What is this and what parts are missing?

[X-JaVeN-X]

Hey guys...I know nothing about reloading, but found this at a flea market for $5. It's in an old box and there seem to be some pieces missing? I'm assuming it's some sort of old hand held tool for reloading a specific cartridge, but there is no paper work and no numbers at all on the box or pieces. I'm assuming there is something missing that would have the caliber listed. I believe the little black piece with a cup is a powder measure and it has "065" on it, but that is the only numbers I can find. Any of you used one of these? How does it work and how can I find out what caliber it is for?

 

[mbenepe]

Hi,
What you have there is a Lee Loader, probably for .357 Magnum caliber. Look at the Silver die part. It should have a caliber on the outside of the top edge of it. You are missing the cartridge expander that flairs the cartridge mouth before bullet seating and the charge table with goes over the top of everything. That has the powder and load weight recommendations on it. You can get both from the company for a small charge. You got a roughly $25-30 outfit for a song.
M

 

[X-JaVeN-X]

Hi,
What you have there is a Lee Loader, probably for .357 Magnum caliber. Look at the Silver die part. It should have a caliber on the outside of the top edge of it. You are missing the cartridge expander that flairs the cartridge mouth before bullet seating and the charge table with goes over the top of everything. That has the powder and load weight recommendations on it. You can get both from the company for a small charge. You got a roughly $25-30 outfit for a song.
M

I really can't find a number anywhere on this thing. I don't know which piece is what lol. The main silver piece in the middle of my second pic has "Lee Loader pat. 111 111" stamped on it, but that's it. I'm going to check with Lee and see if they have a manual for the thing....again...excuse my ignorance on the subject.

 

[spottedpony]

It a Lee Loader hand reloading tool. usually used with a mallet, the rod with the little pin goes inside an amunition case to decap (drive out the old primer) The case is then driven into the sizing die to resize, then the longer rod should have a recess in one end, and slides inside the case and tapped on the anvil shown on the die to seat a new primer. The black cup is a powder measure and origionally there would have been tables showing that particular measure number along with how many grains of different powders it would have measured.
Part of the die then would be adjusted for bullet seating.
On the box end or possibly on the die somewhere should be a caliber designation.

I'm not totally familiar with the lee hand tool procedure for rifle or pistol ammo. 50some years ago i got my reloading start with a similar lee hand tool for shotguns. Never used one for brass ammo so i cant be accurate on the procedure but the above would be a general method of use.

 

[we are not amused]

That brings back old memories, my father had a Lee hand loader for 30-06. Haven't seen one for years.

 

[mbenepe]

No problem Lee has instructions for both handgun and rifle lee loaders. Yours is a handgun one. They are free for download from the company. That number should tell them what caliber, but judging from the dipper, it could be .357 or .41 magnums. Does it look to be a larger diameter cartridge for the silver die? That could give a bit of a clue.
M

 

[X-JaVeN-X]

It a Lee Loader hand reloading tool. usually used with a mallet, the rod with the little pin goes inside an amunition case to decap (drive out the old primer) The case is then driven into the sizing die to resize, then the longer rod should have a recess in one end, and slides inside the case and tapped on the anvil shown on the die to seat a new primer. The black cup is a powder measure and origionally there would have been tables showing that particular measure number along with how many grains of different powders it would have measured.
Part of the die then would be adjusted for bullet seating.
On the box end or possibly on the die somewhere should be a caliber designation.

I'm not totally familiar with the lee hand tool procedure for rifle or pistol ammo. 50some years ago i got my reloading start with a similar lee hand tool for shotguns. Never used one for brass ammo so i cant be accurate on the procedure but the above would be a general method of use.

The end of the box has a small piece of sticker left, but what is left of it has nothing on it.

The instructions you mention make enough sense, and it looks like lee still sells all the pieces. Assuming their newer models aren't different, it looks like I can order the pieces that are missing (including instructions and powder chart)....the only problem is I don't know what caliber this silly thing is for. The only hint is the "065" on the powder charge measure which is maybe 0.65? The replacement powder measure on Lee's website is for the .357 mag is listed as 0.7

 

[X-JaVeN-X]

No problem Lee has instructions for both handgun and rifle lee loaders. Yours is a handgun one. They are free for download from the company. That number should tell them what caliber, but judging from the dipper, it could be .357 or .41 magnums. Does it look to be a larger diameter cartridge for the silver die? That could give a bit of a clue.
M

I grabbed a .357 cartridge and it won't fit in the hole on the end of the die (but it is very close to that size). The hole is just slightly too small.

 

[wgaynor]

Call Lee Precision. They'll tell you about it.

 

[X-JaVeN-X]

Looking at the instructions on Lee's website, it looks like I actually have all of the parts except for the tool to flare the case (but that is an optional part depending on the cartridge that it's for according to the manual). It also looks like I have an extra part. It appears that I have two decapping chamber. One appears to be for a much larger caliber. So, all I need now is to figure out what caliber it is for.

 

[medalguy]

Instruction manual.

http://leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/RE1422.pdf

Took about 0.65 seconds with Google. Also google Youtube for tons of videos on using the Lee loader.

 

[frankmako]

a old lee hand loader set. I got one in 1970 for 8mm. still use it. works well, but slow. makes good ammo.

 

[Lost Sheep]

The chrome knurled cylinder had the caliber engraved on it, and it should still be there unless someone wore it off or ground it down. Read it to us again, please.

The 065 is an indicator of the volume of the dipper. Newer ones (yellow) are actually calibrated in cubic centimeters. Red ones (if I recall correctly) were calibrated in cubic inches (in decimal fractions, of course). I believe the black ones must be the oldest and if I am informed correctly, the numbers are not dimensional at all, but simply indicate which dipper it is. Lee has tables that purport to tell you how much weight of powder (you have to know which powder you are dispensing, of course, as each powder has different density). But very few people trust the tables without a scale.

You will need a scale to be certain of how much powder you are using. Do not skip the scale.

I have the Lee Loader for almost every caliber I load. Don't use them much, as a press is so much easier and quieter. Using the Lee Loader means at least six whacks of a mallet (do not use a hammer, use a wood, rawhide, plastic, brass or hard rubber mallet) to load each cartridge. It gets noisy and anyone watching is bound to be unnerved by the image of someone banging away on live ammunition. But despite the image, it is safe. Wear eye protection anyway and maybe a glove.

Good luck. Have fun. Be safe, always, all ways.

Thanks for asking our advice.

Lost Sheep