Lee Ergo Prime

[Lever357]

I started reloading in Febuary, just .38 Special for now and use, or try to use, a Lee Ergo Prime. I find this instrument extremely frustrating!!!! When it works smoothly and without a hitch it is great, can do 50 cases in minutes. However, more often than not it will prime a few and then the next primer will enter the chute on its side. Or the next one gets stuck in the feed chamber. Or the plastic sliding bit goes up but not down. Etc etc to the extent 50 cases took me 30 minutes on Saturday.

I presume they should work smoothly? There was a small spring inside the box when I bought it but there was no mention of it in the instructions so after a few weeks I contacted the company I purchased it off and they told me how to fit it inside the handle. This made actually squeezing the handle a lot easier.

Any suggestions??

[Alpha1]

Do you have a press if so prime on the press. The lee hand primers are rubbish unless you can get hold of the old original type.

[Lever357]

Do you have a press if so prime on the press. The lee hand primers are rubbish unless you can get hold of the old original type.

Yes, that is an option I will have to look at. I have a Lee Classic Cast Press that came with priming arms but dont you still need a feeder for the primers??

[38Super]

I've recently started reloading (again) for .38 and I use a Lee Auto Prime which is very similar. (I'm really not sure what the point of the extra plastic spring gizmo in the feed tray is or what it does?)

I would suggest that you just take a little more time. Learn to feel when the primer is 'right' and if it feels wrong stop and check. Also I think it's worth taking an extra moment to visually check the next primer is presented correctly and manually adjust if necessary. Try to keep it held in a consistent position and watch the primers move along each time.

I agree with the previous comment. The original auto prime , with the more direct feed did work better but the new one is fast enough for me if I'm careful with it. I can usually do 50 cases in a couple of minutes.

[Gazza]

I have exactly the same issues but have now got into a routine where I visually check the primer before squeezing it in.
I rattled through 500 cases the other night in about an hour, thumb was worn out after that lot though