Lee Hand Press

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I use one occasionally. My hand press with the breech lock just like my Lee Challenger press I can simply swap the dies between the 2 presses without having to change the settings.

I take it out shooting or camping as part of a mobile kit, in case I want to try a change to a load or just need another dozen rounds for plinking. It wouldn't be my primary press, especially not for auto pistol. But it works well enough to suit me.
 
I have one and I use it occasionally for low production output or minor load development. For the most part though I use my progressive.
 
I have two that I use. I don't have the space for a dedicated loading bench so a portable set up is mandatory. In the last 18 yrs of having one, I have no complaints. I can do my brass prep and watch TV then go to the dining room table and load shells in peace. At the range I fine tune my loads with them. I think you can't go wrong.
 
I use mine when I can't get out to my workshop to load on my rockchucker. This last surgery I had, left me housebound for 6 weeks. I loaded 1k of .223 on it, 1k, of 9mm on it, and 100 .30-.30 on it. Slow and steady wins the race when using it.
 
Wow a 1000 9mm that kept you busy. I have two small lee presses but enjoy using Lee Loaders unfortunately some of them size to big for jacketed bullets so when i am not loading cast bullets i need to carry presized cases with me. It would be nice to be able to use a universal expanding die as well FCD dies. I will be buying one soon.
 
Once you get a process going and 6 weeks off from work to recover, it's not that bad. The hard part was finding a place for everything that was all within reach, yet didn't make my wife want to kill me. The other hard part was running out of components... I couldn't drive to pick up more and couldn't go outside to smelt more lead for bullet casting.
 
I've used one for years. It makes reloading simple, just one step at a time. I store all my reloading stuff in a small box rather than a large room. :)
 
I have one to go with my Lee Classic Turret and Lee Classic Cast presses. I use it at my cowboy action shoots to decap my 45 Black powder brass after each set to get them in to soapy water before they turn black. Later I rinse and dry the brass to tumble polish. I've also used mine to do fining tuning loads at the range for my guns. Well worth the investment and in a pinch can be used to prime brass also.
 
I would not do that! Load them at home before you go. I loaded 10 with loading in the middle of the load then add 1/2 more like 20.0 then 20.5 - 21.0 - 21.5 till i got to the max load. 10 of each this way you can take the best one home then add .2 and .2 less this will give you good info. Always fire one round before starting your check! Then let the gun cool before the next three rounds this will give you three try at one load. That is a loot of shooting. But will give you very good info on every thing. Some time you might half to start in the middle and go backward.---GOOD LUCK
 
I use a Lee hand press as well. It's slow going, but not that much slower than a single stage press. Stores away in a medium sized plastic tub along with my books, dies, etc.
 
I have one that someone gave me. It's never been used, nor have I tried it yet. But I'm probably going to put it to use, as some have stated, by using it as a range tool for load development.

GS
 
The Lee Hand Press is just as fast as a single stage press. No problem making accurate rifle ammo. It also gives you the freedom to load anywhere, including the comfort of my air conditioned living room.
 
A reloading buddy used one to vary bullet seating depths while shooting at the range. He knew his stuff and reloaded well. Hole in hole at 100 yards was common not unusual. :)
 
I bought one of these a year or so back thinking it was a great idea that I'd use all of the time. Turns out I tried it once and saw how much force it took to actually resize the brass. I put it back in the box and haven't touched it since. I think it's a neat idea in theory, but I don't think it's all that practical for most people. If I needed to reload at the range I'd use it though.
 
Started on the Breech Lock Challenger - that bent my reloading bench every time I tried to use the collet die, so I picked up the hand press...I can resize 50 6.5x55 rounds a LOT easier than the flexy-bench can - just squeeze it into the press and work out my shoulders/pectorals. :p

I load 80%-100% of ALL my .357, .38 on it. As mentioned by someone else, I can bring my press next to my rifle and tune the COAL bit-by-bit, and it gives a LOT better feel for seating than the bench press EVER could.

Between dies, press, a jug of powder, powder-scoops, trim dies, and bullet puller, I can fit my ENTIRE reloading set (for 1-2 calibers) into a small handyman bag. I've pulled down and re-loaded 9mm to .38 special cases at the range with ease. That reminds me, I could use the ram-prime system to forfeit having to use my lee auto-loader...

I would recommend GOOD lubrication, using the Lee toothpaste junk made full-resizing 6.5 a royal pain, but when I switched to Unique (Hornady), I could FL resize all cases from the hand press.

If you're seating LONG bullets in LONG cases (160gr RN to a 6.5x55 case), you'll have to tip the nose into the bottom of the die before sliding the two (die and case) into the shellholder on the press - it's a tad short.
After 50-100 rounds, you will want a break - it's LIGHT, but not comfortable on the handles where you're re-opening the press.
 
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