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Posted: 7/4/2026 12:38:28 AM EDT
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My trusty Lee hand primer that I’ve had for 10+ years finally gave up the ghost. It’s so old that parts aren’t even made anymore. Looking at Midway I see the newest version of the Lee primer at a decent price. The jump in hand primers goes up significantly after the Lee. $50 more. Does anyone have recent experience with the newer Lee’s? Should I just bite the bullet and spend the extra on Hornady or RCBS? Thanks. |
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What broke? I'm still using Lee Auto Primes that have got to be twenty years old (or older) repairing with Lee parts (new curved thumb levers and the body itself -- the round trays and covers, no). Ads state the new curved levers don't work with the old hand primers but they will with a few jeweler's file passes.  
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Originally Posted By Sinister: What broke? I'm still using Lee Auto Primes that have got to be twenty years old (or older) repairing with Lee parts (new curved thumb levers and the body itself -- the round trays and covers, no). Ads state the new curved levers don't work with the old hand primers but they will with a few jeweler's file passes. https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/b-MAAOSwESBoHhUW/s-l1600.webp https://leeprecision.com/images/thumbs/0003206_body-prime-tool089_550.jpeg The pin that pushes the SR primer up into the PP snapped in half. It’s also the old round tray. The reviews on Midway aren’t really glowing on the new ones. I can buy the Hornady locally for about the same price as Midway. But dang. $70-80 bucks. Guess if it lasted as long as the Lee it wouldn’t seem so bad. |
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The answer is RCBS.... I'm 58, near 59. I've bought a lot of everything: cars, appliances, tools, toys, you name it. The one single company with the best customer service and no bullshit warranty is RCBS. Period. I literally wore out an RCBS hand primer, the old single primer model. The CS associate was shocked, because it was decades old. They fixed it . I bought off brand mystery 9mm bullets. They would not seat right. I called tech at RCBS... " Drop three in an envelope and mail em to us. We'll figure it out,". Couple weeks later, a custom cut die seater plug shows up in the mail. I droppedy press and tweaked the cast body during a move. That's MY fault.. RCBS fixed it There's good equipment. RCBS is good equipment, but it's also backed by best customer service of any company, reloading or non reloading, I've ever dealt with. If a tool comes in comparable styles from 2 or 3 companies, I ALWAYS recommend the RCBS. Yeah.. I'm a fan |
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Common problem. While the best overall handprimer out there (in terms of weight, feel, and effectiveness), they break. The pot-metal just isn't up to life-long usage. Too bad - I miss mine. FWIW, I switched to a Franklin Arsenal unit. It's "better", but also weighs twice as much. I'd rather have my old LEE. |
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I still have a couple of the old lees, one for large primer one for small primers. But they haven't been used much since I picked up an RCBS at the flea market for a few bucks. I think I'd go with one of those press mounted primer seaters if I had to start over, but have been really happy with the RCBS. |
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Yeah they do break "Tried" the new Lee (I'll pass), Have the RCBS Universal, it went back in the box. Still have my first 2 Round tray autoprimes, used graphite in the pivot points. There's probably a dozen or more laying around, must new in boxes, all kinds of parts, shell holders, still use em to this day, always on the lookout for more, they are out there. |
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I can also confirm that the RCBS is a huge upgrade over the LEE. Plus with mine you squeeze your whole hand, instead of using just your thumb. Both of my thumbs are kind of messed up, one from a fight, the other from getting caught in an MP5 sling while playing the bad guy during weapon retention training with my buddy, an over the top former Marine who never understood “half speed”….. So using a LEE for too long is not pleasant for me. |
a loaded gun won’t set you free, so you say…
| I don’t know about the current model, mine are older. I do know that I’ve used both the Hornady (Hornaday for you people) and the RCBS, and I hated both of them. I would not spend more money for them. I would vote that the RCBS hand priming tool is the worst reloading tool ever made, with the possible exception of the Lee Pro 2000. |
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Originally Posted By OldHenryRifle: I don't know about the current model, mine are older. I do know that I've used both the Hornady (Hornaday for you people) and the RCBS, and I hated both of them. I would not spend more money for them. I would vote that the RCBS hand priming tool is the worst reloading tool ever made, with the possible exception of the Lee Pro 2000.  My RCBS hand primer in front, converted to load Berdan primers. Notice the small SS bolt install to act as a stop to control seating depth. Loaded thousands of Steel Berdan primer 7.62x39 cases. In the rear, on the left RCBS bench primer 1, on the right RCBS bench primer 2. The wood bases are drilled to be installed to Dillon 550 bolt patern. You can see some of the holes at the left side of pic. I also use the 1 for Berdan priming, in this pic you can't see the stop bolt under the handle. The 2 is an improved tool which will not operate with Berdan primers. The Berdan primers I use are slightly larger in diameter than a large rifle primer. |
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Shooting and Reloading, one hobby feeds the other.
