Loading Federal primers

[TheOtherZilla]

Anybody have any life hacks on getting Federal primers into the primer tray?? I have several Lee and an RCBS hand primer tools. The only one I can load primers into the tray without spilling em is the RCBS. The tray is large. All the rest are Lee and have a smaller tray. CCI, Remington, and Winchester all come in smaller boxes that fit the tray.. Impart me some knowledge please..

 

[retired]

rcbs makes/made a flip tray big enough for the federal tray.
dillon maybe also

 

[Dusty Stevens]

turn the box upside down over the tray in the biggest widest part, start sliding the box open and once you get 2 rows in, stop, shake em down then do 2 more rows. be careful when you get it to the point the tabs on the bottom are coming over the edge or you'll dump more than you want to.

 

[cheek9075]

Lee cautions use of fed primers in there priming tool. Ask me how I know!!! They will go off.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

turn the box upside down over the tray in the biggest widest part, start sliding the box open and once you get 2 rows in, stop, shake em down then do 2 more rows. be careful when you get it to the point the tabs on the bottom are coming over the edge or you'll dump more than you want to.

Tried that, still a hassle and usually a mess..

 

[Medic505]

I use a square plastic container that sliced turkey came in. Even worse, I prime with a Forester tool that has a tray that will hold about 50 primers. Primers go into the plastic tub and then onto the tray that feeds the magazine for the tool. PITA to say the least, but it works.

 

[Medic505]

I do like Federal primers, detest the box.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

a dillon flip tray and a single load priming tool works well too.

 

[Dos XX]

I use a square plastic container that sliced turkey came in.

Cajun or regular?

 

[Medic505]

Cajun or regular?

Regular smoked. I start talking funny if I eat the cajan stuff.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Cajun or regular?

I prefer the rotisserie chicken

 

[fguffey]

Anybody have any life hacks on getting Federal primers into the primer tray??

Yes I do, for years I have suggested reloaders cut the 'big box; Federal primer sleeve with a 1/4 opening; the 1/4 opening will allow a reloader to dump 25 primers at a time. That would be any primer; Lee put the scare on reloaders, Lee used Federal primers as the boogey primer. In an obscure section of Lee's book on modern reloading Lee claimed he did not test Federal primers because Federal did not donate primers to be tested.

As for me? If not for Federal primers I would be desperately low on primers. And then there was that story about the UPS driver that blew his thing off; his tail gage, with a box of Federal primers.

Back to the 1/4 opening: if the reloader choose to dump 25 mope primers, rotate the sleeve. And then continue to rotate the sleeve until the tray is empty. I have flip trays, I have one large flip tray from Dillon, I do not allow this stuff to drive me to the curb.

F. Guffey

 

[TheOtherZilla]

Yes I do, for years I have suggested reloaders cut the 'big box; Federal primer sleeve with a 1/4 opening; the 1/4 opening will allow a reloader to dump 25 primers at a time. That would be any primer; Lee put the scare on reloaders, Lee used Federal primers as the boogey primer. In an obscure section of Lee's book on modern reloading Lee claimed he did not test Federal primers because Federal did not donate primers to be tested.

As for me? If not for Federal primers I would be desperately low on primers. And then there was that story about the UPS driver that blew his thing off; his tail gage, with a box of Federal primers.

Back to the 1/4 opening: if the reloader choose to dump 25 mope primers, rotate the sleeve. And then continue to rotate the sleeve until the tray is empty. I have flip trays, I have one large flip tray from Dillon, I do not allow this stuff to drive me to the curb.

F. Guffey

Can you expound on making this 1/4" slot

 

[M99]

Anybody have any life hacks on getting Federal primers into the primer tray?? I have several Lee and an RCBS hand primer tools. The only one I can load primers into the tray without spilling em is the RCBS. The tray is large. All the rest are Lee and have a smaller tray. CCI, Remington, and Winchester all come in smaller boxes that fit the tray.. Impart me some knowledge please..

Its hard to believe that Federal actually paid someone to design that terrible Primer Box they now use. Everyone else uses a box that is easy to use, and Federal uses one that causes you to dump primers all over the floor or bench. I do use them with a Lee primer tool and have not had any problems in 20 or so years, but I am very careful. I would like to hear more details from anyone that has actually had one go off while priming with that tool

 

[kneedtospeed]

The Chicken and Turkey, Both put me in a fowl mood.

 

[ireload2]

I have been using Federal primers about 50 years. The original Lee priming tool had no primer tray. It had screw in shell holders and you handled all primers 1 at a time. If there is any problem with Lee tools it is most likely Lee's lack of designing skill since he never gets a priming tool right the first time.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

Well here's an update. While priming using my old Lee tool with the small round tray I had a primer get lodged sideways and jam.. So I had to remove the shell holder to remove the primer. As I have done before I carefully pry the side ways primer out with a small screw driver. It immediately comes loose, and fall in the trash can, along with the shell holder. Bye bye.. Looked and looked it is gone.. So I look to see if I have another #1 holder for Lee. Nope.. Off to Sportsman's WH. I am thinking that if they have an RCBS primer tool with the large tray and universal shell holder, I'll buy another one.. Find the shell holder and look at primer tools.. No RCBS but they have a new version of the Lee with a folding primer tray that when open is the right size.. So I buy it.. Not too impressed so far.. Finally figured it out in spite of the instructions.. Shake all the primers to the proper orientation and close the lid. Prime 50 357 cases. Cahrge and add a bullet. I then put them into a bullet box. it is then that I notice that 2 shells have the primer ass backwards... Guess I'll keep looking for that RCBS tool next time I go to the big city..

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Well here's an update. While priming using my old Lee tool with the small round tray I had a primer get lodged sideways and jam.. So I had to remove the shell holder to remove the primer. As I have done before I carefully pry the side ways primer out with a small screw driver. It immediately comes loose, and fall in the trash can, along with the shell holder. Bye bye.. Looked and looked it is gone.. So I look to see if I have another #1 holder for Lee. Nope.. Off to Sportsman's WH. I am thinking that if they have an RCBS primer tool with the large tray and universal shell holder, I'll buy another one.. Find the shell holder and look at primer tools.. No RCBS but they have a new version of the Lee with a folding primer tray that when open is the right size.. So I buy it.. Not too impressed so far.. Finally figured it out in spite of the instructions.. Shake all the primers to the proper orientation and close the lid. Prime 50 357 cases. Cahrge and add a bullet. I then put them into a bullet box. it is then that I notice that 2 shells have the primer ass backwards... Guess I'll keep looking for that RCBS tool next time I go to the big city..

so you went thru all this pain and grief because a part fell in a trash can? ive lost e clips in a lathe chip tray and didnt have to go thru that much change.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

so you went thru all this pain and grief because a part fell in a trash can? ive lost e clips in a lathe chip tray and didnt have to go thru that much change.

Well it seemed like a good idea at the time.. And it is a large trash can .. And I spit in it from time to time.. Short answer yes.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I hear ya. I aint goin in no spit can either