Federal Primers and the LEE Auto-Prime

blargon

blargon

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I just got my reloading gear and was reading the LEE manual, and it says in bold letters, "DO NOT USE FEDERAL PRIMERS IN THE LEE AUTO-PRIME HAND TOOL." Has anyone had a problem or a primer go off using this tool with federal primers? It says only use CCI or Win primers.
 
I have loaded thousands of Federal primers with an autoprime and various other tools that warn against using Federal primers without an issue. I have been told the reason for the warning is not because Federal primers are softer - which they definitely are- but because if you do have one go off it is more likely to set the rest of the priners in the tray off.
 
I understand I shouldnt, but all the small rifle primers I use are Federal and loaded with the lee hand priming tool. I only load 10 into the tray at one time. I still have all 10 fingers.
 
I have also loaded literally thousands of Federal Primers of both diameters in my Lee auto-prime. Never had a problem of any kind. Of course, the reason a person uses one of these devices is so he can "feel" the primer seating properly. Common sense would indicate that if something doesn't "feel" right, one would stop and determine why before proceeding. This lowers the risk of a kaboom considerably. Regards, Eagleye.
 
I think this has been dealt with a time or two before. It seems that Lee and Federal are engaged in a long standing game of #######s. Lee/Federal works just fine.
 
Put me down for thousands also. No Problems. I did have one go off using a Dillon 550. Never used it to prime cases again. Alway wise to wear safety glasses when reloading. Eyes won't grow back.
 
HKMark23 said:
I think this has been dealt with a time or two before. It seems that Lee and Federal are engaged in a long standing game of a**holes. Lee/Federal works just fine.
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Bingo!! Sometime in the mid/late '80's Federal and Richard Lee got into a bit of a spat when someone from Federal made a comment about Lee products not being very good. Richard Lee responded by stating in all of Lee's advertising in the various gun rags not to use Federal primers because of "safety concerns", the feud is still on.

If this was an actual safety concern there would be a lot of stories about Federal primers going off in the Auto-prime. I have loaded thousands without a hitch.
 
Primers

The federal primers are soft, and easy to detonate, I use them with the LEE autoprime, but I am careful and keep the primer disk pointed away from my face, and use eye protection, the natural fit of this device is to have the disk pointing at your face it is hard on the thumb to keep it pointed in the other direction, but that is what i do.
 
Eagleye said:
I have also loaded literally thousands of Federal Primers of both diameters in my Lee auto-prime. Never had a problem of any kind. Of course, the reason a person uses one of these devices is so he can "feel" the primer seating properly. Common sense would indicate that if something doesn't "feel" right, one would stop and determine why before proceeding. This lowers the risk of a kaboom considerably. Regards, Eagleye.
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Nicely put Eagleye. I too have loaded thousands of large rifle and magnum rifle primers with the Auto Prime and no problems yet. A couple of times I did 'feel' a problem, I stopped right away and made the proper adjustments. Safety glasses are always worn too.
 
If you can't load them in an auto-prime, what could you load them with, for heaven's sake? Someone have a priming system on the market with a fluffy seating stem?

All priming systems, whether hand held or stand alone bench mount or part of a progressive press all do the exact same thing. A seating stem pushes a primer into the primer pocket on an empty case. It takes a certain amount of force to do this and that's all she wrote. That same amount of force is required by any priming system. Hand held or not.

There are no kinder, gentler, systems for Federal primers. And I have also loaded 1000's with an auto-prime
 
Big JD-From the hills said:
I have never had a problem. I have even crushed fed primers in sideways and never had one detonate yet(though I stoped before it got to bad).
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While not on an autoprime, but a Loadmaster instead, I have done the same thing. Upside down, sideways, or just plain mashed, I've seen it all and yet never set one off. They sure don't seem to be an explosion hazzard based on my experience.

As stated before, this is strictly a political issue not truly a safety concern IMHO.
 
It's not just Federal Primers,it's also Remington.The reason has to do with how they are made. One is "normal" and the other is "basic" .CCI and Winchester are one type,as such are less excitable. But reloaders have worn out Auto-primes on Federal with any problem. But just in case there is the lawyer warning.
 
I seem to have more federal primers flip or come up sideays than CCI in my autoprime, that being said i also have ten fingers and do it all the time.
 
Another vote for no problems with Federal primers and Lee autoprime...ever:) That tool gives you such a great feel of what's happening that you can sense if its not right immediately and back off.
 
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