Yesterday I was priming some cases with my trusty Lee hand primer. This tool has been with me since the late 70's and has primed uncounted thousands of cases. While inserting primers in some .308 cases I suddenly had a problem removing the case from the holder. WTF? I fumbled around for a few more cases until I noticed that the main casting had broken. What a piece of crap, not able to hold up to almost 40 years of loading

OK, no big deal. Due to my laziness, about 30 years ago I had purchased a second tool just like this one. I wanted to be able to prime both large and small primers without changing parts in a single tool (beside the fact that I had a tendency to misplace the unused items). I just grabbed the other priming tool, changed the tray to large primers, and kept on priming. Exactly two cases later, the #$%^ing handle broke on my "backup".

So now I have parts and pieces of two broken priming tools joined to make one useable priming tool. What's the odds of two breaking in the same session?

Oh well, just like I retired, it was probably time for them to retire too. My new one will be here later this week. At least the new one will have a square tray so I don't spill as many primers out of the box.

Guess we know the shelf life on hand priming tools from the disco era.....

They break because you haven't properly removed the primer crimp from the brass. I'll let you borrow my chamfer tool, give it a try.

Seriously though . . . yes, it sounds like God did NOT intend for you to reload yesterday!

It must be kind of sad to see those priming tools go after so long, actually. Like old friends.

Yup, sounds like you were supposed to do something else yesterday! And yes, I think we have all had days like that.

Same thing happened with mine, about the same age. I bought an RCBS hand primer and never looked back.

But I bought both my Lee tools for less than that of ONE RCBS hand primer

That gave me a spare, or at least enough parts to get back in business.


MadPick Nice shot. No thanks, I still use my "chamfer tool" on the right end of the case, where the bullets go in

Heck, even if I didn't have enough parts to put the primer tool back in business, I would have just pulled the tool head off my XL650 and just run the cases through inserting primers only.

As it turned out, yesterday was the best day at the range in some time. A little cold but there wasn't enough wind to even move the cloud made by your breath away from your face. It sure makes it clear, under conditions like that, when one needs to make some adjustments in their ammo. No more blaming the wind when shooting from a solid rest.