Lee Auto Prime & Federal Primers

heylin · April 29th, 2009, 08:51 PM

Has anyone had any bad experiences using the Lee Auto Prime with federal primers ?

I know it says not to, but if im careful to gently seat each one and not just squeeze madly away is there any risk of these little suckers exploding like Lee says ?

I plan to do about 20 primers at a time, wear gloves, hearing protection and safety glasses and perhaps setup some sort of perspex sheild to work behind (is this overkill ?)

dgraing · April 29th, 2009, 11:00 PM

If you're going to go through that much trouble, why not just use what they recommend? CCI primer's work fine for me on my lee equipment. You're asking for trouble if you purposely disregard their warnings.

David

heylin · April 29th, 2009, 11:09 PM

Yeah ive got 400 CCI primers to start with but due to shortages I had to get 2600 Federal ones as thats all they had in stock.

Ive read a few forums and people have loaded 10,000+ rounds with no issues on the Lee Tool, one guy even tried to deliberatly set one off and had much trouble trying to do so.

The one that did go off after trying very hard was actually a different brand.

One would think the hand tool is alot more gentle than the presses and therefore posed less risk. Surely Federal wouldnt make a primer that couldnt be seated by the end user ???

AZ Desertrat · May 5th, 2009, 11:37 PM

don't use Federal.......just take Lee's word for it.

boscobeans · May 6th, 2009, 01:48 AM

It's not how hard or soft the Federals are. It's the chemical composition of them. From what I have read you can get primer fratricide (one primer setting off the entire tray) with the Federals more easily than with any other brand. They use a different composition than any other primer, I think it is called BASIC primer compound and is more likely to chain react when close to another primer that goes bang.

bosco

alnitak · May 6th, 2009, 09:43 AM

Darn, I didn't know this! I've loaded about 350 rounds using Federal primers, and fortunately haven't had one go off yet (knock on wood). So, I need to get rid of the other 650 primers I have?

boscobeans · May 6th, 2009, 09:56 AM

I use Federal in a lot of my rounds. I think they are fine in a feed tube that is isolated from the actual priming ram area. When using the Lee hand primer or any other system that has the bulk of primers close to the actual ram engagement area I use another brand or just put about ten primers in the hand held tray.
bosco

cvhoss · May 6th, 2009, 12:47 PM

I rarely use Federal primers though I did just prime 500 22-250 cases with Federal Gold Medal Match primers using a hand primer. Plus, with the current primer shortage, I can see the necessity of using what you can get. Accidental primer discharge is one of the reasons I prefer using the RCBS hand priming tools. They have a sliding metal strap that isolates the primer tray from the case being primed during the priming operation. They are more expensive than the Lee priming tools but on the plus side, I've never broken one of the RCBS tools. I have a bucket full of broken Lee hand primers.

RCBS Universal Tool (no shellholder necessary)

RCBS Standard Tool (uses standard shell holders)

Hoss

sui-juris · May 11th, 2009, 06:28 PM

Federals are softer but I've used about 500 so far w/no problems.
I only put about 20 in the tray at a time..

heylin · May 11th, 2009, 06:37 PM

UPDATE: Ive decided to sell my Lee Autoprime after buying it and not using it, I managed to pick up a Lee 50th Anniversary Kit and to be honest I think the press mounted safety prime system is far superior.

My thoughts are if youre going to be flaring cases you may as well prime them while you are there on the press as it save double handeling the shells into yet another shell holder.

I did 400 on the weekend in about 2 hours.

April 29th, 2009, 08:51 PM	#1
heylin Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 371	Lee Auto Prime & Federal Primers Has anyone had any bad experiences using the Lee Auto Prime with federal primers ? I know it says not to, but if im careful to gently seat each one and not just squeeze madly away is there any risk of these little suckers exploding like Lee says ? I plan to do about 20 primers at a time, wear gloves, hearing protection and safety glasses and perhaps setup some sort of perspex sheild to work behind (is this overkill ?) __________________ ------------------------------------------------ War is not about dying for your country, but making your enemy die for his. ------------------------------------------------

