Lee Auto-Prime

[mry716]

Ive been reloading one thing or another for 35+ years now and have used a Lee Auto-Prime for most of them. I still do because I find it easy and quick and except for two occasions totally safe. I have had two primers explode but out of the hundred of thousands loaded thats not bad and neither ball of flame did more than singe my hair.

 

I have read widely on shooting and reloading yet until today did not realise that Federal primers MUST NOT be used in a Lee Auto-Prime. I had heard from somewhere that Winchester Large rifle were temperamental in the Auto-Prime and max at any one time should be about 10 rather than filling the tray with 100 but I had not read the disturbing detail provided by Lee themselves about how and how not to use this most satisfactory tool.

 

In respect of Federal primers Lee say in capital letters DO NOT USE FEDERAL PRIMERS IN A LEE AUTO-PRIME and go on to say that they are just 'too darn dangerous'.

 

if I have missed this information and have been using my tool with Federal and others perhaps you have as well - hence this post.

 

 

Lee say that these sizes may be used with 100 primers in the tray

 

All sizes of CCI

Winchester Small Pistol

Remington Small Pistol #5 /2

Remington Large Pistol # 2 1/2

 

Limit to Only 20 Primers in the Tray of these types

Winchester Large Pistol

Winchester Magnum Pistol

Winchester Magnum Rifle

 

Only 10 primers should be loaded into the tray of

Winchester Large Rifle

 

Any primer not listed above has not been tested so you must assume they are unsafe.

 

Whereas a tray of above primers exploding will blow the lid off the 'Other' primers

detonate with such force that it turns the tool into shrapnel. Federal being the most dangerous.

[mry716]

Well, in future you may well be sensible to load Federal singly or you too could be righthanded but shooting lefthanded !

[mry716]

'Book' as you put it is a guide and yes I go over those figures often and sometimes significantly eg 10grs over max in the 325 BUT what is safe in my rifle and within SAMMI spec for pressure at a certain load may or may not be in the next one and Powder manufacturers offer a guide with a Max that will keep ALL loads below SAMMI Specs.

 

Lee are saying Federal Primers are all dangerous if used other than singularly. l value my sight, especially so as I have already lost one eye to an accident, and will in future do as Lee suggest - not only with Federal but as per their advice with other makes as well.

 

Try putting some in a tin can Fister and lighting a candle underneath but well away from houses and yourself and then post aq description of the effects a 'few' primers exploding simultaneously could have a few inches from your face.I believe the next post will not be of the same 'cavalier' attitude as your previous.

 

I do not wish to appear rude but an over cautious approach is well founded and to post other on a forum such as this will only encourage others, less knowledgeable in the intricacies of reloading, to follow your somewhat irresponsible lead.

[mry716]

Fister,

If I have offended, I apologise. Please be assured I do not wish to create an argument on this thread or allow it to become personal. I appreciate the point you are making and you do seem concerned that 'Newbies' to reloading follow instructions set out in manuals and guides from manufactures and do reiterate the general warnings for primers. I simply felt that we must all try to encourage the newcomer towards the 'safest' reloading methods and practies until they have aquired the expertise to judge these sort of safety aspects for themselves.

 

With regard to Max charges.

What is Max in one manual may well be Min in another. The individual manual says do not exceed Max simply because with those components tested the Max pressure was reached with that load. Change components and Max may well be reached earlier or considerably later in the load scale hence the variations between one manual and another for what is seemingly the same load.

 

The WSM loads are different - the 325 was totally unlisted when I started and I needed to begin with a blank sheet of paper. I built up various loads with different powders and one specifically with H4350 that gave no pressure signs and kept below the velocity of the only available factory Ammunition marketed by Winchester. Hodgdon then provided data approximately in line with my own but subsequently, because some people reported problems with their Max guidelines, actually reduced the figures significantly.

 

As I have said reloading data Max is down the the set of circumstances and components of your particular load in your particular rifle on any given day (temp' dependant). The Lee information regarding the use of Federal and other Primers in their own AutoPrime and other auto primers was specific after significant testing and the differences in use by a 1000 different people would be so small as to make the Lee warning pertinent to all.

