Lee hand prime vs bench

[Axis II]

Well I broke the handle on a 10yo lee round tray hand primer and have to replace it.

I'm torn between lee hand primer and bench primer. Or doing it off my lee classic turret.

223,9mm,45-70,38spl is what I'll be loading

 

[kcofohio]

The Lee Safety Prime, once set up properly, has worked well with LCT. Large and small, handgun or rifle. It does take a bit of technique and feel for 100% feeding.

I think I have the XR hand primer. And I have noticed that if over done, I can flatten the primers. But I have used it very limited times.

 

[mmorris]

I've primed on my LEE Classic Turret, Lee Hand Primer, LNL AP and the new LEE Auto Bench Primer.

I use the bench primer only, now.

 

[Axis II]

hows the feel on the bench primer?

 

[mmorris]

The feel is very positive. I can easily tell when the primer is fully inserted, and the force required is minimal. I highly recommend it if you are ok with LEE.

 

[cfullgraf]

I tried the Lee hand primer with the elevator in it and do not like it. Primers seem to not flow very well through it. Maybe I just don't flick my wrist the right way.

The new bench primer looks interesting. mmorris posted an interesting thread about it a week or so ago. I probably will get one to play with since I have a boat load of Lee primer she'll holders.

I also have and like the old Lee round tray priming tools and have stored them away for use in a couple of applications where my RCBS universal priming tool does not work well. When Lee discontinued the round tray priming tool I went looking for a replacement.

 

[Axis II]

I have to get my own as well as replace my buddies. I'm torn between bench and safety prime now.

 

[mmorris]

If you want a look at the bench primer in use, I made a video the night I got it from Titan. It is not a review, just a quick show-and-tell.

I have added the o-ring (after I made the video) and I like it better than without.

 

[mdi]

I never really cared for priming on my turret and mostly used a ram prime. Hand held priming tools didn't seem to fit my hand (tried 3 different) and a couple months ago bought a Lee Bench Prime. After I reread and started following the directions, I've primed about 800 cases quite easily...

 

[Axis II]

I just put a primer in the ram primer and the primer looked cupped unlike flat like the lee hand primer.

 

[MaterDei]

great camera work, mmorris.

 

[mmorris]

I just put a primer in the ram primer and the primer looked cupped unlike flat like the lee hand primer.

I don't understand your statement.

 

[Axis II]

The hand prime pushed the primers flat the ram prime makes them look cupped.

 

[Dudedog]

I like the hand primer because of its flexibility.
I can watch TV and prime (safety glasses of course) sit on the patio and prime etc.

I have a LNL and prefer to feed it primed cases as I can hand prime almost as fast as I can fill the tubes for the LNL. (by hand, don't own a tube filler)

As far as the hand primer go I liked the old round one (no longer made) the best.
The "elevator" model worked but was kind of a PITA.

The new type triangular white plastic trays make it better.
The latest mode is teh same with the new trays.

 

[GLOOB]

The hand prime pushed the primers flat the ram prime makes them look cupped.

Some primers are softer than others. And the cup will flatten when seated. You also might be using a little more force than necessary when seating the primer. You don't have to press all the way until the handle stops moving. Sometimes the primer is seated well before that.

The shape of the primer "ram" also can make a difference. It is usually flat. I have slightly cupped the face of a primer ram to aid in seating soft primers/tight pockets, before.

Mmorris, thanks for the video. Lee thanks you too, for the great product demonstration, I'm sure. I have no use for that thing, but I want one anyway. The primer tray is just plain neat. And the feed mechanism looks like a peach.

 

[Axis II]

Well picked up the lee safety prime cause I got to looking and don't have the room for table primer. We shall see!

 

[mmorris]

This bench primer can be mounted on a 3" x 12" piece of plywood and clamped to the bench. No need to permanently occupy a place on the bench.

I had a Lee classic cast turret when I started, as you do now. I grew tired of the occasional dropped primer using the safety prime. I did not like hand held primer tools.

I bought a Hornady LNL-AP. After using all three of these priming systems, I have decided that (for me) priming is best kept as a separate process.

I prefer to start loading with completely prepared brass with primers installed. This reduces the number of processes I have to keep track of and verify for quality control during loading. Much more relaxed.

This is a big advantage for a new reloader.

 

[Axis II]

I thought about that also. My bench is very small as I rent so it's only about 4ft. Between the press, scale, ppm, loading block it's a tigh squeeze without a board and primer lol. I am very ocd and meticulous when loading. Lee stuffs cheap so if I don't like the safety prime than I'll switch.

 

[OilyPablo]

My after the fact .02$. I bought the Lee bench primer and absolutely love compared to the RCBS Hand Primer I was using.

 

[berettaprofessor]

I prime primarily by using the Safety Prime on an LCT and have no issues there (except the last two primers never come out of the safety prime!). But if I prime off press, I use a Lee Hand Primer...I understand the niceties of a bench prime, but I can't use a bench prime just anywhere I want to sit down...like watching TV since there's no TV in my reloading area.

 

[Coldfinger]

I have a hand prime, Lee safety prime and RCBS ram prime. The ram prime is far slower but I prefer it over the other 2. I get a better, more consistent primer seat. I bought the ram prime many years ago. It sat unopened in the box until about a month ago. I had actually forgot I bought it. I was having issues priming some 38 Special cases. Broke out the ram prime and had a eureka moment.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

 

[FiveInADime]

I can't imagine priming any other way than using the Auto-Prime. Square tray, round tray, folding tray, whatever. I can't understand "not liking" using a hand primer tool. You can feel the primers seating and feel loose pockets and it's super fast. 1000 in a sitting is no problem. [emoji106]

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[judgedelta]

The cupped primers sound like what you get if you put the rod in a RCBS hand primer in backwards. The bottom of the rod is rounded. You have a good chance of setting one off.

My Lee bench primer came in this morning and I mounted it and gave a trial run. Super simple, good feel to the primer seating and a lot quicker than a hand primer. They do not recommend Federal primers of any kind, however.

 

[FiveInADime]

My Lee bench primer came in this morning and I mounted it and gave a trial run. Super simple, good feel to the primer seating and a lot quicker than a hand primer. They do not recommend Federal primers of any kind, however.

I don't understand how it can be quicker than a hand primer?! What am I missing?

 

[mmorris]

I can't understand "not liking" using a hand primer tool.

Pain that sticks with you.