First reloading press

[newgunner]

hey guys and gals,
thanks for all your advice, on my first press

I bought a lee 1000 progressive press for my 9mm loading and a lee breech lock challenger kit for my rifle reloading

thanks again

not sure if they are good or not ,seems ok

[bigfellascott]

hey guys and gals,
thanks for all your advice, on my first press

I bought a lee 1000 progressive press for my 9mm loading and a lee breech lock challenger kit for my rifle reloading

thanks again

not sure if they are good or not ,seems ok

I'm sure they will be fine for a beginner kit, enjoy mate.

[Baldrick314]

hey guys and gals,
thanks for all your advice, on my first press

I bought a lee 1000 progressive press for my 9mm loading and a lee breech lock challenger kit for my rifle reloading

thanks again

not sure if they are good or not ,seems ok

I'm a big fan of the lee progressive. A lot of people knock them but I reckon they're great

[newgunner]

Hey guys

Update on my new Lee progressive press, total piece of s**t so far.

Doesn't seat primers deep enough, no way to adjust it I can see. Primers sometimes turn sideways in load chute and jams.

Not impressed at all.

May sell it and buy a good turret press I think.

[bigfellascott]

oh dear! not good mate, I remember my first reloading press was a Super Simplex Turret Press, it was a great little press to get me started with, I'd still be using it except I lent it to a mate who turned out to be a druggy and he sold if for drugs as far as I could work out

I never like using the presses to seat primers, I've always had similar issues to you when trying to use them, I went a Lee hand Primer tool and its fantastic for a cheapy, never an issue.

I foolishly gave it a way a while back as I had what I thought was a better hand primer which turned out to be anything but, same sort of issues to you, so I ended up buying a Lee Handprimer tool again! Infact I bought 2 just in case the other one dies one day!

[AlanK]

Doesn't seat primers deep enough, no way to adjust it I can see. Primers sometimes turn sideways in load chute and jams.

I've always primed cases by hand. Then put them through the press. Single stage and a progressive (I have one, a mate has the other).

Press priming sucks...

Prime them by hand first, then put them through and everything else should be good as gold.

Having any other problems?

[AlanK]

I never like using the presses to seat primers, I've always had similar issues to you when trying to use them, I went a Lee hand Primer tool and its fantastic for a cheapy, never an issue.

Same here, same as above comment.

[Baldrick314]

Hey guys

Update on my new Lee progressive press, total piece of s**t so far.

Doesn't seat primers deep enough, no way to adjust it I can see. Primers sometimes turn sideways in load chute and jams.

Not impressed at all.

May sell it and buy a good turret press I think.

That sucks mate. I know mine sometimes has feeding issues if i have too many primers in the tray or let them almost run out. As far as not seating deep enough, that's a weird problem. Try dropping lee an email, in my experience they always want to help fix problems with their gear. Hope it works out

[newgunner]

i have found that putting them through the press in the complete cycle and then using a hand primer to finish them off so the primers are seated properly seems to work ok
more work but , hey it still works after a fashion.

bit dissappointed i have to do it this way,specially after all the good things i heard about these presses
can't believe the hype all the time i guess.

i will try lee,but i have had heard a lot of bad things about their after sales service


cheers

[Silver87]

Newgunner, do you mean you're seating the primers further on the completed round? Definitely don't do that mate, if that primer goes off which it could you'll put yourself in a world of pain.

[Silver87]

In case you're wondering what I mean when hand priming a case you should always point it away from your face in a safe direction so if the primer does go off injury is unlikely (you may need to change your undies though ). With a charged and seated round you don't have that luxury as no direction is safe, the case, projectile and even parts of the hand primer will become shrapnel.

[yoshie]

Check out YouTube, there are heaps of videos how to adjust the lee presses. Sounds to me like it just needs a tweek here or there.

[brand]

so if the primer does go off injury is unlikely (you may need to change your undies though ).

Is a rifle primer loud if it goes off by itself? How close to a gun shot?

[Korkt]

A rifle primer doesn't sound like firing a cartridge in the same rifle.

They have some pop though. Sounds pretty similar to firing a 22 I'd say.

[petemacsydney]

a "large rifle primer" is equivalent to a loud cap gun, but definitely quiter than a 22LR standard

[Korkt]

Something like that...

Nothing that would worry your ears.

[Silver87]

Something like that...

Nothing that would worry your ears.

