Lee new cast iron press the Classic

[44and45]

I've seen ad pictures in the gun magazines of the new Lee Classic single stage cast iron single station reloading press, and hoping it is as sturdy as it looks to be.

I want a modern single stage press that can swage a lead bullet without wrecking the ram pin on the toggle linkage. Don't have any first hand knowledge on the Classic but it looks like the ram pin is at least a half inch in diameter...and if so, that should be strong enough to handle enormous swaging pressures incured in doing this operation.

Plus, the ram piston is 1 1/8 inches in diameter and the bearing surface of it is 12 inches. Should cut the mustard I'm thinking.

Lee is selling it for $99.99, but you will be able to get it at Midway for $59.95 plus S&H.

I own so damn many reloading presses that it is getting rediculious, but have to face up to the fact that I may be getting this Classic if it pans out like I hope it will. It may be the modern version of a really good reloading press like the old Herter's Super O Maximum with its 1 1/2 inch dia. ram piston.

The press has some other terrific features like the die station adapter is threaded for 7/8 X 14 standard dies, but, take out the adapter and the frame has threads for the 1 1/4 X 12 dies.

This means you can use Hornady's Lock-N-Load die inserts for the quick change set up of your 7/8 X14 dies. One quarter turn in or out to mount a die.

The ram piston has a feature of the spent primer going through a tube to a waste basket or trash can.

They should be available around the middle of this month.

44and45

 

[Cortland]

Sounds good to me. I currently use a Lee Hand press as my one and only single stage press, but I've been meaning to get a beefier benchmounted unit for some of my more difficult sizing operations (especially stiff 7.7 Jap brass). At $60 this certainly sounds like an excellent value.

I'm generally a fan of Lee products and pretty much all of my dies and single stage stuff is Lee, but do you really think Lee can make a mechanical device that, regardless of how well it functions, doesn't feel like a cheap piece of you-know-what? I'm certainly very curious to find out.

 

[romulus]

I want a modern single stage press that can swage a lead bullet without wrecking the ram pin on the toggle linkage.

Wouldn't a Lyman Crusher or an RCBS Rockchucker be able to handle that job?

 

[44and45]

romulous, the Lee Classic press looks to be the real deal...I hope. I like Lee dies too and have many. But never owned any of their presses because they do look like pot metal plastic until now.

The Lyman Crusher has a unique name, the little 3/8 diameter ram pin that attaches the piston to the toggle linkage is what failed on me two times...broke into. That was last years model, brand new press with the loose linkage setup that really turned me off. Had to send it back to catalog store I bought it from.

Before getting the Herter's Super O maximum, probably a 45 year old press, I called RCBS and talked to their expert. Told him what happen to the Lyman Crusher and asked if the Rockchucker would stand the gaff on the ram pin holding up under repeated use on bullet swaging. He said he didn't recomend trying it...and that was the guy from RCBS.

Courtland, I've got my fingers crossed too, hoping the Lee will pan out to be a winner. I called Lee and ask them if they thought it would hold up on bullet swaging. Their answer was they didn't know but that was an interesting question.

If the linkage isn't loose peace of junk like the Lyman Crusher maybe it'll do the job for swaging. Time will tell.

Jim 44and45

 

[romulus]

That's a shame, I remember the old Orange Crusher at Gander Mountain years ago, and what I liked about it versus the other presses was the tightness of the linkage. I guess I'll have to wait to check out the Lee Classic, I can't find it on their website. You'd figure they'd want to market it before actually shipping it to retailers...

 

[RobW]

For bullet swaging there's only one sure bet: the Corbin CSP-1 swaging and reloading press. But... it starts at $ 298.00!

 

[44and45]

The Corbon is truly the cats meow, but the average joe cannot afford a venture into bullet swaging at those prices.

The reloading press industry needs to get off its butt and engineer a swaging leverage linkage system that can be utilized in an ordinary reloading press.

For starters, they could look to Geo. Herter's Super O Maximum press with its 1 1/2 inch diameter ram, and adjustable pin linkage system that allows for different height of the shellholder's travel to the die.

The strength factor is also in the ram to toggle pin linkage, has to be at a minemum of at least a half inch in diameter. I have broken too many 3/8 diameter pins in repeated bullet swaging operations.

In fact, all the bolts and pins should be at least a half inch or better in the linkage system.

The Herter press also used a very strong long shank shellholder that had tremendous strength and did not bobble on the slots. In bullet swaging you need a ridgid shellholder that is mounted with a nose punch for bullet shape which doesn't move and is perfectly aligned with the swaging die.

I guess what we need is a modern version of the Herter Super O Maximum press with some modern improvements. Hopefully the Lee Classic will help get us there.

44and45

 

[44and45]

Lee classic press

Here's a picture...

 

[romulus]

Lee is finally putting out something that looks like a real press...nice. It seems to have two separate yoke pins...don't know if that's good or bad, but overall I like it!

 

[M2HMGHB]

Midway USA is listing it on their webiste as coming soon with a tag of 59.99. here's the link http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/317831

 

[Cortland]

Yep, Midsouth's lists it, too. They also list small and large primer feeders for it. I hope these will be tube-based and not tray-based setups.

 

[Gewehr98]

Boy, that Lee Classic looks a LOT like a press I have...

