Lee Challenger Press Linkage

[Yamavira]

Morning from the UK
The Aluminium linkage on my,quite old, single stage Lee Challenger press finally shattered.
Has successfully loaded many thousands of rounds over the years.
Not a big problem as Lee currently sell parts to retro fit the later steel linkage to the older model Challenger presses.
Went on line in the UK and sourced all the required parts, bar ONE.
Part OF3221,Ram Pin,Step. Cost Dollar 1.50.
Cannot source this part from any of the Lee people here in the UK.
Contacted Lee & they could send the part to me in the UK. The part would be free of charge, However P&P charges 38 Dollars !!!!!.
So my question/request to The High Road . Is there anyway I can get this part from the USA to my UK mainland address for a much more reasonable cost ??
Many Thanks
Regards
Yamavira

 

[ballman6711]

Have you tried finding the part outside of the UK but still somewhere in Europe? I lived in Ireland for about five years and shipping costs from the US was very expensive.

I found this with a quick search:
https://shop.reloadingstore.eu/catalogsearch/result/?q=of3221

Don't know if the site is legit, although it doe's appear to be at a quick glance. Didn't go far enough to see what the shipping charges would be.

chris

Edit: Went a little farther on their site, and it appears the total cost is 6euros (sorry, don't have a "euro" symbol on my keyboard) including VAT and post to a random address in the UK.

 

[Yamavira]

Afternoon Chris.
Thank you for the info.
Went onto the site & have ordered the Ram Pin. 6 Euros total. A good result
Again Thanks
yamavira

 

[Soonerpesek]

WHAT.....!!!!
No one to chime in to say" Red stinks", or "you should get a BLUE", or "an FCD will fix it". or "if you had such -and-such brand press, that problem wouldn't be an issue".......

Good job on the communication, fellas.....

@ballman6711 - nice job helpin' a brother out...!
@Yamavira - hope you get up-n-running again soon....

 

[Howa 9700]

I was trying to understand why a guy in the UK would be loading to begin with. Didn't realize they could have firearms? Kept at a club under strict rules or?

And where is loader kept and used? At home or ????? Not trying to be funny.......but am curious about how it works over there.

 

[Yamavira]

Evening Guys
Have been loading my own ammo for some 40+ years. We are allowed to load our own ammo.
Way back then we were allowed to own handguns. Had a lovely Python.
We also were permitted to own SLRs.
Then !!. A lunatic called Ryan wandered around his neighbourhood shooting people. SLRs were banned. Roll on the years & we had another guy called Hamilton who went into a junior childrens school with several handguns & lots of ammo killing many children & teachers. Handguns were banned.
We are currently allowed, following rigorous investigation by the police & providing them with "good reason" to own each & every firearm, to own BA rifles & SA rifles in 0.22RF only. Part of the good reason is membership of a Home office (means government) registered shooting club & regular attendance at club shoots. Must maintain regular attendance. You could then be granted an FAC (Firearms certificate) which is valid for 5 years. This lists each & every firearm, by serial #, calibre & description, you have been permitted to "purchase & possess". You cannot simply trade a rifle in for another rifle. There is another procedure to change. There are conditions on the FAC as to how & where you can you use each firearm.
You can only buy a certain quantity of ammo for each firearm listed on the FAC. The police decide hoiw many rounds they will permit you to possess.
When buying reloading components you must show your FAC to buy primers.
Should you try to be smart & load up many many more rounds of ammo than permitted & are found out you will likely end up witha huge fine, a prison sentence & your firearms confiscated. As a person having a criminal record you will then be unable to ever own firearms.
Must go through this procedure every 5 years. No guarantee an FAC will be renewed. No automatic renewal.
Could go on but I'm sure you get my gist.
We are permitted to keep our rifles at home provided we have installed a cabinet to British Standard specs & it has been installed in a manner the police consider acceptable (bolted to the brick fabric of the house). Bolts & ammo to be kept in a separate, secure cabinet.
No one but the FAC holder must have access to the firearms or ammo. Woe betide you if someone else has access to the keys to the cabinets. FAC & therefore firearms removed in a flash by the police & likely problems for the FAC holder. As there have been other instances where mental health of an FAC holder has come into question we now have to have our doctor confirm that we have no health issues which would make us unsuitable & unsafe to be in possession of firarms.

Hope I have given a little insight into firearms licencing & ownership here in the uk.
Take care
Yamavira.

 

[ballman6711]

@Yamavira, Thank you for the insight into gun ownership in the UK. When I lived in Ireland, I looked into gun ownership/posession and the requirements were very similar to what you stated. Locked and approved cabinet bolted to a block/brick wall, gun club membership, etc.... No handguns and limited options for rifles and shotguns.

Glad you got your part ordered and I hope you are up and running again soon.

chris

 

[GW Staar]

So how has all that gun control worked out? No more gun killings in the UK, right?

 

[Bazoo]

I feel for you over there. I spect it wasn't your choice or poor voting on your part. Thanks for sharing what you have. Interesting to see the differences. I'm lucky to be where I'm at and have freedoms you likely wouldn't believe.

Glad you got your parts too.

 

[Yamavira]

Email this morning from the company. Sorry part not in stock. Expecting back in stock "in a few MONTHS.
Drat !!!.

 

[Steve S.]

…..then we got on boats and sailed over here, boasted that “Colonist Lives Matter” and crafted a Constitution (with the obligatory war and ultimate sacrifice that goes with these type things) that stated, “The right of the people to unbolt their cabinet shall not be infringed” and the rest is history. The two things that separate us from there - salt water and that truly exceptional single piece of paper. When you hear these stories from abroad, the power of that document should punch us all right in the gut for a “time to wake up” moment. Most take that parchment for granted every day; when it is obvious that it is so much the absolute exception on this planet; sadly, most just do not grasp the magnitude and sheer joy of that status, they are so very conditioned and entitled - a horrible shame on us as an oblivious people.
Another thing that is taught by the likes of a brother Yamavira is the placid acceptance of his condition - it is a story that he conveys to us absent any trace of frustration or resentment - these are his conditions and they are readily accepted - and that’s that. Yamavira no less a free nature deserves a Constitution but, he does not have one. This person is conveying a grand message to us here - we should thank him and listen to his story very, very carefully.

 

[Howa 9700]

Well said brother Steve.

So this is the part?

https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/80044

I could also get it for $1.50....if they had it......but they don't. Special order item. But even then, shipping is $12.95......and I could be at Graf's door inside of an hour. Would cost me $30 in gas to get there and back.

Repair of these otherwise perfectly good older items keeps coming down to cost of parts if they are even available at all. My laptop developed a problem the other day. Part was going to be $600......new replacement was $850. I'm typing from the new replacement.