Question for Lee APP users....

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Lee has new 5 tube case feeder that will work on the app. It’s a one and done set up. No difficult settings between cases. The 5 tube set up allows their new collator to be used that works with rifle and handgun cases.

How portable is it? I like being able to decap under the big shady oak out back when there’s a cool breeze.

 

[LiveLife]

Lee has new 5 tube case feeder that will work on the app. It’s a one and done set up. No difficult settings between cases. The 5 tube set up allows their new collator to be used that works with rifle and handgun cases.

New 5 tube case feeder incorporates a key feature many of us complained about ... cases bouncing/jumping out after dropping. This was addressed by many DIYers with 3D printed "gate" that applied tension with rubber band.

I did mention this concern to Calvin as it was the last bit of issue to resolve with SPP/Pro 6000 kit product launch resolution of identified problems and presto, Lee Precision decided to scrap the old 4 tube case feeder design and produced new 5 tube design that incorporated the "gate" under spring tension to retain the case.

 

[Typetwelve]

I only use mine for de-priming, before tumbling the brass. I don't think I'd want to resize on the thing as I resize/prime on my progressive. They are a pain to adjust, so I bought a second one so I could have set up side by side for different rounds. For busting through a ton of brass, the thing is super fast, once it's set up properly.

 

[R44 flyer]

I have a friend that is thinking of getting the Lee APP for processing brass, and I've honestly thought about getting one as well. We were on the phone a few minutes ago discussing it, and he thinks that the press will decap only without sizing, and then size by running the brass through the press a second time. My understanding is that it will decap and size in the same step.

So my question to the Lee APP users, will the press size AND decap in one pass, or would it need two passes to size and decap? The latter is a deal breaker for my friend, and I think it would be a deal breaker for me as well.

We both also realize that it's not a true reloading press in the traditional sense, but rather a "brass processing" press, so seating and crimping would need to be done on another press.

Thanks in advance to all the great people here.

chris

Found on the Lee website today

 

[LiveLife]

question to the Lee APP users, will the press size AND decap in one pass, or would it need two passes to size and decap?

While APP/Deluxe APP will handle depriming/resizing of pistol brass, not sure about resizing bottle neck rifle brass. Since I am beta testing for Lee Precision, I thought about resizing .223 brass (Including military crimped LC brass)

I emailed Calvin (My beta testing contact for Lee Precision) asking for clarification of what the resizing limitation of APP/Deluxe APP were and here's his response:

Good morning,​

​

... Straight wall pistol cases are good to size with the X-press shell holders. On tapered cases that are carbide, such as 9mm Luger, we recommend a cheap spray lube or thinned out Lee Case sizing lube, 90006, to prevent any rim damage.​

​

You can size lubricated rifle cases in a X-press shell holder as long as the case is properly lubed and inside of case neck is well lubricated. Still proceed with caution.​

​

The only cases to completely avoid in my opinion are long tapered cases that are not carbide. ex. 45-70 and similar shape.​

​

Sincerely,​

​

Calvin Katzfey​

Lee Precision, Inc.​

​

So confirmation of depriming/resizing in one pass using pistol carbide resizing die and X-Press shell holder with case lube for 9mm. I only planned on resizing .223 brass as I use universal depriming die to remove primers prior to wet tumbling.

We both also realize that it's not a true reloading press in the traditional sense, but rather a "brass processing" press, so seating and crimping would need to be done on another press.

Being able to resize also means you should be able to seat and crimp with APP/Deluxe APP.

Found on the Lee website today

Nice!

Free primer pocket swage kit with purchase of APP (Not Deluxe APP) expires on 12/15 - https://leeprecision.com/90933-90237-app-press-with-app-swage-kit

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Being able to resize also means you should be able to seat and crimp with APP/Deluxe APP.

I’ve done, just to see if it works. It does but the automation gets in the way more than it helps.
If I had only the APP I would use it with standard shell holders in single stage mode and just disable the feed temporarily for processing charge and seat operations.
The downstroke gives nice leverage for seating.

 

[ballman6711]

My friend got his APP on Monday (not twelve days as expected) and I helped him set it up on Tuesday.

First, it is small and light, a lot smaller than I thought it would be, and although I expected it to be somewhat light, the plastic parts make it feel lighter even than it looks. Second, some of the plastic parts look/feel flimsy, and I could see them getting broken if something were to bind up and the operator tried to continue sizing, depriming, etc....

Setting it up was a PITA. Not really terrible or even difficult, but the instructions were not quite as good as they could be. Again, not difficult, just little things like setting up the case feed. The bolt with three nuts holding it on is pretty ingenious, and plenty strong for the intended purpose. The problem is with the directions. I may have missed it, but nowhere did I see/read to put the bolt head up and the threads down. Nor did I see or read how to adjust the case feed height. I did get it set up, and we deprimed some cases, and it was fast. Then when we went to rotate the tubes I realized that the bolt was upside down and had to be flipped over. Meaning I had to take it apart and fiddle with getting it set correctly a second time. The directions were well written with regards to choosing the proper case slider, but overall I felt the directions to be somewhat lacking.

