Federal Primers and Lee Hand Priming Tool

Cadeuses

Cadeuses

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In my slow progression into the world of hand loading, I have been reading as much as I can before making purchases of equipment necessary to the task.

An interesting observation I recently made was my first experience reloading my own cases at a friends home. I didn't have any of the "toys" then, and he was good enough to show me "how" to do it.

He showed me the whole reloading process, but what I noticed was his use of a Lee Hand Priming press to seat the Federal 215 primers.

I later searched out that tool in hopes of ordering one. I read Lee's .pdf file on the instructions for this very priming tool, and they specifically state NOT to use Federal Primers with their tool?????:confused:

The bullets that were made worked as they should, and there were no accidental discharges of a primer while seating them in the cases. So what gives?

Anyone else out there using a Lee Priming tool and Federal primers? If this is not the one to buy... then which one?
 
I think the lawyers made Lee put that in their instructions. I imagine the chances of a KB are slight, but have happened just often enough to require a warning/disclaimer.
 
I've slowly evolved loads for all my regular stuff using Federal primers and the Lee Auto-Prime. Almost everyone I know uses the same tool without a problem. Even though I've been doing it for years I still use a little caution 'cause I'm chicken. Tilt the pan back to position a primer with a cartridge in the holder. Put just enough pressure on the lever to hold that primer in place and tilt the pan forward to remove the rest of the primers from the squeeze zone :D , then squeeze.
Damned if I know if this is necessary, but I started doing it when I had to use Federal 215's to burn a lot of H870, then H4831. Got into the tilt-squeeze-tilt-seat routine, and just kept with it. Doesn't take any longer and might limit the loss to just the primer in position--and if that one goes ka-boom it won't hurt you. (wear glasses regardless of what you're using)
Dissenters man your keyboards----:)
 
Every once in a blue moon all primer makers have a batch that causes some people grief due to being on the maximum size of tolerences. I suppose Federal had a troublesome batch around the time this tool came out (could be the lee tool was on the minimum side of tolerences) and the lawyer intervened.

Federal at one time had a couple batches of 205M's that burned a circle on the bolts using them opposite of the edge of the primer pocket but they were very precise. I switched to Rem 7 1/2's until the bad batches were pulled. I still use both these primers for BR competition.

The Federal 210M is the most accurate large rifle primer I've found to date so I don't hestitate to run them through the lee hand priming tool.
 
I believe that the warning from Lee is more due to a "spat" that Lee and Federal had a few years ago than from an actual safety concern. If I recall - I think that Lee and Speer got into a similar "tiff" and actually discouraged using each others products.
 
I have worn out a couple of them Lee outfits and I would bet that I have used more Fed primers than any other kind of primer and have never had a problem.Prime on !!!!!!!!!!
Bearcat
 
Thanks Guys. That's what I thought would be the general opinion out there, that no one has really experienced a problem using this auto-primer. It never hurts to ask though. Thanks again. Now to get me off to Wholesale to buy the components: H4831, Fed 215 Primers, and 30 cal Barnes TSX bullets.

Cheers!
 
I have at least 3 Lee Auto-prime units, and completely ignore the comments on which primers I may or may not use in them. I have been using that fine priming tool since it was released, and have worn 2 or 3 out completely. Never yet had a kaboom with any primer type or make. Regards, Eagleye.
 
I love them there cheep but effective I keep 3 loaded with Small, Large, and Mag primers, and 2 on STBY. There great, at gun shows you can pick them up cheep. I picked up 6 for 50 bucks one did not work well.
 
The reason for the warning is that Federal primers are very sensitive, more than the other makes. There was a test done years ago. This is old news. If you have a handheld priming tool that has a tray of primers on it, there is the possibility of them all going off and the shrapnel does a lot of damage. I would say it is pretty rare but they need to warn you.......

Off topic slightly but I had a friend with an automated pistol loader and the overhead priming tray held 5000 primers at a time...... they once went off while he was loading ... his ears were ringing for two weeks and it did damage to the floor above.
 
Primer Problems

guntech said:
I had a friend with an automated pistol loader and the overhead priming tray held 5000 primers at a time...... they once went off while he was loading ... his ears were ringing for two weeks and it did damage to the floor above.
Click to expand...
Hope the Liberals aren't reading this :)
 
As Guntech says, Federal primers are probably the most sensitive out there, which is probbaly the reason they pack them in those huge boxes comapred to other primers.

Like th erest, I've used a Auto Prime for years with Federal primers, as I pretty much ONLY use Federal primers. I sit ont he couch and watch TV whiel I prime batches of brass.

I *DO* tilt the case mouth away form my face when priming, though. You never know.

If you wanted to be relaly safe, a pair of glasses, some gloves and ear pro would protect you form 99% of the issues with priming.:)
 
i have used about 2000 federal primers in my lee hand priming tool... I have sqished about 5 of them in the case sideways and have yet to have one detonate. I find that the small rifle and pistol primers in the lee tool have a tendancy to go sideways(usualy notice it before begin to seat them)... never had a problem with large primers.
 
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