Using the Lee Classic Loader .......step #3

[deerwhacker444]

Well,..I got me a Classic Lee Loader in .357 to try out.

Step #1 went well, deprime.
Step #2 went well, resize.

Step #3......well,..there was a loud bang and black soot on my fingers..!... ....I almost soiled myself..! Now I'm really nervous to try it again.

What's the trick to seating the primer without setting it off..? I sure didn't feel it "set" like I thought I would.

[Chuck 100 yd]

They only do that once. If you use that one again it will go in nice and quiet!!

I have never set one off while loading and I have been doing it since about 1964.
They are sensitive and need to be handled with some care. If it don't go in with light to medium pressure,something is wrong.
Check it out. Large primer in small pocket??
WEAR SAFETY GLASSES WHENEVER LOADING AND SHOOTING!

[alnitak]

Get a Lee Autoprime for $12 and avoid the whole issue...

[AJMD429]

In several thousand .44 Mag rounds (as a teenage kid, no less, when there is no such thing as 'caution' with tools), and several hundred 6mm Remington ones, I honestly never detonated a primer. All were CCI's. Later on, I did switch to a separate hand-primer for the 6mm, just for accuracy (not all that sure it made a difference), but not due to any detonation issues.

You might consider an 'arbor press' - some say it defeats the purpose of the compact, ultra-portable tool, but unless you really ARE 'loading around the campfire', no reason NOT to use one...

Arbor Press.jpg

I usually loaded "on the kitchen table", so I used a 12" square piece of scrap plywood anyway so I didn't dent the table. My little arbor press (I got to use with Paco Kelly's Acu'Rzr tool) is mounted to a 6"x9" scrap or 3/4" oak board, so takes up little space.

I haven't tried it yet, but you could use that instead of the "mallet" to forcefully but gently do the seating.

You could also use a "hand-prime" from Lee or another maker, if desired.

With enough practice, though, I expect you'll get to where you never detonate a primer.

If I try the arbor press next time I use a Lee Kit, I'll post a report.

One other thing - I used a wooden hatchet-handle, and not any sort of actual "mallet", but I don't know if that was an advantage or not.

[GoatGuy]

I started using one to load .45acp in the early 60's. After I had a few primer detonations, I learned that a thin leather glove on the hand holding the seating rod was a good thing!

[kimwcook]

Step #3......well,..there was a loud bang and black soot on my fingers..!... ....I almost soiled myself..!

Don't you just hate those moments. Glad you're okay.

[awp101]

Clean up in aisle 357!

Glad the fingers and eyes are still OK!

[KirkD]

I used to use nothing but those handloaders for all my cartridges until a got a Hornady press about 6 years ago. In all that time, I never had a primer go off, so I'm mystified as to what happened. Perhaps there was a chunk of foreign material in the primer pocket and when you pounded in the primer, the chunk of something set it off. Did you use that long rod inserted in the case when you pounded it in?

[deerwhacker444]

I used to use nothing but those handloaders for all my cartridges until a got a Hornady press about 6 years ago. In all that time, I never had a primer go off, so I'm mystified as to what happened. Perhaps there was a chunk of foreign material in the primer pocket and when you pounded in the primer, the chunk of something set it off. Did you use that long rod inserted in the case when you pounded it in?

I did..! Just like the directions. I even watched a YouTube demo ahead of time to get ready. The primer didn't have any indentation on it, so I guess I just whacked it too hard, my cat who was watching attentively was not amused...!



I'll try again tomorrow, we're supposed to get between 10"-20" inches of snow tonight,...for OKLAHOMA....???? I wish you Cannuckians would close the door up there.

[Alan Wood]

I used to use nothing but those handloaders for all my cartridges until a got a Hornady press about 6 years ago. In all that time, I never had a primer go off, so I'm mystified as to what happened. Perhaps there was a chunk of foreign material in the primer pocket and when you pounded in the primer, the chunk of something set it off. Did you use that long rod inserted in the case when you pounded it in?

I did..! Just like the directions. I even watched a YouTube demo ahead of time to get ready. The primer didn't have any indentation on it, so I guess I just whacked it too hard, my cat who was watching attentively was not amused...!



I'll try again tomorrow, we're supposed to get between 10"-20" inches of snow tonight,...for OKLAHOMA....???? I wish you Cannuckians would close the door up there.

10 to 20 inches of snow in Oklahoma wow that is one heck of a snow storm! Stay warm there!

[hayabusa]

For what little it's worth I reloaded on the Lee hand loaders in 308 win/44 mag/45 colt/410/12 gauge. I guess I was lucky as I never experienced a primer detonation. Sure glad you were not hurt. I bet it does get ones attention!
Busa

[Lefty Dude]

You might wanna get a Lyman pocket primer reamer. You may have some tight pockets or you got hold of a military crimped primer case.

I reload 16 ga all brass shotgun shells that use a large pistol primer. Magtec swedges those pockets tight. I have to ream all they are that tight.

I have pounded primers in for many years and never set on off.

[AmBraCol]

Attention to the details, especially the "feel".

As I recall the Lee Loader setup, there's a round piece with a hole in the middle where the primer goes, then the case head fits in on top of that and you whack it with the mallet. BUT before whacking, feel for the primer to start into the pocket. I would press the steel peg into the case, applying downward pressure until I could feel the primer was located properly. A light tap would start the primer into the pocket, you can lift the cartridge up and make sure it's started if you like. Then place it back and give it a harder tap. It's all about feel and aligning things properly. Shucks, I seated primers in a couple of 20 bore cases the other day using the flat of a knife blade, using a Lee Loader is high tech compared to that!

