Lee speed dies

[bender]

Has anybody used these?

I have my reloading bench set up at someone else's garage, with all my dies in my Lee turrets for my Lee Turret Press.

However, I am going to buy a Lee Hand Press, and do some work at my own home. Was thinking about trying a Lee Speed Die in 45acp.

How do they work? are they convenient? Do they do a good job? They sure are inexpensive if they work good...

 

[Steve C]

I have a set for the .45 acp that I use in my single starge press occaionally for small runs. They work as good as the 3 dies set. They're a little different in that the decap and expand the case at the same time vrs the conventional die that decaps when resizing.

 

[m0ntels]

As Steve said, you cant really adjust how much bell you put on the case mouth with it. I got one for 9mm when I first started with a single stage. If you are going to do more than one caliber and therefore removing it from your press anyway, you'd still probably have to adjust it each time anyway. I ended up getting a non-speed die set of dies once I got my progressive because you cant use a speed die in there really. It's an interesting concept, but I dont find it very useful in the long run.

Operation:

1. Place empy case in shellholder and raise ram of press.
2. Screw in die body until it bottoms out on the case mouth.
3. Lower ram and screw sizer ring onto die body.
4. Size all cases.
5. Remove sizer ring. Drop the expander/decapper pin into the top of the die and screw in the seater stem behind it.
6. Expand/decap all cases.
7. Reprime all cases...if you use a ram prime, you just defeated the speedyness of the speed die. Your other choice is to buy a Lee Auto Prime (not a bad idea reguardless)
8. Charge cases and seat bullets by hand.
9. Remove the expander/decapper and reinstall the seating stem. Trial and error for seating depth.
10. Screw in die body partial turn if you want a crimp.
11. Seat/crimp all rounds.

That's from memory but should be close to correct. True you dont screw the die body more than once ideally, but you still need to screw/unscrew other parts.

Randy

 

[bender]

I was kinda interested in resizing, decapping, and then belling cases... that's it. With a Lee Hand Press. I do have a Lee Auto Prime at home also.
I have my reloading bench, all my dies, and my Lee Turret Press in someone else's garage.

So I'm just thinking of ideas of how to save time in my buddies garage. Thought if I did the resizing, decapping, and repriming, and belling at my house with a Lee Hand Press, I could just bring over a big bag of "ready to reload" brass to this other person's house, and just charge 'em there and seat bullets.

However, now I'm thinking I would rather resize/expand at home with the Lee Hand Press by using a regular Lee resize die, and then a Lyman expander die.

 

[m0ntels]

If you're worried about the hand press not doing as good a job seating bullets as a bench mounted single stage, dont. I've shot ragged hole 100yd groups with ammo loaded on mine. The only drawback to the hand press is the lower mechanical advantage and you have to watch your fingers a little better.

Randy

 

[scottsw1]

Speed Dies

I have used the Lee speed dies for 9mm, 357, 45acp for about 10 years and they served me well, probably saved me hundreds. I recently bought a Lee pro 1000 and had to buy all new dies but I couldn't complain. If you have a single station press they are a great deal.

 

[WyrTwister]

I have used a hand press , off and on for years . You can do it all with it .

Just get a scale , a load block ( I mad one out of a scrap of 2 x 8 ) and the Lee dippers / powder scoops . And a Lyman loading manual ( and maybe the Lee book too ) .

God bless
Wyr