According to Lee I have been guilty of a great sin when putting Federal primers in my Lee quick primer. I was looking in a new Lee reloader book and they say in BIG LETTERS "NEVER PUT FEDERAL PRIMERS IN A LEE QUICK PRIMER LOADER!!.I have used a lee quick primer for years and have always used mostly Federal primers in it Anyone ever have any problem with this combo? Does Lee have something against Fedral primers?

I have a 300 Weatherby and being using Fed 215 and Lee Hand Primer for about 15 years now. Never had a problem. I only use about 20 at a time and wear safety glasses. IMO primer tubes are more dangerous or can be.

I have been using federal primers in the lee autoprime for about 20 years without a problem.

I would suspect that Federal doesn't like the design and/or concept behind the Lee primer and has notified Lee that their primers (for liability reasons) should not be used... otherwise Lee would be concerned with all primers, wouldn't they?

My wife and I have been using a Lee Auto-prime for years without a mishap. We only use Fed 205M primers. A fellow BR shooter, from Maine, however had a fully loaded Lee explode in his hand last year. He was using Fed 205M primers. It was his good fortune to have had good eye protection on when this occurred.

quote:

Does Lee have something against Fedral primers?

NO! They recommend CCI because CCI primer cups are tougher than Federals - but using my Lee Priming Tool makes me think that it does not place any more pressure on the primer during seating than an RCBS press or a Lyman 310 hand tool does. It just holds more primers in that circular "magazine", where an explosion of one primer could set off a lot of others. But the probability of the Lee tool setting off a primer as it is being seated does not appear to me to be any higher than when seating a primer with ANY tool! JUST BE CAREFUL THAT THE PRIMER IS PROPERLY LINED UP WITH THE PRIMER POCKET BEFORE YOU START TO APPLY PRESSURE, AND IF IT SEEMS TO BE TAKING TOO MUCH FORCE TO SEAT IT, FIND OUT WHY-DON'T JUST SQUEEZE HARDER!!!

Well that is what I thought about any primer that presses the primer. I always stop if I feel a tight fit and check things out. I hve never tried to force a primer into the pocket. That is the reason many years ago that I went to Federal primers. I was trying to seat some CCI primers in a 30/06 and they would not go with out a lot of pressure. I got some Fedral 210 primers and they seated fine with normal slight pressure. I threw all 100 of the CCI away. They all semed to be to large. I have used some CCIs since then with no trouble. But I couldn't see Lee coming down on Federal peimers unless there was something between them. At least they shoul have clarified it. I will call lee and find out out of plain wanting to know. What caused the lee to go off with the BR? Too much pressure when seating?

There have been stories for years that Old Man Lee was in a pizzin' contest with the folks at Federal, and that this was the reason for the "warning."

I, and many others, have used all brands of primers with equal success using, of course, the same safe-loading procedures.

I've been parachuting without a reserve chute for years and never had a problem so I guess I'll never need one.
I've been driving without a seatbelt for years and never had a wreck so that proves I'll never need that seatbelt.
I've been living on this earth for umpteen years and haven't died yet, so I guess that proves I'm going to live forever.


Has anybody bothered to call Lee to ask them why?

Call them and they will tell you about the difference in chemical composition between the Federal and CCI primers which is why they do not recommend using Federals in their auto prime.

I know I'm being heavy handed and sarcastic here, but one of my pet peeves is when folks sit around and speculate on the why of something when in the same amount of time you can call, write or email and get the answer straight from the source.

federal even advertises that they use a "basic lead styphnate" primer composition that others don't. In fact, one of the ads showed a dude holding a big SS bowl full of the stuff, it was wasabi green dough. it's supposed to be safe when wet, dangerous when dry, but I thought that *must* have been something besides several kilos of priming coumpound.

now, I understand that RCBS, Speer, and a few others have indeed entered into pissing contests with Lee, but I do not know that to be the case with Federal. Read Lee's reloading manual and you will get his side of the stories, which I found interesting and believable.

quote:

Originally posted by new_guy:
I would suspect that Federal doesn't like the design and/or concept behind the Lee primer and has notified Lee that their primers (for liability reasons) should not be used... otherwise Lee would be concerned with all primers, wouldn't they?

I agree. Arent winchester primers softer than federal too.

That is why I wrote this to see if anyone had called lee over the years of using their lee quick primer to see what lee had to say about it. I just realized it. Most of the time you don't get a straight answer anyway.

Gentlemen, I believe that Federal Cartridge is now owned by Omark, the parent company of CCI, Speer, Redfield, Weaver, and several others, if memory is correct.
And yes, the feud between Speer and Lee has been going on for years. It started with collet crimp dies, I think. Lee claimed their collet crimp didn't deform bullets, Speer said it did.
And as for Federal primers in a Lee Hand Prime, sorry, I can't comment. I use an RCBS hand primer, and have never had a problem with Federals, CCI, Remington, or Winchester primers. It handles them all...

After a bunch of research I found out that almost all the problems with primers came from CCI. Lee states that Federal and Remington will chain detonate and advises to prime one at a time in any loader. The lee turns around and states that CCI primers are ok to use in the auto primer. I have crushed primers. bent them, put them in backwards and sideways over the years and had no problem. The biggest problem is misuse of loading equipment. One examlpe was a person trying to put a large rifle primer in a case that called for a small rifle. He jerked and pushed so hard it went off. Then he continued to blow about 4 more before deciding to check it out. Anyway be careful and you will be ok.

Friends-

Speaking from personal experience, I have worn out one Lee Auto Prime with Federal Primers without one mishap.

Now, I have a Lee Autoprime for Small Rifle primers, Large Rifle Primer and Magnum Rifle Primers. I suppose that is the epidome of laziness not wanting to change out shell holders but, I caught them on sale at Midway.

Bottom line, I have never had a problem with Federal primers and Lee Autoprimer tools.

30 mag fan; laziness--or -- MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY and superior management!

It would seem with all the many reloaders using Federal primers in the lee auto primer for a multitude of years would say something to lee. Oh well, was just wondering as I fill my auto primer once again with Federal 210 primers!

Over 10,000 federal primers through my latest Lee Auto Prime and no problems, none with the preceding other Auto Primes that I've worn out either.

G

Good info on the auto primer and Federal primers. I am going to call lee this for the heck of it and see what they say to all this .

Borealis Bob has it right. It's a piss'en political arugument between Lee and Federal. I forget what it was exactly, but Federal printed something Lee was offended by, thus this warning. Lee got upset with Speer also as Speer said that crimping bullets without a cannelure would damage the bullet making it inaccurate, in their manual. If you will note that Lee prints not to load Speer bullets with his factory crimp die, but all other bullets work great! Lee is just a sensitive guy. His quick primer works great with all primers including Federal and his factory crimp die works great with all bullets including Speer. Be carefull what you print is Lee's message to the loading componet people. I wish I could remember what Federal printed, that Lee took offence to. I know I've seen it printed in their literature some where.

If you read the warning,it revolves around the type of priming compound,not the brand so much.Federal and Remington use one type "basic" I think and CCI and Winchester use " normal".The basic goes off easier,so for legal reasons,the warning.

quote:

Originally posted by JohnnyB:
Borealis Bob has it right.

If you will note that Lee prints not to load Speer bullets with his factory crimp die, but all other bullets work great!

Patently ridiculous, given bullets of similar (lead-core) construction.