Flat top or Domed top?

[amlevin]

Not too long ago I broke my Lee Hand Priming Tool. An old friend that had been with me for over thirty years and countless rounds of ammo.

Replaced it with a Lee XR but didn't care for the "elevator" stage it had in it to keep the tool from chain firing a tray of primers.

Decided to try a different tool and bought a Hornady Hand Priming tool. Unfortunately, I have experienced more primer problems with this tool than I have experienced in the over thirty years using the old Lee "Round Tray" tool.

In close looking over the two different tools, the Lee and the Hornady I noticed that the ram that seats the primer is different. The Lee ram has a perfectly flat top on it and the Hornady more of a "dome". The center of the ram is flat but there is a healthy radius on the edge.

When examining some newly seated primers done with the Hornady tool, that were a little difficult to seat to begin with, the centers of the primers appeared to be somewhat dished.

Have considered just removing the ram and resurfacing it so it's flat like the Lee.

Any other tools besides the Hornaday that have this shape of ram?

I'm wondering if the radius'd ram is crushing the primer and causing it to not ignite. I do like the ergonomics of the Hornady tool and hate the mechanism that Lee added to the new square tray primer seating tool.

Need some advice short of "Just buy Brand xxxxx".

 

[amlevin]

Flip the ram. You have it in backwards........

Sorry, there's only one way the ram fits. The other end of he ram has a tapered shoulder about 3/8" from the end. Even if one tried to reverse the ram, the end diameters are different. Only "change" I can make is to switch to the small primer ram.

 

[jonbearman]

Are there documented chain fires using the old style lee tool.I wish they would get off their a%$ and start making parts at least for the thousands of guys who use them. Why cant somebody come up with a similar tool that works and doesnt cost a hundred bucks.

 

[ReedG]

I echo that sentiment: Somebody please give us back the original Lee priming tool.

 

[fredhorace77]

what part did you break in op. i do have some replacement parts...actually all i did was call lee and they sent them to me free of charge...if i remember correctly they even paid the shipping

 

[XTR]

The 3 or 4 old style tools I broke over the yrs was always the link between the lever and the seating rod.

 

[amlevin]

what part did you break in op. i do have some replacement parts...actually all i did was call lee and they sent them to me free of charge...if i remember correctly they even paid the shipping

It was the main body where the shell holder fit in. Cracked along the edge so the shell holder would move up as the primer was inserted.

I actually wanted a different style but opted first for the inexpensive XR. I like the handle operation on the Hornady as I get to use my full grip rather than just my thumb.

 

[navyrad8r]

amlevin,
get the 21 century tool, i think you will find it is your "old faithful lee (round)" on steroids. awesome toll and if you have any questions they will make it right. mine is flat topped. i started with the lee, tried and RCBS for awhile (gave that one away to a friend). and bought two more lee round trays. then 21century came out with theirs...never going back. the shell holders from 21 are much "tighter" tolerances though and some of my LC M1 M1a and 5.56 fodder are a tight fit. even when they are virgin. the lever is better shaped and the plunger is adjustable for REALLY seating those WOLF primers. Sell the hornady and recoup a couple of bucks to wards the 21. Hope this helps.
cheers,
doc

 

[DOGCAPPER]

I had a Lee that chain fired...You have to help it along by being stupid....Still using two of them...Will not pay 100 bucks for a single primer loader..LT