Do you prime off the press?
- Thread starter Dewey 68
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I load on an LCT, always prime on press, and can't imagine why I'd want to handle a cleaned fired handgun caliber case many times before I began reloading it, when just once does the trick. Seems kinda like adding needless manual labor to the process? I purposely upgraded from a single stage to this auto-advancing turret with time saving as one of the reasons.
ReloaderFred
Member
I detail all my brass, and that includes priming. I've settled on the Ram Prime system from both Lyman and RCBS for all my priming. These are used on one of my Rockchucker presses, since it's in the handiest position on my bench.
I load in batches of 1,000 rounds, and when I'm ready to load on the progressive press, it's with sized and primed brass, which allows a spot for the RCBS Lockout Die. I just finished loading over 3,000 rounds of .38's, all with sized and primed brass. With the way I prime, I know for certain every primer is properly seated.
Hope this helps.
Fred
I load in batches of 1,000 rounds, and when I'm ready to load on the progressive press, it's with sized and primed brass, which allows a spot for the RCBS Lockout Die. I just finished loading over 3,000 rounds of .38's, all with sized and primed brass. With the way I prime, I know for certain every primer is properly seated.
Hope this helps.
Fred
gifbohane
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I have been priming on the RCBS bench primer. I find it easy and effective. The hundred bucks was only spent once. I thought about buying the attachment and using the fitting on my Redding Turret T 7 but the tuning seems complicated and delicate plus I already have what works.
Whiterook808
Member
I prime rifle cartridges on my RCBS bench primer and pistol cartridges are usually primed on the Dillon 550 as part of the loading process.
kmw1954
Member
I use 3 different Lee Presses, an old 3 hole turret, Pro1000 and recently an Auto Breech Lock Pro. All are either turret or progressive and I prime on press with all three. Sorry but it just seems counter productive to have an automated press only to interrupt the process by removing and replacing the shell case just to prime it.
I have been using the Lee Pro1000 for about 3 years now and the only time I have trouble with primers is when I manipulate the press by hand such as to remove a case to check weigh a powder charge or I wasn't watching close enough and the primers got low. On the Pro1000 I kept track and at one stretch I ran 3200 rounds thru it w/o a single missed or dropped primer. I don't believe I'm doing anything special or anything that anyone else cannot do.
As I said too, I also recently added a ABLP press because I needed the 4th position for a FCD for a 45acp load. This press uses the same Safety Prime system as the turret press does and to be honest I like the priming on the Pro1000 much better!
Series70
Member
My first press was a single stage Lyman T-Mag. Never used the primer tube. Afraid of detonating a whole tube. So did hand priming with the Lee silver hand primer tool, it didn't even have a primer tray. Just inserted primers singly. Upgraded to the square primer tray model - much better .
Bought Lee Classic Turret with their safety-prime system. Seemed hokey and unreliable at first. Frequently had primers dropping on the floor . Then got it adjusted properly and got the feel for it. No more priming problems whatsoever!
Bought Lee Classic Turret with their safety-prime system. Seemed hokey and unreliable at first. Frequently had primers dropping on the floor . Then got it adjusted properly and got the feel for it. No more priming problems whatsoever!
LiveLife
Member
Lee Auto Breech Lock Pro is now my favored press to load my rounds. I had some reservations about "manual" Safety Prime but I am getting essentially 99.9% success rate (.1% usually user error of not fully cycling Safety Prime) and visualization of primer before going under the resize brass essentially eliminates upside down primer and sideways primer is a distant fading memory as it can't happen with Safety Prime.
I am really enjoying press priming with ABLP as it works with even larger sized metric primers like Fiocchi.
Only "tinkering" I had to do was rub out plastic corners of slider with my thumbnail and slightly stretch out the return spring. Once that were done, Safety Prime has been 99.9% reliable for me (It's the latest "white" version).
I wanted to reload several thousand rounds and identify all the "quirks" before I did my detailed/comprehensive review of ABLP and I think Lee Precision got it right going with Safety Prime.
I am really enjoying press priming with ABLP as it works with even larger sized metric primers like Fiocchi.
Only "tinkering" I had to do was rub out plastic corners of slider with my thumbnail and slightly stretch out the return spring. Once that were done, Safety Prime has been 99.9% reliable for me (It's the latest "white" version).
I wanted to reload several thousand rounds and identify all the "quirks" before I did my detailed/comprehensive review of ABLP and I think Lee Precision got it right going with Safety Prime.
