So I was looking around on the web for an easer way to fill primer tubes and found a few posts on how to hook up a Lee hand primer tray to a primer pick up tube. Most of the info was for a Dillon tube with a little info on the Hornady pick up tube. There was a lot of issue with the Hornady pick up tube having a shoulder under the plastic pick up nose. Well here is my easy quick take on the deal.
My completed pick up tube.
First things first lets take care of the shoulder. Pull the plastic pick up nose off, measure how far the shoulder is, transpose this measurement on the outside of the tube and cut the sucker off. I used a band saw but a hack saw will work fine. Use your deburring tool to clean up the outside and inside of the tube. Bevel the inside a little bit, might have to test fit and bevel a little more if the tube doesn't line up with the Lee primer tray. Yes it will still hold 100 primers no problem.
I found a piece of plastic laying around that I used for a shim between the Lee primer tray and plastic tube so the tube would be staged out where it needed to be.
Use a drill bit that fits through the hole in the primer tray and primer tube to make sure every thing is lined up.
I just used a smaller hose clamp and clamped the primer tray to the tube. I guess I could get fancy with some glue or what not but the hose clamp works good.
Lastly I dug around in the garbage and found some plastic used to package something and cut a piece to fit over the primer channel between the primer tray lid and hole. One thing I should have done is include a flap that covered the hole as some time I get a primer that likes to try and jump out if I get to much vibration. Glue this plastic on with what ever you like, I used clear liquid nails.
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To use fill the primer tray with primers, make sure they are all anvil side up, put the cover on, don't forget the cotter pin at the bottom of the tube, touch the tube to your case cleaner, hold primer tray so the hole is slightly down, rock the primer tray back and forth to keep the primers moving and fill the tube. I found on my old Midway case cleaner I get the best action by touching the end of the primer tube to the bolt and washer that secure the lid to the bowl. You will just have to experiment with your cleaner to find the best place. Guys are using about anything that vibrates to move the primers, massager, sex toys you get the idea. I can fill a primer tube in no time flat.
My completed pick up tube.
First things first lets take care of the shoulder. Pull the plastic pick up nose off, measure how far the shoulder is, transpose this measurement on the outside of the tube and cut the sucker off. I used a band saw but a hack saw will work fine. Use your deburring tool to clean up the outside and inside of the tube. Bevel the inside a little bit, might have to test fit and bevel a little more if the tube doesn't line up with the Lee primer tray. Yes it will still hold 100 primers no problem.
I found a piece of plastic laying around that I used for a shim between the Lee primer tray and plastic tube so the tube would be staged out where it needed to be.
Use a drill bit that fits through the hole in the primer tray and primer tube to make sure every thing is lined up.
I just used a smaller hose clamp and clamped the primer tray to the tube. I guess I could get fancy with some glue or what not but the hose clamp works good.
Lastly I dug around in the garbage and found some plastic used to package something and cut a piece to fit over the primer channel between the primer tray lid and hole. One thing I should have done is include a flap that covered the hole as some time I get a primer that likes to try and jump out if I get to much vibration. Glue this plastic on with what ever you like, I used clear liquid nails.
. To use fill the primer tray with primers, make sure they are all anvil side up, put the cover on, don't forget the cotter pin at the bottom of the tube, touch the tube to your case cleaner, hold primer tray so the hole is slightly down, rock the primer tray back and forth to keep the primers moving and fill the tube. I found on my old Midway case cleaner I get the best action by touching the end of the primer tube to the bolt and washer that secure the lid to the bowl. You will just have to experiment with your cleaner to find the best place. Guys are using about anything that vibrates to move the primers, massager, sex toys you get the idea. I can fill a primer tube in no time flat.
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