Broken press....what to do now?

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Laredo

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ok....so I broke my lee press...I thought these things were indestructable? :D Anyways all I can find is a depot in the US where I can get my warrantee replacement, is there a place in Canada that will do this? They said 6-8 weeks before I get my replacement which really sucks! Anyone had to go thru this?

Any help would be appreciated!
Ryan
 
IM_Lugger said:
Which lee press was it and how many rounds did it make?
Click to expand...

just the challenger press, made about....oohhhh....3000 rounds of 9mm, 200 rounds of 303, and maybe 25 rounds of 22-250....nothing really for "mileage"

I'm debating about just chucking this press and buying another one for $35, Its not the price I'm worried about, its the wait time.

Ryan
 
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I have the Classic turret press. It's solid as heck and a ton better than the old turret press.
 
get a warranty replacement anyway...always good to have extra presses...I have two mounted on the bench and three spares:) ...or maybe four...I'd have to check my storage area...
 
+1 on the classic cast. They're super heavy-duty.

(And made from old rail tracks, if you believe the advertisments.)

No ####ty pot-metal like the challenger has.
 
After breaking a press I'm surprized you would buy the same brand.....I have been using the same RCBS rockchucker since 1963.....used it to make(reform)cases before they were so easy to buy, used it to form bullets, it keeps on ticking.....new ones are $100 US!!!
 
I use an RCBS Rockchucker that my Dad bought almost 40 years ago and it has never broken, if you plan to reload for a long time it is well worth the money to get something better that won't break routinely. A guy at work was trying to weld a part (the part that connects the the handle to the ram) for his Dad's broken Lee press today and it is some sort of crappy white metal, it is the third one he will have to replace so far.
 
At long last...

It seems, at long last, that Lee has decided good cast iron is a whole lot better than pot metal.
Some high-grade aluminum alloys have the necessary tensile strength for presses and airplane landing gear but they cost about three times what good ductile cast iron is worth, so...
At least, it looks like the Lee Classic Cast press is a great one. And Lee has chalked up another good one in reintroducing its very versatile Turret press, in cast iron this time...
PP.:p
 
Unfortunately for us here in Canada there is no one we can turn to to have anything done with the Lee presses . I just went through this with Lee and Higginson's and it ended up that only is repair eplacement is done through the US office . At this point I think I will be better off just re-buying the die sets and turrets that were damaged in the flooding we had here in out basement ( chest waders were needed to get downstairs to shut off the main breaker box ) By the time I box up the Turret loader and 3 sets of dies and 3 turrets they have become corrosion welded to I still have to pay shipping down and back ( plus whatever crap happens at the border ) and then I will have to pay 1/2 the current retail price to have everything repaired . I just don't see this as a good decision , let me know if I'm wrong .

Sorry for the hijack
 
I have a challenger as a backup press. The two piece aluminum pivot links at the bottom of the press is what breaks on me.
Last time it broke, I sent it for warranty, and ordered a spare. Now, when it breaks, I can send one back, and use the other.
I understand that turret press gear is much stronger, and can be retrofitted to the challenger, But, I've not seen it done.
Keeping the bolt that holds the pices together good and tight is the best way to extend it's life. I replaced the stock bolt with a longer bolt and a lock nut.
 
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