anyone here use a Lee Loader kit frequently?

Having Lee Loaders in .30-30, 7.62x54, and .303 British I would recommend buying a Lee hand Press and regular dies. Much quieter, uses standard dies, easier/ safer priming, and more options regarding bullet seating/ crimping.
 
Its extremely effective ! I wanted to get into reloading so I picked up the Lee 50th anniversary kit from Cabela's for under $200 and got the 308 die set and I had everything I needed to start. For that price there isn't anything else on the market to even compare it to really. It's the perfect setup to learn on and make excellent reloaded ammo you cannot really get anything that loads better, You can get setups that load ammo faster but I doubt they will produce reloads any better quality then the $200 lee kit.
 
Ravage said:
Its extremely effective ! I wanted to get into reloading so I picked up the Lee 50th anniversary kit from Cabela's for under $200 and got the 308 die set and I had everything I needed to start. For that price there isn't anything else on the market to even compare it to really. It's the perfect setup to learn on and make excellent reloaded ammo you cannot really get anything that loads better, You can get setups that load ammo faster but I doubt they will produce reloads any better quality then the $200 lee kit.
Click to expand...

They're talking about the classic lee loader Brian, its just a small pocket size kit that lets you reload with just a hammer. It decaps, neck sizes, primes, charges (with included scoop), seats bullets and can roll crimp if desired. You just need brass, primers, powder and bullets. The downside is they dont FL size, its noisy banging away with a hammer, powder scoops aren't the greatest without a scale and if you're not paying attention primers are very loud when they go off in your hands lol.
 
the lee loader is one of only a few lee items I think is any good... infact they are amazing.
I have a range portable loading kit

It includes

-lee loader
-1lb of required powder
-couple boxes of bullets I want to try
-2 boxes of primers
-Calipers
-lee trimmer set
-Soft 2 headed Mallet
-Redding scale

For bolt guns its too easy... for semi auto I just pre full leangth size a bucket of brass then load them up.... saves a tone of grief not having to preload 150 rounds to try out.

can make ammo on my tail gate if the weather is fair.
 
I have one in every caliber I own. I enjoy loading with them, they make accurate ammo, but keep in mind I do not make a ton of rounds. But I did Ditch the scoops and purchased a scale from the equipment exchange, and then picked up a Lee hand primer.

Keep in mind you need to use fire formed brass from your rifle, but you probably have already been saving your brass, and also keep in mind that this set only neck sizes , so eventually you will need to full length size your brass, which this kit cannot do.
 
I have a Lee hand loader for most of the calibers I shoot - and used them quite often for my own fire-formed brass. But when my son finally started hunting as well a few years ago, and shooting some of the same calibers (.308, .270 Win, 6.5X55, 22-250) I couldn't use the Lee's as a reloading system for his rifles as well as mine without keeping all the brass separate. Too much chance of a mix-up with the problems that would cause. So I first bought an RCBS Rock Chucker, then splurged on a Hornady LnL progressive to get the reload quantities up a bit.

I still use the Lee hand loaders for at least one caliber, 444 Marlin. With the price of the crappy factory Remington rounds in 240 grain at almost $59/box at the LGS, I can even take the Lee Loader with a jar of IMR 4198 plus some primers and 265 grain Hornady FSP up to the range if I need to play with powder charges a bit. Yeah, I take up my little digital scale and a small-head plastic hammer as well, to do the pounding. For reloading a box or more of the 444, I use the Rock Chucker since Hornady doesn't seem to have a shell plate for the LnL in 444.

They were an excellent learning tool for me as a beginner reloader, I have steered several other people into starting out with them on at least one caliber to "get their feet wet" and understand the basics.

Plus, it was fun and very satisfying to decap/ pound the brass in & resize/reprime/push it out/add powder/seat bullet/crimp bullet all in a 1 foot X 1 foot piece of bench while generating a not-bad round - not like the 4' X 3' bench I need now with all the presses, case prep center, tumbler, etc.

O.N.G.
 
My first try at reloading was with Lee Loader 30-06. It worked. But it's like heroin - once you start you'll always be an addict.
 
Yes, for 7x57 and 270, but as others have mentioned; I bought a scale as the scoop loads were not consistent.
 
I have one for 45/70 and it works very well. But, my go to is the Lee Breech Lock Hand Press loader. It's almost as portable and gives you all the advantages of a full loader in that you can use all your dies. I do most of my depriming and sizing in my recliner while watching tv and my wife shaking her head at me. I love the breech, but you can't go wrong with the classic loader as well.

http://leeprecision.com/breech-lock-hand-press-kit.html
 
can anyone advise what case trimmer can/should be used?

I can only see myself getting the .308, 9mm and possibly 45 Auto (had a blast with a 1911 and Glock of some variant in 45 this weekend, so much fun!!!).

perhaps I'd buy the hand-press for full length in the the future, but due to space constraints, I have nowhere I can setup a reloading bench, so this will be done at the dinner table or computer desk while watching a show or something.
 
I use mine for 8mm Mauser and 9mm PPC, works fine. I agree with the volume comment. I have a tough time with my busy schedule making more than 100 a week but that's me. Still like it and the price is right.
 
I can't see myself banging off to many .308, LOL! rifle will heat up or my shoulder will give out. :p

that said, still looking for info on what equipment I need to trim for case length or burr's and what not.
 
If cheap is the goal, Lee has a case prep kit with deburring tool, primer pocket cleaner, lock stud + cutter (for lee case length guages, just buy a case length guage for each cal you load) The kit is dirt cheap and so are the case length guages. They're also fool proof. Trim until it stops trimming and all your cases are about 10 thou under max trim length. It works best with a hand drill or drill press but Lee makes a cheap hand operated lathe too. That plus some calipers (cheap digital are fine unless you're trying to fine tune 900m match ammo) crappy tire has their 6" digital calipers on sale for under $20 often. With that you'll be under $100, probably under $75 total and have everything you need to load safe, reliable ammo. Just follow the simple instructions and off you go.
 
yeah, I have the caliber's already.

just need to get the kit you spoke of (do you know the part #'s?) and a good scale.

open to recommendations for a solid scale (not too expensive...not too cheep). :D
 
I'll look up the p/n, should be easy to dig up. I'm a fan of the RCBS 5-0-5 scale for around $120 new. Accurate, reliable and way less finnicky than the $30 Lee scale. The Lee works and is very accurate but it is very tedious to use.

Lee p/n 90950
h ttp://leeprecision.com/case-condtioning-combo.html
Just add your case length guages and your set.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom