Early Lee Loader question

[Multigunner]

For those who have the old style Lee Loader and don't like to tap with a mallet to seat the primer, I found a method that works well.

I braced the table of my small Black&Decker drill press with a chunk of 4x4 , then tightened down a piece of steel tubing in the chuck.
Placing the primer seating cup on a slabl of steel laid on the table I just pushed the casehead down around the primer by using the advancement handles as a lever. Primers seated smoothly and evenly.

I have one of the Lee side lever type loading outfits, plus a set of Herter's dies for the .303, but I prefer the older Lee Loader.

The Lyman Nutcracker has them all beat.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have used the Lee dies in a vice. I have a big ol' Aussie Dawn vice with a quick release trigger underneath. Pop the die, etc between the jaws, engage the trigger, close up vice, wind handle until case sized, wind off, insert with eject pin, wind on, easy peasy.

[TNsailorman]

I tried the vise method and it worked. My uncle also had a Lyman die that worked in a vice and it worked well too. Once in a great while you see one of those old Lyman's on a gunshow table but usually the owner has decided that it is "collectible" and has a price on it that even more than a full set of Redding dies. I have about 10 sets of Lee Loaders right now but most of them were made after the new Lee company took over. I am retired and I have more time to do things and I don't mind doing them the hard way but I don't want to pay 3 times the price just to work harder. Getting old and crotchity I guess. james

[UNIQUEDOT]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Improved-Lee...item3ccd3a5280

is this what your looking for? the parts look like the earlier posted unitized loader

This is an improved loader...not a unitized loader. Improved just means it has all that extra stuff with it, but it does not full length size. It has to have the unitized die in the kit to full length size.

[mdi]

Well, IME, the Lee Loaders for straight sided cases full length size (.38/.357, .44 Spec/Mag., 45 ACP. etc.) and neck sizes only on bottleneck cartridges. That holds true to the 6 sets I own, and mebbe different on others...

I even have a set with the Herter's name on it.

[EDG]

I had one of the rarest of the rare Mequon unitized tools in .375 H&H. That tool was set up to FL resize the long tapered case.

[Shooter]

I had one of the rarest of the rare Mequon unitized tools in .375 H&H. That tool was set up to FL resize the long tapered case.

Rarest of the rare?
Gee, I still use mine. Is this another collectors item I have to be careful with?

[vacek]

Last night I loaded about 40 .223 cartridges (Speer 218 Bee with 6.5 grains of Trail Boss for a light load) using the Unitized Mequon (Lee) Loader. As the cases were already sized last year I didn't try the full length die but will sometime tonight. Anyway, the quality of this set is at a much higher level than the new Lee Loaders although I like them as well. Very nice straight line feeding of the bullets and the crimper tool worked very well. When I get a chance I am going to full length size some cases with the Unitized Die and then some with the Wilson Die to see which I like the best.

[EDG]

I would recommend that you sell it. It will bring enough to buy you are pile of new equipment or components.

[vacek]

EDG,

I have around 10 presses and more new equipment and components that I know what do do with. The "handloading" stuff (lots of Lee Loaders, Lyman, and Wilson) are my "for grins and giggles". I still like to sit down every once in awhile and use them.... you know Zen and the Art of Handloading.

[EDG]

Vacek , you have my sympathy. I have the same affliction. I have enough loading "impediments" to equip 6 or 7 people. However I still like the simplest methods like the Wilson tools.
However sometimes someone else gets to own my zen when they make a significant contribution to a new rifle fund he he .

[brstevns]

My 7x57 set from the mid 60's neck sized only?

[Shooter]

My 7x57 set from the mid 60's neck sized only?

Yes. That's all you need if you have one 7x57.

[Dave Bulla]

So far Uniquedot is the fella giving you correct information. Go back and read his posts.

If you'd rather not, here's the low down on Lee dies as I know it.

There are 4 basic kits. There is the regular "classic" kit, the "improved" version, the "unitized" version and the "zero error" target version.

Standard kits neck size only regardless of caliber, straight sided, handgun, bottleneck, Lee brand, Mequon brand or whatever. There are several that as Lee says, "require extra force" to use. The 44 magnum is one that comes to mind and probably the 30 carbine as I often hear of them being a bit of a bugger also. That doesn't mean they full length resize though.

Next is the "improved" version. At a glance, the improved and unitized kits look identical and they were made by both Lee and Mequon. The difference between this kit and the classic is the inclusion of a hand primer and a separate expander/crimper tool. I have one of these in 30-30 and it loads fantastic ammo. The separate crimper for some reason gives me far better crimps than the standard die does.

The "unitized" version looks just like the improved but it is in fact the ONLY version that full length sizes the brass. I have one of these in 32-20 and even with the small case of that caliber it is fairly hard to pound the case in flush. If you try to do it without case lube, you'd probably never make it. FYI, they do make the unitized version in 30-30. I just bid on one on ebay a few weeks ago but didn't get it.

Lastly is the "zero error" target version. This one is in a totally different box that is about 50% bigger than the regular kit. It is similar to the improved and unitized versions but does not have the crimper/expander. It also includes a micrometer adjustable sizing/seating die instead of the standard type, a case neck reamer, case length trimmer, deburr/champher tool and primer pocket cleaner. This is the "primo" kit. As I understand it, the world record bench record was held for a fair number of years by a shooter who reloaded his ammo on one of these kits. I've got them in 7mm mag, 30-06 and 270.

To me, the interesting item in the target kits is the case neck reamer. It works backwards from a normal neck trimmer. Instead of taking metal off of the outside, it does it from the inside. The die is made to very close tolerances and if you think about it, when the case is driven into the die, everything should be perfectly aligned and any part of the neck that is thicker must be forced inward by the die. The reamer (closer to a borer actually) cuts a perfect neck size hole from the inside of the fully supported case neck. I love mine and get great results.

[TNsailorman]

yeah, I have used one of the 30-06 Target Loaders for years, sometimes in tandum with a C-H 205 press. I've had more than a few discussions/arguments with people over the years about which was the better method of necking uniforming--outside reaming or inside reaming. The Lee Target Loader in my estimation is the ideal way of uniforming the neck. A local gunsmith who specialized in log range, high dollar custom rifles guaranteed his accuracy on the rifles he built. We had a few discussions with a nationally know gunwriter/international hunter about the best methods. He was in favor of outside neck turning and the gunsmith and I always argued for the inside method, especially if it envolved the Lee system. The gunmith so believed in this method that after Lee discontinued their Target Loader, he started including a special hand reamer set up that consisted of a neck sizer die with a specially ground reamer adapted to fit a handheld die threader T handle. He provided these with all his rifles for a small charge. He's dead now but he did beautiful work. Long story short, I love the Target Loader and wish Lee would bring it back. Nobody made a set up that would touch it for accuracy. just my $.02, james

[sthwestvictoria]

This seems to be an early Australian variation on the Lee Loader idea:


I don't know anything about it myself, had never heard of such a thing. The link is here:
http://www.shooting.com.au/forum/ind...t-of-weakness/

[TNsailorman]

Very interesting SWV, I know the aussies are no slouches when it comes to guns and gun gear. I shoot your powder all the time. Thanks for the picture. james