Lee Loader

Having used presses with spent primer disposal and those without, one thing I learned is that it's better to HAVE the spent primer disposal than not have it. Why? What does it matter?

The answer is because:

1. Your press stays cleaner. The spent primer filth doesn't get into your working mechanism and cause your press to wear out faster than it should.
2. It's more convenient for you. Presses that have primer disposal usually have or can have vinyl tubing routed to a trash can or catch bin for the spent primer and it's filth away from your press and in a location it doesn't affect your press. In doing so, you can select a disposal set up that allows you to throw out the trash when it's convenient for you instead of every time you look up.

So Lee's Loadmaster doesn't have primer disposal and we'd like to get rid of primer filth and have taking out the spent primers and filth be more convenient for us. How do we do that?

Answer: Modify the carrier so it has a spent primer disposal system.

But Lee's priming mecanism sometimes drops primers in the carrier. How do we deal with that?

Answer: Add a dropped primer catch just below the primer delivery area on the carrier as well.

How do we do all of that? Ain't a lot of space in there.

Answer: Let's take a look and see what can be achieved.....

1. Remove the carrier, clean all greases off and pack some JB Weld Steel Stik into areas where tubes will be mounted:


2. After the Steel Stik dries, drill a through holes for each tube with a flange slop at the top. Cut brass tubing to length, flange using flange tool and insert. If fit is loose and it flops around, use a little Steel Stik rubbed on the tube to stabilize it. Let dry. Smaller tube is for spent primers. Larger tube is for accidentally dropped, but good primers. there is a small built-up shelf of steel stik preventing spent primer stacking towards center behind small tube if you look close. You'll want to insure that small shelf is there.

3. Continuing on, you'll need to remove the little primer disposal door at bottom of press ram cylinder;

Here are the parts you'll be removing. The rest will stay on the press.

4. Once the door is removed, you'll need to Install appropriate sized vinyl tubing to end of brass tubing, cutting the tubing for your dropped primer tube off and adding a bolt to create a "catch" location to save the dropped primers, while adding a long "enough" to reach a trash can tube to the primer disposal tube. Once you're done, install the modified carrier onto your ram tube:


5. Once the carrier is reinstalled, mount press and route the vinyl tubing to empty coffee can or suitable spent primer receptacle (like the one shown in photo). This keeps primer filth routed quickly away from and out of press, preventing primer filth wear. Your dropped primers will be caught. The press will not have the benefit of being cleaner and easier to clean & lube next time you need to do it, which will be a longer period without primer filth involved. This pis shows the routing of the tubing through where the little trap door was and down to a catch container (plastic coffee can w/lid) if you look close starting at the bottom of the ram:

Nice write up, thanks!

Great job. I'm new to the loadmaster and the process of learning the ins and outs, I dropped quite a few good primers down the chute. Being cheap, when I dumped the primers out from the bottom of the ram, I sorted through them to get them back. Your solution is really elegant and well thought out. I think Lee should consider making this change to the loadmaster carriers. You should send them this as a suggestion for future updates.

That is a great upgrade thanks for posting.

I implemented your mod. Great idea. Thanks!