New Lee Handprimer

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Dudedog

Dudedog

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I had the Round kind and liked it. (Worn out...)
Bought the "New" square tray one
Ears on the tray break "elevator" is a PITA (works but don't like it as good as the old round one)
I see they have a new one to replace the square tray model .
Has anybody used it? How do you like it?
 

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I bought one recently. I had an older one like yours. I prefer the older one. It seems the older one is better made. I broke the lever on the older one.
 
I looked at one at my LGS recently and just on the surface it struck me as being junk. I used my smart phone to check the reviews on Amazon and they were anything but glowing, I'll pass.
 
I have both the older (discontinued) Auto Prime and the new XR models.

While the new model works fine, I prefer the older model which provides better primer seating "feel". I bought extra handles for the Auto Prime before it was discontinued and PIF several to THR members.

In over 20 years, I broke one Auto Prime handle (on crimped primer pocket) but thinking about fabricating a replacement handle out of steel.

I am interested in the new bench mounted primer for about $10 more than hand primer. Have you considered it?

[YOUTUBE]RmARbGP8gLs[/YOUTUBE]
 
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bds said:
I have both the older (discontinued) Auto Prime and the new XR models.

While the new model works fine, I prefer the older model which provides better primer seating "feel". I bought extra handles for the Auto Prime before it was discontinued and PIF several to THR members.

In over 20 years, I broke one Auto Prime handle (on crimped primer pocket) but thinking about fabricating a replacement handle out of steel.
Click to expand...
Bds, if you ever fab one up, you may as well make 20 or 30....... :)
I can't stand the newer square models.
I have my old round tray model sitting in a box with a broken handle.
Got any more of those handles around still?
 
Ok found out from Lee you can no longer get covers for the Square type trays.
They are offering the new trays for free (+shipping) to anyone who's tool is less than 2 years old, otherwise $10 (+shipping).
The link they sent said I could get mine for free.
Don't know if they have a copy of my receipt from when I got replacement covers before, but for those of you with the square tray type using rubber bands to hold the cover on (guessing about >90% of the owners) the new trays might be an option.


Shipping is $8.00
Will let you know what I think about them when I get them. (hopefully an improvement over the square trays)
I guess they finally decided the square design wasn't so swift.:rolleyes:

Like to prime when watching TV(weaing safety glasses:)) so the hand primer works better for me than something on the bench.
 
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Same for me. I don't care for the new style at all. I like the old round ones better. If I come across NOS I will buy them.
 
I had the original round one and the thumb lever broke. I bought the square one and ended up swapping parts around and making a new refurbished round one. Good to go for another 15 years.
 
I liked and still have the old Lee round tray Auto Prime. When Lee was thumping their safety chest that the round tray hand primer was unsafe with certain primers, I moved to the RCBS hand priming tool with the universal shell holder.

Works pretty good for the most part but sometimes it will spit the case out. The universal shell holder is spring loaded and if the load seating the primer is too high, the springs will release the case.

I tried the Lee square tray replacement for the round tray version and have trashed it.

I keep the Lee round tray hand priming tool around for a few cartridges that do not work well on the RCBS Universal priming tool.
 
Got my new "free" replacement parts from Lee ($8.00 shipping, parts free)
Primed 500 cases.
Big improvement over the square tray. SP and LP "feeders" one tray. "Feeder" has a built in angle to help feed primers. Nice ridges in the tray, dumped in 100 primers couple taps and they are all upright. (tray shape makes it hard to get then in all the right direction.

Wish the tray was see thru, can't tell #of primers remaining, but you just go till you run out.
Part # is 90794 XR/Ergo Primer tray Update.

Worth the $8 IMO
(worth it if you have to pay them the $10 for the parts, but that would make it $18 with shipping, new tool is $26)
 

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I have used the round ones for probably 30 years. I broke several of the levers but when I did it, the replacement lever was readily available, so I just replaced them. But, two is one and one is none, so at some point I ended up buying four whole units, so I think I am set for awhile. :D I have two of them sitting unopened just in case. With the other two, I have one set up for large primers and one set up for small primers so I don't have to change anything.
 
Engineers need to leave things alone.

Wore out my first round one. Loaned my new one to a friend and haven't seen it again.:banghead: Bought the new square one and it is crap. I honestly don't know why engineers have to screw things up.:fire:
 
Engineers need to leave things alone.
Click to expand...
I sure the round ones went away for "safety" reasons.:rolleyes:
So the change was probably not due to an Engineer.
Note the red safety warnings on the new one....

Call Lee about the replacement part for your square one.
They will send you the new parts for shipping cost if your tool is less than 2 years old.
Like I mentioned earlier big improvement over the square tray.
I agree the square trays were a PITA.
(Still liked the round one better however, wish I would have bought a couple spares.)
 
