Best primer seater

[fatboy]

I am looking to replace an old Lee hand primer. The connecting link has a gouge in it and primers do not seat fully, its from the 80,s and looks like the connecting link is some sort of cast metal. I have looked at all the different ones and can' t figure out which is the best. Do not plan on buying another Lee, and can't find a replacement link for the old one. Saw where Frankford Arsenal is adjustable and did not know if adjustability was even desirable, or the quality of their products. Any help here would be apprieciated, thanks.

[ARW]

Take a look at the 21st century hand priming tool, I really like the one I have. Works great and is very easy to adjust.

Alan

[Dean2]

My opinion, for the price, you can't beat the Lee. I have a few others, 3 RCBS versions, a Sinclair, a Hornady an auto primer bench mount and a texan, and the Lee is still the one I use most often, unless I am loading on the Dillon 550.

[rick w.]

I guess the time finally comes for a new priming tool but not yet for me. My old model Lee autoprimes have been thru a lot, and both showed the bite into the round part of the handle from the plunger(seater rod). Both would not fully seat with the lever all the way down.

So I looked around, casually. I did not find one that I thought I would like as well as the old Lee. I do not like to handle the primers individually, have gotten used to the feed of the old Lee and its potential gremlins.

I finally read somewhere on the net about a guy that fixed his old Lee autoprime. He took an old fired pistol case(think it was a 45acp, that is what I used) and a tubing cutter, and cut a ring off the case mouth about 1/4" or so, maybe a little less. Cut the ring into a "C", trimmed a bit, and put snapped it over the old dinged round section of the autoprime arm.

I was a skeptic as usual, thought "C" brass piece would fall out or move around........but the piece of "C" brass does not; at least in mine. It does allow for the plunger to move forward like it used too when it was new. In my case, the one thickness was enough.

Depending on how things are with the old autoprime parts, one might try the "C" shimming and see if it is for you or not. This skeptic put the "fix" in a couple of years ago, and still is cranking like it oughta; both of mine seat properly now.

My two autoprimes are old dogs, have to visually watch the primer to see if it is proper before each prime, but not so bad; guess tis worn there too.

I hope some outfit will make a hand autoprimer that has a feed for the primers and works as easily as the old Lee; might buy one when these two old dogs play out; if they ever do before I croak over.

Rick

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Lee just needs to make more of the old style. (can't knock a good deal)
I must have pressed 10,000 or 15,000 over the last 10 or 15 years. Broke a couple of handles over time but was able to get replacements from lee. Don't think I'll be replacing the old Lee version with the new version.

[Kiwishooter]

My first question would be how many primers do you seat and how often?
If only loading a few cases at a time then either the Sinclair or the 21st Century hand primeing tools can't be beat.

But while I haven't tried them all I still like my Lee Autoprime, mine is almost 20 years old and still going strong. I take it apart every so often and lube the link and handle pivot, this seems to keep these points in good order. But just in case I have two new ones in the drawer.

I looked on ebay and see that used lee autoprimes go for more than the new autoprimes..............this goes to show that the old model was a pretty successful design.............Kiwi

[fatboy]

Rick W that is a rig up, your talking about, I went and got my link and lightly peened the high spot back in the gouge. Got a 45 case, and put a 40 case inside, so the tubing cutter would not just crease the 45 case with out cutting. Cut the ring, the made a slice with the dremmel. The ring for some reason sprang open a little. I fit it on and assembled it, seemed like it will work. Pulled the ring back off and put a little JBweld in the gouge mark, to fill it in, so the brass would not crease into the gouge mark. Put the ring back on. Will try it in a few days when I prime some cases. Thank you, for telling about this. I believe I bought it in 1982. Thank you, to everyone else that offered information.

[rick w.]

I suspect that the "C" ring update is not for everyone, everyone has to choose for themselves.

You went beyond my meager attempt at what the kind guy posted on the net. You put a lot more detail into the effort than me by a long shot. I think the JB Weld to fill the depression is a good idea and will have to do that on my two. JB is fairly stout stuff; takes a lot of heat to remove.

I suspect that my Lee's are about the same time frame, used them a lot, and still like them enough as to not retire them yet.

I really thought that just slipping the tension of the brass onto the existing round portion of the lever would just slide and move away, but so far, so good. I think your rendition is an improvement. I never thought of JB to fill the depression.

My two units have given some additional service; so far anyway, hope it works out for you.

[Rustyknife]

I've only had one primer seater, but I do like it. It's the rcbs. I enjoy the fact that it takes no shell holders, it has springed universal jaws that will grasp any cartridge. It's easy to swap between small and large rifle primers, and a small shake will flip all the primers to the correct side.

Just poured in

Shaken

And ready to go in some 22-250ai brass

[kenbro]

I have the Lee round ones,and the newer square ones, but, always use the round one.
Ken.