Lee (open to others also) reloaders please assist?

[PoorShot300]

Hi folks, new to reloading here and about to purchase my first outfit, one of the Lee kits for budget purposes.

I have narrowed it down to two kits with not much $$ difference, but wish to know from equipment users which you prefer, and how does one against the other compare.

It comes down to the primer set-up...one has a hand primer, whilst the other has it on the press, and a quick 'search' onsite didn't reveal any specifics.. (tried 'hand vs press priming') perhaps my "google foo" is off..

Anyway, let me know which you prefer & why, and were I to buy the 'press priming', do they have any gotcha's I should be aware of?

Thanks & Cheers
Gypsy

[Bills Shed]

As to priming I am a fan of the hand priming system as I can take it anywhere and not tied to the press. I do not run a Lee but a Sinclair. Brands are a personal thing. If it works ...it works. I did have a Lee hand prime system about a 1000 years ago and just did not like the quality and the size of it. Seemed very small in the hand. They may have improved. They seem to work for a lot of people.

Bill

[No1_49er]

Go here https://leeprecision.com/product-catalog.html and download a copy of the 2019 Lee product catalogue.
Look at pages 26/27 and you'll see their current hand primers and the new(ish) bench mounted variety. Comes with 2x quick change trays for small/large primers. Very easy to operate and very good "feel" when seating.

[PoorShot300]

Thanks for that No1. ...groannn, now I see more expense rofl..

As noted above, (if you use the Lee gear) do you prefer on, or off, the press & why?

Thanks.

[PoorShot300]

Sorry Bill, I jumped your post...thanks for responding as well, and your thinking is somewhat aligned to the direction I was thinking, but wanted to get others feedback on "most convenient"...I figured I could prime while not being tied to the bench so to speak, but figured it may have been quicker to have an 'all-in-one' set-up?

Thanks.

[Sergeant Hartman]

I have a classic turret, its got auto prime which is set from the handle of the press. I am fairly happy with it, its quite simple to use.

I'd you getting the press get the breech lock one, will make swapping dies simple and I beable you don't have to readjust them again everytime you change to new die.

[PoorShot300]

Hi Ziad, not that I am that far into it yet, but thanks for the advice, and the breech lock is on one of the ones I am considering.

Are there any issues with the auto-feed system I should be aware of?

The Lee primer feeders look like plastic, do they break/crack easy, if at all?

Cheers

[Cooper]

I have the Lee Breech lock challenger kit. It came with a hand primer and has the little arms (small and large rifle primer) that slip into the press. I have tried priming on the press a few times. Mainly when I have the Lee hand primer tool set up to do small primers and I only need to do a few large. I don't like that of feel when doing it on the press. The press has too much leverage. Lee hand primer tool is fine to get you started and will last a fair while.

I've bought a Forester Co-ax press now. But I still do a lot of loading on my Lee press (mainly 223) it works perfectly fine.

[Stix]

I went both...!!

I have a press with priming function, & also bought a lee hand prime tool.

I pretty much only use hand prime--just as bill said can sit infront if tv/easy take it up farm etc.
But also can do on the press-a handy backup if hand primer fails/leave up the farm/ loose it etc.

[PoorShot300]

I have the Lee Breech lock challenger kit. It came with a hand primer and has the little arms (small and large rifle primer) that slip into the press.

Wait a minute?... so it's possible to use the Kit that doesn't have the press mounted primer? Do you fit the whole hand primer onto the press in some manner, or just parts of the hand primer using the "little arms"? I'm not getting the picture here, sorry.

Thanks for jumping in here..

[PoorShot300]

Stix,...that seems a reasonable way to go, but if i'm reading what Cooper wrote correctly, the hand primer kit allows me to do both anyway?

NB;... I am learning all this by 'feel' so to speak, with no-one around with either the inclination, or equipment to give me a rundown on all this. Thanks to all for your assistance.

Cheers

[Gaznazdiak]

Hi PoorShot
I have all Lee gear, hand primer seemed best for my budget and works a treat.

The only thing I don't like is the Lee beam scale. The fiddliest bastard of a thing I've ever used, I ended up getting electronic and haven't looked back.