April 29th, 2009, 11:09 PM	#3
heylin Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 371	Yeah ive got 400 CCI primers to start with but due to shortages I had to get 2600 Federal ones as thats all they had in stock. Ive read a few forums and people have loaded 10,000+ rounds with no issues on the Lee Tool, one guy even tried to deliberatly set one off and had much trouble trying to do so. The one that did go off after trying very hard was actually a different brand. One would think the hand tool is alot more gentle than the presses and therefore posed less risk. Surely Federal wouldnt make a primer that couldnt be seated by the end user ??? __________________ ------------------------------------------------ War is not about dying for your country, but making your enemy die for his. ------------------------------------------------

May 5th, 2009, 11:37 PM	#4
AZ Desertrat Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Tolleson, AZ Posts: 287	don't use Federal.......just take Lee's word for it. __________________ "Never advance cheerfully on your late opponent without reloading. You may have used your last round, and he may not be properly dead and still spiteful." Major Hugh Pollard, 1920 Glock 19, 20. FNP9, Taurus 85UL, Beretta 92 S&W M29, 60, 66, 686, 10, 36, 40, 42, 64, Ruger Single Six

May 6th, 2009, 12:47 PM	#8
cvhoss Distinguished Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Kansas Posts: 1,790	I rarely use Federal primers though I did just prime 500 22-250 cases with Federal Gold Medal Match primers using a hand primer. Plus, with the current primer shortage, I can see the necessity of using what you can get. Accidental primer discharge is one of the reasons I prefer using the RCBS hand priming tools. They have a sliding metal strap that isolates the primer tray from the case being primed during the priming operation. They are more expensive than the Lee priming tools but on the plus side, I've never broken one of the RCBS tools. I have a bucket full of broken Lee hand primers. RCBS Universal Tool (no shellholder necessary) RCBS Standard Tool (uses standard shell holders) Hoss __________________ I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I always was Sig 239 SAS 40 S&W / Sig 239 9mm / Kahr PM-9 / Walther PPS .40 / Sig P-245 / Ruger LCP Beretta Tomcat / Walther PPK / BDA 380 / Taurus 85 / Kel-Tec PF-9 / Am. Derringer 357 NRA Life Member My Web Site

May 11th, 2009, 06:28 PM	#9
sui-juris Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: MI Posts: 500	Federals are softer but I've used about 500 so far w/no problems. I only put about 20 in the tray at a time.. __________________ " Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master." George Washington

April 29th, 2009, 11:00 PM	#2
dgraing Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: SC Posts: 17	If you're going to go through that much trouble, why not just use what they recommend? CCI primer's work fine for me on my lee equipment. You're asking for trouble if you purposely disregard their warnings. David

May 6th, 2009, 01:48 AM	#5
boscobeans Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: upstate new york Posts: 719	It's not how hard or soft the Federals are. It's the chemical composition of them. From what I have read you can get primer fratricide (one primer setting off the entire tray) with the Federals more easily than with any other brand. They use a different composition than any other primer, I think it is called BASIC primer compound and is more likely to chain react when close to another primer that goes bang. bosco

May 6th, 2009, 09:43 AM	#6
alnitak Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 258	Darn, I didn't know this! I've loaded about 350 rounds using Federal primers, and fortunately haven't had one go off yet (knock on wood). So, I need to get rid of the other 650 primers I have?

May 6th, 2009, 09:56 AM	#7
boscobeans Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: upstate new york Posts: 719	I use Federal in a lot of my rounds. I think they are fine in a feed tube that is isolated from the actual priming ram area. When using the Lee hand primer or any other system that has the bulk of primers close to the actual ram engagement area I use another brand or just put about ten primers in the hand held tray. bosco

May 11th, 2009, 06:37 PM	#10
heylin Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 371	UPDATE: Ive decided to sell my Lee Autoprime after buying it and not using it, I managed to pick up a Lee 50th Anniversary Kit and to be honest I think the press mounted safety prime system is far superior. My thoughts are if youre going to be flaring cases you may as well prime them while you are there on the press as it save double handeling the shells into yet another shell holder. I did 400 on the weekend in about 2 hours. __________________ ------------------------------------------------ War is not about dying for your country, but making your enemy die for his. ------------------------------------------------

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