I've never had a Lee reloading manual so I bought one recently.  In it Richard Lee strenuously cautions against using Federal Primers in the original Lee Auto Prime tool.  He says Federal primers are far more liable to detonate while being seated than are other brands.  My question is, has anyone experienced this happening?  I've seated who knows how many primers with the Auto Prime and have never had a primer detonate while being seated. In fact, I've never had a primer detonate while being seated with any kind of seating tool. My neighbor has used the Auto Prime for years, mostly with Federal primers and never had a problem either.  Have we just been lucky?

John Shaw

I agree. A primer takes a strike to go off, and pushing one in to seat it wont set it off. I wouldn't try it, but I'd bet you could put a primer in a vise and crush it flat, and not have it detonate.

I'm another long time Federal user in the very tool Lee says not to do it in. It's the only tool I've ever used for priming. I started using it in 1985 and have even crashed Federal primers, sideways in it, up into the primer pocket.

The only thing that I can think of for the warning is that, sometime in the early 90's, Federal had a shipment detonate and that is why they are package like they are. If you remember the package change, that why they had to do it. I hate those boxes but, I love Federal so, I still use them.

Frank

Do a search, just read one where the primer went off and ignited the rest in the tray. Fellow got lucky thanks to his safety equip.

JLouis

Federal primers are known for having softer cups by design thus making them easier to set off / extremely more sensitive and they work extremely well for that intended purpose. CCI on the other hand is noted for there harder cups again by design for their intended purpose and they also work extremely well. It would be best to simply ignore what I have just pointed out as well as the others and to contact Federal to see what they have to say on the issue, they are just an email away so you will get it in writing should you want to share it with the group?


JLouis

The newer Lee priming tool has a safety shield that rises to protect the primer tray from detonating should the primer being inserted in the case blows. I was told by the Lee distributor that all brands of primers can be used with this tool. Have been aware of the warning with the original priming tool but have never had a problem with Federal primers in that tool. A friend did and from his description it was really bad- the primers in the tray also blew up. He was lucky to not be injured. Don't know what brand of primers he was using. As J. Louis stated, the Federal primers are known to be soft. They are especially good in handguns with lighter  hammer springs.

I've had a Lee priming tool since they first arrived on the market. Since then I purchased 2-3 other Lee priming tools, just because I liked it so much, and found them for $5-$6 ea. at gun shows. Figured if they ever changed, or stopped selling them I wanted spares. I keep one set up for small primers, and one for large, so I don't have to change the rods when I change sizes.

I have several Lee priming tools and have primed thousands of cartridges but always use the recommended primers.
A friend of mine tried using primers NOT recommended and one detonated, which set off the others in the tray, and he got a face and chest full of shrapnel, fortunately he had glasses on. (this was before they made the shield)  If a commercial manufacturer tells you NOT to use a specific primer in their equipment, there has to be a good reason for it. It pays to read the little manual that comes with stuff. 
Joe S