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Thread: In praise of the Lee Hand Press

  1. #141
    Boolit Master
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    Nice little presses, pretty usefull especially if you don't have a reloading bench set up or just want to tweak a load at the range.
    U.S.A. " RIDE FOR THE BRAND OR LEAVE!"

  2. #142
    Boolit Master deces's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sonnypie View Post
    Ben, You are absolutely right Sir. It is time I shared back some photos.
    Please allow me to make amends.

    My battle weary old Lee hand press grew a clamp.



    And it grew a Lee Bullet feeder and accessory 100 bullet feeder in 45 caliber. It was an experiment, and I was willing to "force" the issue to yet another press if absolutely necessary.



    (Most unfortunately, I can not use it on my RCBS 4X4, as I had hoped. It would have had a dual purpose then.)

    Just yesterday I received the caliber change kit that is listed for 9mm and up to a .75 long (tall?) bullet. I needed the height for my 120 grain cast boolits, but I needed 30 caliber forks. As it turned out the forks are the same for 30 cal and in the change over kit I ordered. But the 9mm/.365 has the feed die throat needed for my boolits. As soon as the fork issue was resolved I fired in my order for the caliber change kit.

    A 30 cal 120 grain in the forks:


    And the same over the pusher ready to be fed into the sizer die.


    (This is a boolit that is ready to load, but I'm using it for example. Also note how I have modified the sizer die to allow the forks to operate at the top end of the ram stroke.)

    I functioned well over 500 cast 45's through with this before I added a knob to the actuator arm.



    I broke one of the handles along the way and had the welder at work heliarc a repair and reinforcement into it after I had bead blasted and prepped it for him. Richard was an absolute artist with metals. (Decades ago now.)






    So there ya have it, My Friend. Please excuse the kaos in the background. I never did have a "neat" shop. Basically, what is in use is generally on the top of the pile.
    Sorry it took this long to respond. I have to do a ritual to get photos web ready and up on my URL.
    I'm more than happy to share my ideas and triumphs concerning my tinkerings.
    I know I have learned from you, and hopefully I have shared some ideas with you as well.
    I have an interesting quirk. Probably 75% of my interest is in the methods and improvements, and 25% in the end results.
    When my hands are busy, my mind is working on ways to improve what my hands are doing.

    IT'S A MADHOUSE! A MADHOUSE!

    But I have more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

    I love my old Lee hand press. Battle weary as it may be, it's a workin still!
    Any way you could repost the pictures please, your earthlinks are dead.
    Last edited by deces; 02-13-2019 at 01:14 AM.
    These men and their hypnotized followers call this a new order. It is not new. It is not order.

  3. #143
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    Mine is 5 years old, still going strong, still my favorite press by far.

  4. #144
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
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    I found my Lee Hand Press so darned Handy... I bought a second !
    The Lee Hand Press is one of Lee's best products...no more making noise with the Whack-A-Mole loader...load in the house or at the office...disturbance free.
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  5. #145
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    W.R.Buchanan's Avatar
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    Gosh, If you's guys like the Lee Press so much,,, you'd really like the BPM Press which will stand up by itself,,,

    and will never be Battle Weary!

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  6. #146
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by W.R.Buchanan View Post
    Gosh, If you's guys like the Lee Press so much,,, you'd really like the BPM Press which will stand up by itself,,,

    and will never be Battle Weary!

    Randy
    I have not used your press, but have seen videos of it. I imagine it's wonderful, but it's the price that kills it for the common folk. If you could make an economy model, in the 125.00 range it'd sell well I think.

    I'd like to try one but honestly I think it'd be more fumbly than the lee if you didn't have a table to work with. I work with my lee a lot outside setting on the ground or a stump. And I've done a fair amount on the couch with just two Tupperware tubs and the lee. I'm sure your press is better in terms of quality. If you ever offered a "copy" of the lee press with a few tweaks, that'd be the bees knees.

    I mean no offence by the way!
    Last edited by Bazoo; 02-13-2019 at 07:43 PM.

  7. #147
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I enjoy being able to go outside and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air when using my hand press. Sometimes the wife will mow or piddle with her flowers and I'll "keep her company".

  8. #148
    Boolit Buddy
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    I bought a used one at a gun show a couple years ago, just got to use it last week at a friends house to make sure a 30 carb load would cycle, found it very handy.

  9. #149
    Boolit Master brstevns's Avatar
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    Loaded thousands of rounds with it over the years. Mine is close to 20 years old

  10. #150
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    W.R.Buchanan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bazoo View Post
    I have not used your press, but have seen videos of it. I imagine it's wonderful, but it's the price that kills it for the common folk. If you could make an economy model, in the 125.00 range it'd sell well I think.

    I'd like to try one but honestly I think it'd be more fumbly than the lee if you didn't have a table to work with. I work with my lee a lot outside setting on the ground or a stump. And I've done a fair amount on the couch with just two Tupperware tubs and the lee. I'm sure your press is better in terms of quality. If you ever offered a "copy" of the lee press with a few tweaks, that'd be the bees knees.

