Opinions on a LEE classic cast press

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mbogo3

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As a backup press to my Rockchucker. I want to load .577 snider and this one will take larger dies. The Rockchucker has a removable insert that won't budge.
 
Green vs red as far as I’m concerned. I chose red for the primer collection alone. I don’t feel like I compromised on strength or precision by choosing the Lee. The rock chucker has been around for a long time and you’ll get the stories of guys using them for 30-40 years. I say they’re getting a little long in the tooth and could use an update. Mine was literally bolted to the bench for a few weeks…
My Lee classic cast is 15 years old and I see no reason why it wouldn’t last another 15.
 
I have the Lee CC, the insert comes out fairly easily. A simple but crude test for presses, run the ram up to the top and wiggle it. The least amount of wiggle is the best press. It's difficult to check the alignment ,the set up isn't easy,if it was,I would have done it long ago.
 
I've heard that some Lee CC presses have a bit too much clearance between the ram and the press body, but mine fits great, almost no play. Maybe that's where the varying opinions come from? The CC is a tank of a press, and I can't see it being inferior to a Rock Chucker; they both seem like great presses. The guys that say "Lee sucks, RCBS is always better" are either just brand loyal, aren't comparing similar presses (Comparing a cheap Lee Reloader press to an RCBS RockChucker isn't exactly a fair comparison), or they got a lemon.
 
Been using a LCC since 2013. Great press with good hand clearance, large ram, great spent primer collector system among many other things. Loads very straight ammo although dies and procedure have a much greater effect on straight ammo than does the press.
 
It's steel, so it should be fine.

I sold one of those a week ago. I checked the mandrel for run out and it was very good about .0005in. Much better than the aluminum frames.
 
I liked mine so much I bought a second. The classic cast series is very well made. The turret is excellent also.
I used to load 50bmg on it. No problem.
 
Soak it with kroil. Maybe some light heat around the insert (though I doubt this will be necessary) and it’ll come out.

Oh, and the Lee Classic press is good, especially for the price.
 
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I love my Lee Classic Cast press, and I love the breech lock quick change bushings. No complaints.
For the bushings I recommend the steel bushings. The new aluminum breech lock bushings I hate. I hope they keep making the steel ones.

I don't like de-priming on the press, since primer debris gets into the ram and around it. I de-prime off press with the FA hand de-primer tool. The press stays very clean.

I prime on the press using the Lee Safety Primer which attaches to the press. I get a good feel for how the primer seats. The press's handle is fully pressed up and in for primer seating, and so my assumption is that the primer seating depth is very consistent from the plunger in that primer arm, since the press handle cannot move any further. I don't know what the crush is, but its the same every time based on the mechanism (I think).

I mounted it to the bench using the Lee Bench Plate and have been very happy with the robustness of this mounting system.

Longest cartridge I load is 30-06, so I cannot speak to how it works with the larger cartridges.
 
The slot for the priming apparatus allows the primer grit to get on the bearing surfaces of the ram. I blanked it off with a piece of 1/4" keystock. On the bottom I filed a V to match the ram, for the top I tapped a hole for a small screw and washer so it couldn't fall down the hole. That way the grit goes down the hole along with the spent primer. I use a hand primer.
 
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