Lee Reloading Equiptment?

[BomberMN]

Hello from MN
I've been hunting and shooting for most of my life, however I have a fairly limited experience with reloading. My reloading experience has been mainly helping friends and relatives, I am now looking to get my own set up.

That brings me to the big question: Do any of you have any experience with Lee reloading products?

Specifically I am looking at one of these setups to start
http://leeprecision.com/breech-lock-challenger-kit.html
http://leeprecision.com/50th-anniversary-breech-lock-challenger-kit.html

Any input or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[boltgunluvr]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

I've owned more expensive equipment, but 99.99% of all my hardware is Lee. Also, look at the Breech Lock Anniversary Kit. It has the Safety Prime system that primes on the press. I think it my be easier to learn to prime on the press and definitely safer. Lee has a way of making great stuff at reasonable prices.

 

[elliottw]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

I really like my Lee equipment. All mine is Lee. My reloading pal is all RCBS. We switched for a little bit and I prefer my equipment.

 

[Hookturnr]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

I still use a lee challenger press for my LR rifle loads and it shoots 1/2MOA consistently with ES numbers in the teens. It's decent equipment at a good price and as long as you take the time to prep and assemble your loads correctly will produce excellent ammunition. It's not that i wouldn't like to have a Dillon setup or a Forster Co Ax but the money I didn't spend on those went into components and got me shooting more and sooner..

 

[BomberMN]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

So it is my understanding that with the Anniversary kit you can prime on the press and with the Breech Lock Challenger press kit you'd need to hand prime? Is there any advantage to one over the other. I suppose that if I were to get the anniversary press I could still hand prime instead if needed.

Those are the two main kits that I have been debating, I just haven't been real sure of the differences between the two, and which one would be better for me to start (any help in that are would be greatly appreciated).

The cartridges that I'll be primarily reloading are; .223Rem, .243Win, .308Win, 30-06SPFD, .300WinMag. I may eventually start reloading handgun ammo too but for now it will be predominantly rifle cartridges, mainly in .223, and .308.

 

[red hawk]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

Lee's is good stuff....and it's made in U.S.A. You can't go wrong with either one of the kits,I pefer to use the Lee's hand primer to seat my primers,you can feel them seat. Welcome to reloading !!

 

[BomberMN]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

Are the two presses actually different or is it just that one comes with a hand primer and the other doesn't? I might be completely mistaken but couldn't you prime "on the press" with the Breech Lock Challenger press kit if you were to buy the primer feeder? Or prime "off the press" with the anniversary kit if you bought a hand primer?

 

[Beef82]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

Either one will get you started. Its very much personal preference, I like a lot of Lee equipment. Low cost, simple, and functional, what more do you need? However I was given a Lee scale and bought a Redding, some really like it, I hate it. I like hand priming over press priming, and use a Lee, but prefer a bench mounted priming tool over both.

I think I would prefer a classic to the challenger that I have, the challenger works fine but is not as rigid as some presses I've used, also the linkage is known to wear out on the older ones anyway and mine is indeed a little sloppy. The rounds loaded on it don't seem to care.

 

[TacT-MecH]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

I run a lee single stage press. I like the die bushings a bunch! Set them and forget them. But the press, funnel and powder measure are the only things I use from the kit. Probably could have saved some money by just buying those three items.Forpriming, I use an rcbs universal hand primer and I hand prime everything. Then I check powder weight on a digital scale ( I use a Lyman 1200 because the wife got it for me) and plan on getting a nice beam scale soom. Also if you plan on reloading pistol an rifle, make sure all the pistol powder is out of your powder measure. I trashed a rifle because I got lazy and some granuales of autocomp were still in the drum. Or just get a second measure for pistol only , which is what I did.