    I mean no offence by the way!
    Bazoo: None taken,,,, What you need to understand is that the Lee Press is made from aluminum castings and stamped parts. The cost of the parts on that tool are less than $10. The cost of my Machined Parts are more like $95/unit! I hand assemble every one. There is 37-38 parts in each one, and it takes about 45 minutes to go from parts to complete tool for each one. If there was a way to produce the same product for less,,, Believe me,,, I would do it.

    I never intended it to be an "Economy Tool," I designed it to be the finest tool of it's type ever produced, and so far it looks like I succeeded,,, I've sold 160 units so far, and so far the only naysayers are people who have never seen or touched one. Everyone who actually handles the tool sees it's value.

    You don't need a table to use it, it works just like a Lee Hand Press in that regard and I actually had a Lee Press in hand when I designed mine.

    It will stand up by itself on either a table or a stump which the Lee Hand Press won't do, being able to clamp it to a table top just makes it easier to do many of the other operations associated with loading ammo.

    After this you'll probably be ordering one soon. www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

    Something you can pass on to your grand children !

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  11. #151
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    I don't use my Lee hand press a lot but it fills a critical hole in my overall reloading scheme.

    As an added bonus I got mine used at a flea market for $10. It looked brand new.


    Steve in N CA

  12. #152
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Le Loup Solitaire View Post
    This is probably the best one to come along over the years, It is strong, light and handy....does all the necessary operations. I've had two of them for a long time. The only minor pain for me has been that after around 10 decaps the shell holder has to be pulled to empty the spent primers, but it only takes a few seconds to do that. I'll probably get one of the newer ones soon just to have an extra around and make it a threesome. Lee did a good job with this tool. LLS
    Just get a LEE decapping punch and something with a hole in it and punch out the primers.i just use a 3/8 nut or a 3/8 socket.
    A hammer and a finishing nail that fits the primer hole and a board with a hole in it. The fired primers come out very easy.
    Then, when you size the cases you never stop till you are done sizing.

  13. #153
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    Mine are about 30 years old. I will sit in my chair in the evening and size brass after I have lubed them. Usually do about 100 at a time.

  14. #154
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    I don't have a Buchanan press, and my Lee press, while very handy, doesn't get used much anymore. I'm retired and like reloading, so I have no reason to reload at the range, besides my Co-Ax is a dream to use. From the pic of the Buchanan press I've seen, the press looks well designed, and sturdy (I'm a life long machinist/mechanic and can appreciate good designed tools) . I think if I needed a portable press (for travel, camping, etc.) I would seriously look at the Buchanan and the price I see, for a well made precision tool is not excessive. Good stuff cost more to make...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  15. #155
    Boolit Master
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    I enjoy reloading but there's no way I'd ever load thousands of rounds with my Lee hand press, not with a couple of fine presses sitting on my bench. Sometimes when I'm developing a new load I'll make things easier by sizing and priming a few dozen cases at home. I then load and seat at the range as things come together.

  16. #156
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Hand presses are more enjoyable to me. I like trimming by hand also. For whatever reason I enjoy reloading more that way. I do use a bench press and trimmer as well as a lubesizer and powder measure. I like reloading outside when the weather is nice, specially next to a little campfire.

  17. #157
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Alferd Packer View Post
    Just get a LEE decapping punch and something with a hole in it and punch out the primers.i just use a 3/8 nut or a 3/8 socket.
    A hammer and a finishing nail that fits the primer hole and a board with a hole in it. The fired primers come out very easy.
    Then, when you size the cases you never stop till you are done sizing.
    I do ALL my depriming with Lee punch and base sets prior to cleaning the brass.
    I countersunk a hole in top of a 4x4 with a paddle bit & drilled a 3/8th” angled hole from the center of countersunk hole to channel spent primers out the side of 4x4. Catch the spent primers in a container.
    When everything is going right I can deprime 18 to 20 cases a minute without getting my sizing die dirty. One plus is you can tell how tight primer pocket is as you tap out spent primer.
    After 5 or 10 thousand cases the pin in the punch will break, usually my fault. Not crazy about the new Lee punches that have a stepped end around the pin. They don’t self-center into the primer hole as good as the older straight diameter punches. A little slower to use.

  18. #158
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    Eddie Southgate's Avatar
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    I have one and use the 310 as well, would not be without either one . Don't know exactly how long I've had mine but I decided recently that I might want two more to give my sons and bout died of sticker shock when I saw the current price . I carried a kit including the Lee tool to work with me for years and there is no telling how many thousand rounds I loaded with it just at work . I load .38 spl and .38 S&W a thousand at a time and use the Lee to deprime and the Lee Priming tool to prime while I watch TV then load them later on the Tru Line . Never broken or worn out anything on the Loader but did manage to bust the pot metal lever on the priming tool.
    Grumpy Old Man With A Gun....... Do Not Touch !!

  19. #159
    Boolit Man GT1's Avatar
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    Whoa, a thread risen up from the dead.
    It is hard to keep a good thing down and hidden. The Lee business concept has always been about great value for your dollar. The hand press is an outstanding example and it has no viable competition. Like thousands of other people I bought it to see if my interest in hand loading was real. I still have mine and keep it as a back up in case my LCT ever breaks down(never has).

  20. #160
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    Ben's Avatar
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    Fellows ,

    I'm sorry for the blurred photos in the original post.
    I wish I'd never used PhotoBucket !!!!!!!!

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check