 

I have used all makes of primers with the AutoPrime - in ignorance of the warning - without problems except for the 2 occasions mentioned. I will not, however, continue to do so despite the inconvenience of single loading and can only suggest others consider doing the same.

[Big Dog]

Maybe I am missing something here but if a manufacturer give you safety advice like "DON'T USE FEDERAL....DANGEROUS.." is it not simple? Either your follow what a manufacturer recomends or you don't. If you work outside their recommendaton and you get hurt, don't contact them, its is really that simple.

 

Lee are also very careful to highlight the there is nothing at all wrong with Federal primers, they say they are good quallity. What they do say is never use them in a "Lee" machine, because they are not suited to Lee's kit, they are talking about their own equipment!!

 

The choice is up to you, it not about opinion, its about choice and risk. They simple highlight the risk, we choose which side of the risk we operate.

[steve_b_wales]

Ive been reloading one thing or another for 35+ years now and have used a Lee Auto-Prime for most of them. I still do because I find it easy and quick and except for two occasions totally safe. I have had two primers explode but out of the hundred of thousands loaded thats not bad and neither ball of flame did more than singe my hair.

 

I have read widely on shooting and reloading yet until today did not realise that Federal primers MUST NOT be used in a Lee Auto-Prime. I had heard from somewhere that Winchester Large rifle were temperamental in the Auto-Prime and max at any one time should be about 10 rather than filling the tray with 100 but I had not read the disturbing detail provided by Lee themselves about how and how not to use this most satisfactory tool.

 

In respect of Federal primers Lee say in capital letters DO NOT USE FEDERAL PRIMERS IN A LEE AUTO-PRIME and go on to say that they are just 'too darn dangerous'.

 

if I have missed this information and have been using my tool with Federal and others perhaps you have as well - hence this post.

 

 

Lee say that these sizes may be used with 100 primers in the tray

 

All sizes of CCI

Winchester Small Pistol

Remington Small Pistol #5 /2

Remington Large Pistol # 2 1/2

 

Limit to Only 20 Primers in the Tray of these types

Winchester Large Pistol

Winchester Magnum Pistol

Winchester Magnum Rifle

 

Only 10 primers should be loaded into the tray of

Winchester Large Rifle

 

Any primer not listed above has not been tested so you must assume they are unsafe.

 

Whereas a tray of above primers exploding will blow the lid off the 'Other' primers

detonate with such force that it turns the tool into shrapnel. Federal being the most dangerous.

What about Remington Large Rifle 9 1/2 primers? I am using these at the moment.

 

Steve B

[rossandjet]

I must admit to the fact that I also use the Federal primers in the Lee Auto prime.

 

I have read the warnings in the Lee book and I do take more precautions than I do with the Remingtons.

 

The recent warnings by other members are I am sure, well justified, but they do throw up other questions;

 

Is there a recommended tool to fit the Federal primers?

 

Would it not be prudent for Federal to warn the public that it is dangerous to use their product in the Lee autoprimer?

[bob300w]

Maybe I am missing something here but if a manufacturer give you safety advice like "DON'T USE FEDERAL....DANGEROUS.." is it not simple? Either your follow what a manufacturer recomends or you don't. If you work outside their recommendaton and you get hurt, don't contact them, its is really that simple.

 

Lee are also very careful to highlight the there is nothing at all wrong with Federal primers, they say they are good quallity. What they do say is never use them in a "Lee" machine, because they are not suited to Lee's kit, they are talking about their own equipment!! :blink:

 

The choice is up to you, it not about opinion, its about choice and risk. They simple highlight the risk, we choose which side of the risk we operate.

 

Just about sums it up, the manufacturer says "don't do it", you have done it and are now compaining, or have I missed something as well? I don't suppose that you use three inch cartridges in a two and a half inch chambered gun as well do you?

[mikee]

Lee have apparently brought out a new model of the Auto Prime, the XR model that is ok to use with all makes of primer.

 

I found the following on the web,research for yourself before yopu buy one, dont trust what I have posted incase its not true

 

"The Lee Auto Prime XR Hand Priming Tool is the updated version of a time tested classic. The XR has been designed to work with every brand of primer and features the patent pending "elevator pin" which safely separates a single primer from the tray reducing the likelihood of tray detonation. The XR uses the same body and shellholders as the original but the rest of the components have been improved or replaced. Some of the upgrades include an unbreakable comfort curve lever, large square trays that accept all brands of primer boxes with slide on covers for large or small primers".

