primers used in Lee Pro 1000

MKK · June 29, 2010, 07:03 AM

Well, Lee recommends CCI and Winchester primers for this unit. I think they go as far to say do NOT use Federals. Apparently this is due to the sensitivity of the Feds and the close proximity to each other in the primer trough and tray.
All right guys, the bright light is on, the plastic is on the floor, fess up, how many of you guys break this rule and use Feds? And what has been the experience?

(If any of you guys that hate your Lee 1000 want to do a video with the right PPE on, you could load the tray and trough, add a little gun powder to flip or jam a primer, and proceed with the process, if nothing else, it may keep people from attempting this. Or, possibly add credence to the story that there was another reason - business related, to the warning!)

McClintock · June 29, 2010, 10:51 AM

I've used thousands of Feds in a Pro 1000, mostly because it's what I could get my hands on at the time. They acted just like the thousands of Winchester primers I've used in it. Both brands occasionally flipped the odd primer, and I've accidentally crushed both brands of primers, and nada, zip, zero detonation issues.

Maybe I'm just lucky, but that's been my experience. Incidentally, the Feds work better in my CZ75, where I was getting the occasional light strike with Winchesters.

My $0.02.

Cheers!
McClintock

DaveTrig · June 29, 2010, 04:56 PM

It's not because the Feds are much more sensitive to detonation by crushing. It's because Feds are much more sensitive to sympathetic detonation. If you accidentally detonate a CCI primer in the press, you may detonate one or two other primers, but nothing that proper PPE won't handle. If you accidentally detonate a Fed in the press, the entire tray is going to go up. That's a big bang.

Feds' extra sensitivity to sympathetic detonation is evident in their packaging. Just take a look at how far apart their primers are packaged compared to CCI or Winchester.

Lots of folks are bound to chime in that they've used Feds in the Lee Pro 1000 primer feeder with no incident. So have I, until I got the whole story from Lee. However, the only instructive anecdotal evidence would be someone who DID detonate a Fed primer in the feeder and did not blow up their whole tray.

TheBigO · June 29, 2010, 06:52 PM

Now this may be just in my head but I have used Magtec, Winchester and CCI primers and it seems that I get far less primer feeding issues with the CCI primers. Has anyone found that one works better then others?

MKK · July 1, 2010, 06:19 AM

Back to the question, what has been your experience with federal primers in the Lee Pro 1000? McClintock has ran thousands through it. No problemo. Anyone else have an experience to share concerning this? There are a lot of Pro 1000's out there.
Has anyone had a sympathetic detonation experience? Maybe something for Myth Busters?

waderow · October 7, 2010, 10:29 PM

I began rotating out some 40cal on my lee1000. There were no other primers available at p&d besides federal, so I took bad advice from so called gurus who have reloaded thousands of bullets with federal in lee bla bla bla. The lee 1000 instructions say to specifically not use federal primers. I should have listened

long story short, I must have had an alignment problem, however with no more force then usual, my primer tray EXPLODED after about 20 rounds.

Human error on my part is completely possible, but how I got through 20 with no problems is beyond me.

Anyways, the tray fractured into sharp plastic , there was a casing or two, a bullet from my left hand, and about 50 primers and these became shrapnel.

From the following pics, you will see the damage created on my reloading bench, as well as my hand. In addition to my hand, I have puncture shrapnel type injuries on my face (approx 10), and my arms. My cotton shirt was imprinted with pokes that are still evident.

My lee 1000 will go to the garbage I think, and a dillion will soon grace my bench. Whether it was 100% the presses fault or not who knows, but I know that it is at least partly to blame with its bulls**t loose tolerances.

URL=http://img814.imageshack.us/i/img5147z.jpg/]

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Jim243 · October 7, 2010, 11:03 PM

Sorry about your accident, but you look pretty lucky for a whole tray of primers going off. I see you didn't bother using the primer shield that Lee has for their press. You could have saved yourself some pain if you had used one.

Pretty much a necessity with a progress press.

Jim

waderow · October 7, 2010, 11:45 PM

lee 1000 doesnt have one afaik

asavo757 · October 8, 2010, 05:45 AM

I"ve used the lee 1000 wiht federal primers and seemed to cruch a lot of them. Then I switched to winchester same thing...cci same thing frustrated I bought a used dillon 550 problem solved!! To answer Your question If you have a lee 1000 that works wel with other primer than federals will work fine.

Ididn't wont this to be a bashing to the lee 1000 but I've had three of them all with the same primer problems

Jim243 · October 9, 2010, 08:55 AM

While this is for the Load-Master, I'd find a way to put it on the 1000.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=533868

Jim

sonnycrockett · October 9, 2010, 02:25 PM

^^^^Lee is the only MFG I know making one of those
Kinda makes u wonder

Dannyl · October 9, 2010, 02:40 PM

Hi All,
I do use Federal primers with my Lee 1000. both my S&W revolvers are used for competitions and have the triggers set so light that I get light-strikes with any other brand.

I therefore use Federal for .357 and .44 and hve not had any misshaps.
I find that keeping the whole press (including under the shell plate) very clean helps a lot, and although it is a progressive press I do not try and break speed records when operating it.

Since the manufacturer tells you not to do it, please do not take my words as advice to go against LEE's instructions but simply for what it is, an account of what I do.

Brgds,

Danny

June 29, 2010, 07:03 AM	#1
MKK Member Join Date: October 4, 2009 Location: heartland Posts: 75	primers used in Lee Pro 1000 Well, Lee recommends CCI and Winchester primers for this unit. I think they go as far to say do NOT use Federals. Apparently this is due to the sensitivity of the Feds and the close proximity to each other in the primer trough and tray. All right guys, the bright light is on, the plastic is on the floor, fess up, how many of you guys break this rule and use Feds? And what has been the experience? (If any of you guys that hate your Lee 1000 want to do a video with the right PPE on, you could load the tray and trough, add a little gun powder to flip or jam a primer, and proceed with the process, if nothing else, it may keep people from attempting this. Or, possibly add credence to the story that there was another reason - business related, to the warning!)