Ruger 15151
Member
I process all riffle cases from beginning to end on my Redding T-7 . However, for my handgun cases my process is a little more involved and I can already hear the comments about extra steps. I prime and size my handgun cases on my Redding Turret press and expand, powder charge, seat, and crimp on my Horny AP. I have found that I can more consistently seat primers without wearing out my hands on the Turret press and I can also size the cases while they are still in the shell holder. The advantage of sizing before I get to the Hornady AP is that there is less shell holder tip. As a result, my COL varies only about .001 when I load this way.
Arkansas Paul
Member
I have historically done both.
I used to do everything one a single stage, so I would prime on the press for small batches and off the press for volume.
Then I got a Lee turret press so I would load all pistol rounds with it, priming on the press.
Now, we just acquired a Dillon 550, our first progressive, so we will be doing that.
For experimenting with new loads, I'm sure the single state will still come into play and will likely prime on the press for those.
I'm not sure how much the hand primer will get used now.
I used to do everything one a single stage, so I would prime on the press for small batches and off the press for volume.
Then I got a Lee turret press so I would load all pistol rounds with it, priming on the press.
Now, we just acquired a Dillon 550, our first progressive, so we will be doing that.
For experimenting with new loads, I'm sure the single state will still come into play and will likely prime on the press for those.
I'm not sure how much the hand primer will get used now.
I have to commend you for identifying the Pro1000 index drift as the source of the priming problem, most (new) owners could not figure that out and never watched the vid posted about it on the Lee site.
The Pro1000 presses sold today have an index locating pin that nudges the shell plate into position earlier in the downward travel, before the primer pin touches the base and starts moving up.
I bought a Pro1000 (without that index pin), at a deep discount when the locating pin version was released in 2018.
I think the index adjustment instructions/vid even states to turn the adjustment screw an additional 3/4 of a turn AFTER indexing is achieved.
I still prime on the pro1000 press (without the index pin) but give the index adjustment screw an 1/8 turn when I add primers, so every 100+/- cycles and have gotten consistent results with out the problem you have had.
That may change though as the index ratchet wears.
I have another fix in mind for this index drift for older Pro1000, but I have "drifted" way too far off topic already.
Edit: read my sig line, it is appropriate here
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jmorris
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I prime on the press when it makes sense. The most reliable primer feed system is the Dillon 650, the #1 complaint with them is that they always feed primers.
The least reliable I had was a used Loadmaster, I bought the latest system for it and it went from frustration to fantastic.
There are plastic parts that once damaged things go south quickly and don’t get better until they are replaced. Don’t feel bad though Lee isn’t the only one. The SD, 550 and 1050 all have plastic orifice tips that fail from time to time. APS strips don’t last forever etc.
To me priming by hand using a progressive press more than doubles your work for each round.
The least reliable I had was a used Loadmaster, I bought the latest system for it and it went from frustration to fantastic.
There are plastic parts that once damaged things go south quickly and don’t get better until they are replaced. Don’t feel bad though Lee isn’t the only one. The SD, 550 and 1050 all have plastic orifice tips that fail from time to time. APS strips don’t last forever etc.
To me priming by hand using a progressive press more than doubles your work for each round.
ColtPythonElite
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- 10,462
If I had a progressive that I couldn't prime on, I would either repair it or replace it. Off press priming with a progressive press doesn't seem very progressive to me.
kmw1954
Member
I am still trying to comprehend this "Drift" you both are referring to. I just don't see it. I run the press just as it was designed to be run and am to a point that any primer failures I have I can contribute to something I've done, mainly manipulating the shellplate by hand, getting completely out of sequence or not paying attention to the number of primers in the feed chute.
As long as I run the press with complete full strokes of the handle the shell plate has rotated completely to the correct position and locked into the detent ball and the primer has seated fully.
When I started with this press I talked with many other owners/users about the priming on this press and watched many videos and one of the first things that struck me was I was seeing very many presses that had lousy mounts or weak benches. That every time the operator would pull the handle the whole press would move. It would move at the top of the stroke and it would move at the bottom of the stroke. And in some instances it was moving a great deal. So it was no wonder people have priming difficulties.
This press is designed with an open priming anvil pin. There is no cup to hold the primer in position so anytime there is a primer in position on the priming pin and the press is bumped or jostled the primer gets moved out od position and is no longer centered under the primer hole. I can stand next to my press and hit it as hard as possible with my hip and the press does not move a bit. The primer is still in position and my hip hurts. So between that and keeping dirt and spilled powder out of the priming system I have no problems that I didn't cause by something I did.
