310 Tool or Lee Loader for Spl/Mag

[BarryinIN]

Dumb question coming:

I see Lyman 310 dies and Lee Loaders marked or labeled ".38 Spl" or else "357 Mag" instead of 38/357; or "44 Spl" or "44 Mag" instead of 44Spl/Mag. Does that mean they are cartridge-specific, or can a set for Specials work for Magnums and vice versa as on regular dies?

I have reloading gear I've used for 30 years, but have never messed with the 310 or Lee and want to put together an extra compact set in a couple of calibers. More of an emergency use/keep handy/just in case type of thing that will (hopefully) not see regular use. The 310 or Lee would work here, but I have zero experience with them.

[Larry Gibson]

Both my Lyman 310 dies and my Lee Loader will load both. The Lee loader comes with one powder scoop and recommended charge table which limits it as being marketed as one or the other. With another scoop that gives a safe level of whatever powder is chosen for the other cartridge is handy to have along. I used a scoop for Bullseye for the .38 which was safe in the .357. The second scoop was for 2400 which wouldn't fit in a .38 case + the bullets (358156s or 358477s). Thus I couldn't make a mistake using the wrong powder in either case. Scoops for specified powder charges are handy to use with the Lyman 310 dies also.

Larry Gibson

[Green Frog]

Barry,

I have to admit that with my 310 tools I have loaded mostly Specials in the .38 and Mags in the .44, but IIRC, I just adjusted the .44 dies down when I needed to load for my friend's old Charter Arms .44 Spl. Since .38 Special brass is so ubiquitous, I seldom load .357 Mag at all, but am confident that by adjusting up on the dies it would be an easy switch. I can't speak to the Lee Loader situation because to date all of my experience with that system has been for rifle calibers only. For some reason, it seems that I see less discussion of loading pistol calibers with the Lee Loader, and I really don't know why, since it should be an easy switch.

HTH ~ Froggie

[Cowboy T]

I don't have the Lee Loader, but I do have the Lee die set for .38 Special, and that most certainly will reload .357M cartridges. All you have to do is adjust the die depth for the additional length of the .357M case, and you're good to go. Same applies to .44 Special dies reloading .44M cases.

[BarryinIN]

OK, thanks everyone.
It seemed to me like they should work for both, but never having used either, I thought I'd better ask.

Side story:
When I started reloading, I was so broke (being in the 9th grade) I was shopping around for a used Lee Loader because I couldn't afford a new one. I don't remember how much they were new, but maybe around 10 bucks, perhaps less. I needed to save all I could to buy some powder, bullets, and primers to get started.

Anyway, when I asked at one gun shop if they had any used ones, the guy behind the counter said "If you want to get fed-up or frustrated with reloading real quick, get a Lee Loader."
That may sound kind of ignorant and/or just stupid of him to you guys, but it may have been pretty good advice to give a kid that age without knowing me. I had tons of patience then, so probably would have been OK with something even less "sophisticated" than the Lee Loader, but I could see most of friends trying to use one and throwing it against the wall within five minutes. If they tried at all.

[Green Frog]

Barry,

I made a comment on another thread about "crawl before you walk." My take on it is that if you learn to use either the Lee Loader or the only slightly more complex Lyman 310 tool at the beginning, you will understand the true fundamentals. Then as you "move up" to the more sophisticated stuff, you will retain that understanding so that making adjustments, repairs, etc. will be intuitive for you. I would posit that the gun store clerk probably didn't really do your education that big a favor when he steered you away from the Lee. If you had started with some easy-to-load rifle caliber like .303 Brit, .30/30, etc. it would have been a great way for a curious and enthusiastic young lad to get in on the ground floor of reloading and have a solid start for an enjoyable pastime. Further, if you are too impatient to complete the loading of at least a few rounds of good shootable ammo with a Lee Loader, you are probably too impatient to shoot them! JMHO, based on my personal reloading history, YMMV!

Froggie

[scrapcan]

I have a 357 marked lee set that will not crimp 38 spl, the 38 marked set will do both with some caveats.

the 357 marked tool can load both fine and they work fine, if you don't need a crimp on the 38 spl. The 38 spl marked set will load both but the crimping part of the seater die is shorter than the 357 mag case. It will crimp but you have to be careful to get consistency with the 357 cases.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I also found that the .44 Mag Lee Loader would not choke down enought the do Specials but the .44 Special Lee Loader will do both.

I also concurr with Froggy. A Lee Loader is probably the best way to learn the fundimentals of reloading.

That's How I started, and I can load just about anything short of 50BMG's now as tools have a way of expanding to fill all available space.

You can easily be up and running for $50.

Randy

[matrics631]

Is this the type of 44 SPE that you're talking about? Anyone know how old the Lyman dies in this type of box are?

[Green Frog]

Is this the type of 44 SPE that you're talking about? Anyone know how old the Lyman dies in this type of box are?

Matrics631,

The two sets of purple colored iron handles you are posting in several threads are post-WW 2 and prior to about 1956 or so when the black aluminum handles came along. The brown box with remnants of a yellow label is actually for a #3 tool. It dates back to before the war, probably some time in the '20s or a little later, and it, along with the #10 tool became the origin of the current 310 tools. Are you trying to get info about them, sell them, or what? Your posts are a little confusing. It looks like you went back to the 310 tool posts for the last couple of years and responded to several of them.