The link below is to an article about recognizing pressure signs, it's well worth reading. The site is Primal Rights run by Greg Dykstra and has many resources that are worth the time taken to read them especially for new loaders like you and I.

https://www.primalrights.com/library/ar ... g-pressure

[PoorShot300]

Hey Gaznazdiak, thanks for responding,..and the link. I now have it saved as a pdf. in my "recipes" folder,as it looks like a lengthy read.

I should also note, when I bought my first rifles way back when, I also bought the Hornady Reloading Manual (8th Edition) and it's sat unread in the cupboard till now as I wasn't loading, so there is that reference I will be using as a guide also. I'm unaware of whom Greg Dykstra, is but I'm a sponge for info and look forward to reading his take...

Nice to read your experience about the Lee scale and for now, I have a medium size jewellers scale with x.xx scale, which should suffice in the short-mid term with weighing components, but nice to know alternate scales may be worth a look at.

Cheers

[Cooper]

I have the Lee Breech lock challenger kit. It came with a hand primer and has the little arms (small and large rifle primer) that slip into the press.

Wait a minute?... so it's possible to use the Kit that doesn't have the press mounted primer? Do you fit the whole hand primer onto the press in some manner, or just parts of the hand primer using the "little arms"? I'm not getting the picture here, sorry.

Thanks for jumping in here..

image.jpeg (570.12 KiB) Viewed 8099 times

Here is a picture of the primer arm that slip into the press. A small primer and large primer one come with the press. Lee have a safety prime system that feeds the primers into arm on the press. I've only feed the individually into the press.

If you buy the Lee breech lock challenger kit it comes with hand primer. It doesn't come with the Safety prime setup to auto feed for press priming. But you can still feel what it's like by feeding primers individually.

It's confusing. I know!
The other thing with the Lee hand primer is it uses hand primer tool shell specific (shell holders). The press shell holders are different. Lee dies come with free shell holders for the press. The Lee single stage challenger kit comes with a packet of shell holders for the hand primer press.

Most of the other priming tools use the "press" style shell holder.

[bladeracer]

Hi folks, new to reloading here and about to purchase my first outfit, one of the Lee kits for budget purposes.

I have narrowed it down to two kits with not much $$ difference, but wish to know from equipment users which you prefer, and how does one against the other compare.

It comes down to the primer set-up...one has a hand primer, whilst the other has it on the press, and a quick 'search' onsite didn't reveal any specifics.. (tried 'hand vs press priming') perhaps my "google foo" is off..

Anyway, let me know which you prefer & why, and were I to buy the 'press priming', do they have any gotcha's I should be aware of?

Thanks & Cheers
Gypsy

I prefer the hand primer over the press-mounted feeder.
But I do also prime on the press, without the feeder, by placing the primer on the ram manually.
I also sometimes prime on the hand primer manually instead of using the tray.

[bladeracer]

I have the Lee Breech lock challenger kit. It came with a hand primer and has the little arms (small and large rifle primer) that slip into the press.

Wait a minute?... so it's possible to use the Kit that doesn't have the press mounted primer? Do you fit the whole hand primer onto the press in some manner, or just parts of the hand primer using the "little arms"? I'm not getting the picture here, sorry.

Thanks for jumping in here..

The press comes with the two primer arms regardless of other priming systems. The press-mounted system is an add-on to the primer arms, it doesn't replace them. The hand primer is additional, you can still prime on the press.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Lee-Reloading-Press-Primer-Arm-Large-BP2889B/362100184761

[PoorShot300]

Thanks Blade, always count on you for input... how are those bullpup Rugers going? Last I read you were onto another project, but i haven't caught up with the result?

The more I look, the more confused I get even with just ONE makers gear,...and the more I see $$$ flowing out the wallet rofl.

Cheers

[Stix]

Stix,...that seems a reasonable way to go, but if i'm reading what Cooper wrote correctly, the hand primer kit allows me to do both anyway?

NB;... I am learning all this by 'feel' so to speak, with no-one around with either the inclination, or equipment to give me a rundown on all this. Thanks to all for your assistance.

Cheers

Sorry poorshot, i should have mentiined that im not familiar with the lee presses or kits so im unsure...i use a hornady press...i just bought a lee hand prime doova seperately.

Looks like (hopefully) others have clarified your later question.

[PoorShot300]

Thanks Stix, yeah sorta, makes it hard when you don't have one in front of you, I'm more of a tactile learner, not from books. I like "hands on" to see what and how things work.

Making headway at least, more research and number crunching ahead...

