The original Lee Auto Prime was easy to use and fairly trouble free, though it was subject to wear and breakage. But it was inexpensive to replace. It seems each of the subsequent replacements of the Auto Prime have become more complex in an effort to make it safer, or at least less likely to detonate a whole tray of primers. Unfortunately, the added complexity has added cost and has given rise to more primer feeding issues.
I'm still using the Auto Prime XR (two actually) and have gotten accustomed to the techinque needed to operate the unit with fairly good success. Not looking forward to the day I need to replace them with the New Auto Prime. That very long primer path and goofy folding primer tray look like more potential problems.
I've tried other hand primers with primer trays, but like the Lee models best for one reason. I find the use of the thumb to seat a primer on the Lee Auto Prime models far easier than other models that require you to wrap your thumb around the handle squeeze your hand.
I see a sizable market for a well done priming tool. It seems there is no shortage to complaints about the various models currently on the market. Customers complain about primers getting flipped or jammed up, difficulty changing from large to small primers, difficulty changing shell holders, excessive force required to seat the primer, and premature parts breakage. It seems product liability concerns have driven the designs to a point where they don't perform the intended purpose very well.
In contrast to all the complaints about the various hand priming tools with primer trays, the original Lee Auto Prime seems to have been very well liked. I still have mine, along with the earlier Lee hand priming tool that has no primer tray. They still work, but I have them as back-ups in case the Lee Auto Prime XRs break or wear out.
I'm still using the Auto Prime XR (two actually) and have gotten accustomed to the techinque needed to operate the unit with fairly good success. Not looking forward to the day I need to replace them with the New Auto Prime. That very long primer path and goofy folding primer tray look like more potential problems.
I've tried other hand primers with primer trays, but like the Lee models best for one reason. I find the use of the thumb to seat a primer on the Lee Auto Prime models far easier than other models that require you to wrap your thumb around the handle squeeze your hand.
I see a sizable market for a well done priming tool. It seems there is no shortage to complaints about the various models currently on the market. Customers complain about primers getting flipped or jammed up, difficulty changing from large to small primers, difficulty changing shell holders, excessive force required to seat the primer, and premature parts breakage. It seems product liability concerns have driven the designs to a point where they don't perform the intended purpose very well.
In contrast to all the complaints about the various hand priming tools with primer trays, the original Lee Auto Prime seems to have been very well liked. I still have mine, along with the earlier Lee hand priming tool that has no primer tray. They still work, but I have them as back-ups in case the Lee Auto Prime XRs break or wear out.