LCT, Breech Lock Pro, two Pro 1000’s, Loadmaster, XL650. All prime reliably for bulk handgun and 223 reloading. They’re designed to prime on press so I use them that way. Don’t let them get filthy and don’t let the Pro 1000’s get anywhere near low.
Rifle rounds are a different story. Carefully loaded step by step since they have narrowly defined objectives. Except for the recent Garand acquisition. Its got an appetite. The Loadmaster is feeding it. Primers, powder, and all. Really like watching those big 30-06 cases circle around and fall in the bin.
Rifle rounds are a different story. Carefully loaded step by step since they have narrowly defined objectives. Except for the recent Garand acquisition. Its got an appetite. The Loadmaster is feeding it. Primers, powder, and all. Really like watching those big 30-06 cases circle around and fall in the bin.
You need to go buy a lotto ticket.
Most presses arrive with the index "out of time" and 1st time reloaders, unlike you, never read the adjustment instructions or watch the Lee vids, or research fixes on-line.
Why do you suppose Lee added the index locating pin to the Pro1000 in 2018...not because it operated flawlessly like yours.
It's because if the primer got pushed up to the bottom of the shell plate before it stopped indexing, the shell plate would sweep across the primer and turn it sideways.
Because there is play/clearance(something like backlash) between the index adj. screw and the outside of the ratchet gear the index can "drift", and why the "then advance the screw an additional 3/4 of a turn" is in the Pro 1000 Zero Adjustment Vid, the 1st thing mentioned in this vid is PRIMER TIPPING
:Something else I have done is bow the gear plate to put more pressure on the ratchet gear to keep it from turning.
https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-...ce-parts/pro-1000-parts/lee-tr2439-gear-plate
Because your press is humming along problem free I would leave it alone.
and buy that lotto ticket,
edit: sorry again for the drift
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HOWARD J
Member
I started priming on a Rock Chucker
Went to RCBS auto primer tool
To a Dillion 450 then 550
My UZI days are over---now I take my time on a Lee turret press.
Went to RCBS auto primer tool
To a Dillion 450 then 550
My UZI days are over---now I take my time on a Lee turret press.
1MoreFord
Member
When I started loading it was on a Rockchucker and I primed on a Lee hand primer. I still prefer this when using a single stage press but when using a Dillon Progressive I prime on the press.
gifbohane, you have the same equipment that I have and we've both had that same thought pattern regarding fitting the priming tool to our T-7's. I'd like a faster process in my reloading and have thought several times about selling my T-7 and getting a Dillon 550C. Perhaps down the road!
kmw1954
Member
You need to go buy a lotto ticket.
Because your press is humming along problem free I would leave it alone.
and buy that lotto ticket,
edit: sorry again for the drift
I have bought many LOTTO tickets and honestly I've had better luck with the press.
Now the Pro1000 I have I have two carriers, one with a small primer chute and one with a large primer chute. Also use three different shell plates, a 380, 9mm and 45acp., I also have a 38/357 plate but I don't load those.
That timing adjustment is used every time I knock it out of time, which is easy to do when you remove cases as frequently as I do. I have found that I use about 1/2 turn after it has jumped to the detent ball. As far as the alignment pin I believe that was mostly for the BLP press.
My biggest problem with the Pro1000 priming system is when I'm making adjustments to a powder charge and advance a second case past the case sensor and I end up double stacking primers. Why I keep doing this one I have no clue, would think that after a hundred times or more one would remember.
Like the others as a progressive press user I like to use the press as it was designed and not add steps.
JimKirk
Member
I prime on press .... A CoAx at that ....while it may be slower ....I 've never had a pistol/revolver primer to not go off ....I have had two rifle primers that didn't fire .... One CCI and one Winchester ....
Probably 100,000 plus loads ....
I don't mind taking the time to make good ammo ....
Probably 100,000 plus loads ....
I don't mind taking the time to make good ammo ....
Dudedog
Contributing Member
Sometimes on the press, but most of the time I prime with my Lee hand primer while watching TV.
I like to deprime then wet tumble my brass so this works for me.
Nice not to have to worry about priming while loading as well.
I like to deprime then wet tumble my brass so this works for me.
Nice not to have to worry about priming while loading as well.
BWS
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- Dec 6, 2017
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Knock on wood......
Still using two old Lee hand primers,the ones with round lids. Had to replace both clear lids. They need their linkage WELL lubed,made from cheap zinc castings and will break. Not bashing on Lee but just wish they'd use better materials.
Still using two old Lee hand primers,the ones with round lids. Had to replace both clear lids. They need their linkage WELL lubed,made from cheap zinc castings and will break. Not bashing on Lee but just wish they'd use better materials.
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