[earlthegoat2]

I was just wondering how these worked. They do look slow, but that is okay with me. It is not that I want something inexpensive, I am just very intrigued by the simplicity of it. I am not going to do any high volume loading here just a box of 20ga here and a few 38s there. Any input is greatly appreciated. I have quite a bit of experience loading but it was some time ago and was for when I shot competitively with 45ACP. I want to get back into it quite literally because I saw how the Lee Original Loader worked and I like it.

[FlyinBryan]

personally, i would just go with a simple press, as it just give me the creeps to use a hammer on live, primed rounds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeEl9wZyabc

it must be pretty safe though, as they have been around forever.

i do know you can get the little lee reloader c frame like this for not much at all.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=807734

i wouldnt use it on really big stuff but it works well for me as a partner press to my progressive for decapping, sizing, and just general duty on .223 and .45acp.

[ljnowell]

I have to agree with flyinbryan. I just recently decided to get into reloading on the cheap, and looked at the exact same thing. I ended up buying the exact same c-frame press that he linked. It has worked great. I used a set of lee carbide dies. Got both of them for right at 50 bucks together. First day I used it I spent about an hour reading instructions, about 20 minutes making a single round with no powder(learning sizing, flare, bullet seating and crimp), maybe an hour making three different loads (5 apiece). I shot the lest loads and decided on one. In less than an hour and a half I had made 100 rounds, weighing each and every charge. Since I have gotten to the point where i can load well over 100 rounds an hour. I only shoot about 100 rounds a week on average, so it works out great.

[lgbloader]

it just give me the creeps to use a hammer on live

But that is part of the fun and excitement. I learned on an old Lee Loader set and still have. If you don't mind doing a round every minute or two, this could work for you.

I have seen people load a box of 20 for rifle very fast on it. Me personally, for my main reloading kit, I prefer a press but I have loaded many a round on the Lee Classic Loader.

My only complaint is that when a primer goes boom (it ain't if, it's when) you may have to change your tah-dun-tah-duhns, you know what I mean.

LGB

[earlthegoat2]

I suppose a easyprime could be supplemented as well. And it may be a better idea to use the C frame in the end.

[FlyinBryan]

But that is part of the fun and excitement. I learned on an old Lee Loader set and still have. If you don't mind doing a round every minute or two, this could work for you.

ya, i dont know why it gives me the willys, its certainly not from experience, cuz ive never used one.

to tell you the truth, if id heard about them 30 years ago, i could see myself trying them simply because of how inexpensive they are.

on a side note, i think that is actually richard lee in that video i posted.

[dagger dog]

The Original Lee loader Classic is a fine way to start, It reloads more accurate rifle and handgun rounds than you can buy.

It is great for .38special you can reload a box of fifty in one evening.

You will need some case lube, but besides the components of the cartridge thats just about it.

It is very rewarding being able to turn out your own ammo in the configuration you want. The powder choices furnished in the instructions are broad enough to cover most needs for handgun. They are safe when instructions are followed. The dipper method is calibrated to be within standards.

The little box just doesn't seem large enough to contain all the needed equipment, but it's in there.

The benchrest crowd, yes the guys that shoot the worlds smallest groups use this same method in preparing their super accurate rifle ammo, hammering away on their rounds, although if they feel the need they do use a press but with the same dies they use the mallet on.

If you decide it's not fast enough or it is below your expectations what are you out? $20.00. But I bet you will have a fine time in producing your custom ammo with this system.

[Vacek]

Although I have a great reloading setup including a Dillon Square Deal, Lee breechlock, MEC for 410 and 2 Lee Load Alls for 12 and 20 I still keep all of the Lee Loaders (>20 calibers). They work great, and when a few random rounds need to be loader it is quicker just to get out the Lee Loader for that specific caliber and make them up. As to the Heeby Jebbies on the primer, people make a big deal out of really nothing. If it bothers you get a Lee or RCBS or someone elses priming systems.

Lee Loaders are very cool.

