unused.
5. At the corner of the tray where primers enter below the shell holder. On the tray there is a small pyramid aria of the plastic that sets flush with the bottom of the lid.
This pyramid is on the tray to align only one primer wide and about 6 or more long so that primers won’t bunch up as the old auto primer. There are times with the old one that I had to shake the tool to get a primer to fall into the primer rod. GREAT IDEA

Dislikes
Only one. With the old auto prime you could throw the case at it and it would go into the shell holder. With the ERGO you have to work a little harder to get the case in position so that it will slide in. There isn’t as much clearance at the front of the shell holder. Works well but you have to be a little more careful aligning the case.
Great company, Lee

Gary L. Griffiths · September 30, 2012, 11:21 AM

Another vote for the RCBS with the universal jaws. Just primed about 500 .223 cases with mine. Works great, although with the smaller cases (like .223) it'll sometimes pop one out due to the flexibility of the jaws. Large primer tray holds 300+ small primers and never had a problem with it flipping a primer.

chiefr · September 30, 2012, 01:30 PM

I see I am not the only one having problems with the new Lee XR. During my first priming session, one of the the two cheap flimsy tabs broke off and all of the primers fell out.
I did exactly what Slugoo did and secured the lid with 2 rubber bands, one up and down and one left & right. Works good, however I had another problem: When priming, you must hold the entire XR primer at greater than a 45 degree angle so your primers will "step up" into the shell holder. I have to physically verifiy a primer has moved up the first step and into the shelholder. As a result, priming is slow. The old style priming tool did not have the step up and primer feed was 100%.

Lee used to make the best hand primer you could buy. It is unfortunate they "Improved" the thing.

If you have an oldstyle, be sure to hang on to it.
"If something is not broke; dont fix it'' author unknown

jmortimer · September 30, 2012, 04:38 PM

Try the new "Ergo" from Lee Precision - you have the shell plates so you have little to lose as you could return it or sell it. I like the cool red paint on the Ergo.

chiefr · September 30, 2012, 07:01 PM

I have not seen a Lee's ERGO yet.
Does the ergo use the same shell holders as the XR and the old Autoprime?
Does it step-up the primers like the XR?

jmortimer · September 30, 2012, 07:33 PM

Yes same shell holders and I don't know about the step-up. But it is cool looking. You can get for less than listed on the Lee site.
http://leeprecision.com/ergo-prime.html

rebs · October 2, 2012, 10:46 AM

I bought a rcbs hand primer at a gun show over the weekend used for 15.00 and have found it to work well. It did take a few minutes to get the hang of it since at first I had the rod in backwards and it dented the primers and I found out it only works with rcbs shell holders since they have a bevel in the bottom side. Even with the rod in the right way if I squeeze the handke too hard it will mark the primers with a slight flat spot. All in all I am happy with it and for the price I couldn't go wrong.

603Country · October 2, 2012, 11:43 AM

I have two hand primers, both are quite old (and I bought them new, so that should tell ya something). I use the old Lee autoprime for pistol ammo and the RCBS old style, one at a time, primer seater. For quite a few years, even though I had those primer seaters, I primed with the press. I've gone back to the hand primers. I like them better.

rebs · October 3, 2012, 11:24 AM

I just finished priming 250 223 cases with the RCBS hand priming tool without a hitch, it works great. I will be doing 200 45 acp cases tomorrow and see how it does on them.

jmortimer · October 3, 2012, 01:01 PM

^ You did get a good deal. Good for you!

rebs · October 4, 2012, 11:47 AM

I did 250 45 acp cases this morning without a problem, I think this was the best 15.00 I ever spent. This tool works great.

Thirties · October 6, 2012, 10:40 AM

Hornady gets my vote due to better ergonomics.

September 18, 2012, 05:31 PM	#26
slugoo Member Join Date: May 3, 2011 Location: Littleton Colorado Posts: 78	plastic cover lee The simple fix for the plastic cover on the lee primers is to take a file on its edge and file a small notch in the bottom center of the plastic cover. Than you take a longish rubber band, loop it into itself so you have 2 rubber bands to work with. Now take the two rubber bands over the whole assembly to the notch you've put in the plastic on the botom, than take the two rubber bands and put them to each corner on the top making a V with the rubber bands. That lid will not come off unless the rubber band breaks. I'm still on the same original plastic covers, have gone thru a dozen rubber bands and 50,000 primers. Charlie

September 20, 2012, 01:44 AM	#27
primerman Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2011 Posts: 153	I had a Hornady, it came with the Classic Kit, and it works fine. I too had a little trouble with the small primers. I bought the RCBS Universal hand primer, the one that does not require shell holders and it works great. I think I found it on ebay or amazon for around $56.00 and RCBS gave me back $10.00 on a rebate that I had to mail in. So far it has worked great and is pretty easy to maintain. I forgot to mention that I got free shipping with is too. Last edited by primerman; September 20, 2012 at 01:50 AM.

