Lee Auto Prime II on Lee Hand Press?

Wrangler5 · July 10, 2006, 08:27 PM

I am a regular and satisfied user of the Lee Auto Prime (hand held) tool, but I plan to prime about 1K rifle cases and I know my thumb won't last that long on the Auto Prime. I also have the Auto Prime II, the press-top Lee priming tool, and am thinking it might be a useful device to put on a Hand Press and prime in front of the TV.

Anybody have experience with this particular combination? I've usually used the Auto Prime II on a little Lee Reloader press, which makes for a nifty priming system with pretty good feel and very low effort, but I'm attracted to the idea of sitting in a soft chair to do this particular priming job.

Scorch · July 11, 2006, 03:52 PM

I've had a Lee Auto Prime for over 25 years. It works well and is easy to use. And yes, you can sit in a comfy chair to do the work, if you choose to. In fact, that is almost exactly how I do it.

Rimrod · July 13, 2006, 08:19 PM

Make sure you keep an eye on the primer tray. The vibration can loosen it and cause it to spill all the primers into your comfy chair. If you've never used the hand press it can be brutal on your nuckles but it is guaranteed to increase your bust size.

BigJakeJ1s · July 13, 2006, 09:39 PM

RCBS has bench mounted priming tools in strip and tube fed versions. I don't know why they couldn't be mounted to a piece of plywood like a lap desk for use in the easy chair.

Forster has a very nice priming tool also that can be used on the bench or in the lap.

RCBS's new universal hand primer has a larger tray and a universal shellholding system. It and the hornady hand primer use more of the entire hand, rather than just the thumb.

Andy

Marlin.357 · July 16, 2006, 08:46 PM

I think trying to juggle the hand press with the autoprime attached and and manipulating the cases would severly challenge me. I think the idea of mounting your current press to a piece of plywood that you can put on your lap or a coffeee table or foot stool is the best idea I've seen relevent to your question.

Good luck!

BigJakeJ1s · July 17, 2006, 09:03 PM

I doubt mounting a conventional press to a board is going to work in the lap, since the lever stroke has to go below the press. The bench mounted priming tools from RCBS, or the Forster used on a bench, do not require the handle to go below the "bench" top.

Andy

Wrangler5 · July 18, 2006, 12:01 AM

Well, I went ahead and tried the Auto Prime II on the Hand Press, and while I can make it work it is pretty unwieldy in a chair. I think I'll switch to the RCBS hand primer, that lets me use my whole hand to squeeze instead of just the thumb.

Thanks for the thoughts.

July 10, 2006, 08:27 PM	#1
Wrangler5 Senior Member Join Date: September 18, 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 326	Lee Auto Prime II on Lee Hand Press? I am a regular and satisfied user of the Lee Auto Prime (hand held) tool, but I plan to prime about 1K rifle cases and I know my thumb won't last that long on the Auto Prime. I also have the Auto Prime II, the press-top Lee priming tool, and am thinking it might be a useful device to put on a Hand Press and prime in front of the TV. Anybody have experience with this particular combination? I've usually used the Auto Prime II on a little Lee Reloader press, which makes for a nifty priming system with pretty good feel and very low effort, but I'm attracted to the idea of sitting in a soft chair to do this particular priming job.

July 11, 2006, 03:52 PM	#2
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	I've had a Lee Auto Prime for over 25 years. It works well and is easy to use. And yes, you can sit in a comfy chair to do the work, if you choose to. In fact, that is almost exactly how I do it. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

July 13, 2006, 08:19 PM	#3
Rimrod Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Behind enemy lines Posts: 1,309	I've done it. Make sure you keep an eye on the primer tray. The vibration can loosen it and cause it to spill all the primers into your comfy chair. If you've never used the hand press it can be brutal on your nuckles but it is guaranteed to increase your bust size.

July 16, 2006, 08:46 PM	#5
Marlin.357 Member Join Date: April 22, 2005 Posts: 28	Plywood! I think trying to juggle the hand press with the autoprime attached and and manipulating the cases would severly challenge me. I think the idea of mounting your current press to a piece of plywood that you can put on your lap or a coffeee table or foot stool is the best idea I've seen relevent to your question. Good luck!

July 13, 2006, 09:39 PM	#4
BigJakeJ1s Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2005 Location: Arlington TX Posts: 663	RCBS has bench mounted priming tools in strip and tube fed versions. I don't know why they couldn't be mounted to a piece of plywood like a lap desk for use in the easy chair. Forster has a very nice priming tool also that can be used on the bench or in the lap. RCBS's new universal hand primer has a larger tray and a universal shellholding system. It and the hornady hand primer use more of the entire hand, rather than just the thumb. Andy

July 17, 2006, 09:03 PM	#6
BigJakeJ1s Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2005 Location: Arlington TX Posts: 663	I doubt mounting a conventional press to a board is going to work in the lap, since the lever stroke has to go below the press. The bench mounted priming tools from RCBS, or the Forster used on a bench, do not require the handle to go below the "bench" top. Andy

July 18, 2006, 12:01 AM	#7
Wrangler5 Senior Member Join Date: September 18, 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 326	Well, I went ahead and tried the Auto Prime II on the Hand Press, and while I can make it work it is pretty unwieldy in a chair. I think I'll switch to the RCBS hand primer, that lets me use my whole hand to squeeze instead of just the thumb. Thanks for the thoughts.