compact and portable kit

[DeanWinchester]

I may have covered this a while back and if so, please forgive me..

I have a night vision goggle can that is essentially a 50 cal can only taller. I want to put together a kit that has EVERYTHING i need to load 35 remington and .308 winchester. Itll have two molds, two containers of gas checks, a container of lube, two lee boolit sizers and the appropriate dies.
My question,
In ya'll's opinion, would I be best served using standard dies and a Lee hand press, Lee loaders or Lyman 310 tools?

I know Id probably be better off just filling the can with loaded ammo but thats not my line of thinking.

The 308 would be easiest. Neck sizing for a bolt gun ONLY. BUT, the 35 is for a lever gun and neck sizing only may not be the best idea.

I have some very cool metal tins that stack neat and tight in the can to store gas checks, lube and primers. My pet loads for both rifles use AA2015 so I only need one powder and one primer type.

One thing I have not begun to ponder is a heat source for casting. It would need to be fire based, not electric.
I also have a 20mm can that may be a better option as I intend to store a pair of wheel weight pliers in there. They actually have a rubber mallet on one end, unlike the typical metal ones. It can serve many uses like snagging wheel weights to cast with, a mold mallet, and they have a cutter built in that can be used for many things.

My reasoning is thus, not to bore you with the inconsequential details of my life, but things are such that I may have to move soon and that move would require trimming not only all the fat but a good deal of meat as well. Not a prospect I am enthused about, i tell ya.

Any thoughts are welcome.

[Fishman]

The hand press hands down. It will handle full length sizing and accept a ram prime unit. You can also size boolits with it.

[jmort]

I have two Lee Precision Breech Lock Hand Presses. It uses standard dies and does everything one could want in a press as noted in post #2. I would strongly suggest LEE BREECH LOCK QUICK CHANGE BUSHING LOCK RING ELIMINATORS which are about two for $10.00. I also have a few Classic Lee Loaders which I like as well. I am set up for .38/.357 and 9 mm and .308 and 12 gauge (Lane's Hand Loaders for Shotguns) and have no mounted presses. I hand prime and use dippers. Very simple, but I enjoy the whole process.

[Wayne Smith]

If you want it simple, get the original Lee Loaders, one for each caliber. Otherwise I would look at the Huntington Compact Press. Light years better than the Lee.

[rking22]

I voed lee loader before I read the post , BUT I still go with that selection. I have and use all your options as well as the huntington. I really like the Huntington but it is expensive ,I lucked into mine at a gun show for 20$ or I wouldn't have it. The Lee hand press works fine but really isn't needed for what you indicated. I load all my 30 Remington loads on a lee loader , by choice. It works fine neck sizing for a Rem 141. I don't load near the top so the brass springs back and so far I have run 6 loadings in a single group of cases with no fatigue loses. I goofed and crushed 1 case on a dumb fit You can use the same mallet to push size bullets (if you really want to) with a brass pin in the push thru and save lots of space. A campfire works fine and the Lodge company has a small cast pot about 3 inches dia that would make a fine pot. You'll need a dipper , I like the Lyman. I cast all my bulles with the dipper ,not enough patience for a botom pour ,been there ,drips drive me nuts. The 6 hole molds did require a bit of experimentation but wors great. I use the Huntington for load development at the range. I don't have Lee Loaders for every caliber so the Huntington is handy . The Lee Handpress is my "just not eating anything so gonna keep it just cause"press. Haven't used it since getting he Huntington. Nohing wrong with it ,just not as "ergonomic" for me as the Huntington. I think it is lighter ,if that matters. Same with the Lyman, doesn't work as well for me as the lee, and the dies are OUTRAGIOUS$ I have 222 rem annd thats what I once used it for. OH check Juniors page for his take on campfire loading, a great read.

[Ben]

I posted this a few months ago. It may be of interest to you ?

________________________

I've been wanting to setup a Portable Reloading package for 38 Special.

My goal was something that you could pick up with one hand, was portable, had everything in it needed to reload 38 Spec. and would easily slide under a bed or into a closet when not in use.

I found the case to put everything in at a Thrift Store for $4.00. My friend Ken is an excellent woodworker. We made dividers and compartments on the inside with a hinged folding locking lid this morning.

Everything needed to reload 38 Special ( other than fired 38 Spec. brass ) is now in the box and ready to go.