[bladeracer]

Thanks Blade, always count on you for input... how are those bullpup Rugers going? Last I read you were onto another project, but i haven't caught up with the result?

The more I look, the more confused I get even with just ONE makers gear,...and the more I see $$$ flowing out the wallet rofl.

Cheers

I'm still shooting the "Mark 1" version

There are more individual techniques, and products, to reloading than could ever be listed in one place, it's just a matter of discovering which ones suit you best.
I also have the Lee hand press which is handy for doing things away from the bench. Prepping brass in your lap for example (don't do it naked!), and priming.
I have two Lee O-frame presses, a C-frame, and the hand press, so I just use whichever best suits me at the time.

My inherent clumsiness is the main reason I don't like the press-mounted priming system, it's just another thing to be bumping into. It's also why the better access of the C-frame can be a breath of fresh air when I don't need the strength of the O-frame.

I am also inherently sceptical about letting mechanical devices make quality control decisions for me, which is why I dislike progressive, or even turret presses - I need to be in there at every step myself. In the last couple of years I have started using the powder thrower for loading my milsurp ammo and been really impressed with it. But when I'm loading modern ammo I am still throwing it to the pan, then onto the scale to confirm and adjust the charge before dumping it into the brass. The accuracy is sufficient that I'm sure at some point I'll be throwing all my charges through it. When I do milsurp loads I prefer to throw the whole tray so I can then visually inspect that all charges are at the same level in the brass before moving to seating bullets in them. I shot a 35mm 5rd group at 50m from my No.4Mk1* Rifle this week with open sights so I'm happy with the ammo.

As Gaz mentioned above, the Lee beam scale is a pain to use in the hands of a clumsy like me, but it is accurate, so is handy to check sometimes that the digital is being truthful.

[PoorShot300]

Dang computer.. had a post then thing froze up and lost it.

I don't yet have the rifle these enquiries are for (sorting purchase out this week & PTA) so it's not an immediate purchase, though it won't be far behind. I am stuck between two presses, but the link above also now has me thinking of the 60th Anniversary model with an improved powder thrower & updated hand primer...

On the other hand, I'm gonna have to crunch more numbers regarding individual component purchase so as not to be duplicitous (scales, shell holders etc...the little things that add up)...I don't have much room so do need to keep it basic, and my history of re-selling un-used/wanted items has not been favourable.

So for now I will have....Hornady 55+62gn, Rem, Aussie O/B, and Federal A/E in 55gn as a start to see what it likes. I have also bought 100 OSA once fired brass as it appears to be developing a good reputation. Burn in will be with the Rem + Federal, then I'll see whether the TAP, Steel Match and OSA Varmint give good results.

It's understood reloading is a time consuming process and my final 'sweet load' may be miles from any of these, but hey it was cheap and a place to start. Then comes the triple P chemistry lessons...

BTW Blade?...as a rollie smoker (hot dropping dangly's), I ain't up for doing much anything nude round my place...lol.

As usual, the members here are a font of knowledge, and I appreciate everyone's input.

Oh yeah, I had an ad looking for a used rifle, decided to bite the bullet and go NEW!!! (sighhh...AGAIN.)

Shiny, shiny, nah nah, nah, nah...

[TassieTiger]

Another hand primer here...I like doing bulk single stage steps...I’ll do 100 cleans, 100 resize, 100 hand primes...and so on.

[PoorShot300]

Thanks Tassie, seems to be a theme developing here, makes one wonder why press priming was developed in the first place lol...

Cheers

[Bills Shed]

Priming is one of those jobs you just do not need a press for and is easily done when watching a movie. Just like deburring, primer pocket un forming etc, highly portable task.
Bill

[Stix]

Thanks Tassie, seems to be a theme developing here, makes one wonder why press priming was developed in the first place lol...

Cheers

Mate im a carpenter...my skin is that thick & callused i test sharpness of my knives by how easy i can carve hunks of flesh off my hands... ( )
Seriously, sometimes ill just use my hands to sand off cement render in spots...

A week ago i prepped & hand primed (& loaded) just over 300 cases in a mad loading rush & i had mutha fukka blisters under my calluses from the hand priming...!!!
The pain was unreal...!!

I should have done half on the press to lessen the pain...it was just sheer pig headed stupidity that forced me to push through the last 50....just cos im a sucker for punishment.

