Problem with Lee Auto Hand Primer

[chamokaneman]

Yeah, I'm definitely using the correct ram. I have two Lee auto prime tools. One has a tray, one I have to hand feed. Either way, I look at the primer before I put the brass in the shell holder. In the rare instance that a primer isn't laying on top of the ram in exactly the right configuration, I raise the ram a little, lower the ram, and everything is fine. They work fine for me. The important thing is to look before you squeeze.

I should also say that sometime if raising and lowering the ram doesn't tip the primer back over where it belongs, I'll raise the ram and tip it back over by hand. Hardly ever happens but put a couple primers in sideways and you take the time to look carefully.

 

[74man]

I just installed over 1100 small pistol primers in 40 S&W cases, I crushed three primers. I then started playing around with the position of the shell holder and I found out that, if I put the left corner of the shell holder at the left side corner of the opening for the shell holder, around 1 O'clock position all the primers when in smoothly and not a crushed one in the bunch. Because I am right handed, and I tried it left handed with moving the shell holders left edge to the 11 O'clock position, it also worked. I noticed that when the shell holder is straight up and down and you push on the handle, the shell holder seems to move upwards and that is why I think the primers go in sideways and get crushed. If you prime with the Lee Bench Auto Prime and have experienced crushed primers or sideways primers, try this technique and let us know it is works for you? Thanks, 74 man

 

[9mmepiphany]

I look at the primer before I put the brass in the shell holder

That might be what is contributing to your non-aligned/flipped primers.

You need to let the next primer drop while the just primed case is still in the shell holder

 

[9mmepiphany]

if I put the left corner of the shell holder

My shell holders are all round

 

[74man]

I understand they are round, but where you slide the casing into the holder the opening has both a left and right side and that is where I am talking about. The points on the top opening part. Take a closer look, The Bench Auto Prime don't fit into a press, they are different then the press mounted ones, so I think they are different that the hand models. If you have the same problem with the hand operated models then the holder will be different then the Bench Auto Prime.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I think they are different that the hand models. If you have the same problem with the hand operated models then the holder will be different then the Bench Auto Prime.

If you are referring to the Lee hand priming tool, they use the same shell holder as the Lee Auto Bench priming tool

 

[Highland Lofts]

LEE ≈ POOR QUALITY

 

[74man]

The line up the left tip of the shell holder with the left tip of the hand press and see it they go in smoother!! Maybe it is just me but it works for me.

 

[Icthruu74]

I’m glad to hear it’s not just me. My old round small primer tray went missing so I picked up a whole new hand prime a few years ago (it’s the square tray model for what that’s worth) and it’s not uncommon for me to have 2-3 flipped primers per 100, where I never had that issue with the old one. Now I look at each primer before I put a shell in the holder.

I’ve found a pencil to be the perfect tool to reorient a primer if needed, and it works great to flip any correctly in the tray instead of trying to shake the tray.