 

 

mikee

[Hornet 6]

I thought the warning came from Federal, and was just passed on by Lee.

 

Neil.

[markbivvy]

I thought the warning came from Federal, and was just passed on by Lee.

 

Neil.

 

over 4 years ago, so does it matter.

[Robin128]

Only used CCI over 40 years...never a problem but always seat primers pointing away from face and no powder out.

 

[hanaghan123]

Hi you haven't missed the information about federal primers it's in the Lee reloading Manuel just to let everyone know I have been reloading these federals for 2 years and they are safe state that only putting 20 primers in the tray at one time

[toplever]

i usually load one primer at a time into the hull on the mecs and the loadall. Dont like the idea of the auto prime with all your fingers wrapped round it. Having said that, although a primer makes a fair bang and a sheet of flame when detonated outside the cartridge, when subject to a hot flame it only makes a fairly subdued crack. I used to burn primers in bulk in part chopped empty hulls when extracting materials from factory misloads. the results were not spectacular at all - just a few sharp cracks - no windows broken.

 

Saying the FEDS are somehow more dangerous than others is to cover their ***** no doubt. If you jam any primer half way across the punch and that goes off its kinda your own fault and 100 primers=approx 1 hand grenaded less the shrapnel

 

 

Having thrown live grenades there is a massive difference - just the detonator from one of those would blow your hand off.

[kent]

I have done thousands of federal though an old Lee auto prime. I don't put more than ten of anything in one. I personally feel its more to do with money and corporations being linked. If Ford fell out with shell and told people the fuel was unsuited to their cars? all primers are dangerous, funny how it says nothing of static and how to avoid it IMO.

Wear safety specs point it away from you and if it feels wrong STOP you have a problem

[STOTTO]

If you stick your #### in the hornets’ nest even after they have explicitly told you why it is such a bad idea to do so and you still go ahead and do it, what would you be thinking?

‘So far so good’ perhaps or “Initial Success or Total Failure”!

Be smart, stay safe always follow best known practise and manufacturer’s advice even if you think you might know better as in the past you have gotten away with doing things that go against their recommended instructions!

 

STOTTO Very ex Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal Unit 49 E.O.D

.

Oh and reloader of tens of thousands of pistol rounds mostly primed with a Lee Auto Prime tool, safety glasses, and tool always angled away from the beauty spot! Can’t remember being aware of a problem with Federal primers, it doesn’t mean there wasn’t one but I never experienced any issues whilst using them and I always filled the tray to capacity, long time ago mind in fact a long time before this post was first published. Just shows that maybe you can play hopscotch in the mine field and live to tell the tale! No professionals still doing this I believe!

Edited July 25, 2014 by STOTTO

[Dogrot]

Well guys I am new to reloading and I have read all your comments,

I my self up to now load just under the recommended book taking in to account my newness this allows a gr or two ,

but if I can say I have not see any lose in accuracy.

and when reloading the law is in our hands and I need both!!

 

I hope we all except each others opinions politically correct or not

And enjoy our sport

 

All the best

[magman]

Only your 9 years to late

[TriBsa]

Read the MSDS. Federal Primers contain Nitroglycerin.

Edited December 3, 2017 by TriBsa

[Graham M]

I think you do need to be careful when reading some information given by manufacturers. Some years ago Lee stated that it did not recommend loading Speer bullets in their presses. 

Turned out that they had had a bit of a spat with Speer so didn't want to promote their bullets. 

As for using the Lee Auto-prime......I find it just as easy to prime using the Lee Breech Lock press https://leeprecision.com/reloader-press.html and then just load the powder and go onto the Challenger to seat and crimp.

Edited May 21, 2018 by Graham M

[nagantino]

I use Federal primers exclusively now and have never had a problem, ever. I shoot about 150/250 a month, rifle and pistol, depending. Or I did. The only time a primer exploded was a CCI large pistol primer and it set off 3 more in the Lee Pro Primer tray. I will never forget it.