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Originally Posted By frozenny: The answer is RCBS.... I'm 58, near 59. I've bought a lot of everything: cars, appliances, tools, toys, you name it. The one single company with the best customer service and no bullshit warranty is RCBS. Period. I literally wore out an RCBS hand primer, the old single primer model. The CS associate was shocked, because it was decades old. They fixed it . I bought off brand mystery 9mm bullets. They would not seat right. I called tech at RCBS... " Drop three in an envelope and mail em to us. We'll figure it out,". Couple weeks later, a custom cut die seater plug shows up in the mail. I droppedy press and tweaked the cast body during a move. That's MY fault.. RCBS fixed it There's good equipment. RCBS is good equipment, but it's also backed by best customer service of any company, reloading or non reloading, I've ever dealt with. If a tool comes in comparable styles from 2 or 3 companies, I ALWAYS recommend the RCBS. Yeah.. I'm a fan HEY!!! Can you please send my digital scale that never would calibrate back to them with your Midas touch for me? They refused three times (and PACT, the OEM maker for RCBS, once) to fix each blaming the other while it is green and clearly marked RCBS... Been meaning to shoot it and send it back in with a "note"... That said, I still have plenty of RCBS stuff and about a year or so ago snagged a LNIB RCBS hand primer off the EE. It is the "Universal" model. I get tired of finagling the other RCBS to change out case holders. I like it. |
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I suggest go with the RCBS bench primer and be forever done with replacing tools. The unit on the right in the above picture with the feed tube. They don’t die. Mine sits on a block like in the pic and I have two trays to the left on the larger base. I clamp the base to my bench when I use it. |
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Years ago I had the Lee hand primer. I didn't like it much and tried the RCBS hand primer which I liked much better. Assumed the RCBS was just better but then I came across a poll hear which came out about 50/50 . I won a Lyman at a raffle from my club . It looked like it was built very well but it was just a pain to operate. Clumsy and awkward like it had been designed by some engineer who had never used either the RCBS or the Lee |
| Had the Lee sold it. It kept flipping primers upside down lifting them to load. Do yourself a favor buy the RCBS universal one no shell holders. Works awesome super smooth never flips the primer the wrong way because its a straight shot out of the primer tray. Never buy another one again. |
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Just my opinion, and experience but Derraco Poorman's PCPS-LITE Precision Priming die/Primer Seating Tool is the best and smoothest I have ever uesd, and I have tried all of the above. It's also a few bucks cheaper then the RCBS bench tool, $79 at amazon, and I prefer it much more. Even the pick up tubes are far superior. JMHO and experience. YMMV. |
Liberal men are pissing their panties like little girls over guns all the time, like wusses, it's really pathetic that grown men can't act like....well, men.
m14brian
m14brian
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I have the old round Lee hand held "Auto Prime" after 30yrs of use, the plastic trays had issues staying closed so I got a bail from Badger Ridge and it worked... https://badger-ridge.com/product/primer-tray-bail/ until the plastic tray totally gave out and wouldn't prime at all, So the I bought the tray upgrade lee makes for them and I'm still rolling with it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GHU6BWM |
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| I load on the press mostly, either on the Hornady LNL single stage press for rifle, or the Dillon RL550 for pistol, but, there are times when I don't feel like messing with the presses. For those times I use an RCBS hand primer. I can just relax, watch tv, and prime rifle cases. |
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Originally Posted By gman556: Just my opinion, and experience but Derraco Poorman's PCPS-LITE Precision Priming die/Primer Seating Tool is the best and smoothest I have ever uesd, and I have tried all of the above. It's also a few bucks cheaper then the RCBS bench tool, $79 at amazon, and I prefer it much more. Even the pick up tubes are far superior. JMHO and experience. YMMV. I will second this, i also really like the FA hand primer. |
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I'm going out of this world the same way I came in... naked, kicking, screaming, and covered in blood and vaginal secretions.
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Originally Posted By GaryM: I have a few of those Lee hand primer tools. I look at them as disposable. They do work but they are definitely made to a price point. God I had parts to make a bunch in the 80's. That pot metal did not last! |
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