[Woodstock45678]

I think the longevity of the kit speaks for itself; at least it did for me.
It's a fun little kit if you're not reloading a large amount of ammo. The kit I got started with was for rifle, so don't know how much of this will apply to HG loading.
As far as primers, for rifle, the primer loading tool has a spring setting so you cant over 'whack' it, at least from what I've seen.
I'll admit, when I set my first primer using the thing, I kind of held on to all that was holy in one hand and lightly tapped the priming rod with the other. It wasn't too bad after setting the first one.
It was a great learning tool for me, especially for the price. It shows the process, which makes it kind of neat if you've never handloaded before. I would recommend some calipers (if you don't already have them), and a scale would be quite nice, as the scoop really limits your powder selection. You can pick up a really nice set of calipers through harbor freight for about the same price as the kit. Cabelas and a few others have a cheap 'SmartReloader' brand electric scale from Italy that works fairly well. Very repeatable results, after it warms up.

The video shows him doing one round at a time and taking it through the full process, but I've found it much faster to take a block of rounds through the process (IE case prep 50, prime 50, powder 50, and set bullets).

[Quoheleth]

Here's a great article on the LCL.

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/51

If you want to get into loading, this is the lowest-cost tool available.

I wrote this a few month ago when someone asked about the LCL in .45ACP:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=4907492#post4907492
To the OP:

If you are doing this to save money, there is one very important step you must do, or you'll wind up spending more money and getting very frustrated very fast.

The kit comes with the "tools" (note: not the same as regular dies) a sheet of load data, and a powder scoop.

When you buy your kit, do not just walk over and buy a bottle of powder and a box of bullets. Open the kit and check the size of the dipper (scoop). It'll be marked on the side in .cc measurements. Now, look at your load data page and cross-reference all of the loads where that dipper can be used.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE ONLY...DO NOT TAKE IT AS GOSPEL...
Say it's a 1.5 cc. scoop.
STEP 1: Skim down the chart and look at all of the "lines" where a 1.5 cc. scoop is used. Let's say the chart shows the scoop can be used to make a 200gr lead load or a 230 FJM load.
STEP 2: Decide which load do you want to make - the 200 or 230? You decide to make the 230.
Step 3: Now, look at that load in the 1.5cc, 230FMJ category and see what powder it tells you to use. LET'S SAY...that with a 1.5 cc scoop, a 230 FMJ bullet, the powder recommended is SuperShooter [fictitious]. That's the powder to buy. This is important. If you buy the wrong powder, you might not be able to use your scoop for the load you want, meaning a) you have to buy the whole set of dippers (about another $10 investment) or b) buy another bottle of powder (another $20). In other words, don't buy Unique because the salesman likes Unique; don't buy Bullseye because it says "Unsurpassed for .45 target loads" on the bottle. USE YOUR CHART & DIPPER TO FIND THE POWDER!

Step 4: Pick up a package of primers.
Step 5: Pay for stuff & go home to make 1st reloads.

How do I know this? I invested in two powders before I got that right. The first time I just asked the guy at the counter, "What's good in .38 and .357?" He gave me PowderA - not even listed in my Classic Loader chart. Next time, I had done my reading and found out what I wanted. But, I forgot to write it down, so when I drove to the store (hour's drive each way) I guessed as to what I should buy...and got it wrong (powder & scoop didn't match the bullets I ordered). Third time, I wrote it down and got it right. My "inexpensive" reloading start quickly added up because of a really dumb mistake.


Hope that makes sense...if not, PM and I'll try to clarify.

Q

[Vacek]

John Barnes wrote a nice article starting on the last page of Handloader Magazine last year. He had used it in his younger years, came back to one on a whim and found it still very useful with output of 1 round in less than a minute. I have loaded 20 rounds in less than 15 minutes.

[ranger335v]

"How good do the Lee Original Loaders Work? "

Well enough to fund the start up of what we now know as Lee. And it works as well today as it did forty + years ago.

[earlthegoat2]

This is excellent. I didnt like all the tools I needed back when I seriously handloaded and this is just the thing I think I need to load a few and shoot them up.

[BremenQ2]

I learned to reload from my dad on one of those manual Lee kits. A few years later I bought a single stage press and all the related tidbits as I could afford them.

I can't say I was very worried about tapping on live rounds, everything is well supported. tap-tap-tap, rearrange the dies for the next step, tap-tap-tap, all in all it's a pleasant and relaxing way to make ammunition. Just as long as speed isn't one of your concerns. A small plastic headed mallet worked well, but having something good and solid like some cinder blocks built up to table level to do the tapping on did make for a little better "feel".

