Federal Primers and Lee Auto Prime?

2ndtimer · Apr 1, 2005

I used Lee Auto Primes years ago and really liked them for seating primers in my rifle loads. Back then, I used winchester and CCI primers almost exclusively and never had a problem. Since I have gotten back into shooting and reloading the past year and a half, I thought I would pick up a Lee Auto Prime again for priming my cases for the .270wsm and 6.5x55 and have run into a couple of snags. First, Lee warns against using Federal primers with their Auto Prime! Of course, my favorite primer for the .270WSM is Federal's 210 and it seems to be notably more accurate using those primers compared to Winchester Large Rifle or Winchester Large Rifle Magnums. Anyone have any thoughts about this? Is Dick Lee smoking something funny, or is there really a risk of detonation with Federal Primers? I do notice that Federal has the biggest bulkiest packaging of any of the primer manufacturers. Maybe there is something to it. The other bad news was that the Short Magnum cases don't fit the Auto Prime! I think I will have to file a bit of the top sides of it to allow the cases to fully enter the priming tool. Maybe it just isn't meant to be for the love affair of my Super Shadow in .270WSM and Federal 210 primers. Oh they can still live happily ever after, but only if Mr. Rockchucker continues to unite them. Still kind of disappointed that Lee couldn't get them together. The Winchester primers fit kind of loose in the winchester brass, even the unfired cases. The Federals seem to be a better firmer fit, especially after several loadings. Just wondered if anyone had heard anything. Thanks.

Seedsntrees · Apr 2, 2005

Have been using FEDERAL PRIMERS for years...never had a problem of any sort while seating or any handling.

Not sure of any concern that is any different than any other primer handling.

bowhuntrrl · Apr 4, 2005

I've had the same Lee Auto Prime since the 70's and have almost exclusively used Federal Primers. I use mine for my .300 RUM and .270 WSM(same shell holder). I did have to take the Dremel tool to it to get the fit I needed.

longwinters · Apr 5, 2005

I have loaded Federal primers for a couple of years (probably 1000 or more) with the Lee and have not had any problems. Infact, I have asked the same question, a while ago, on Graybeard Outdoors and got the same responses. No one has had a problem . . . The thought is that maybe the Federal primers are more apt to ignite while priming than other makes. If this is so, I doubt that the cover on the Lee would hold up. Does RCBS state the same thing with theirs? Anyway, Lee must have a reason. As far as the Shortmags go my buddy got the shell holder specifically for his shortmags, from Lee, and guess what? Right in the instructions it says that you have to take a dremel tool to it for the brass to fit. I really like my Lee Auto primer but I gotta question how cheap a company can be.

Long

clearwater · Apr 5, 2005

The RCBS, I believe, shields the primer tray from the primer being seated, so detonation of the whole tray is less likely. Lee does explain it
in his reloading book.

DLJ · Apr 7, 2005

A Lawyer made them add that disclaimer. I'm sure....after somebody got heavy handed and probably tried to prime two into one flash hole. I have primed Fed210Ms for many years with the Lee tool. And I modified mine with a dremel tool to accept the fat case base when I got my 300WSM barrel in Jan. of 02. My WSM loads prefer to be lit with the CCI250M.
Longwinters I dont understand your comment about Lee being cheap...do you feel Lee was supposed to offer to take back every Auto Prime in the marketplace to modify them after the fat cases came out? It really is a simple mod...you just grind off a little plastic above where the shellholder slides in.

FOTIS · Apr 8, 2005

Seedsntrees":1pyxlvq3 said:
Have been using FEDERAL PRIMERS for years...never had a problem of any sort while seating or any handling.

Not sure of any concern that is any different than any other primer handling.

Ditto!

longwinters · Apr 8, 2005

By cheap I mean that they are still making the priming tools, so why not make the corrections so you don't have to ask questions about primer brand. Also why not correct their tool so that you don't have to do anything to it for the shell holders, that they sell you, to work properly. In my mind the answer is that it was lest costly to print some stuff to cover their butt than fix the problems in their product.

Like I said, I like mine but I think they are cheap.

Long