Currently in the box is :

A Lee Breech Lock Hand Press w / correct # 1 shell holder in the press.
A 1/2 pound of Bullseye with a spoon to throw 3.5 grs. B'eye
200 ea., 125 gr. cast bullets , lubed, sized .358" and ready to load
200 Winchester primers
A de-burring tool.
A primer pocket clean out tool.
A complete Lee Carbide , 38 Special , 3 Die set with all dies with Beech Lock rings on them for rapid change in / out in the hand press.
An RCBS ram prime ( w/ breech lock ring ) set up for small pistol primers
A Lee funnel
A loading block

I'm putting all this together for my grandson. It could be switched over to another pistol or rifle caliber rather easily.

Easy to slide under the bed when not in use. Throw an old towel on a coffee table , get everything out of the box and start reloading.

[DeanWinchester]

Haha! Ben that's great. I don't put nuthin past you ole buddy!

[blueeyephil]

Nice setup. I think the Lee hand press is too often discounted as not worth much. What cartridge did you use to make your powder measure?

[Ben]

.22 Magnum rim fire

[Spruce]

Nice looking setup Ben, very well thought out. I always like to see and read your posts. Always very informative and most of all you include very nice photos. Thanks.

[Ben]

Spruce

Glad that you enjoy them ! !

Many thanks,
Ben

[Lead Fred]

I have a long strapped woman's hand bag set up for 45 ACP, 45/70, and 30-30.
I can load out of the bag for months. Except for the 45/70 bag, the 45/70 bag being the heaviest, I have a pair of wheel weight pliers, so I can find lead along the way.

Each has a Lee classic loader, way lighter than the hand press. Only One guy Ive shown hand loaders had to use a hand press, because he has to use a small base sizing die. He uses a Lee Classic loader for everything else.

I sell the heck out of Lee Classic loaders. We even put custom dippers to fit the owners loads

[gwpercle]

I got my Lee hand Press and everything needed to load for 38spcl/357 mag, 45 acp, 41 mag. 30-30 and 30-06 all stowed neatly in a tool -box that is 9 inches wide X 9 inches tall X 18 inches long. It's amazing how much fits in there and how often I use this setup...my bench mounted press is getting jealous.
The Hand Press is one of Lee's neatest tools, got the whack-a-mole loader beat by a mile and the Price on the Lyman 310 set up is way out of my budget.
Gary

[Green Frog]

If you want it simple, get the original Lee Loaders, one for each caliber. Otherwise I would look at the Huntington Compact Press. Light years better than the Lee.

+1 or more to Wayne! Should you really decide to seriously reload rather than just have the capability in an emergency, you will appreciate the quality and utility of the Huntington Compact. I've tried the Lee and others, and there is no really logical stop between the Lee Loaders ("Whack-a-Mole") or the Lyman 310 Tool if you just need to load a few rounds occasionally as in for hunting, etc at the low end, and the ability to do some serious reloading with all the processes possible. This topic has been hashed and rehashed dozens of times, and the end result is always that in actual practice for SHTF situations or other survival considerations, it would be best to pack an equivalent weight and volume of loaded ammo (the best way to "store" your components! ) but it is fun to speculate and if you really need or want to assemble such an outfit, by all means, have at it. I have done this on a more directed basis where I carry portable loading gear to the range for load development, etc, and I have gone to the 310 for a few "fun" loads and the Huntington for "serious" target work. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Froggie

PS To Ben: I too saw your set up when you posted it earlier, and it strikes me as a great exercise in design to answer the questions from the OP, and also serves to reinforce my contention about carrying loaded ammo if you are serious about having enough ammo available for survival or SHTF situations... Can you imagine how many boxes of 38s you could carry in that same case? Don't get me wrong, I like what you did, but it's a matter, to me at least, of how to best solve a supply problem. How many bullets and primers, and how much powder would you normally carry? How many loaded rounds would you ultimately be able to produce?

[jmort]

You will find few people who dislike their Lee Hand press. At around $30.00 it a fantastic deal. The HDC Compac is $140.00 and may be great, but if you read the owner reviews/ratings, the Lee Hand Press is a well loved press. I love mine.

36 ratings/reviews 4.8 out or 5 stars for the press alone with 33 5/5 stars and 1 4/5 stars and 1 3/3 stars and 1 2/5 stars. About as good a a product gets. The hand press kit get 4.9 out of 5 stars with 32 5/5 star ratings and 4 4/5 star ratings. Rarely will you see a product so highly rated.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/650...hand-press-kit
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/665...ess?cm_vc=S014

I have no personal interest in what you get, other than I hope you love it, but take the simplistic Lee Precision bashing with a grain of salt, most of it is based on pure ignorance.

