Lee Hand Priming tools issues!!!!!

[Wallyl]

Years ago I when I got started in handloading I used a Lee Loader…I soon figured out the priming on it was not all that “nice” so I bought the Lee Priming tool….all made of metal with screw in SHs. One needed to but a no. of SHs for various calibers, but they were cheap. Later Lee came out with an Auto Prime tool---had two plastic trays …the body of the tool was a beautiful chrome finish, but was made of zinc. After a few years the lip on the body that holds the SH on it broke…I bought a replacement body. Then a few years later the handle broke . I contacted Lee---no parts for it, but they’d sell me a new version …for ½ retail---- BUT I’d have to send back the old one and pay shipping for the new one. I could buy two new ones for what that would cost. Because I had the red box set of 11 SHs for the original Auto Prime…I bought a new one. I Found that primers didn’t feed well in it, especially small primers. I’d have to watch that the primers slide into the SH and also make sure they didn’t go in sideways; something I never had to worry about with the original Lee Auto Prime. But I slipped up an a cocked LG primer got by my “QC” . When seating the cocked primer I broke the small ear that holds the plastic assembly to the body of the tool. I got a replacement. Now it happened to me again with the SM Primer plastic assembly (TARP). The funny thing is my original all metal Lee priming tool (Ala one primer at a time) still works just fine!

IMHO the first Auto Prime tool had a serious flaw/design in the handle. The critical area in its’ handle was not beefy enough to take the use…it is made of pot metal zinc. The new version uses plastic what Lee calls Tray Adpt Mold Parts (TAMP). They are made of Styrene plastic—same as found on a Bic pen and is the least durable plastic that there is. The Original Auto Prime used a much stronger plastic and the ears that hold them on the body of the tool is very substantial and virtually unbreakable.

I came up with a MacGyver fix for the broken TAMP. Using a thin strip of cereal box cardboard, you slip it underneath the polyethylene plastic “slider” on the TAMP, then place tape on the sides of the strip to affix it to the handle. IMHO one should always use this even with an unbroken TAMP….it will prevent the breakage of the plastic ears.

I sure wish that I could find a replacement handle for the original Lee Auto Prime Tool…I am not good at welding zinc!

Top Picture--New Lee Lee Auto Priming Tool; Bottom the Original Lee Auto Priming Tool (I need a new handle for mine????)
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[Winelover]

Just bite the bullet and go with RCBS's version with the interchangeable shell holders. Don't go with the universal shell holder model.............it's a jack of all trades and a master of none. I have them both.

Better yet, invest a little more and go with the RCBS bench mounted priming tool...............unless your stuck on portable hand priming. I hardly ever use the hand primers, any more. Unless, I'm priming a few cases and too lazy to clamp the tool to the bench.

 

[Wallyl]

Winlover...I have three RCBS priming tools... a Posi Prime, an old "on at a time" bench mounted priming tool, & also their 90200 Hand Priming tool


This is a picture of my original (AND STILL WORKING) Lee Priming Tool...

 

[Petrol & Powder]

I went through my Lee Auto Prime phase and probably held on longer than I should have. I cannibalized several old Auto Prime units to keep one working until I ran out of parts. At that point, I was DONE.
The Lee Auto Prime (the one with the round trays) was yet another example of Lee products being designed to hit a price point.
These days I don't need a hand primer very often but when I do - I want it to work.
SO, I purchased an RCBS unit that uses standard shell holders.
I was actually glad to get rid of my collection of Lee Auto prime parts.

 

[Wallyl]

I can appreciate why you feel that way...sadly the Lee Auto Prime is a good concept, however it was poorly engineered with use poor materials and not strengthen the weak areas *...it would have been easy & cheap to have done so. I think Lee screwed loyal customers for not having spare handles for the original Auto Prime tool...I will never forget that next time I need to purchase any reloading equipment.....RCBS has always treated me so much better.

* Styrene plastic and not strengthening the weakest point on the handle for original Auto prime

 

[Wallyl]

Not to beat a dead horse...below is a photo of the plastic TAMP on the new Lee Auto Prime..to the far left on it are the "ears" that connect it to the body of the tool..there are what have broken off on both of mine. If the primers went it straight to the SH w/o cocking, they'd never break. As I recall that never happened on there original Auto Prime Tool.

 

[4and1]

The LEE Auto Prime, round tray, is still a good tool. I have two I keep working. They are sloppy, if you don't keep an eye on things, it will flip a primer, an upside down primer doesn't work well. I have an RCBS that take regular shell holders, it works OK as long as you remember how to change shell holders in the right sequence. I have a Hornady, it's a POS. The best is a Sinclair stainless, and I use it more now, if I'm not in a hurry. I like a tray fed tool.

 

[Brad]

The old round tray Lee is my all time favorite. I broke a couple handles and mine sat useless for quite some time.
Once I got a mill I made a new handle and now it lives again.

I have a Hornady and I hate it.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

I don't want to turn this into a Lee bashing thread........but somebody has to do it !

Lee products have their place and I own some Lee equipment BUT , Lee is a constant exercise in how to hit a particular price point.

I'm not disparaging Lee, if you're not Bill Gates or Warren Buffet, money is probably a factor. You just need to enter the arena with the knowledge of what you are buying.

I like the old Lee hand primer but I'm not going to obtain a mill and spend hours of time to fabricate a replacement handle for a Lee Auto Prime.
Lee could have made that device out of something other than pot metal and thin plastic but it would have cost more. I GET IT! That doesn't mean I have to except it.

There comes a point where you decide how to allocate your limited funds. There's nothing wrong with making decisions based on price as long as you understand what you are doing.

 

[Wallyl]

Amen , Petrol & Powder!!!!!!

 

[Brad]

I wish Lee had made that tool from better metal. It is still the best I have used.
The handle Is the weak link and it wouldn’t have been hard to reinforce it.

 

[Winelover]

I use the old style Lee for years and even recommended it. I never broke the handle..................just wore the damn thing out. Got to the point it wasn't setting primers correctly. Started getting FTF's on first strike.

 

[Wallyl]

Winelover was that the one with screw on shellholders?

 

[Winelover]

The Lee had the slide in shell holders.

 

[david s]

Is this the part your looking for. It's off an original Lee Auto Prime. My old one broke same as yours, the top shell holder retaining lip cracked and ruined the tool. So one up for grabs.

 

[Wallyl]

david s ..I'd like to grab it!..... It is the right part!

 

[fiver]

I do believe ''broken lee priming tools'' is now the number one thread starter for the year 2020.
too bad too,,, my money was on over clocked marlin barrels.

 

[Brad]

fiver, I could agree except for one little difference.
Old Lee tools were the ones prone to breakage, the new Marlins are the ones with over clocked barrels.
Maybe Lee lost some engineers to Marlin a decade ago?

 

[Ian]

I read somewhere (Lee site I think) fhat they discontinued parts for the original hand priming tool with the tray because their new one was safer to use and they were trying to minimize accidents by letting the old ones disappear through attrition.

 

[Wallyl]

Ian That could be, but they sure ticked many off by not offering parts, forcing one to buy their new model---or buying another brand.