Namely, a Hornady O-frame 007 press:

I use mine, seen on the left side below, for swaging bullets and for forming wildcat or obsolete brass from parent cases:

 

[44and45]

Gewehr98, check the diameter of your piston ram, and the size of your ram pin where it fits into the toggle. The ram pin is only 3/8 inch in diameter and will break or bend on you after a few hundred swaging operations.

Been there done that...

The Hornady OO7 press is a fine press but not the same as the beefed up Lee Classic.

The Lee Classic has at least a 1/2 inch ram pin and the ram piston is 1 1/8 inch in diameter which promotes more bearing surface in swaging and 1/2 inch ram pin will cut the mustard for many swagings.

However, there is some doubt in my mind as to the Classic's toggle linkage system, the mid two side panels on the toggle set up are not clearly defined as wether there is a through bolt to the opposite side panel. If this is not the case...the Lee may fizzle as to being a good swaging set up.

But this could be corrected by a machinest by tack welding a bar between the two panels. Just have to wait and see what its all about. Time will tell.

By the way, you have a really good loading set up there...very nice.

44and45

 

[FAL_Freak]

The new Lee press looks great. I recently upgraded from the Challenger press to a Lyman Crusher II, so I prolly won't buy one. Then again for 60 bucks it might be nice to have around. The spent primer tube sounds like a very nice feature!

And DAMN Gewehr98, you need to clean that bench!!
Course mine looks worse so I'm not one to talk.

 

[stellarpod]

The new Rockchucker Supreme has a 1" ram and the toggle pin measures just a few thousandths under 1/2". It's also readily adaptable to the Hornady Lock-N-Load bushngs (which is a big plus in my opinion).

Of course, it's higher than the Lee Classic. $97.98 at Midway right now.

RCBS Rockchucker Supreme at Midway

Pretty stout press for my money.

stellarpod

 

[44and45]

If RCBS would increase the ram piston to 1 1/8 inch to 1 1/2 inch and change the shellholder to have a longer mounting shank I would buy it...heck, I might anyway if the Lee Classsic poops out on swaging.

Don't understand why the RCBS experts told me it wasn't swaging material last year over the telephone when I was scouting for such a press. I don't think the guy knew what he was talking about as not many people are really into the benefits of bullet swaging.

Jim

 

[Cortland]

Midway is now listing the Lee Classic as in stock and available. Mine should be here by Friday. I'll post my reactions if anyone's interested.

 

[44and45]

All right, attaboy Cortland.

If you want to be the first...please let us know if this Classic can cut the mustard as to being super strong in the linkage and toggle system and can do the swaging operation.

I was reluctant to jump right in because I've got way too many reloading presses now, and if the Lee didn't pan out wouldn't want another door stop.

Thanks, Jim

 

[Poodleshooter]

Another very interested possible customer. I've got to replace my Lee C frame. It just doesn't cut it for sizing large quantities of 7mm RM!
It's hard to find iron presses for reasonably cheap around here. Even on the net, they want well over $60 for most of the used O frames.

 

[Cortland]

Ok, I received my Lee Classic today; I'm quite pleased. The press weighs about 15 lbs. and really feels like a quality tool (i.e., it has little or no resemblence to the other Lee stuff I have , dies exempted of course). Features include: it can be set up for left or right hand operation, the length and angle of the lever is adjustable, and a 1.25" die opening. It ships with small and large primer arms, a 7/8" threaded die bushing and a spent primer tube. I'm curious, is the 1 1/4" opening useful for anything other than the L-N-L bushings? The press is too small for 50 BMG.

Anyway, the toughest use my press will see will be some infrequent case-forming; here are some stats for those of you interested in swaging:

• 1.125" diameter ram
• 0.5" diameter ram pin
• The side panels (aka toggle links) are connected with a .56" link pin.

Here's a picture of the toggle mechanism:

Here's another:

The tapped mounting plate behind the die opening is for the optional primer feed according to the manual.

I'll call it a bargain at $60. The only place I've found that lists the primer feeds is midsouth -- $14 for small/large (separate items, both "On Order").

 

[mparris71]

Very nice press. looks like lee has made something that even Steve Smith can't insult

 

[44and45]

Hey, that is a really neat press, Cortland. Thanks for posting the final results.

I will be sending in my order very soon, I want one too.

That middle linkage between the panels (round brace bar) is the clincher, it's going to be great for swaging lead bullets I'm sure.

Plus, I can use my collection of Hornady lock-n-load die inserts by merely removing the 7/8 X 14 die adapter.

Can you show us how the primer tube to remove spent primers connects.

Jim

 

[Cortland]

The primers drop all the way through the ram and out a hole in the bottom of the ram yoke; the tube attaches to a barb on the yoke. Pictures:

Note the red plastic cap in case you don't have a trashcan handy.

 

[44and45]

That is so cool, thanks Cortland.

In regards to your earlier question is the 1 1/4 X 12 threads in the frame top good for anything except Hornady lock-n-load inserts...the answer is yes. There are bigger heavier duty reloading dies in that size thread, but don't know who makes them or what caliber they are made in.

Jim

 

[Netherwolf]

Hey guys,
Anyone know if Lee's new press will accept the RCBS primer pocket swager head & cup (I know the die should thread in)? My Lyman All-American Turret press doesn't "eject" the swaged case because of the way the ram is designed so I'm looking for a in expensive single stage press to get the job done. Been thinking about getting a Lee Challenger for this operation because it's "cost effective" but now with all this positive feedback about the Classic I might be inclined to spring for the extra bucks if I can use the RCBS primer pocket swager I already have.
Netherwolf