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New Safety Prime User

Posted: 06 Mar 2020 10:15
by Kaiser
I just installed the new Safety Prime system to the Classic Cast Turret press and my first impression is it is too flimsy to be reliable and too imprecise to feed onto the priming arm with any consistency. I don't have a feel on how to operate it properly to gain any consistent assurance that my cartridges are being primed in this critical operation! I would appreciate any tips or information on how to operate this priming system to eliminate the errors I see lurking and my "clumsy" attempts at finessing the operation.
I've been using the Auto Prime for many many years and thought that maybe Lee had invented a better, more efficient way to prime; but have they? I will endeavor to persevere! ;)

Re: New Safety Prime User

Posted: 06 Mar 2020 13:58
by Ranch Dog
I've been using it for a couple of years now by following the simple instructions. Are you making assumptions about it before you work with it? If so, give it a box of primers and try it. It probably took me twenty rounds to get use to it. I've never have had it drop a primer, it always places it correctly in the cup.

Re: New Safety Prime User

Posted: 06 Mar 2020 16:52
by Kaiser
Yeah, I am probably making an unfair assumption based on its construction and its "whimpy" action in use. I've been using Lee tools since 1968, so I'm not throwing in the towel on looks; I just thought there might be some technique or mode of operation that would keep the primers aligned to prevent primers from missing their target (priming arm/charger), similar to the "tie-tie" mode used by some on the folding primer tray that keeps the tray feeding properly. As I said, I will persevere. Thanks for the quick reply.

Re: New Safety Prime User

Posted: 06 Mar 2020 23:59
by larryw
Like RD, never had a problem with them. Give it a shot.

Re: New Safety Prime User

Posted: 07 Mar 2020 05:41
by GasGuzzler
It is flimsy and cheesy but it works. I drop about every 30th and about every 60th comes down the tube sideways or upside down but get a rhythm going and it mostly works. I have the round one that came with my LCT.

Re: New Safety Prime User

Posted: 07 Mar 2020 06:49
by Ranch Dog
GasGuzzler wrote:It is flimsy and cheesy but it works. I drop about every 30th and about every 60th comes down the tube sideways or upside down but get a rhythm going and it mostly works. I have the round one that came with my LCT.
What I did from the get-go is put a tiny tie-wrap around the top of the chute. It seems to improve tray security and I've not had a sideway primer.

Image

Notice that a did use a "red" tie-wrap so it stuck with the Lee theme.

Re: New Safety Prime User

Posted: 08 Mar 2020 13:39
by Macd
I have the older, round, version and other than the tabs of the covers breaking shortly after I got the tool I am happy. An elastic band to hold the cover on solved that. Occasionally the primers hang up in the opening to the shoot but a light flick and down they come. Never lost a primer or had one come down upside down or sideways. If this happens there must be something wrong as there isn't enough gap anywhere to allow a primer to flip or turn sideways on my two units.

Re: New Safety Prime User

Posted: 08 Mar 2020 19:27
by horseman
I had one of the first type that came out. Used it on a Classic Turret. Had to make sure it was the same height as the primer cup at the top of the ram and the right angle for it to work well, IIRC I had to add a small washer to the black one that came with the unit. After a while of use I started having some issues of the primers feeding to the trough, (LP unit) took it apart and did something to it, I don't remember what really, it was a long time ago, perhaps just cleaning it up a bit, I think it had some funky spring in there, anyway after that I never had another problem with it. Just a straight push with my index finger and done. Loaded a lot of rounds with that thing.

Re: New Safety Prime User

Posted: 08 Mar 2020 19:48
by larryw
I used the older round one with a Breech Lock Challenger, never had a problem
with mine, loaded thousands of rounds with it. Been thinking on trying to find
another round one & put it on my turret???

Re: New Safety Prime User

Posted: 11 Mar 2020 05:19
by GasGuzzler
horseman wrote:I had one of the first type that came out. Used it on a Classic Turret. Had to make sure it was the same height as the primer cup at the top of the ram and the right angle for it to work well, IIRC I had to add a small washer to the black one that came with the unit. After a while of use I started having some issues of the primers feeding to the trough,
This