Lee Loader Priming Can Hurt

The only Lee Loader I have used was a kit made while they were in turmoil from family lawsuits about patent rights, it had a hand held lever type primer tool.

I have recently purchased a 308 Winchester kit with the mallet type primer installation, I bought it to get a buddy started in reloading.

Setting off a primer while he watches, would definitely be a negative experience and would probably turn a noob away from the hobby.

I'll be sure to follow the instructions 100% !

Back when I started reloading, 50+ years ago, I had a MEC shotgun press and a 30-06 Lee Loader. After I popped one primer with the hammer method, I discovered that the Lee with the priming rod in place would just fit under the tool head of the MEC. Problem solved. I actually had some feel of the primer seating properly and never set another off. I did not buy an actual rifle press for another ten years. I would say that the $6.95 Lee Loader paid for itself!

Hmmmm..... It is true that I have set off 2, maybe three at the most, primers with a Lee Loader.....but I have loaded 2 or 3 hundred rounds at least. Loaded ten last night. If you have a case with an insufficnelty deep primer pocket (S&B mosin nagant cases come to mind....must be made for a different sized primer)....THAT will surely set them off.

If you do it right, the primer is down below your hand, and becomes quickly shrouded by the case, die, and primer holder.

Keep your hand higher on the die system and you can't get burned like the photo here showed.

Also, just so people who have never used this will know, you have a rod thru the neck of the case going down to the inside head -- and you strike the ROD with the rubber hammer that you should be using. You never hit the primer!!! The primer sits in a little pocket and gets enveloped by the case as it is driven into place by virtue of the case being driven downwards.

the rod through the case, and covering the flash hole, prevents you from being injured by the direct primer brissance. Pretty ingenious solution, I'd say!

Rubber hammers are cheap at Harbor Frieght $2

I think we should rename this thread to something like "Extreme reloading 101"

My kit came with a lever type priming tool. Put in a primer, slide the case over it and squeeze the handle.

I have used on of this style many times for 30-30, and I have never had a primer pop. I use a wooden mallet instead of anything steel during the process. I have done at least 1000 or more.

I've LONG recommended the use of glasses and gloves for those who use the "Whack a mole" loading system. You just can't be too careful. I'm not putting the system down just saying there are reasonable precautions you should take. My first experiance loading was with a Lee in 45/70 nearly 50 years ago. I quickly went to a loading press as I felt the Lee was just TOO labor intensive for the amount of shooting I wanted to do.

Welll....don't want to make a big deal about it but the Lee Loader won't hurt anyone. Just to be clear, you set off a primer while using the tool incorrectly and the primer stung you a bit. Using tools incorrectly will often result in misadventure.

Over 50 years ago I tried the Whack a Mole kit in 30-06, popped two primers.

Sent the whole Whack a Mole kit to the land fill never looked back and to this day I won't buy any lee stuff.

For those who aren't familiar with it, the Lee Loader is NOT for high-volume reloading! However, it does allow you to have an entire setup for loading one caliber, for $26. For many hunters, that is all they need, since they may fire only a few shots.

You can certainly ignite a primer with it. Gloves and eyeglasses/goggles are a good idea. I don't put my hand anywhere near where the primer is going to be, so I don't feel the need for gloves, but I usually wear ear protection and I always have glasses on.

Obviously, Lee makes the entire range of loading equipment. I would be surprised by someone feeling that Lee progressive presses must necessarily be poorly made, because of their views on the entry-level Lee Loader.

the only Lee priming tool I have used is the autoprime II and it works just fine

I've used plenty of Lee Loaders, most of the time i had to piece them together, because the auctioneer or person i bought it from dumped it out, and said " your guess is as good as mine" I've never had a primer pop using Lee Loaders, i only used them for about 2 years, but still have them in storage in case i need to bug out or something, but then i got the Lee Auto Prime 2. Very happy with it, strains muscles but gets the job done fast, its hard to pop a primer in one of them.

My only KABOM loading was a 20 ga Lee Loader. Had about 6 left to prime when I got interupted by the paper boy coming to collect. When I went back I used the deprimer to prime a case. The depriming tool actually put a dent in the ceiling. I still have the plywood top of the desk with the damage the primer did. Glad my fingers were up high on the tool

I've made a few hundred 7.62x54r,.308 and 12ga. loads with my Lee Loader and have never had a primer go off. Most I have heard of was was opperator error.

I shot a lot of skeet when I was a kid and loaded all of my 20ga AA's with a Lee loader....I have no idea how many lawns I mowed or (later) gallons of gas I pumped to be able to finally afford a MEC 600 Jr. I still have the MEC and still use it occasinally 50 years after buying it.

I've only loaded around a thousand rounds of 38 spl with my lee whack a mole kit so far. I've bent up primers by not paying attention but have never set one off. While it is as basic as you can get, I don't think you can get into reloading cheaper. I'm ready to upgrade but I won't get rid of my lee loader. I can't fit a press in my pants pockets!

shiftyer1 said:

I've only loaded around a thousand rounds of 38 spl with my lee whack a mole kit so far. I've bent up primers by not paying attention but have never set one off. While it is as basic as you can get, I don't think you can get into reloading cheaper. I'm ready to upgrade but I won't get rid of my lee loader. I can't fit a press in my pants pockets!

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How well does a lb. of powder, primers, and bullets fit in that pant pocket?

Jason75979 said:

How well does a lb. of powder, primers, and bullets fit in that pant pocket?

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Is that a pound of each your asking?

plmitch said:

Is that a pound of each your asking?

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No, but I'm sure you understand the idea behind the post.
I would hope nobody would carry a lb. of primers in their pockets.

Jason75979 said:

No, but I'm sure you understand the idea behind the post.
I would hope nobody would carry a lb. of primers in their pockets.

Click to expand...

No, I didn't that's why I asked.

Hold onto the priming rod, not the sizing die.

Just get a lee or other hand primer. That way you won't have any problems and you will get a much better feel of the primer seating. These lee loaders are capable of making outstanding ammo, as good or better than some high dollar presses/dies.

It took me awhile but I finally realized I was popping primers on the military brass that didn't have the crimp removed. This was many years ago, but when I realized the issue and started removing crimps I never had another POP.

Ahhh, memories of loading 45 Colt with a Whack-A-Load. I can still recall how my ears rang the first time I set off a large pistol primer and hearing my mother through the ringing ask if I was okay. I can see the humor in it now 30+ years later however my mother never let me forget that she warned me not to do that inside.