Lee Classic loader used with M.94

[wannabeagunsmith]

Sooo I was really wanting to use a lee loader to make cartridges for my 94 but on Lee's website it says not to use the 30-30 loader with leverguns. Anyone have personal experience? Is the warning only for insurance sake or should I stick to spending 17 bucks for 20 rounds of target practice?
Thanks.

 

[rcmodel]

The Lee loader only neck-sizes the brass.

Lever-guns have to have FL sized brass in order to chamber freely.

You also have to roll-crimp the bullets to prevent bullet set-back in the tube magazine from recoil.
The Lee Loader can crimp, but it's pretty hit or miss.

You can buy a real loading press and real FL reloading dies for not much more.

rc

 

[wannabeagunsmith]

I see. I would buy a real one but I do not have the space available. Thank you.

 

[rcmodel]

Lee Hand Press?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7kHgzkWoS64

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/650614/lee-breech-lock-hand-press-kit

rc

 

[wannabeagunsmith]

Well I am a college student, you see and stashing one of those things VS the classic loader would be a lot harder..

 

[Jesse Heywood]

The hand press has been used to load a lot of rifle rounds on the tailgate of a pickup while working up loads at the range.

 

[rcmodel]

Buy an Army footlocker and use it for a coffee table & reloading storage when you don't stand it on end and use it for a reloading bench.

I survived two years in the Army and loaded rifle, pistol, & shotgun, and cast bullets out of one.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

rc

 

[Tinpig]

Interesting. I've been using the Lee Classic loader in .30-30 for my '94 for years, and never had a problem with chambering neck-sized-only brass. Of course it's brass that had always been fired from that particular rifle.

The instructions specifically mention loading for a tubular magazine and only caution that flat nose bullets should be used to prevent mag. detonation.

Tinpig

 

[jcwit]

I too have used the Lee Loader in 30/30, and shot in my 94 Winchester. I load them 4-5-6-8 times till I need to full length resize the cases.

Why do I use the Lee Loader when I have a press & dies? Because I wish to do so.

 

[wannabeagunsmith]

I guess I will give it a go then! Thanks everyone.

 

[FROGO207]

Some have good results with this and some do not. If you have never reloaded before this might not be a good place to start by using a Classic loader IMHO. Do you know anyone, possibly at the range, that reloads 30-30 with a bench press? They might help you FL size the brass for now. Then you could trim them and reload with the Lee Loader. Just a thought.

 

[mdi]

FTIW; I had a "compact kit" that consisted of a Lee Hand Press, 2 sets of dies (in zip-lok bags), a few hundred primers and a couple Lee dippers. All this fit into a plastic shoe box ($1.00 at most stores) and I kept a pound of powder in a desk drawer. Later I was able to fit a Lee Perfect Powder Measure in the shoe box too. I reloaded a lot of ammo in my studio apartment with this set up (bedroom/living room, kitchen/reloading room, and bath. No room to spare!).

 

[45lcshooter]

You can get every thing you need to reload 30-30 to fit in a shoe box. As a college student, you can stash more than a shoe box.

Lee hand presses are great for using at the range or in your case, very little room. It will build my arms up!!!! I used a hand press for 2 years before a found a deal on a Rockchucker.

Classic Loaders have their place in the reloading world, and they are for the guy that wants to take a long while to make 1 round. For 30-30's from start of prep to loaded round, it would take an hour for 50 rounds. Not to bad.

 

[gwpercle]

I reload 30-30 with Lee Hand press a lot. Works just fine, do it at kitchen table and you don't have all that banging going on with the "whack-a-mole" loader.
Get one, you will like it. I have three bench mounted presses and use the hand press for just about everything.
Gary

 

[jcwit]

I reload 30-30 with Lee Hand press a lot. Works just fine, do it at kitchen table and you don't have all that banging going on with the "whack-a-mole" loader.
Get one, you will like it. I have three bench mounted presses and use the hand press for just about everything.
Gary

No reason to use a mallet with the Lee Loader. I've used a Sinclair Arbor Press with one for years.

BTW the Lee Loader works the same as Wilson Dies, just not as elaborate.

 

[Tinpig]

The one part of using the Lee Classic Loaders that I never liked was banging in primers. I had quite a few unanticipated primer detonations which were not dangerous, but still disconcerting.

So for priming I've switched to the Lee Auto Prime Hand Priming Tool. I still do all the other steps with the Classic Loader.

What I like about the Lee Loaders is being able to work on the kitchen table on winter evenings, close to the wood stove, instead of in the finger-numbing cold cellar.

Oh yeah, my wife works the evening shift.

Tinpig