[DFisher3112]

Just getting into reloading and my question is how good are lee reloaders?

[john pratt]

Good stuff for the money not great but good!

[1SOW]

The "cast iron" single stages and Turret presses are good loaders especially to learn on, and the prices are are low.

The Turret press works great for pistol, I can't vouch for rifle.

The one 'progressive' press I've used , I was glad I didn't own it.

Lee carbide dies are a good buy for the money and often used by reloaders with higher end presses.

[ants]

It's the Hyundai. If it's the only one you can afford, it will truly get you where you need to go. It's just not the Cadillac.

You would prefer to drive a classier car (or truck) but only if you have the money to pay for it.

[RandyP]

They've been building them for over 50 years. I'd say they must be doing something right? -lol

Mine work very well. The round count I can produce on my turret matches my realistic shooting needs without question. Absolutely no complaints and I fully expect them to last my lifetime.

To continue the 'car' comparison, if you need something reliable to drive to the grocery store and take the kids to school, while maybe a $250,000 Aston might be neato, your Dodge will work just fine and dandy and carry a heck of a lot more grocery bags. If you need to join the Nascar circuit? You might need more than a showroom Chevy -lol

Figure out what your needs are, and let your budget guide what hardware you purchase. ALL the brands are very good and will create plenty of safe, reliable and accurate ammunition.

[Uncle Chan]

I have a Dillon and two Lees. I do most of my loading on my Lees. I load 45LC, 45-70, 223, 44mag, 30-06, 357/38, etc.

[Publius1688]

If you are going to drop major coin on a progressive--go with a Hornady or the like. However, for a single stage or turrett, Lees are just fine. Cheap enough to experiment, as well.

[brairpatch]

I have the single stage and it has been fine for me. No complaints on their dies or other x-cessories either.
If youre just getting into it and want to take your time getting your feet wet and dont want to sink a whole lot of money into reloading, its the way to go.

[warnerwh]

Lee makes a single stage that in my opinion is better than the famed Rockchucker for much less money. The Lee Classic Turret is cast iron with steel linkage. It will do pistol and rifle. It's about 3 times faster than a single stage. It can be used as a single stage also.
I had a Dillon XL650, a very nice progressive, for a number of years but quit shooting and sold it. Getting back to shooting I needed a new press. I'd never have considered a Lee Classic Turret until I used the Lee Classic Cast and what has been said by numerous people on gun forums. Do a search. The Lee may not be the quality of the Dillon but let me tell you it's a very good press. I couldn't believe what you get for 96.00. Mechanically this press is well designed and of course very strong. Being a maintenance mechanic I have a pretty good knowledge of mechanical gear. Don't let anybody tell you Lee doesn't make good stuff. They didn't used to but they sure do now.

[Ignition Override]

Would it be ok to ask basic questions?
Receiving the Lee Ann. Kit for Christmas, I figured out how to attach the handle to the press and inserted the shell holder.
The instructions assume they it is not our first kit.

Have only used other equipment, only once, and the friend's gear is really different.
Screwed in the neck-sizing/depriming die and had no problem punching out primers.

But tried to check whether my new .311 bullets would barely fit into the once-fired Prvi cases. "Sierra 150 gr. .311 Spitzer". Green box...
They fit so loosely, can fall into the case, that the neck-sizing must not have worked at all. This was not the case on my friend's gear.

The collet guide said to let it contact the shellholder, then close the die two turns before neck-sizing.
Did other beginners stumble thru this process alone or have somebody spend time with your gear?

[MarkDozier]

I think you misread the instuctions.
http://leeprecision.com/html/HelpVideos/video.html
these vids may show you what is not working

[delta5]

I have the Lee classic cast turret press, and I reload .308 and .223 with it, and I have had no problems. If you want a good single stage, Im told that the new Lee classic cast single stage press is very hard to beat for the money. If you are learning on the Lee Challenger, either of the new Lee cast presses would be a good affordable upgrade.

[helg]

I have zero issues with my Lee progressive Loadmaster. I do understand though that $200 progressive press is usually bought by less skilled people than the $700 progressive, and bare statistics is well affected by this.

[qajaq59]

A Lee press is going to load ammo just like any other press. It might not be as fast as some, or as fancy. But all it has to do is hold the dies straight and go up and down. If it is what you have, or what you can afford, then use it. The fancy stuff will come later on. When you are starting out I think simplicity is a very good idea.

[brairpatch]

I agree! Anybody interested in trading some stuff??

[EddieNFL]

I do understand though that $200 progressive press is usually bought by less skilled people than the $700 progressive, and bare statistics is well affected by this.

Good point. I have a friend who thought his Loadmaster was the greatest thing since the light bulb...until he tried a different brand.