June 29, 2010, 10:51 AM	#2
McClintock Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2008 Location: The Bald Prairie of Southern Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 305	I'll 'fess up... I've used thousands of Feds in a Pro 1000, mostly because it's what I could get my hands on at the time. They acted just like the thousands of Winchester primers I've used in it. Both brands occasionally flipped the odd primer, and I've accidentally crushed both brands of primers, and nada, zip, zero detonation issues. Maybe I'm just lucky, but that's been my experience. Incidentally, the Feds work better in my CZ75, where I was getting the occasional light strike with Winchesters. My $0.02. Cheers! McClintock

July 1, 2010, 06:19 AM	#5
MKK Member Join Date: October 4, 2009 Location: heartland Posts: 75	Has anyone found that one works better then others? Back to the question, what has been your experience with federal primers in the Lee Pro 1000? McClintock has ran thousands through it. No problemo. Anyone else have an experience to share concerning this? There are a lot of Pro 1000's out there. Has anyone had a sympathetic detonation experience? Maybe something for Myth Busters?

October 7, 2010, 10:29 PM	#6
waderow Junior Member Join Date: October 7, 2010 Posts: 2	I began rotating out some 40cal on my lee1000. There were no other primers available at p&d besides federal, so I took bad advice from so called gurus who have reloaded thousands of bullets with federal in lee bla bla bla. The lee 1000 instructions say to specifically not use federal primers. I should have listened long story short, I must have had an alignment problem, however with no more force then usual, my primer tray EXPLODED after about 20 rounds. Human error on my part is completely possible, but how I got through 20 with no problems is beyond me. Anyways, the tray fractured into sharp plastic , there was a casing or two, a bullet from my left hand, and about 50 primers and these became shrapnel. From the following pics, you will see the damage created on my reloading bench, as well as my hand. In addition to my hand, I have puncture shrapnel type injuries on my face (approx 10), and my arms. My cotton shirt was imprinted with pokes that are still evident. My lee 1000 will go to the garbage I think, and a dillion will soon grace my bench. Whether it was 100% the presses fault or not who knows, but I know that it is at least partly to blame with its bulls**t loose tolerances. URL=http://img814.imageshack.us/i/img5147z.jpg/][/URL]

October 8, 2010, 05:45 AM	#9
asavo757 Member Join Date: May 3, 2010 Location: saylorsburg pa Posts: 39	federal primers I"ve used the lee 1000 wiht federal primers and seemed to cruch a lot of them. Then I switched to winchester same thing...cci same thing frustrated I bought a used dillon 550 problem solved!! To answer Your question If you have a lee 1000 that works wel with other primer than federals will work fine. Ididn't wont this to be a bashing to the lee 1000 but I've had three of them all with the same primer problems

June 29, 2010, 04:56 PM	#3
DaveTrig Member Join Date: May 11, 2009 Location: Putnam County, NY Posts: 96	It's not because the Feds are much more sensitive to detonation by crushing. It's because Feds are much more sensitive to sympathetic detonation. If you accidentally detonate a CCI primer in the press, you may detonate one or two other primers, but nothing that proper PPE won't handle. If you accidentally detonate a Fed in the press, the entire tray is going to go up. That's a big bang. Feds' extra sensitivity to sympathetic detonation is evident in their packaging. Just take a look at how far apart their primers are packaged compared to CCI or Winchester. Lots of folks are bound to chime in that they've used Feds in the Lee Pro 1000 primer feeder with no incident. So have I, until I got the whole story from Lee. However, the only instructive anecdotal evidence would be someone who DID detonate a Fed primer in the feeder and did not blow up their whole tray.

June 29, 2010, 06:52 PM	#4
TheBigO Senior Member Join Date: February 1, 2010 Location: Bellingham Posts: 122	Now this may be just in my head but I have used Magtec, Winchester and CCI primers and it seems that I get far less primer feeding issues with the CCI primers. Has anyone found that one works better then others?

October 7, 2010, 11:03 PM	#7
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	Sorry about your accident, but you look pretty lucky for a whole tray of primers going off. I see you didn't bother using the primer shield that Lee has for their press. You could have saved yourself some pain if you had used one. Pretty much a necessity with a progress press. Jim

October 7, 2010, 11:45 PM	#8
waderow Junior Member Join Date: October 7, 2010 Posts: 2	lee 1000 doesnt have one afaik

October 9, 2010, 08:55 AM	#10
Jim243 Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2009 Location: Just off Route 66 Posts: 5,067	While this is for the Load-Master, I'd find a way to put it on the 1000. http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct...tnumber=533868 Jim

October 9, 2010, 02:25 PM	#11
sonnycrockett Junior member Join Date: July 4, 2010 Location: Memphis TN Posts: 240	^^^^Lee is the only MFG I know making one of those Kinda makes u wonder

October 9, 2010, 02:40 PM	#12
Dannyl Senior Member Join Date: April 20, 2009 Location: Cape Town - South Africa Posts: 627	Yes, I do, never had a problem Hi All, I do use Federal primers with my Lee 1000. both my S&W revolvers are used for competitions and have the triggers set so light that I get light-strikes with any other brand. I therefore use Federal for .357 and .44 and hve not had any misshaps. I find that keeping the whole press (including under the shell plate) very clean helps a lot, and although it is a progressive press I do not try and break speed records when operating it. Since the manufacturer tells you not to do it, please do not take my words as advice to go against LEE's instructions but simply for what it is, an account of what I do. Brgds, Danny