Ben's set-up is sweet, and as noted can be pulled out from under a bed and put right to work. No one mentioned a SHTF scenario, so the thread drift/comments are nonsense in context of this thread.

The O/P stated he was downsizing not fleeing a Zombie Apocalypse. Post #s 2, 6, 12, and 13 make sense to me. The Breech Lock feature on the Lee Hand Press is a really nice improvement.

[DeanWinchester]

Yes I am looking at downsizing. Now, if that helps me survive world war Z that's great too right? Lol!
Kidding.....well, kinda.


Seriously. I've accumulated a lot of stuff as we all have and it was great for a time but now the dust has settled and guess what I'm seeing? A lot of settled dust. Dust on stuff I bought with delusions of grandeur and greatness. Meanwhile I'm shooting the same loads over and over.
The loads I'm shooting work. They're accurate, don't lead, mild recoil and are super cheap. Easy to manufacture too.
I've recently discovered the 35 Remington. Right out of the gate it's doing everything I want and IS everything Ive be been looking for for years. The mild obscurity of brass is squat after seeing what it gives. Small price in my book.
Ive spent an inordinate amount of time tinkering with my 308. Several rifles in fact but all but one have moved on down the line. I've settled on a Ruger M77MkII target rifle. I've cut 8 inches off the barrel to make 18 inches of heavy SS and ditched the godawful target stock in lieu of a Hogue overmolded stock.
I've been through over a dozen mold designs and the two I've settled on will hold an inch at a hundred if I do my part. Done! I can't shoot standing offhand any better than four or five inches so the rifle will ALWAYS be better than me. What's left to do? I can load these for less than $10 per (50).

Handguns, I only shoot 9x19, 38 spl & 45 colt. I've got enough 9x19 to cover my shooting habits for the next 20 years. 38's and 45 Colt, well, they're super simple to load for. Nothing complex here.

I dare not say I've mastered squat. I have not. What I have done is found what makes me happy and will take care of everything I'm intelligent enough to foresee. Much as I'd love to, I'll never see any other place but here in Tn. If there's ever anything in TN I can't kill with a 308 or a 35 Remington then maybe the law of Survival of the Fittest demands I take the long nap.

I love reloading and cast too much to say I'm done. It's my one TRUE passion, but I feel like I've found what I've been looking for. Just in time too as events and details in my life may demand I reorganize and/or relocate.
If I can downsize, reclaim some of my money I've spent and put that into other things I wanna do before I die, I'd be lazy and foolish not to.

[DeanWinchester]

I've also been giving my Lee handpress and good look over. I think y'all are right, that's the way to go. I think I'll buy a second one and run with it.
I'm by no means getting rid of my bench presses.....yet, but I want to be prepared.


.....now, to find a suitable vessel to house everything.

[jmort]

"Dust on stuff I bought with delusions of grandeur and greatness. Meanwhile I'm shooting the same loads over and over."

That sure rings true for me. I've sold off most of it. Aside from the obvious, I like a good book and good gun/load. After using the hand loaders (Lee Breechlock Hand Press and Lee Loaders and Lanes 12 gauge loaders) I sold/traded my bench mounted presses. To each his own. I enjoy the "hands-on" approach. Love the simplicity. I am simplifying as well. 9 mm, .38/.357, .308, and 12 gauge. Three powders, Unique, Blue Dot, and 4759. May add Varget or 4895. Regardless, the older I get, the more "stuff" feels like it is choking me. I like going to estate sales, but every time I think, what good did all the "stuff" do for the deceased? Probably not much, for the majority of it.

[texassako]

I guess since I was the only 310 tool voter I will explain my thinking. It is a little smaller package, they have M type expanders good for cast bullets, if you get an old pair of tongs the bullet sizer is built in for that caliber, and having those 2 sizes will let you load other .30 and .35 caliber cartridges in a pinch without extra dies if need be.

[codgerville@zianet.com]

Same here, started in 1961 with a 310 & Tru-Line Jr. with dies for 38Spl. and300 Sav. Had a Colt Officer Model Match and a 722 Remington, and one of the old Pacific scales with the box of weights to set the scale. Lyman iron pot, Coleman stove, Lyman dipper, Lyman push-through bullet sizers, Ideal bullet lube, pound can of H4895, ( $1.50 ) can of Bullseye ($ 2.00 ), 357446 & 358432 molds. Was what I could afford, and had more fun with it than all the stuff I have now. Just sold some of my molds, and am going to post some other stuff as soon as I can sort through it. Have decided that simple is good.