[helg]

Good point.
Thank you.
I have a friend who thought his Loadmaster was the greatest thing since the light bulb...until he tried a different brand. Ask your friend to tell you what problems did he have with the Loadmaster, and the share this with us. You may keep silent though.

[jkinkade]

I have used a Loadmaster for 7 years now....I only load 9m and 45acp.....took some tweaking when I got it....mostly from me being new to reloading.......no problems since.......couple buddies of mine have dillion 550B's and they are fine presses also...if you like having to turn the plate by hand and like expensive things!!

Lee also has a 100% no-crap warrenty on thier presses even though they don't advertise it!!

Kinda like buying guns,,,,depends on how much you want to invest and and so forth.

[WyrTwister]

I have used Lee presses for years , mostly the Challenger press .

The weak point of this press is the linkage . Last time it broke , I strengthened / patched the linkage with J B Weld .

Has not broken again , but I have been a little more careful with it .

I had an early Lee die cast turret press . with the roll pin pivots . Broke 2 of them . Latter learned that Lee had updated them with bolts or something to make them stronger .

I now have the Lee cast iron turret press , it is plenty strong . I really like it . For a single stage press , you can remove the rotator shaft and use it that way .

Lee also makes a cast iron single stage press , which I am sure is fine , too .

BUT , first , go out and buy the Lyman reloading manual & read it cover to cover at least 3 times .

God bless
Wyr

[EddieNFL]

Thank you.
Ask your friend to tell you what problems did he have with the Loadmaster, and the share this with us. You may keep silent though.
Been a while, but as I recall, need constant adjustment, plastic parts would wear quickly, press would easily hang up...

FWIW, after looking at my presses he said something like, "These even look better built."

Not trying to insult anyone. Lee offers a lost cost way to get into reloading and has some very innovative ideas. I use a couple of his products, the FCD for straight walled cases, for instance, but after my experience with a Lee progressive, I decided life was too short and moved on.

[Nate1778]

Rack me up as one whom must have gotten a good Loadmaster. Other than a couple tweaks it kicks out ammo fast. It is not a press for a non-mechanically inclined person. But for the money I have no complaints. Primer system on mine works like charm and reloads quickly with the tip up tray. Have not had a desire to trade it up as It does exactly what I want. I am contemplating getting one in every caliber I reload frequently.

I also have the classic turret and no complaints there.

[helg]

Been a while, but as I recall, need constant adjustment, plastic parts would wear quickly, press would easily hang up...

FWIW, after looking at my presses he said something like, "These even look better built."
OK, generic moan again with no specific issues as I understand. If you do not know of any problems with the press, and do not have the press, then why do you state that it is any bad?

[EddieNFL]

It was a long time ago. Forgive me for not keeping better notes.

[bds]

How good are Lee reloaders? I would say very good.

Since 1995, I have reloaded over 150,000 rounds on a Lee Pro 1000 progressive. Most of the rounds were used for USPSA match shooting and practice with very good accuracy (average 1"-2" groups at 7-15 yards off hand using modified/built 1911 for limited class and 2" groups at 7-15 yards off hand using stock Glock 22 for production class).

All of my pistol dies are Lee carbide dies and they will last a lifetime. I am still using my original dies bought back in 1995.

WyrTwister - "BUT, first, go out and buy the Lyman reloading manual & read it cover to cover at least 3 times." - I think you hit the nail on the head. Many people posting negative experience with Lee products maybe that they started out on Lee not knowing much about reloading and subsequently got frustrated/broke parts and moved on to different reloaders while blaming the Lee products.


For more detailed information on Lee Pro 1000 pros and cons, check this thread:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=497331&page=2

[hogshead]

I got a Lee classic and I love .I have not had any problems with it. I only buy their dies they are cheaper and they come with the shell holder.

[jmortimer]

The Lee Classic Cast single stage and Classic Turret are as good or better as any. When it comes to progressives not so good. Some have used the car analogy and it is not a Hyundai versus Cadillac - it is more like comparing the fool who spent $ 200,000.00 plus on a high end Euro sports car that gets smoked by a $100,000.00 ZR1 Corvette. Here is a really good way to check. Go to the Midway USA web site and read actual owner reviews and comments and you will see that the Lee Precision haters are like the fool buying the Uber Euro car. They wasted their money. My recommendation is get the Lee Classic Turret even if you use it as a single stage - i.e. non-auto-index. You get you dies set up in the turret and pop the turret in and out when you change caliber. Very nice.

[twofifty]

I got the Lee Classic Cast single-stage a few years ago, when I got started loading for rifle. No regrets whatsoever with the quality, the performance, the feel or the price.

