Lee Auto Bench Prime advise

[deadeye dick]

All my stuff is Lee, not because it's reasonable but it works well for my use. Well, this question is for anyone who has a Lee Auto Bench Primer, but anyone can jump in. I have the Classic turret press but mostly load single stage. The new auto prime tool design is crap and since I prime single stage already i was looking at the bench model. Can I hear from anyone who has one and give me a review. Anyone else feel free to jump in also. It seems to fit my needs but don"t want to throw my money away. I am not a volume loader. To me handloading is ( almost ) just as much fun as shooting it up.

 

[mdi]

I owned one. Worked well until I broke it, my fault entirely (I was getting a box off the shelf above the bench and another box slid off and landed on the shell holder slot breaking off the ears). I had used it for 1,500-2,000 cases primed. I did find out it needed to have the handle swing all the way through it's travel to pick up new primers consistently. I found no major problems. On a wild hair I bought an RCBS bench prime (IMO a poorly designed tool) and wish I had bought another Lee...

 

[gwpercle]

The best priming tool is a Lee Ram Prime ( part # 90106 ) installed in any press ... install the Ram Prime in a Lee Hand Press and you have an all metal ... no flimsey plastic parts ... hand priming tool . .. All Metal insures a long life ... sometimes Simple is Best !
Gary

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I broke the plastic inserting parts. Lee was nice and sent new ones. Before they broke i sold it. And bought a RCBS bench prime. It's been holding up good.

 

[Larry in wyoming]

I've only ever used the RCBS bench primer. It's WAY better than the thumb buster type. Can't see why the Lee unit won't work just fine

 

[KeithK]

I have been using the Lee for about a year now, my K&M hand primer was getting to hard on my old hands and the Lee had some great reviews and figured for $33 I could take a chance, best money spent on a primer tool. I think it takes a little learning curve to just go slow and tap the plastic feed tray every few rounds and when I do that it works great. I believe you will be very happy with it.

Keith

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

I have been using a Lee Bench Prime for maybe 3 years. The advice to take it slow is good.

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

Make certain to cycle the handle completely through the cycle. All the way up and down. Slow and steady.
Watch to make certain a primer is staged to drop into the priming ram.
Regularly flick the primer tray to make the primers feed.
Clamp the tool to the worktop.
I've seen the ads that show a guy using one finger to prime a rifle cartridge ; I'm not able to do that, but it is much easier on my hands than the Lee hand primer.

Having said all that, I agree with what @gwpercle stated about the Lee Ram Prime. It's the easiest to use priming tool I have ever tried, and I've tried several. Richard Lee invented and patented it, and all the other companies paid him royalties to copy it.
The downside to the Ram Prime is having to individually handle each primer separately.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I've been using my Lee Auto Bench Prime for about 3 years and have primes several thousand cases with it in that time. I went to a bench tool because I found I wasn't getting consistent results with a hand tool.To be completely honest, I'm on the third body and second priming mechanism...and I still think it is a great priming tool

Being an early adopter, I found that the priming mechanism was prone to jam. Not a problem, Lee also discovered the issue and sent me a set of new mechanisms.
While trying to clear the jam, I ripped off the collar which retains the shell holders. Lee stepped right up and sent me a new body...that';s when I found that the Bench Prime and Auto Prime use the same mechanism in different bodies. The other body also died when the collar gave way...this time when a buddy didn't understand, "Feel the primer fully seat" and took that to mean, "Smash it like Mongo"

Other than those hiccups, the Bench Prime has been flawless. I really like not having to pole primers into tube. I like seeing how many primers are left. I like that I can prime .38Spl and .45ACP cases with just two fingers pressure. You do have to prime with full strokes and it also helps if you feel the primer lineup with the pocket before pushing it in. You should release the handle fully before removing the primed case...keeps it from turning sideways.

I have mine mounted on an Inline Fabrication Quick Change plate and it shares space on my mount with a Lee Classic Cast single stage, ACP, and APP. Using both hands, I can insert a case, prime, remove the primed case, and insert a fresh case in about 3sec...so a tray of primers in 5mins...this includes insuring that the primer has been inserted below flush . If you load up 5 trays to start, you can get through them in about 45mins

 

[Bill M.]

I used and broke one of the Lee bench prime units. I do not know if it was my fault or not but I do not like them any mire. Before that I broke 2 of the hand primers. I went to a RCBS Ram Prime and like it except for having to handle the primers. I ordered on of the Lee auto prime kits for my press but the auto prime does not fit the original Classic press. The say that now but not when I ordered. Was not worth the shipping back so just tossed it. Still with the Ram Prime. I drop a primer every once in a while and it is slow. But..it seats the primers perfectly. I can not say that you would be throwing your money away on the Lee bench prime. If you are careful and can deal with he little plastic holders and flippers and with changing the little plastic size inserts it does good work. I got something a little crooked or caught and the pot metal lever broke down where it pivots. It is just a sorta fussy little weak tool. And I dropped a lot more primers using it than I do using the Ram Prime.

 

[9mmepiphany]

I can not say that you would be throwing your money away on the Lee bench prime. If you are careful and can deal with he little plastic holders and flippers and with changing the little plastic size inserts it does good work. I got something a little crooked or caught and the pot metal lever broke down where it pivots. It is just a sorta fussy little weak tool.

I didn't find it fussy at all as long as you didn't try to apply too much force when priming...the nice thing is that you can feel the primers all the way to the bottom without having to apply much pressure

When I has a "tough" primer which isn't fully seated (metric primer + tight primer pocket), I fully seat with my Co-Ax bench primer. It's universal shell holder jaws can be a nice feature (don't need shell holders), but it isn't a fast as the RCBS hand primer's self-adjusting jaws

 

[Highland Lofts]

I do a lot of reloading and if I am doing more then twenty cases at a time I use the Lee Bench Prime.
Twenty or less I use the Lee hand primer.
I have four each set up. All dedicated to the size and type of primers I'm using.
Then I also have extra priming tool in case one breaks I just grab an extra tool and keep going.
Each type is labeled.
SMALL PISTOL
SMALL RIFLE
LARGE PISTOL
LARGE RIFLE
When I Load the primers it the priming tool I cut the brand information off of the package and tape it on to the primer tool so I know what brand of primer in in the tool.
I have my Bench Priming tools mounted on a piece of 5/8 inch plywood. I can prime cases anywhere.
At the kitchen table, at the dining room table or outside on the picnic table.
You need to keep tapping the primer trays on the bench prime to keep them flowing.
Then you have to keep a watch that the primers are facing the right way before you seat the primer. I occasionally will get a primer that loads sideways.

I bought the small pick set from Harbor Freight to use to flip the pri.er in the right direction if it is sideways.

I've never had any flip upside down, just sideways.
You can not fly right through them. Take it easy and go threw the full cycle. Once you get the rhythm down it goes fast enough for me.
Most of the time I will get 500 cases prepped and then prime them all at once.
So my Lee Bench Priming tools do get a work out.
I am not a big fan of Lee Products, but I like their priming tools and Factory Crimp Dies.