Way back when I had a few detonations, but never when paying attention to what I was doing and going by "feel". You can't just do the "whack a mole" thing when playing with the Lee Loader.

Take it slow and easy until you find the feel and then things speed up a bit. I can imagine the cat's opinion of your new found hobby...

[Hobie]

Hadn't set one off yet. I bet it gets your attention. Wear hearing and eye protection.

[Old Ironsights]

So... ya gonna change your handle to "primerwhacker"?

FWIW, Whack when you size, TAP LIGHTLY when you seat the primer. You should actually almost be able to seat the primer with firm PRESSURE on the rod, so you really shouldn't be hitting it that hard.

[mikld]

Attention to the details, especially the "feel".

As I recall the Lee Loader setup, there's a round piece with a hole in the middle where the primer goes, then the case head fits in on top of that and you whack it with the mallet. BUT before whacking, feel for the primer to start into the pocket. I would press the steel peg into the case, applying downward pressure until I could feel the primer was located properly. A light tap would start the primer into the pocket, you can lift the cartridge up and make sure it's started if you like. Then place it back and give it a harder tap. It's all about feel and aligning things properly. Shucks, I seated primers in a couple of 20 bore cases the other day using the flat of a knife blade, using a Lee Loader is high tech compared to that!

Way back when I had a few detonations, but never when paying attention to what I was doing and going by "feel". You can't just do the "whack a mole" thing when playing with the Lee Loader.

Take it slow and easy until you find the feel and then things speed up a bit. I can imagine the cat's opinion of your new found hobby...

this is close to the way I do it. In the mid 70's I started with a Lee Loader in 38 Special, didn't pop any primers then, but when I made up some .44 Magnums, I'd get 1 out of 50 or 60 that would pop. No harm no foul, just musta been funny to see a fat middle aged man jump off the stool...

[eric65]

It happens now and then

[Pete44ru]

[Step #3......well,..there was a loud bang and black soot on my fingers..!... ....I almost soiled myself..! Now I'm really nervous to try it again.]

Move yer reloading room/ops into the bathroom - by settin' on yer "throne", cleanup's made easier.......

.

[AJMD429]

You might wanna get a Lyman primer pocket reamer. You may have some tight pockets or you got hold of a military crimped primer case.

That's a good idea. I filed the sides of a screwdriver flat and used it, then used a "Chapman" screwdriver set bit (had straight sides unlike the typical screwdriver) for awhile, but finally picked up a Lee or Lyman - I forget which.

[deerwhacker444]

I got it to work. I tried the Inverse "Whack a Mole" technique. I guess I might have hit it too hard the first time. Pretty neat little gizmo.

[AmBraCol]

I got it to work. I tried the Inverse "Whack a Mole" technique. I guess I might have hit it too hard the first time. Pretty neat little gizmo.

There you go! Another thing you can do is to simply lay the primer on a flat, hard surface, place the cartridge over it with the rod inside and tap it into place. Now that your ears have stopped ringing I'm sure you'll be more gentle in the future. I can't quit chuckling over the idea of a cat watching such a procedure attentively. Reminds me of the Mark Twain story of the old tom cat that was an expert at pocket mining but hated the idea of hard rock mining.

[azzhandler]

I loaded my 243 for many years without a mishap, couple of years ago I ran across 3 sets of tools for 12 ga 16 ga and a set for 410, I have not tried loading with any of the shotgun tools, I actually only wanted the set for the 410, but the man said I had to buy all 3 sets as 1, so I paid him his $10 bucks I have been told that the 410 set is high dollar today if you can find them,

[rogn]

Used these in 7X57 and 12 ga, 20 ga years ago and never had a discharge. But retrospectively I never liked the battle for consistancy. I went to the early Lee hand primerw/screw in shell holders. Never looked back. You can make a press with 2 wooden uprights a cross pin and lever to press on the priming rod, this'll get you away from the concussive priming effort. Overall the absolute best is to go w/handprimer, Lee being one of the best. Cant recommend it enough over the hammer primer.

[pwl44m]

Well now I know why I had no mishaps when I was a Kid of maybe 12 yrs old. Couldn't afford a Mallet of any sort so I used the heel of a shoe. Loaded many a 12 gauge. It is a wonder any of Us R still here Typing. I had an old Pump Mossberg and every now and then when I tipped the Barrel down the shot would roll out.Real good Crimp I say.
I veiwed one of the vids on the Lee and it seemed Like He was pretty agressive on the Primer seating, several pretty good whacks with what looked to be a small Single Jack.
Glad U R OK. That might have put one of Us older Guys in ER.

[Griff]

I'm feeling positively... deprived! Although I have a Lee Loader set in .30-30, I've never used it! My first reloader was a RCBS Jr. II, and dies in .30-30 and .44Mag to go with my Mdl 94 & 64A Winchesters. A friend gave me the Lee Loader tool set sothat I could load .30-30s while camping... I figured that I knew how to use the press, and bought a used Lyman "C" press at a swapmeet and mounted it on a piece of ½" plywood, clamped to the tailgate or picnic table, works like a champ... not new skills to learn.

And I can just imagine that cat! It'll probably never "unlearn" that BANG!!! You'll be hard pressed to find it around once you dig out the loader again!