Froggie

[Rio Grande]

I started with a .38/.357 Lee Loader way, way back when I was a teenager.
It did a good job, and I learned the basics.
But for what you are talking about, and whether the Lee Loader or 310 tool is best, I say don't pick either of those.
Use what I use now - a Lee Hand Press. Combined with a hand priming tool (I use now the old, original Lee one that has the screw-in shell-holders, but there's other good ones, such as the RCBS that uses standard shellholders) and a set of Lee dippers.
Not counting dippers, which you'd want anyway, I've got $55 in my setup, and you can do it for less.
And I enjoy using those tools, and as proud of them as anyone with a $500 Dillon setup might be of theirs!

Advantages over Lee Loader and/or 310 tool are,
-Full length sizing if desired
- standard dies and shell holders
- better control of neck tension, not so dependent on case wall thickness
-less expensive than a 310 tool and dies, unless you get lucky.

Skeeter Skelton used a 310 tool, and thats as good a recommendation as any, but at that time I think there was no Hand Press available.
310's can do good work, and they are more compact, and they prime.
I'd get a 310 before a Lee Loader, esp. for handgun.
And I saw one w/ .38 spl dies sell for under $50 just last week on evilbay.

Still, I prefer the Lee Hand Press for above reasons.

[Ziptar]

Don't get me wrong, I love my Lee Loaders and I have several. but, as Rio Grande posted, the hand press option is better.

IMHO, If you want to put together a compact set of tools to load multiple calibers for emergency use/keep handy/just in case a Lee Hand Press or HDS Compac Tool, set of Lee .38 Spl / .357 Mag and .44 Spl / .44 Mag Carbide Dies, and set of Redding Die Spacers , a Lee auto prime (Optional, you can prome with either hand press), a few dippers, a scotch brite pad / 0000 Steel wool for cleaning cases and a small to medium cheap plastic tool box or ammo can. You could even live without the spacers just by threading the dies out enough to do the Magnums.

Space wise, it would take up just as much or less than the Lee loaders and a Hammer. While not as cheap possibly, as the Lee Loaders it would be faster and quieter (no hammering) than the Lee Loaders and you'd be able to reload just about anywhere as you wouldn't need a place to hammer. It's probably close cost, weight, and space wise to getting outfitted with all the 310 handles and dies and you'd be able to full length size if you need to. In addition you could use the same dies and shell holders you might already have or would buy for your current bench mounted reloading press.

The HDS Compac is expensive new from Huntington's but, they can be found on auction sites for $50 - $60.

I live in an apartment and I have yet to setup a dedicated reloading bench, I'm working on it but, my current main reloading setup fits in a old wooden hobby box. It has everything I need to reload 250 - 500 rounds of .45 Colt anywhere at any given time (granted, 500 rounds worth of boolits is getting pretty heavy). It is very portable already but, in a pinch it could be slimmed down to the bare minimum. I can reload anywhere I like, dining room table, picnic table at the range, etc. You get the idea. If I was hammering rounds together the Mrs. would ban me from the dining room for sure.



You could go even more compact if you got a hand press and some Lee "Speed Die"(s) (no longer in production).



Lee's "Speed Die"(s) only use a single die body to perform all of the required reloading steps, Hard to get any more compact than that. The thing with the "Speed Die" is they are caliber specific, one for .38 Special, one for .357 Mag, one for .44 Mag, and as far as I know they didn't come in .44 Special (or .45 Colt but, I wish they did.). I suppose it be might possible to make up a shimmed shell holder in order to say do the .44 Special in the .44 Mag Speed die.

If you really have your heart set on doing .38 Special / .357 magnum and .44 Special / .44 magnum then the three die sets and spacers are probably the way to go.

Over time I've picked up set of Lee 38 Special / .357 Magnum dies that came with the spacers, (mine are from RCBS), as well as "Speed Die"(s) in .38 Special, .357 magnum, and .45 ACP for future "someday" use.

[Rio Grande]

Ziptar, that is one fine setup.
I load .38/357 and I didn't know about the spacers.
And that HDS Compac...I bet I'd buy one if I found it for $60 or less.
I'm going to check it out!

I ha a speed die once and didn't care for it - what was it I didn't like, I don't remember...didn't full length size or didn't neck expand or something???
Gotta start keeping better notes.

[Ziptar]

Thanks Rio Grande.

The Compac is a really nice tool. I've got a old Lee C Frame press and compared to it, the Compac takes much less effort to full length size with.

I've used the speed dies to size, decap, and neck expand. I think on the Speed Dies it was neck expansion you are thinking of. They full length size just fine. Its a little backwards from regular dies. The first step is sizing, the second is de-priimg and neck expanding all in one shot.

If I had one complaint its the neck expansion, its a bit tight for cast boolits. it works without shaving but there no way to adjust it at all.

Still they're cute and handy, I didn't give allot for them so I keep them around.

I forgot to mention, midway sells the 38 / 357 die spacer by itself also, http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=312274