Lee progressive primer tray questions

Cranberry

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I've a couple of questions for you folks that use The Lee Pro1000 or Loadmaster:

1) do you use the explosion shield for the primer tray?

2) do you exceed the 100 primer max that Lee recommends or do you just fill the tray up?

Previously I've only used CCI primers but Sellier & Bellot are a lot cheaper. Lee recommends using the explosion shield for the S&B. I find it gets in the way a bit.

I've tried loading 200 primers in the tray and nothing bad happened except that they didn't seem to feed quite as easily. It certainly saves time but I wonder why Lee recommends against it.
 
I use the loadmaster, and yes I use the explosion shield. I have had a primer go off on me using a federal that got turned upside down.(might have pooed a little) It does say use federal at own risk with the loadmaster, I still do. Nothing else happened. Just the one. Was when I was first learning the system and didn't know the proper feel for seating yet. I have seen a YouTube of a chain reaction of a guy using not recommended primers. Blew up the primer feeder and he got facial cuts from the primers flying. Luckily he was wearing safety glasses.
I still only load 100 primers at a time, even though it seems like a pain to constantly fill it if doing big pistol runs. I do use S&B as well. I think they advise against the 100 max in case of a chain reaction. 200 vs 100 is more chance of injury. Kinda like a claymore.
 
Lee's lawyers are probably covering the company just in case something should go wrong.
Having said that, it is not impossible for primers to detonate. Highly improbable, but
possible.
If you choose not to use the shield, IMO at least wear safety glasses when reloading.
 
When I had a Lee Jammaster - I used the shield.
It was optional back then - dunno if it is now...

I thought for the minimal cost of it, why is even an option?
Never found it to get in the way.

And I had a detonation once - about 25 primers detonated - sent the tray across the room.
Dunno if the shield helped me or not, but it didn't hurt.
 
Loadmaster. No shield. 200 small pistol primers at a time. The limit is to reduce them jamming up from the pressure of the other primers pushing against the narrow feed slot. I just give it a flick every once and a while. I'm sure the safety police don't like it, but filling it every 100 sucks when you're on a roll. On a side note, love my loadmaster! Figured I would upgrade to a Dillon eventually, but after 30k+ rounds, it's still super reliable!
 
Didn't even know there was an explosion shield for the pro1k, so no i don't use one for my 3 presses. I use CCI, Winchester, S&B, and dominion primers.

With small primers ill load 200 at a time, but only 100 with large, because the tray feeds better.

I do the same as fargone.
 
Didn't even know there was an explosion shield for the pro1k, so no i don't use one for my 3 presses. I use CCI, Winchester, S&B, and dominion primers.



I do the same as fargone.

Shield is only available for the Loadmaster. I started on a Pro 1000 and just picked up a LM for cheap. It has the newer square primer tray - much better than the round style tray. Mine has the shield, but I only load CCI or Dominion primers anyway.
 
Loadmaster. No shield. 200 small pistol primers at a time. The limit is to reduce them jamming up from the pressure of the other primers pushing against the narrow feed slot. I just give it a flick every once and a while. I'm sure the safety police don't like it, but filling it every 100 sucks when you're on a roll. On a side note, love my loadmaster! Figured I would upgrade to a Dillon eventually, but after 30k+ rounds, it's still super reliable!

Pretty much sums up my feelings (I've got 2 LMs). I usually put in about 150-160 small primers and 120-130 large so I get smooth primer flow. I bought a couple of spare primer trays from Titan and when I load 'em all up I can do about 500-600 rounds with only a few seconds interruption to switch trays. I did install the shields but have never had a detonation. I follow the rule "If you feel resistance, stop pulling the lever". Solves most of the problems.
 
The one nice thing about having 3 of the same press (or buying 3 or more primer trays) is i can pre load them with 500(what i typically do) or 600 small pistol primers and just swap them out in a couple seconds.
 
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