At the time I had no scale and only flake powders for the dippers. That's not a situation I'd recommend for anything but low pressure target loads. Modern ball powders would probably work better but having a scale handy to verify things is really an indispensable tool.

PS - Just signed up, first post, howdy everybody :)

[GooseGestapo]

I used one to start with, as did my older and younger brothers. I started with a 20ga, then later a .30/30. My older brother started with a .38/.357mag. He did get a few primer detonations. (my best friend still starts a hilarous conversation describing my brother's...... tap, tap, tap, BANG!......Sxxt, tap, tap, tap, BANG!......Sxxt

However, in practice, you can tell when the primer has seated by the sound of the "taps". That when it's time to quit! Just don't use a metal hammer. One of the wooden handled with plastic tip hammers is perfect.

I loaded many thousands of rd's on a Lee loader. (In 60's, we didn't have 350 TV channels, computers, DVD's, TiVO, Ipods, ect. ect. ect.) We did have a lot of time on our hands though...........

I still have both my "Lee loaders" and another in .223Rem, that I've never had out of the box.

[fireflyfather]

I've never used case lube on my .38 Lee Loader. Never needed it. I just tap the shell out about 1/16" before I seat the primer, and cener it by feel. Understand that for everything except the primer seating (done before powder or bullet are involved), there is NO WAY you can set off the round, as the base the cartridge rests on has a hollow cut out of it where the primer rests. A set off primer is loud, but that's about it. Once you figure out what you are doing, the primers don't go off.

[dfrak]

I have several of the Lee Loaders and I use them regularly, in particular for putting together a small number of reloads for testing.
I received an M1 .30 cal Carbine loader for Christmas and I am going to experiment with that to see if I can whip up some 7.62 Nagant loads with it.
I have single stage and progressives, but the Lee Loaders still get plenty of use.

[Vacek]

Come Again????

Now you have my naive curiousity going. Glad I ain't a cat.

You have a Lee Loader for the 30 carbine and you are going to use it to load up some Russkie. Explain please.

I gots to know.

[dfrak]

Hello, Vacek.
I am referring to ammo for the Nagant M1895 revolvers that shoot a cartridge called the 7.62 Nagant or 7.62x38R. It is a tapered case with similar dimensions to the M1 carbine case.

I have tried on an off to reload for this cartridge for a few years, but always had mixed success. I started with some pretty pricey Bertram brass and the Lee dies, because that was all that was available. The Lee dies were made for use with 32-20 brass and it really messed up my Bertram brass.
So, after some research, I found that I could use a .30 cal M1 carbine resizing die to at least size the brass. The brass was sized for a .308 bullet, which worked OK, but I figured the revolver would work a little better with a .310 or .311 dia. bullet. So I used a 32-30 expander and had a little bit more success. Since 7.62 Nagant brass is now more or less available, I have been able to whip up a few decent loads.
But, it still involves using two different sets of dies and seating is somewhat tricky.
I have resized the 7.62 Nagant brass in the .30 cal M1 carbine Lee Loader and I know that I can use it to prime a case and to seat a bullet. What I haven’t sorted out yet is how to expand the sized case just enough to seat a .310 or .311dia. bullet without using another set of dies.

Any suggestions are, of course, welcome!

Dan

[Uncle Chan]

One of the things I like about the Lee Loader is that it is so compact. My Savage 111 30-06 has a hollow stock. Imagine this, a set of loaders in it plus a couple pill bottles of Red Dot, and a black powder primer case full of CCI LR primers? Pretty slick, eh? If needed, all I need to complete the set is a chunk of wood to use as a hammer.

I've 20ish sets....

I only wish Lee produced them for the 7.62 x 39. :(

[Seafarer12]

People still like them. I got a couple in a trade and sold them on ebay for 20 each a week ago. I had no interest in them I have too many presses to fool with them.

[panrobercik]

When I started thinking about reloading , those got my attention , but idea of hammering just didn't fit me. I opted for a hand press and I'm glad I did. I'm using regular dies - full sizing may be a little hard to do, but if I ever decide to upgrade to bench press than all my dies will work with it. I size ,deprime and trim my ammo on my porch , than I load in the living room .When done I pack all my reloading stuff in a shoe box size container and store it on the shelf. Also if you want to make top quality ammo, a scale is a must.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=624416