Next, we decided to try priming a few cases. That was certainly interesting to get set up as well. But once setup, it seemed to work fairly well until down to just a few primers, at which point they wouldn't feed since there was no weight pushing down. Again the directions could have been better.

He didn't get the shell holders because he thought it came with them. So we didn't get the chance to size or flare any cases. I'm not sure if he'll order them or not, but I suspect he will.

Having set one up, if I set up another one it should be pretty easy, since I now know what to look for (as far as the little fiddly bits and somewhat unclear instructions). It is fast, and works very well once set up. Set up took about two hours. Overall I was quite impressed, and am looking very hard at getting one for myself.

chris

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I use the APP Deluxe for priming, particularly higher volumes of cases. The other night I primed 700 revolver cases. With my hand primer, I limit myself to 150 per session to save the tendons in my elbow. With the APP, I think I could do at least a few thousand before I just got bored. It doesn't work perfectly. I get a primer turned sideways sometimes, and it's impossible to see since its hidden by the feeding mechanism and then the case itself. It's not a foolproof operation either. If I stroke it after the column of brass in the feeder is empty, it will still feed a primer and then when I start feeding cases again, another stroke will double-feed a primer. Clearing the machine from my faults is a little tricky, but it can be learned and a brass pick helps. It can be avoided altogether if I don't make any mistakes. The only thing I fault the machine for is the occasional sideways mangled primer and an occasional mashed case mouth where the fingers mash it despite proper alignment. It's less than 1 in 100. I can use my RCBS hand primer as fast as the APP, but it will have faults at a similar rate when I'm moving that fast, and I already explained I cannot use the hand primer for anywhere near the volume the APP produces easily. So I would absolutely use the APP if I was going to prime hundreds or thousands of cases. 20 to 50 cases, and I would use the hand primer.

I bought mine after reading his review,

I have it set up but I haven't used it yet, I've been busy with work and redoing the room my wife works in at home. (What she wanted for Christmas).
I put it on the Lee Quick mount system, and I like that system.

As far as the last few primers, I'm still using the old top of the press mounted Auto Prime ll. I've been using it for 30 years and it's the same way, so I'm used to watching for that.
I'll try it maybe tomorrow and I want to see if the new black Winchester primers will run through it. They won't run through any of my other presses priming systems including the Auto Prime ll. So, I don't have high hopes for this one either, since it uses essentially the same chute for the primers.

I sure hope those primers are just a bad batch. I have two sleeves of them left and I'll probably have to throw them away. That seems like a crime punishable by death or something right now. But they are out of shape and won't feed in anything. I'll probably replace the broken primer arm on my Rock Chucker and use them in it.

As far as the APP Deluxe press goes,
Yes, the directions could have been written better. It's like the technical writer that wrote them didn't understand how the press works and was trying to parrot someone else, who was explaining it to them.

When I worked for Brookville Equipment Corp in Pa as Maintenance Supervisor, we wrote our own owners manuals for the machines we built, and we had people affiliated with production write them, then had people read them that was not affliliated with production, to see if they made sense to them. They were very well written and easy to understand, but it took a lot to get them that way.

Our Products - Brookville Equipment Corporation

BROOKVILLE is a world class American manufacturer of powered transportation solutions specializing in streetcars, locomotives, and mining, along additional products.

www.brookvillecorp.com

I can see a manual for something with a small profit margin, being written in more haste, so as NOT to get more money in the manual than in the product. I didn't have any problems with it, but I diagnose and repair machines for a living.

I don't anticipate any problems with it. It's pretty straight forward.

I do have one question, it pops up when the primer slide moves ahead. I don't see any purpose it could have.

 

[ballman6711]

I didn't see a purpose for that piece that pops up either, but I'm sure there is a reason.

I didn't have any problems with it, but I diagnose and repair machines for a living.

I wouldn't say I had any problems, I was trying to figure it out while chit chatting with my buddy. Never a good idea when you need to focus on something.

So I guess I had a few problems, lol!


chris

 

[LiveLife]

I do have one question ... it pops up when the primer slide moves ahead. I don't see any purpose it could have.

I didn't see a purpose for that piece that pops up either, but I'm sure there is a reason.

Flag looking thing that pops up plays a crucial function and actuated by the primer slider. When it swings down by gravity, base blocks primers from spilling out into the primer slider channel/trough. When primer slider pushes primer forward, base swings up to allow primer to slide forward.

And FYI, when using large primers, push down on the square button next to the pop up thingy to make more room for larger diameter primer cup; and when using small primers, push up on the square button from the bottom to decrease space to hold SP/SR primers in place for the primer slider.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Ok, that makes sense. I'll get to try mine tomorrow for the first time.
If the APP Deluxe runs anywhere as good as my APP I use to deprime with, I'll be very happy.
I think they are very much worth the money they cost.