Being in college, I live in an apartment and don't have the place to mount an actual press so for the time being my Lyman stays at home. Since I spend so much time at school, and since I still like to shoot my .308, I decided to purchase a Lee hand press. My question is, for loading 25-50 rounds per week as an average, is that an okay option? I still have the majority of my other reloading gear with me, it is only the press that I cannot take back and forth from my home to my apartment.
And a secondary question, I have some CCI BR-2 benchrest primers. Is there any reason that I should not use these when loading for my .308? Is there anything special that I should know about them?
Thanks for the help guys!
The hand press will do for you and is really handy if you want to load at the range. But a press that mounts on a bench is more convenient, especially for your .308. The Lee Hand press (nor the Lee Reloader press, their simplest "C" frame) just does not have the leverage of a proper bench-mounted press like the Challenger, Classic Cast of Classic Turret. Even the RCBS Jr. is superior to the Hand Press or Reloader, in my opinion and would serve you better.
My setup over the past 38 years has consisted of a press bolted to a short 2x6 clamped into a folding workbench (or just clamped to an end table), dies, a scale, a couple of powder measures and a number of other miscellaneous tools.
I recommend a Lee Classic Turret (seeing as you already have a Lyman, which I assume is their single stage). It will not duplicate something you already have, giving some variety to your gear. The Classic Turret has a vertical opening a full 1" taller than the Deluxe Turret, so will handle your .308 easily. My loading setup is something you might want to emulate on a smaller scale.
Everything (except components) I need to load for a half-dozen calibers fits in 3 toolboxes:
One is 23" x 10" x 10" and contains my press (Lee Classic Turret), mounting system (a 2"x6" board carriage bolts and wing nuts) a small "4"X8"X1.5" fishing tackle box to contain all the small parts & tools and the primer feeding system. There's room for a couple of manuals in there, too, but I store them on my bookshelf, with one next to the computer.
The second (15"x8"x8") contains all the gunpowder handling parts. Scale, funnel, Lee Auto-Disk Powder measure/dispenser and a set of Lee's measuring scoops/dippers bullet puller, micrometer and my loading safety glasses (as opposed to my shooting glasses).
The third (15"x7"x7") contains seven sets of reloading dies, mounted in their turrets inside their plastic storage cylinders, ready to plug into the press and use.
I use a folding workbench these days, but I used to just wedge the 2x6 into the drawer of an end table. I can set up my reloading room anywhere in just a few minutes.
I spread a dropcloth (to keep from losing primers, live or dead, or small parts and to contain any powder spills) and load to my heart's content.
My current setup is as follows:
Lee Classic Turret Press
7 Die sets (all mounted in their own quick-change turrets plus one flat die box of unmounted dies
3 Auto-Disk powder measures (2 standard and one Pro)
kinetic bullet puller
calipers
Primer Pocket cleaner
Case mouth Chamfer Tool
Safety glasses (shooting glasses would do, but I keep a dedicated pair)
Powder trickler
Powder Funnel
A set of Lee Powder Dippers
Tweezers and other small hand tools
A half-dozen loading manuals (don't keep them in the toolboxes, though)
Dropcloth (not in the toolboxes, either, but covering them
Lee Safety Prime for large and small primers (Lee Primer Dispensers for use on the press)
I think that's about it for the toolboxes.
They all fit in three medium sized plastic toolboxes. With the folding worktable, I can set up anywhere (including going over to a friend's house) with just three trips (two carrying the gear and one carrying the components). I make more trips to the car preparing to go to the range.
My vibratory case cleaner does not fit in the toolboxes. But then, you don't really need one. Mine was gift from a friend who thought my brass should be shinier. It does look nicer, but doesn't shoot any better than when I just wiped it down with a towel.
Lost Sheep