Help figuring out shell holders

slushee

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Okay, this may seem like a pretty silly question, but I hope some of you can help me clarify all these different types of shell holders made by Lee.

Firstly, every die set comes with a shell holder. It is used in (for simplicities sake, lets just stick with the breech lock press) the lee breech lock press, but cannot be used in lee's hand priming tool.

Secondly, the red box set of shell holders are used in the lee hand priming tool, but NOT in the press.

Now lee makes the green box set of shell holders, these are used in the lee hand priming tool AND the breech lock press??? If they are the same as the shell holders in the die set, then I dont see how they can be used in both.

So many bloody shell holders is giving me a head ache :redface:

The reason I asked is because I bought a lee universal decapping die, but is pretty useless without a set of shell holders that fit in the press. I thought the red box set of shellholders I had would do but obviously not.. and I dont want to go out buying the green box of shell holders before I know they can be used in both the press and hand priming tool.
 
Shellholders.jpg


Spot the difference?

The shell holder on the right is from the red box, and is used in the Auto-Prime hand primer.

The shell holder on the left comes with some die sets, also available in the green box as a set, and is used in everything else including the Auto-Prime 2 (a press primer).

Help?

(E) :cool:
 
Now lee makes the green box set of shell holders, these are used in the lee hand priming tool AND the breech lock press??? If they are the same as the shell holders in the die set, then I dont see how they can be used in both.

From what I can see, the green box of shell holders fit the standard reloading press and also the Auto prime 11.
The auto prime 11 sits on top of the press for
repriming & is different than the Auto prime which is a hand held unit.

So IMO the problem you are having is that there are 2 different priming tools involved.

I have an older hand held Lee priming tool with screw in shell holders but that is another story.
 
actually it's VERY simple- that "bit" that sticks out the bottom is called a COLLAR- if the shellholder has that collar, it fits BOTH THE PRESS AND THE AUTO PRIME 11 OR2 OR WHATEVER- NO COLLAR, AUTO PRIME ONLY= the hand held one-you CANNOT USE THE SAME SHELL HOLDERS FOR BOTH THE PRESS AND THE HAND-HELD- so spend the 20 bucks and save it elsewhere
 
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here is the kicker

there is actually another shell holder made by Lee.. its very similar to the one on the right noted above, however, its threaded on the inside and knurled on the outside and is used for the Lee case trimmer
 
ahhhh starting to make sense.

So while I was thinking I only needed "one" set of shell holders, it would appear I need them both.

The red box for my hand primer, and the green box for my universal decapping die (in the press) ..

I wonder why they never made the hand primer to take the green box set .. I mean honestly after looking at it, all you would need to do is gently dremel out a small releaf area to allow the collet thinger to slide in underneath.

Oh well, it is only $30 for the new set, thanks a bunch for all the info!
 
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