Lee Shotshell press

Probably depends to some extent on just how serious one want's to get about reloading shotshells.

I've never used one of these but based on reviews I've heard from a great many reloaders who have been doing it for many years...and have used just about every type of loader out there.....I'd never buy one. Will it load shells? Yes....it will. Would I buy one? Nope. For those of us who are more serious about shotshell reloading...loading thousands of rounds per year....most go with nothing less than a Mec loader. I've owned Mecs and they're not my favorite loader either...but they're at least better than those Lees.

Basically it boils down to...how much shooting and reloading one intends to do...and what one's budget is. And what kind of quality equipment a person wants.

If someone just wants to putter around and load a few shells now and then I suppose it might be adequate. But for an entry level reloader, if you plan to do any amount of reloading at all, I would recommend nothing less than a Mec 600 Jr. I'm not crazy about them either personally....but I have owned them...and they're at least reasonably well built and would last you many years.

I wouldn't put too much faith in the literature that comes with these machines and their claims of how many shells are possible in a given time period. One's production rate is going to depend more on the user than the machine. I used to use Mec Sizemasters which are probably one of the better single stage loaders available. Going at a comfortable pace...without rushing.....I'd load around 125 per hour on it. Anything more than that felt a little rushed to me.

My progressive PW loaders' manuals claim well in excess of 500 rounds per hour are possible. Well...maybe the machine is capable of that rate of production but I'm sure not. Trying to maintain that kind of pace I think would kill most guys arms and shoulders. A comfortable pace for me on my machines is around 400 per hour.

There are good used loaders available at a reasonable price if one looks around that I'd buy before buying one of those Lee Loaders.

Remember the old adage...."you get what you pay for". I wouldn't expect alot from a $60.00 loader.

But....if there are guys out there using these things and meeting with success...and they like them....more power to 'em. But I wouldn't buy one personally. I'd rather spend an additional $100 or so and buy at least a Mec.
 
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I use a Lee to load my black powder shotshells for cowboy action shooting. Total production over the year: about 300... It CHEAP, but it is exactly what i need!
 
I have two of the first Lee presses produced, the ones with the metal base. They are great, loaded thousands of rounds with them. I can't comment on the plastic base ones but I wouldn't buy one of those. I also have a MEC 600. It's no faster and doesn't load better shells.
 
At most I would be pumping out MAYBE 300 shells a year, I don't trapshoot really at all, so its really just for varmints, and just some fun. If I can get my money's worth out of it i'll be happy.
 
I bought a used Load All II from the EE to get started loading and am happy with it. I use it to load slugs but do the powder charge by hand with a scale. For the amount I shoot, it's fine.

The crimp stations are a little fussy and you have to get a feeling for the amount of pressure needed. Be prepared to mess up a couple hulls at the start. Like others have said, it's cheap but does work. There are better choices for sure.

Cactus
 
I have used one for years, to load a couple of hundred rounds a year for casual practice. I have been satisfied with the shells that it produces, and it is relatively easy to load up a couple of hundred rounds in an evening without rushing.
If the Lee meets your price point, go ahead and get one.
 
"At most I would be pumping out MAYBE 300 shells a year,"

At that amount it's hardly worth even bothering loading unless you just want something to "putter" with now and then.

One of the best books available is the Lyman's manual...5th Edition.

Don't forget to get yourself a scale if you don't already have one. A MUST have for reloading.

Good luck and have fun.
 
Neera said:
One of the best books available is the Lyman's manual...5th Edition.

Don't forget to get yourself a scale if you don't already have one. A MUST have for reloading.
Click to expand...
X2 on the Lyman manual and the scale.

I have a couple of MEC 600s and still use one to load 28 gauge. I've used the Lee shotshell loader think it is a piece of crap. Look for a used MEC instead. They are often available at clubs or at gun shows often for less than the new price of a Lee.
 
I have had one for 25 years and I use it once in a while to load slugs with and black powder.

For the casual trap shooting it isn't worth it to reload. I added up the cost of shot, wads, primers and powder and when crappy tire has there shells for so cheap I would be saving a whopping $1.25 a box.

You would have to do a lot of shooting to pay for itself and that is fine if you do that much but if it is 20 boxes a year or less I would stick with the Lee.

For rifle or pistol where you can save 85-90 percent if you make your own bullets then for sure it is worth it and the equipment quickly pays for itself.
 
"when crappy tire has there shells for so cheap I would be saving a whopping $1.25 a box. "

I haven't priced factory ammo for so many years...I have no idea what it's selling for now. I hear guys mention prices like $5.00 - $5.50 per box but I'm not sure. But if $1.25 per box can be saved......it can still be worth it if you shoot as much as some of us.

We who reload and shoot the small gauges are saving something in the order of $7.00 - $8.00 per box. Over "x" thousands of rounds per year....if I had to buy factory ammo there's no way I could afford to shoot 4 gauge Skeet.

However....

"if it is 20 boxes a year or less I would stick with the Lee. "

If this were the case...I'd probably just stick with buying the factory ammo... UNLESS ... you just want something to putter with now and then and feel like loading that small amount of shells.
 
I used mine to reload for trap when I first started out. I've still got it and it was well worth it for me. It loads as good as any single stage press. The load chart that comes with it was more than adequate for hunting and trap shooting.
 
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