 

[Aimsmall55]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

I still use the lee collet dies. & fl sizer dies. Great stuff. Before I bought my redding comp seatr dies, I refused to use anything but lee. Just get a head space kit, a good caliper, oal guage and bullet comparator. (hornady) Learn how to use em. As far as presses go I've got a partner press (rcbs) a Lyman press, and a Rock Chucker Supreme. They are all set up for one particular purpose. Also, hornady makes a camlock bullet puller. Get the appropriate caliber insert and that will save you ALOT of time and $$ if you screw up. Trust me I know

 

[RyanMcIntyre]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

Lee is great for getting started out because of the low price, but if you stay in the hobby long enough, you'll find many of their products to be good for the long haul too. Not all of it, the scale and powder measure aren't on the top of my list, but everything else is good gear and excellent prices. I still buy Lee things now and then. If you ever need to contact them, they'll bend over backwards to help you out.

I'll warn you ahead of time not to get too brand loyal, not just with Lee, but with any brand. Some people are particularly zealous when it comes to brands (Dillon people come to mind) and you'll see their advice reflecting that. Lee tends to have a similar following, just wait for the replies that follow my comment about the scale and powder measure; but is one of the few brands with actual detractors.

 

[Deadshot2]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

Simple rules when buying Lee Equipment.

If it's made of metal it's probably OK and in the case of dies, really good.

If it's made of plastic the only two items that seem to be worth anything are their funnels and hand priming tools. The rest, decide if you want to waste your money or not.

May be OK for a "Hunter" or occasional target shooter but if you're looking to load real volume, stick with their dies and look elsewhere for the rest of the "Equipment".

 

[Former0302]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

I've been reloading on Lee Equipment in a couple of calibers for about five years now. Bought it originally due to being able to start fairly cheaply. I'm new at this compared to most others here, but FWIW I've never seen the need to try other brands of dies and the gear has held up well for me.

But, I'm not a heavy volume reloader (don't reload more than a couple of hundred rounds a month...at most). I'd say I'm a moderate to light reloader.

Some observations on the gear I have:

1. Get the 3 jaw chuck. Use it with a cordless drill. It'll save a lot of time on brass prep. The zip trim was a neat idea, but the coil spring broke after about 500 cases. Use the drill.

2. The scale I replaced with an AccuLab electronic.

3. The powder dispenser is a little inconsistent with Varget, works better with ball powders. I dump light and trickle up anyway, so it's good enough for me. If you're looking for high volume with less effort, there are probably better ones out there.

4. I find their case cutters and chamfer tools dull pretty quickly, but they're cheap so it doesn't bother me too much to occasionally replace them.

5. I think it's worth getting the three die set. The full length dies have worked great for me. Especially for general use ammunition. The collet dies are REALLY good with fire formed brass, but require a bit of fiddling with to get them to work right (or to educate yourself on how to use them).

 

[Fuzzball]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

Lee's alum alloy presses are quite sufficent for any handgun and most rifle reloading. Their cast iron/steel Classic Cast and Classic Turret are as good as any in their class, at any price; that's a fact. But the value of those quick die change thingys is purely a matter of opinion; I would't have them if they were free!

Other than 'saving time' swapping dies, bushings serve no purpose. Given that most anyone can swap dies conventionally in a minute or less and we generally have to exchange only once or twice per session the time isn't life changing either way. But if you ever do have many die sets those bushings will get expensive, QUICK! In fact, the price of turret heads for the Classic Turret is about the same as bushings, making that press and heads a MUCH better and faster swapping choice than using a single stage press and bushings, IMHO.

Lee's low priced PPM powder measure is much better than it's reputation suggests IF the user actually reads and follows the instructions. All powder measures do great with ball powders, none of them are very consistant with large kernal powders; get a Redding or Hornady powder trickler for fine accuracy of charging.

Lee's Safety Scale is quite sensitive and highly accurate but it's so light it's a PITA for fumble-fisted guys like me to use; if you can, get a Dillon or RCBS 505 beam scale instead.

 

[BGE541]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

Have a Lee SS, its great and you cant beat their CS... Great I would buy again, I use a RCBS scale but rest is Lee.

 

[Infidel]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

I think that maybe those Lee Anniversary Kits have started more people reloading than all the others combined. And they work.

