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Thread: Lee Hand Press - a pain

  1. #21
    Boolit Buddy T_McD's Avatar
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    Do not grip all of the way around the handle. I try to grip where the arm goes flat, and when that gets tiring, I try a pincer type grip. When that gets tiring, I quit... I will say though the only thing that requires force is sizing, so it never really bothered me given my quantity of reloading.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master Boogieman's Avatar
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    Heat shrink tubing used to insulate wiring. If you don't like it you can cut it off.
    The 3 people a man must be able to trust completely are his gunsmith his doctor & his preacher ..,his gunsmith for his short term health ,his doctor for long term health ,and his preacher incase one of the others mess up.

  3. #23
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    What I do when sizing with the Lee hand press, Is I close the tool with my palms, then, open the tool with my left hand holding the tool around the die, and right hand uses fingers to open the handle, and then switch to palm for going over the expander if I need it.

  4. #24
    Boolit Buddy

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    I use mine to deprime and resize all my pistol cartridges, before SS cleaning them. Right before fully closing the handles together, I open my fingers and use palm pressure only. I'm late 60's and it's easy to use for me.

  5. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by gpidaho View Post
    Texas: "I wonder where it went" I find myself saying that a lot lately. Old age and three rooms of reloading and casting gear send me on an unending search at times. Gp
    Especially when I tell someone" I've got one if you need it"- and then I don't got it

  6. #26
    Boolit Master
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    I close my Lee with open palms. On bigger cases like 300H&H or 416Rem, I put the press and my hands between my legs and squeeze with both legs and hands. It makes sizing the big ones very easy.

  7. #27
    Boolit Master
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    I like Boogeyman's idea! I'll see if I can get some big enough to shrink around it.

    As for the pain - it's not like it gives me blisters or anything. It just isn't comfortable if you're sizing a hundred or so cases. More of a nuisance. And it's most noticeable when you've gotta pull the handles apart with some force. I full length size .357 cases.

  8. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Black Jaque Janaviac View Post
    I like Boogeyman's idea! I'll see if I can get some big enough to shrink around it.

    As for the pain - it's not like it gives me blisters or anything. It just isn't comfortable if you're sizing a hundred or so cases. More of a nuisance. And it's most noticeable when you've gotta pull the handles apart with some force. I full length size .357 cases.
    If you are using carbide sizing dies you would not believe how much easier the case will extract from the die if it has been lubricated just a little . A spray lube of some sort before sizing will make the handle pull apart next to effortless.....try it just once !
    I do all my handgun reloading with the hand press ... I've learned a few tricks .
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  9. #29
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    If your using a carbide sizer for pistol, a few drops of water or spit will lube it or every few enough to make it easier. You're have to be concerned with rust in the die obviously.

  10. #30
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    that's what I do. either that or plastic dip. I guess you cant expect a precision made press with all the edge smoothed for 20 bucks.
    Quote Originally Posted by JBinMN View Post
    Wrap the handles in tape. Not unlike a hockey stick or a baseball/softball bat.

    G'Luck!

  11. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by KMac View Post
    Randy,
    I was just looking at the press on your website and was wondering, how do you clamp it to a table?
    I was thinking of moving a press out of the garage and into my office to load small amounts before I go to the range for ladder testing and such. A press I could clamp to a table and then take to the range would be ideal.
    You just get a simple small bar Clamp from Home Depot or Lowes. $5.
    Pretty simple actually.

    You actually want to size your brass while holding the press in your hands as it is easier to manipulate like that. For all other operations you can clamp the press to a table top. You can also do the other operations while holding the tool it's just easier to clamp it down.

    This is all covered in the instructions. And you can watch a video on Youtube that shows the LnL Version being used this way.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEpYQMdnxHY&t=18s

    Randy
    Last edited by W.R.Buchanan; 02-28-2019 at 02:22 PM.
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  12. #32
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    No I don't have your press. Not because I don't like it, I just don't have the need. I think your press is absolutely perfect for what you intended it, a portable, full reloading station. I don't load at the range, and I have enough space, so I just use a standard single stage most of the time. The reason I like the Lee is that they are more of a free-hand unit. Like noted, you don't need a bench. Having that extra hand free to load shells, or hold bullets is key. 95% of the time my Lee gets used is for road trips, either sizing pistol brass, or decapping anything. For that, there is no equal to the Lee.

  13. #33
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    I remember the good old days before retirement. I was a electrical lineman. there was allways a lee hand press under the seat and I spent many a lunch breaks sizing brass with them. Mostly 556. Used to carry a lee primer too. Sized and primed THOUSANDS of pieces of brass like that. On good days I could even get my journeyman to prime while I sized.
    Quote Originally Posted by megasupermagnum View Post
    No I don't have your press. Not because I don't like it, I just don't have the need. I think your press is absolutely perfect for what you intended it, a portable, full reloading station. I don't load at the range, and I have enough space, so I just use a standard single stage most of the time. The reason I like the Lee is that they are more of a free-hand unit. Like noted, you don't need a bench. Having that extra hand free to load shells, or hold bullets is key. 95% of the time my Lee gets used is for road trips, either sizing pistol brass, or decapping anything. For that, there is no equal to the Lee.

  14. #34
    Boolit Master



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    Quote Originally Posted by Boogieman View Post
    Heat shrink tubing used to insulate wiring. If you don't like it you can cut it off.
    A good idea, but let's take it a step further....

    Any Ace hardware store carries soft, clear plastic tubing on reels. Select one that will be a tight sliding fit and buy enough for both handles. When you get it home, spit on the handles (for lubrication, not disrespect) and push the tubing on. The tubing will make the handles a bit larger and cushion your hands.

  15. #35
    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    How about wearing a pair of mechanics gloves.

  16. #36
    DOR RED BEAR's Avatar
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    From the looks of the press not sure there is much you can do other than deburr maybe some sort of tape but there doesn't appear to be much clearance.

  17. #37
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    I have had the Lee hand press from the time when Lee gave it away when you bought his reloading book..Never had much use for it.Then with all the talk about upside down boolit sizing I used my had press in a bench vise upside down to size boolit and man is it fast.


  18. #38
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    Now that is slick

  19. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by TCFAN View Post
    I have had the Lee hand press from the time when Lee gave it away when you bought his reloading book..Never had much use for it.Then with all the talk about upside down boolit sizing I used my had press in a bench vise upside down to size boolit and man is it fast.
    That is so simple and easy looking, I'm embarrassed I never thought of it...and am just flabbergasted that it hasn't been talked about before, that I've seen anyway.
    Anyway, Excellent idea.
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  20. #40
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by TCFAN View Post
    I have had the Lee hand press from the time when Lee gave it away when you bought his reloading book..Never had much use for it.Then with all the talk about upside down boolit sizing I used my had press in a bench vise upside down to size boolit and man is it fast.
    Great idea!


    Although I already have a Lee C press mounted to be up or upside down whichever is desired, I have a friend who would like this idea for the handpress & I will share it with him next week.


    Thanks for sharing!
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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