September 20, 2012, 10:54 AM	#28
serf 'rett Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2009 Location: Stuttgart, AR Posts: 1,569	I've enjoyed the RCBS which came in the press kit. Changing the shell holders is not difficult once it has been done a few times. My only complaint is the seating rod will fall out if the device is inverted. It has worked well enough, that I will look at the RCBS Universal Hand Primer whenever (if ever) I need a new hand primer. __________________ A lack of planning on your part does not necessarily constitute an emergency on my part.

September 20, 2012, 12:25 PM	#29
ConRich Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 299	Hey Slugoo Any chance you could post a picture of that rubber band trick ? I'm having a hard time trying to visualize it. TIA, Rich

September 25, 2012, 07:03 PM	#35
hooligan1 Senior Member Join Date: July 18, 2010 Location: Independence Missouri Posts: 4,585	I use the older model RCBS hand primer that uses various sized shell holders. don't want anything else at this point. __________________ Keep your Axe sharp and your powder dry.

September 23, 2012, 07:07 PM	#30
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	Well that’s the last time I say good things about a reloading tool. This weekend I primed over 2500 cases. This afternoon I was loading 45 Long Colt cases and all of a sudden the primers were not going deep enough. I was even having a hard time getting the cases out of the tool. When I finally got it out I noticed that the metal handle where the shell holder sets is cracked on both sides. I just ordered another one from Midway

September 23, 2012, 08:31 PM	#31
45YearsShooting Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2012 Location: Colorado Posts: 105	I love the RCBS hand primer. Uses standard shell holders. Works wonderfully and quickly, and is comfortable in my hand.

September 25, 2012, 05:52 PM	#32
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	After reading all the complaints about the new Lee auto primer called the ergo I contacted Lee and asked them about new lids so I can have spare. I talked to their manufacturing manager (don’t know how I got hold of him) but they he acknowledged the problem people are having with the lid and said that they have made the lid out of a different plastic material and the problem has gone away. And if you have a cracked one and send it to them they will replace it free. Very nice people at Lee. I will let you know when it shows up this week.

September 25, 2012, 05:54 PM	#33
jmortimer Junior member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: South West Riverside County California Posts: 2,763	"Very nice people at Lee." Yes they are

September 25, 2012, 06:10 PM	#34
Romeo 33 Delta Senior Member Join Date: March 27, 2009 Posts: 315	Having used both old (round tray) and the new, XR (square tray), I had no real problem with either ... following the usual learning curves for each. What I didn't like about the old style was that the nubs holding the cover would wear with age and the cover would NOT stay on if you had to put the unit down. As for the XR, yes, the ORIGINAL cover tabs were weak ... though I loaded several thousand cases before they finally gave out. The NEW design covers seem to have corrected this weakness ... we'll see. That said, I've always had good service and a good relationship with Lee ... Mary on the phone and Dave Shano (sp) on the tech side. Just remember, work with the tool (whatever tool, as a general rule) and learn how "it" wants to do the job ... then adapt to it. If you do that, you're a team and not fighting each other. For me, after loading primers and locking the cover, I hold the tool straight up and angled away from me about 45 degrees. When I need to reload the right side feed way, I bring it back straight up, roll it off to the right to position the primers, bring it back up and then angle to 45 degrees again and the off to the races. I can prime 50 cases in somewhere between 5-7 minutes without straining ... and that's more than good enough for me.

September 26, 2012, 01:55 AM	#36
mohr308 Senior Member Join Date: January 15, 2012 Location: Western New York Posts: 466	I also have the Lee XR, no complaints, I have primed about 400 cases with this and no problems yet. I do keep a rubber band around the cover so it doesn't slip off and break anything. I don't have a lot of $$ so its right in my range for quality and price combo. __________________ Lock and load, the zombies (democrats) are coming (to take your guns)!

September 26, 2012, 08:28 AM	#37
old roper Senior Member Join Date: June 11, 2007 Posts: 2,155	I've been hand primer lot of year and I use the K&M also Sinclair primer. At 70 I have no extra strength in my hands but I prime with one hand object is to feel the primer seat. If you have to use two hands to seat primer better to use other system. __________________ Semper Fi Vietnam 1965 VFW Life member NRA Life Member

September 27, 2012, 08:08 PM	#38
William T. Watts Senior Member Join Date: January 20, 2010 Location: Central Arkansas Posts: 1,074	What Woody55 says, I have a RCBS model 90200 I have no idea how old it is, I should add it's the only hand priming tool I've ever owned! I'm satisfied, I think that says it all.. William