Just wrote to Lee and have a Ticket ID

Subject: Trouble loading primers

Hello Lee, First I prefer email over telephone communication. Please do not call unless absolutely necessary.
When I first bought this Lee Auto-Prime XR about a year or so ago at one of the big retail sporting good stores, it worked pretty good. An occasional lifting of lid or flip of a primer but now I have a heck of a time using it.
The shell holders swivel around and seem loose in the slot where they used to be fairly snug.
I even resorted to using the priming arm on my press and insert one primer at a time and I get done priming cases faster than dealing with this thing. Small is worse than Large but they both are not working well at all.
I tried cleaning them and it improves it for a short time but I think that the whole thing is shot.
I don't think there are any broken parts, no broken tabs like I have heard happens but I also heard that there is a new replacement style available for those who bought these. I have bought the 11 shell holder pack and hope that these are still working for the upgrade. I've attached an image to show my unit on my loading bench.
Can you help me out please? Thank you
Click to expand...
 
Well ... I just got a response from Peter at Lee and am amazed at what he suggests I use duct tape :what: on my primer shellholder area to keep the shellholders in place. No mention of sending me a upgrade, just a part number to order. 90794

I responded telling him my unit is wore out and the solution to use duct tape to fix it is rather poor Lee Precision Support in my opinion.

Amazing! RCBS ... here I come .. again!
 
I see they are using the tray on the Safety Prime now. Is it a plug in replacement or are the feed chutes different?
 
Well ... I just got a response from Peter at Lee and am amazed at what he suggests I use duct tape
Click to expand...

:eek:
That's :cuss:


I would have said I thought about duct tape but I used it all holding my press together and there is no room on the priming tool for duct tape anyway due to the bailing wire holding it together.:evil:
(I have and like my Lee press, but Duct tape come on guys.)
I have had good luck with Lee support you might try again and maybe you will get lucky.
:evil: Email them asking if they can post of video of how to repair it with Duct for all the people who own it.
 
I did write them back and got a new reply this morning.
They want me to send it in, the whole set ( at my expense ) and they will fix or replace what is needed.
It seems they won't suggest an $8.00 remedy like Dudedog in post No. 12 had luck with.
I bet he didn't get Peter to answer his email.
If the replacement kit Dudedog got works well, I will just buy one since I already have the shellholders. I am done with Lee, for the sake of a cheap customer service upgrade, they lost a customer and I am sticking with RCBS for all my reloading equipment from now on. My bench is 70% RCBS anyway, 15% Hornady and 15% Lee and misc.

Now I am done with my rant, don't want to turn the thread bad and get it closed.
If Dudedog or anyone else sees my post that got one, let us know how that thing works with the old square tray system. I'll buy a set online, other than from Lee.

LATE EDIT: I bought one on ebay for 12.50 shipped tonight. I'm not sending my unit in at my expense to get it back with duct tape on it. LOL!

LEE 90794 * XR / ERGO TRAY UPDATE KIT * LARGE and SMALL ADAPTERS INCLUDED
 
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I bought the Lee Ergo Primer last year with the square trays. I saw they came out with the new primer trays so I emailed Lee about them.

They said to send them a receipt showing the ergo primer was less than 2 years old.I emailed them a copy from amazon and later that day they replied back that they shipped the new primer tray.

I received it in 2 days free of charge. I have nothing but high praise for Lee Precision. Everything I have bought from them or had to send back was dealt with extremely fast.


@sigsmoker- The shell holder should be held tight by the spring tension of the primer tray. Thats the only thing that keeps the shell holder in the slot.
 
Don't know for sure but I believe so.
I have upgraded my square tray on to the new trays and it uses the same Lee "special: priming shell holders.

I have had excellent results with Lee CS, they sent me replacement decap pins for free when I admitted they got broken/bent due to me depriming brass with off center flash holes.
(1st one accident, the second one I mangled was my fault for sure, but Lee sent me 2 news ones free. About a year ago the did send me a replacement cover for the SP square tray when the ears broke off my first one.
They also sent me my primer kit with out charging for the parts and did not ask for the receipt, and couple of other odds and ends over the last couple years as well.)
 
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I got my upgrade kit on ebay. It fits "snuggly" :D in the old silver handled square tray hardware and the same old shell holders fit nice on top.
There's a little round cheezy area on the old square type black ones where the shell holders sit that is raised and settles on the hole of the shell holder.
Mine are well worn and rounded over on the square black ones. That was part of my problem. ( Duct tape would not work there :scrutiny: )
That is why my shell holders swiveled all over the place and in and out of that area.
The new clear plastic is probably a harder plastic and less prone to wear in that area. The shell holders stay better in place on the clear plastic.
I think these updates will work well. I did not respond to Lee.
Some of us got lucky, and some of us got Peter.
 
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