Breech lock pro first impressions and on going thoughts

So yea! My box came along with most of the stuff I wanted to make this progressive reloading a breeze.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...8ad2dc19c3.jpg

Mid south made it very shined with the foil looking Christmas paper but everything is there.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...4f5f490d2e.jpg
And all these small parts
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So first problem I ran into was mounting it straight to the bench wasn’t gonna work the front hole is to close to the edge to get a good grip so I pulled my Lee o press out and stuck one bolt in the back so I could tinker.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c4b8cffa20.jpg

Of course I was to giddy to bother with pictures til I had done set everything up.

2 things I don’t like.

1. The locking bushings don’t have a index point on the press so when I go to spin my dies out out comes the bushing. Going to make it slower to change calibers.

2. These new lock ring eliminators need eliminated. I went to tighten the set screw after adjusting the die had to pull the bushing and gave my self a hernia trying to get that 1/4 turn out of the set screw. After jacking around with things I said screw it and pulled that bushing out and took the one off my single stage(which btw has a button to index the bushings in place)

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All in all it’s pretty stout and smooth a couple things i learned would be:

1. Short stroking doesn’t just sound bad it doesn’t work well either.

2. The shell keeper finger thingys need to be properly adjusted for case alignment.

3. Safety prime is going to like to have the moon and the stars aligned but should go with out a hitch.

4. The safety chain and disconnector don’t reset very well and probably won’t be used past this first real session.

5. This thing can mash the $@&? Out of yer didgets

6. I’ll be happy when the case feeder comes in, even more so when Lee makes a universal bullet feeder.

7. To dang sleepy to think of anything else more pictures and narration to come.


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Thanks for the pics and report. My press arrived yesterday & I hope to have it up and running this weekend. :)

I am gonna build some steel plates to stand the press off the bench and avoid some of the issues I had mounting the single stage


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I really like the lock ring eliminators. I just don't like the expense. I wonder if you maybe got one with some monkeyed up threads.

And I'm in the opposite camp with the retaining button on the SS presses, too. I wish they just put a set of timing marks on there and skipped the button. Its the weak point in the system, IMO.

I just like the button cause I don’t pull the bushings out to change dies and don’t really want to buy more bushings to make things easier


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I like the split ring bushings
At $12 for a two pack, that seems more than fair considering what you are getting
The point is not to remove the die, you remove the bushing and generally end adjustment.

Attachment 218763

jmort, I picked up a dozen on sale for $10/pr. You're right....they're not unreasonably priced, they just add quite a bit to a set of dies and I felt guilty buying them already having a million standard bushings laying around.

I actually wondered why Lee includes one lock ring eliminator with this press. I suspect it's so people can see how much nicer it is and buy more.

I'm a big fan of the breech lock system...the only problem I have had is with the standard style bushings. For some reason I have had a couple dies get stuck in them, and not able to get them off without resorting to pump pliers on the threads. I don't know what combination of aluminum/o-ring/steel is making that such a bear at times, but the integrated lock ring sure makes this a better system.

The tool head looks very tight. Would there be enough room for Hornady or Forster lock rings?

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Originally Posted by TaylorS

I just like the button cause I don’t pull the bushings out to change dies and don’t really want to buy more bushings to make things easier


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Just out of curiosity, do you have in mind how many calibers you plan to reload for? I wonder if it would be worth permanently affixing the bushings into the toolhead. Say, JB weld, red lock tight, or a set screw. I've heard of folks doing that with other breech lock presses. As much as I am a fan of the system, I don't see its value on a press like this and would have preferred to see a removable toolhead. I love the $10 turrets for the LCT press.

There’s 6 or 7 calibers I can think of off the top of my head and locktite sounds like a good fix for it I don’t mind adjusting the dies when I change calibers been doing it with the single stage long enough I don’t need to change yet. I might end up buying the extra bushings just to not have to fight it if my locktite didn’t hold


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I imagine red would work quite well.

Got press mounted will take a pic when I get back out there but setting these dies holy cow. It seems really picky to have everything set just so so that each function is perfect. Then again I’ve never used a auto drum or disk to meter powder so just having to get that right the rest should set up easily.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Boogedy_Man

d. I actually wondered why Lee includes one lock ring eliminator with this press. I suspect it's so people can see how much nicer it is and buy more.

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It was my impression from watching a couple videos from Lee that the lock ring eliminator is what holds the index rod in place....they had to remove it to remove the index rod, hence my impression.....

The Lee Autodrum can be a test of patience the first few times you set it up, but once you figure it out it's the bee's knees.
I love mine, on an LCT.

So first run wasn’t bad almost double charged one never could get the disconnector to work twice in a row so I disabled it. It really flings the finished rounds out I’ll have to build a lil bit more of a backstop for em ran out of lead for the 9mm so now taking donations if anyone’s interested. Here’s the pic after I reset it up for 223https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...22e662f387.jpg

Since I don’t have the rifle charging die I guess I’ll head back to the other press and tweak some 308s see what we can get out of my rifle


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Something else just hit me like a fat kid on a bobsled. I can adapt my Lyman 55 to work with the press for rifle rounds using the lock ring eliminator!https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...9780a528f8.jpg

It’ll be awkward but it will be doable until I can get the rifle die in


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Quote:

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which btw has a button to index the bushings in place

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Maybe they wanted it to be like the Hornady LNL where the bushings self detach.?

Don’t get me wrong, I like quick change but there needs to be positive retention once I put it there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 1bluehorse

It was my impression from watching a couple videos from Lee that the lock ring eliminator is what holds the index rod in place....they had to remove it to remove the index rod, hence my impression.....

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Ahh...thanks. Interesting arrangement.

Never mind previous thought was junk first case into the measurehttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0130cc9bf1.jpg


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Well I decided not to give up I had to run it in there so it caught the side of it had 3 more get crimped in the charging station and I’m not bright enough to keep up with the extra step of running the measure so I’m running it like a upside down turret presshttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d41a353ed1.jpg

That went well towards the end I started adding cases and steps again I think I have my method now I’ll just have to practice and not get in a hurry. With the 223 I did have to slow way down so I wouldn’t bind any cases that may ease up with a charging die.


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