Now I'm also reloading pistol on it (a new game for me) and because I don't shoot more than 500rds/mth, I think there may be a Lee Classic Cast Turret in my future.

Lee's dies are fine to awesome. Their accessories (primer pocket cleaner, debur tool, Auto-Prime) are simple and effective.

I've had Lee send me a couple replacement decap pins -my fault- at no charge and in the next day's mail. Their staff seem to be interested in what they do.

I also have reloading equip. from Hornady, RCBS, Dillon.

[icanthitabarn]

I love my one and only press, Lee Classic turret. First thing I did was unhook the index. One complaint and it isn't much, some spent primers don't go down the tube. LOL. I put some lobster claw elastics on the escape routes, but until I make a stop to keep the arm from going all the way down, they keep sliding.

[twofifty]

icanthitabarn, just rest your thumb or index finger against that slot, and that odd primer that wants to jump out instead of dropping down the ram to the tube will behave.

Leaving your hand there is a time and motion advantage anyhow, as as soon as you've lowered the ram, you're moving that brass out of the shellholder...with the same fingers.

[lgbloader]

I think the Lee Classic cast is is a great tool.

LGB

[SteveCase]

Think of it this way. I would rather drive a lambo but i drive a 96 ford. lee is a good intro. get what you need for cheap so if reloading is not for you, you didnt waste that much money.

I use Lee but I would rather use Dillion. But i cant afford dillion right now

[twofifty]

Dillon, not Dillion.
Even though Dillion rhymes with Million.

[bds]

The original question by dfisher3112 was:

"lee reloaders questions

Just getting into reloading and my question is how good are lee reloaders?"


Can we stick to lee reloader specific responses based on personal experiences?

TIA

[jmortimer]

Answer - The Classic Cast Single Stage and the Classic Turret are as Good as, or better, than any other brand of the same type. In progressives you either get Dillion or the Hornady LNL.

[helg]

Lee progressive Loadmaster was my first press. I have figured out how to make 9mm ammo with it in the evening when it arrived. I checked videos at loadmastervideos.com before buying the press, which are worth a ton of manuals and hours on the phone with tech support. I shot my first batch the next weekend. I do not know how my mechanical skills compare to the others, but I have absolutely no problems using caliper and scale, and even trust myself to change oil in my car.

I have seen other progressives, and even cranked a few rounds to see how it feels. Neither of the other progressive presses had case feeder, and I did feel uncomfortable moving my right hand on and off the lever on each round.

Now my round counter comes close to 10K. I still like the press and its simple and effective design ideas.

[shootinxd]

I got my lee turret 2yrs ago,I currently load 9mm,40cal,and 223.Set up and change over from one to another is a snap.Several thousand rounds later and still gets results.Just purchased all the stuff to start cast and all but the thermometer if Lee.

[Dannix]

I was initially going to go with a Redding. Then I went with the lee classic cast as the redding apparently has a weakness what becomes apparent when swaging. The king of the single stage, at least in the area of toughness, is probably the CH as it's designed to handle swaging.

I really dislike the Hyundai versus Cadillac / ZR1 vs 200k euro comparisons. None of them fit, though that's the view from a petrolhead. I like a gun comparison better: Some Lee's are like the Mac10, not the best but would do the trick in certain senerios, while other Lees are like the Uzi vs the MP5. The Uzi and the MP5 are both great guns, but the Uzi is far cheaper from the manf.

It's important to not be a fanboy. There's often something else that outclasses your fanboy choice, e.g. the Ammo Load Mark X.

[StretchNM]

As others have said, the Lee Classic line of presses (single-stage and turret) cannot be beat for almost any price. The Classics are not only King in toughness, they're drilled as accurate as anything out there. I could type "anything" again, or someone could just re-read it...same thing.

The dies are fine too, when people take the time to read the instructions that come with them. Especially nice are the collet neck-sizers and the factory crimp die.

Icanthitabarn, the spent primer fix is this: take an extra primer arm (the cam-shaped metal that slips into the slot in the ram - every Lee user has an extra :D ), cut off the primer cup stem and chuck it, along with the spring. Then grind or file the stem stub flush with the top of the primer arm.

Now, the arm will slip into the slot and hang where it should without ever having to remove the shellholder. Just slip it in to deprime your cases and and slip it out when done. What the arm does is ensure that all spent primers drop into the tube - it's designed to do that. Without it (or without the thumb trick), an occasional primer pops out of the slot.

[jmortimer]

Hey Stretch good to see some love for Lee Precision over here.

[RustyFN]

The classic turret has worked great for pistol and rifle for me over the last four years. If you are looking to load mainly pistol ammo I would recommend not starting with a single stage.