Lee Hand Press

[bender]

My reloading bench is set up in someone else's detached garage. He's my shooting buddy, and I can come & go over to that detached garage anytime I please.

However, I'm tempted to do some partial work at my house. Was thinking about getting a Lee Hand Press, a Lee Resize Die for 45acp and an RCBS expander die for 45acp. That way I could have a supply of clean cases (tumbled with old primers still in), resize/decap them with my hand press, and then bell them with the rcbs die.

So then when I make a trip over to my bench at this other guy's house, I would only have to charge the cases and seat the bullets while there.

My wife doesn't want me reloading in the house, even though we have a spare room upstairs not being used . Said I could do it in the garage, but that's way too hot most of the year.

So anyway, the Lee Hand Press would be fine for resizing/decapping, and then expanding right? Seems like a good price for it, $21 at Midway.

 

[Brian Williams]

YES, it is a great way to introduce it as a non hazardous practice. Then get a hand primer from Lee or RCBS(better) and show that nothing will really explode.

 

[bender]

yeah, I forgot to mention that I need to get a Lee Auto Prime hand primer also.

I've been reloading for almost 20 years, so I've been around it for awhile. I was just asking about the Hand Press since my regular reloading bench is at someone else's house, and I'd like to do some preliminary work at my house...
so as not to spend as much time at this other person's house.

 

[dracphelan]

I second the hand press. I actually use it for most of my pistol reloading.

 

[MarkL]

Due to limited room, all I use is the Lee Hand Press. I'm reloading .303 and 8mm only, but with neck-sizing only it works just fine. I prime with a Lee AutoPrimer. Very happy with my results.

 

[ClarkEMyers]

Lee hand press better than doing without but

Lee hand press better than doing without but the Huntington Die Specialties hand tool is better overall when full length resizing rifle cartridges is an issue.

For .45 Automatic only the Lee may be the better buy.

 

[bender]

I forgot the fact that maybe if I use the Lee Hand Press for some of my rifle cartriges (30-06, 7.62x39), maybe it'll help my upper body strength

 

[Mr. Tettnanger]

Go for it! It is well worth it. I bring mine to the range, hunting camp, buddies all the time. You can not be as mobile with a Dillon


Mr. Tettnanger

 

[bender]

yeah, that's another benefit. It may possibly come in handy for a Bug Out Bag, or emergency kit.

 

[shadowalker]

I decapped and sized about 400 9mm / 40 S&W brass in my living room the night before last using the Lee hand press. I purchased the press to reduce garage time and it worked well.

 

[Black Snowman]

I picked one up recently just to deprime brass while watching TV or listening to music. Well worth it IMHO. I deprimed about 3000 pieces of brass in the course of 3 days while I was watching Stargate and [Adult Swim]. Normally that time would have just been spent sitting on my but getting nothing done but fry my eyeballs.

 

[bender]

I purchased the press to reduce garage time and it worked well.

that's exactly what I want it for, to reduce time in a hot/cold garage.

Ok, I'm going to get one.

 

[db_tanker]

that was my main goal, as well...watch the boob-tube and do somthing meaningful at the same time...

Then started using it for short runs of 308, 30-30 and 7-30 Waters...some imperial sizing wax and you don't need to expend that much effort at all.


D

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

+1 for Lee Hand press, +2 for Huntington Compac hand press!

Andy

 

[beretta9]

I also use a Lee Hand Press and Lee Auto Prime with good results. Just a little tiring after 50 rounds. I also use the Lee carbide 4 die set for my .45, Don't have to mess with lubing, and seems to work really great. My Lee auto prime does say not to use any primer except Winchester or Remington?

 

[2ndamd]

{My Lee auto prime does say not to use any primer except Winchester or Remington?}

That is interesting. I did not know that the Lee auto prime only worked with certain brands.
Can anyone reccommend a more brand non-specific auto prime?

 

[Barr]

I currently load .44 Mag and .270 rifle on my hand press. With plenty of lube, the press has plenty of leverage to full length resize rifle brass.

 

[bender]

ok I finally got my lee hand press. Tried it out tonight for decapping some 45 auto. Did about 25 to 30 then I couldn't get the last case out of the shellholder. Couldn't get the shellholder out either

It may have something to do with the ram being clogged with spent primers ? Looks like I'll have to take a clip or 2 off to take it partially apart.

I already lost the shellholder retaining clip. Took it off, and it flew over my head somewhere...

not a good first impression. glad it was cheap.

 

[Cosmoline]

I love my hand press, esp. for tricky jobs requiring careful application of pressure.

 

[ojibweindian]

It may have something to do with the ram being clogged with spent primers?

That's exactly what it is. I've done it several times using mine while watching tv.

Like Cosmoline, I really like mine.

 

[nelson133]

I like my hand press too. I keep a small allen wrench handy and poke the primers down every so often to keep the jamming to a minimum. I read a post that recomended reaming out the spent primer hole, but I haven't tried that.

 

[bender]

well, I unclogged my Hand Press. Used a screwdriver for leverage to pop off the case, and then a few primers came out, then I was able to use the screwdriver to pop off the stuck shellholder. Then all the spent primers could be dumped out.

Too bad it was around 1:30am last night, and I dumbly lost the shellholder retaining clip. Now I can't use it anymore till I get another one. Hope I can call Lee and get a freebie. Seems like there instructions should say something about dumping out primers ever 20 or so...

edit: The Hand Press seems ok to reduce time in the garage. I'm intending to use it for decapping/resizing, and expanding pistol cases. I am going to try out one of those Lee Speed Dies for 9mm though, and see how I like it with the Hand Press.

 

[Sistema1927]

My Lee auto prime does say not to use any primer except Winchester or Remington?

I would go back and re-read that. All sizes of CCI primers can be used with the Auto-Prime, and there are limits on the amounts of certain Winchester primers (page 85, Modern Reloading 2nd Edition)

 

[wrangler5]

From what I've read, being around and using Lee equipment for 25+ years: Lee is institutionally paranoid about multiple primers exploding in his reloading tools (that's not a bad thing to worry about when you consider the consequences.) This is the reason all of his primer feeding devices keep primers edge to edge rather than stacked on top of each other, and why for his primer feeding devices he recommends only those primer brands which are least likely to ignite from excess pressure or pressure in the wrong direction, or to ignite from an adjacent primer which detonates. The recommendation of CCI and Winchester primers goes back decades.

 

[beretta9]

I don't know why a person couldn't use any type of primer in the Lee Hand Press. I was just quoting from the instruction sheet that came with mine. I have forgotten to empty the empty primers a couple of times causing the case to get stuck. I just tap it a few times against the palm of my hand to settle the spent primers enough to get the case out. Has worked everytime so far. Hard to remember to empty it after twenty or so rounds.