September 28, 2012, 03:07 PM	#39
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	I got the order from LEE. I went ahead and ordered a new ergo-prime and the new body for my 30 year old Lee auto, 5$. After using the Ergo, I will never use the old one again. Several things that make it great. 1. The tray will take any primer container tray easily. 2. I like the small pin that extends as the handle is pulled blocking any primer from entering primer rod. 3. They did fix the plastic tabs, I think, its hard clear plastic and thick, about the thickness of the old lid. 4. Initially it was a dislike, the handle you compress to prime the case is at the front of the tool instead of the rear as in my old auto. It felt wrong and my hand soon started hurting. But after several hundred cases it felt fine and over all a much better fit to the hand and very smooth. My guess it was mussels unused. 5. At the corner of the tray where primers enter below the shell holder. On the tray there is a small pyramid aria of the plastic that sets flush with the bottom of the lid. This pyramid is on the tray to align only one primer wide and about 6 or more long so that primers won’t bunch up as the old auto primer. There are times with the old one that I had to shake the tool to get a primer to fall into the primer rod. GREAT IDEA Dislikes Only one. With the old auto prime you could throw the case at it and it would go into the shell holder. With the ERGO you have to work a little harder to get the case in position so that it will slide in. There isn’t as much clearance at the front of the shell holder. Works well but you have to be a little more careful aligning the case. Great company, Lee

September 30, 2012, 11:21 AM	#40
Gary L. Griffiths Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2000 Location: AZ, WA Posts: 1,466	Another vote for the RCBS with the universal jaws. Just primed about 500 .223 cases with mine. Works great, although with the smaller cases (like .223) it'll sometimes pop one out due to the flexibility of the jaws. Large primer tray holds 300+ small primers and never had a problem with it flipping a primer. __________________ Violence is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and valorous feeling which believes that nothing is worth violence is much worse. Those who have nothing for which they are willing to fight; nothing they care about more than their own craven apathy; are miserable creatures who have no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the valor of those better than themselves. Gary L. Griffiths (Paraphrasing John Stuart Mill)

September 30, 2012, 01:30 PM	#41
chiefr Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2010 Location: AR Posts: 1,401	I see I am not the only one having problems with the new Lee XR. During my first priming session, one of the the two cheap flimsy tabs broke off and all of the primers fell out. I did exactly what Slugoo did and secured the lid with 2 rubber bands, one up and down and one left & right. Works good, however I had another problem: When priming, you must hold the entire XR primer at greater than a 45 degree angle so your primers will "step up" into the shell holder. I have to physically verifiy a primer has moved up the first step and into the shelholder. As a result, priming is slow. The old style priming tool did not have the step up and primer feed was 100%. Lee used to make the best hand primer you could buy. It is unfortunate they "Improved" the thing. If you have an oldstyle, be sure to hang on to it. "If something is not broke; dont fix it'' author unknown

September 30, 2012, 04:38 PM	#42
jmortimer Junior member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: South West Riverside County California Posts: 2,763	Try the new "Ergo" from Lee Precision - you have the shell plates so you have little to lose as you could return it or sell it. I like the cool red paint on the Ergo.

September 30, 2012, 07:01 PM	#43
chiefr Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2010 Location: AR Posts: 1,401	I have not seen a Lee's ERGO yet. Does the ergo use the same shell holders as the XR and the old Autoprime? Does it step-up the primers like the XR?

September 30, 2012, 07:33 PM	#44
jmortimer Junior member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: South West Riverside County California Posts: 2,763	Yes same shell holders and I don't know about the step-up. But it is cool looking. You can get for less than listed on the Lee site. http://leeprecision.com/ergo-prime.html

October 2, 2012, 10:46 AM	#45
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	I bought a rcbs hand primer at a gun show over the weekend used for 15.00 and have found it to work well. It did take a few minutes to get the hang of it since at first I had the rod in backwards and it dented the primers and I found out it only works with rcbs shell holders since they have a bevel in the bottom side. Even with the rod in the right way if I squeeze the handke too hard it will mark the primers with a slight flat spot. All in all I am happy with it and for the price I couldn't go wrong.

October 2, 2012, 11:43 AM	#46
603Country Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2011 Location: Thornton, Texas Posts: 3,998	I have two hand primers, both are quite old (and I bought them new, so that should tell ya something). I use the old Lee autoprime for pistol ammo and the RCBS old style, one at a time, primer seater. For quite a few years, even though I had those primer seaters, I primed with the press. I've gone back to the hand primers. I like them better.

October 3, 2012, 11:24 AM	#47
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	I just finished priming 250 223 cases with the RCBS hand priming tool without a hitch, it works great. I will be doing 200 45 acp cases tomorrow and see how it does on them.

October 3, 2012, 01:01 PM	#48
jmortimer Junior member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: South West Riverside County California Posts: 2,763	^ You did get a good deal. Good for you!

October 4, 2012, 11:47 AM	#49
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	I did 250 45 acp cases this morning without a problem, I think this was the best 15.00 I ever spent. This tool works great.

October 6, 2012, 10:40 AM	#50
Thirties Senior Member Join Date: April 29, 2001 Location: Where the Red Sox meet the Black Bears Posts: 561	Hornady is nice on the hands Hornady gets my vote due to better ergonomics.