Sometimes its good to use or at least have a press handy...one day you might injure a hand or the hand prime tool may break the night before a hunt/shoot & without the ability to prime on the press you may not be able to load..

You can develop a "feel" for priming on the press, just like you can/will with seating bullets....

Which ever way you end up going, id still suggest having & trying both methods & develop what works for you...

[Bills Shed]

[/quote]
A week ago i prepped & hand primed (& loaded) just over 300 cases in a mad loading rush & i had mutha fukka blisters under my calluses from the hand priming...!!!
The pain was unreal...!![/quote]

Blisters? What hand prime tool were you Using? I often do 500 rifle cases in a sitting with a Sinclair hand primer. It is quite large and fits in the hand easy. Not like those little dinky Lee hand primers. I find them very small and hard to hold. Mind you all my primer pockets are uniformed and primers go in very smoothly. At the end of the day if it works ...use it.

Bill

[Stix]

A week ago i prepped & hand primed (& loaded) just over 300 cases in a mad loading rush & i had mutha fukka blisters under my calluses from the hand priming...!!!
The pain was unreal...!![/quote]

Blisters? What hand prime tool were you Using? I often do 500 rifle cases in a sitting with a Sinclair hand primer. It is quite large and fits in the hand easy. Not like those little dinky Lee hand primers. I find them very small and hard to hold. Mind you all my primer pockets are uniformed and primers go in very smoothly. At the end of the day if it works ...use it.

Bill[/quote]

I use the lee ergoprime.
Some of the cases were uniformed & some not.
Still even some of the uniformed ones are tight for some reason, despite me ensuring the pockets were as even as i could when they were uniformed.
Im not keen on uniforming them again.

Some cases the primer slips in real easy (none or barely any resistance)...im slightly concerned those are too loose...?...but i shoot em anyway...

[PoorShot300]

Ahhh, well I guess we can put that down to me imagining my own circumstance, as I won't be a club shooter, and likely very few hunts a year... seems the new hand-loader from Lee would alleviate the blister issue also, as it's meant to be "one finger" operation from what i read. Anyone here got one yet?

Point taken though about trying both and making my own mind up. As noted earlier, I have limited space, so I am also wondering if any readers are using the tripod (or similar) mount for the press, as opposed to being on a workbench? If so, how does it work out for you and are there any "gotcha's" as such? It seems you need some kind of decent weight suspended underneath to stablise any movement, so what do you use for that purpose?

So Stix,...with all those blister hurting like a mother fukka, how'd the mad rush load job go on the field the next day, or rather, how'd your hands hold up for the shoot?

Cheers

[TassieTiger]

Thanks Tassie, seems to be a theme developing here, makes one wonder why press priming was developed in the first place lol...

Cheers

Mate im a carpenter...my skin is that thick & callused i test sharpness of my knives by how easy i can carve hunks of flesh off my hands... ( )
Seriously, sometimes ill just use my hands to sand off cement render in spots...

A week ago i prepped & hand primed (& loaded) just over 300 cases in a mad loading rush & i had mutha fukka blisters under my calluses from the hand priming...!!!
The pain was unreal...!!

I should have done half on the press to lessen the pain...it was just sheer pig headed stupidity that forced me to push through the last 50....just cos im a sucker for punishment.

Sometimes its good to use or at least have a press handy...one day you might injure a hand or the hand prime tool may break the night before a hunt/shoot & without the ability to prime on the press you may not be able to load..

You can develop a "feel" for priming on the press, just like you can/will with seating bullets....

Which ever way you end up going, id still suggest having & trying both methods & develop what works for you...

That’s interesting - 300 would give you blisters from press handle anyway lol.

But seriously, some hand press devices are a lot harder than others AND I recently purchased a couple hundred new lapua cases and I needed next to zero pressure to seat the primers - I was so concerned I popped a couple back out but nope, they were good to go - I even let my kid do a couple with the safety gear on!
The press priming tool works fine - but I like to concentrate on the die action at this relatively early stage of my reloading career, and the couple times I did experiment with primer press, a few loaded okay, some slipped out, some got stuck, etc. with more experience I’ve no doubt it would be sorted, but now I consider hand priming my hand muscle work out...next bastard that shakes your hand like Donald trump on acid, ask him if he reloads lol.

[PoorShot300]

"next bastard that shakes your hand like Donald trump on acid, ask him if he reloads lol."