The Classic (cast iron) presses are preferable to the Aluminum. The scale is a marvel of engineering for cheap and accurate, but it's a pain to adjust the last digit (1/10s); a better balance bream scale is worth the cost, and then you have a backup. The powder measure works amazingly well. The case lube works, but Imperial works much better. I've never primed on a press; the old Lee hand prime tool (Autoprime?) that came in the kit is great, and keeps my hands (thumbs) in shape.

Read the instructions, grok the working principles, and the tools will serve you well. Enjoy.

 

[timelinex]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

Everyone will have their own opinion. Since I have begun reloading and after sorting through pages of advice, At the end of the day it all really depends on how accurate you want your ammo to be and how much time you are willing to invest. All equipment will lead to the same end result.. A shootable round. You can make a shootable round by buying a used LEE kit with everything you need for <$100. If you are just plinking and don't mind spending time, then do that and your set.

If you want ammo that that squeezes out the best performance from your rifle (.5moa for many factory rifles, or .25moa for custom or expensive rifles), and you don't mind spending the time, you will need around $1000 worth of equipment.

If you want either one of those, but on top of that you want it to be done fast, then you are looking at anywhere from 600 to 10k+.

If you want the best ammo, you can try and save here and there on equipment, but sooner or later you will give in and buy that 'expensive guage' or that chrono, that you wanted but didnt want to initially spend the money on.

 

[johnnyappleseed]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

i've got one of the cheap challengers

with the removable bushings they do a pretty good job if you're only reloading for 1 or 2 calibers

anything more than that i'd go with a turret press which will let you reload for 3 calibers easily

 

[5R Milspec]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

I love me some Lee stuff,plus it makes some good ammo.enough said

 

[flashhole]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

If you go the Lee route I suggest the Classic series presses. I have both the Classic Cast single stage and the Classic Turret. Wonderful press(es) and great value. You will never eclipse the utility of these presses as a reloader.

 

[flashhole]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

Kempf offers a kit that includes the Classic series presses.

 

[Gruffskin]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

I got the lee anniversary kit when I started reloading and still use the neck sizer, bullet seater (sometimes) and the press. Went to a custom full length die, and a Forester seater. Cheap set to get started and you will upgrade what you need as you go.

 

[Gruffskin]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

Flashhole,

I that your setup? If so, very nice!
Gruff

 

[Gruffskin]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

+1 on this response from timelinex. It all depends on your standards. When I finally got to loading 1/4MOA ammo with a 1/4MOA gun, I realized that I am not a 1/4 shooter off a bipod in "real" conditions. My lead sled and vice can shoot the combo to its potential, but I cant.

Gruff

 

[flashhole]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gruffskin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Flashhole,

I that your setup? If so, very nice!
Gruff </div></div>

Yes, that's what I reload on. I have other benches too but the one in the picture is my primary bench. Thanks for the good words. The island style bench fits my needs nicely.

 

[sentry1]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

I recently purchased a Lee Classic Cast press. I spent the extra for the CC vs the Challenger because I decided to go with the Hornady Lock 'n Load bushings (you can install the adapter in the CC, but not the Challenger or breech lock versions).

I tried using the press to prime, and it was awful. First, the Lee Safety Prime system did a shitty job of dispensing primers into the primer cup.

The priming arm on the CC didn't align the primer properly, and it would hit the rim of the primer pocket, get jammed, squished, etc... Ordered a Hornady hand priming tool, and it did much a better job of seating primers. The Safety Prime is getting returned.

The press itself is solid and works well, I'm very happy with it. You can change it from left handed to right handed, adjust the lever length and angle for the stroke.

That's my personal experience.

 

[BomberMN]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

Thanks for the great advice everyone. For now I think that I'll go with the breech lock challenger kit and prime by hand. If I ever decide that I need to prime on the press I can pick up a primer feeder.

Thanks again

 

[TenZero]

Re: Lee Reloading Equiptment?

IMO, the classic cast is worth the extra 40 bucks or so. I started with the challenger, and the linkage broke. Cabelas upgraded me to the classic cast, and it is a much more solid, smoother operating piece of equipment. I love the bushings, makes OAL settings easily repeatable between caliber changes without any futzing around.