Yeah definitly wouldn't hurt your ears but could catch you by suprise, long story short further seating primers on a loaded catridge isnt good pratice.

[Korkt]

Yep, wouldn't do it with a loaded cartridge. Not promoting that.

I have had to fire a few in empty brass though. Primed them, ended up wanting to neck the brass down for another rifle so fired the primers only before depriming them in the press.

[Austwave]

While the topic is running
I'm looking at having a crack at reloading and have been doing a bit of research on what single stage press.
Was looking at a RCBS rock chucker supreme.

I have a 223 which I want to do some 70gn or about and looking at a 270 or 308 as a second calibre only hunting a few times a year so not a heap of rounds just want to be using ones that work for me. is it worth the effort or just buy factories , not that many heavier 223 loads in factory

[bladeracer]

While the topic is running
I'm looking at having a crack at reloading and have been doing a bit of research on what single stage press.
Was looking at a RCBS rock chucker supreme.

I have a 223 which I want to do some 70gn or about and looking at a 270 or 308 as a second calibre only hunting a few times a year so not a heap of rounds just want to be using ones that work for me. is it worth the effort or just buy factories , not that many heavier 223 loads in factory

I don't think the last post in August 2014 indicates a live thread
I use the Lee Breechlock Challenger to load everything up to .30-06 and 8x57mm, and to form brass from other brass. It's more than strong enough to load rifle ammo. What twist rate is your .223Rem barrel?

[Austwave]

Yes you are right I was getting the threads and searches mixed up a bit tired and multi tasking
1:8 tikka t3X lite 223

[bladeracer]

Yes you are right I was getting the threads and searches mixed up a bit tired and multi tasking
1:8 tikka t3X lite 223

No worries
8"-twist should shoot the 80gn ELDM very well, I use them in my Ruger American.
I can't really recommend getting into reloading just to save money, unless you are doing an awful lot of shooting. The main reason to load is to be able to build the ammo that best suits your purpose. If you only shoot a few hundred rounds a year, and want to do so cheaper, you'd really have to use the Lee Loader, which you can get into for under $100 per chambering. If you're shooting more though you can save money with one of the cheaper loading press kits for a few hundred dollars, and buying primers, bullets and powders in bulk when they're on special.

[Austwave]

Thanks for that was only looking for getting appropriate loads more than saving money so a cheaper option is probably better as return on investment will be long.
May well die before I cover my costs.
Better putting the funds into another rifle

[bladeracer]

Thanks for that was only looking for getting appropriate loads more than saving money so a cheaper option is probably better as return on investment will be long.
May well die before I cover my costs.
Better putting the funds into another rifle

More rifles is never a bad thing
With .223 it's hard to reload ammo cheaper than you can buy factory ammo, especially after you sell the brass to a reloader. But some of the more niche .223Rem ammo is getting right up there price-wise, $4 apiece for Remington 69gn Matchking for example, making reloading a better option. I got 500 80gn ELDM's for $165 on special a year ago - 33 cents apiece. I'm shooting the 80gn ELDM for around 50 cents a shot.

[Bruiser64]

Yes you are right I was getting the threads and searches mixed up a bit tired and multi tasking
1:8 tikka t3X lite 223

No worries
8"-twist should shoot the 80gn ELDM very well, I use them in my Ruger American.
I can't really recommend getting into reloading just to save money, unless you are doing an awful lot of shooting. The main reason to load is to be able to build the ammo that best suits your purpose. If you only shoot a few hundred rounds a year, and want to do so cheaper, you'd really have to use the Lee Loader, which you can get into for under $100 per chambering. If you're shooting more though you can save money with one of the cheaper loading press kits for a few hundred dollars, and buying primers, bullets and powders in bulk when they're on special.

I have a Lee press and use their dies as well for my 204 and 243. I have been pleased with how well the Lee gear works. Especially for the small outlay.

Tragically, here in country Wait Awhile, you don’t need to shoot that much to make reloading cost effective in those two calibres. How does over $50 a box of 20 sound? Plus sometimes getting the ammo can be a pain. I don’t blame the LGS as WAPOL changed the rules about what carriers can be used to freight ammo. That certainly didn’t reduce their overheads.

The bright side of living here is I do have quite a few places in reasonable proximity to use my reloads on. I have now shot over 20 foxes this year so far. So it isn’t all bad.

[Maxjon]

Been loading with single stage presses for rifles the 30yrs. Wouldnt mind an RL550 for the manual index feature, keep a bit more control over each process