Anybody Buy a Lee Loader lately?

[6string]

Hey Guys!
Hope you can help. I love my old Lee Loaders!
But, I don't have them in as many calibers as I'd like. I've got 44 mag, 45 ACP, 38 special, two from the 70s or so in the cardboard box, and one from the early 80s, in the solid red plastic box. I find them to be great for cast bullets.
How are the new ones? I'm really curious to know how much they resize cases. I like to keep this to a minimum. I don't shoot max loads in anything, and I segregate my brass to particular guns.
Anybody have one in 45 Colt?

Thanks,
Jim

[Art in Colorado]

Have had a few in the past and they were fine by me. Even with my RCBS calibers I would buy the Lee Factory Crimp die to go along. Just bought one for 44 Special so just a little experince. They do now include their Factory Crimp Die now so that is a plus. I paid $49.00 from E-Bay and that is a good price for a four die set but never had one in 45 Colt. Other dies have been RCBS.

[Texas by God]

I started out at age 14 with one for my 22-250 Remington 788 and one in .38 S&W for my Enfield Commando. I like them to show how ammo is assembled to beginners. But I never looked back after buying a press!

[redhawk0]

I haven't bought any recently (now I have a RC-2 press) but I still have my original 308 and 30-06 Lee Loader sets from the late 70s. I didn't think they resized anything more than the neck and shoulder area. (I could be wrong) I can see getting a long bodied case getting stuck very easily if it was FL sizing. Pistol cartridges...would be full length.

anyway...I hope someone can answer your question about current quality/sizing. I'd be interested too.

redhawk

[TNsailorman]

Yes, A little bit ago I found and bought an 8x57mm Mauser, an old one with the Metal powder scoop. Very hard to find these days. I have a thing about the early Lee Loaders with the metal powder scoop. I have never been able to find one in 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser though(with a metal powder scoop). may way, anyway, james

[onelight]

Hey Guys!
Hope you can help. I love my old Lee Loaders!
But, I don't have them in as many calibers as I'd like. I've got 44 mag, 45 ACP, 38 special, two from the 70s or so in the cardboard box, and one from the early 80s, in the solid red plastic box. I find them to be great for cast bullets.
How are the new ones? I'm really curious to know how much they resize cases. I like to keep this to a minimum. I don't shoot max loads in anything, and I segregate my brass to particular guns.
Anybody have one in 45 Colt?

Thanks,
Jim

I have one in 45 colt I bought in 1969 I think it was $9.95 I used it for about 3 years.
It's a surprise I didn't do any real damage other than my family's nerves setting off the occasional primer while loading in the living room floor on a piece of 2x12 . A 16 year old with 0 training or reloading supervision can be a hazard .
I only got very light crimps with it , but I may not have hit it hard enough.
I was so happy to get my Lyman Spartan , scale and pm.
All that said I had mine cause it was the only way I could afford to shoot my 45 . Totally different than if you just like messing with them..

[Der Gebirgsjager]

The last one I bought was in about 1986 in .45-70, and already came in the red plastic box. I do have a .45 Colt in the cardboard box which I purchased in the early '70s, and it worked well. But, I have to agree with most of the posters that a bench mounted press is the way to go.

[Bazoo]

Only some of the pistol cases are full length resized. The website states which ones. If im not mistaken, 44 mag, and 45 colt are neck sized only.

I think they aught to offer FL sizing dies as an option for each caliber.

[onelight]

Only some of the pistol cases are full length resized. The website states which ones. If im not mistaken, 44 mag, and 45 colt are neck sized only.

I think they aught to offer FL sizing dies as an option for each caliber.

Grab a regular die some lube , a hammer and 50 fired 44 cases , It might make more sense when your done .
It's hard to appreciate the power of a press till you try the same task by hand.

[Bazoo]

Grab a regular die some lube , a hammer and 50 fired 44 cases , It might make more sense when your done .
It's hard to appreciate the power of a press till you try the same task by hand.

I understand what you mean. Hands on learning helps a lot.
I have a lyman FL hand die for 30-30. Like a lee loader, but was an accessory to the 310 tool system. I use it occasionally as it sizes the case up to the rim.

[Gewehr-Guy]

I have a newer version in the see through red plastic box, and it sized down some fired cases from .477 to .472. The brass was Starline, and required lube and several whacks with the rawhide mallet to size,I think if I were to only use the Lee Loader , I would anneal the cases first for ease of sizing,other brands may be different. My set has a little flaring tool included, not sure if the older sets had one.
If you are using a large dia. bullet, you could always polish the die a little larger, hope that helps,Jim

[Bmi48219]

I have both old cardboard & new transparent rd plastic box Classic Lee Loaders. They have their advantages. I still do all my depriming with their lunch & base before I tumble clean my brass. That way I have a shot at getting primer pockets and keep my sizing die clean too. As Gewehr-Guy said a 3 lb. rawhide mallet is a big help pounding cases into sizing die. But as far as actual sizing goes ( at least with 9 mm, 45 acp, 380 & 30 carbine) the Lee sizing sleeves I have don’t size as tight as regular press mounted dies. And I was pounding the brass ALL the way in, flush with sleeve base. Those particular loader kits don’t crimp so you need to size tight to firmly grip the projectile. I didn’t have much luck using the funnel end of the die to crimp either.

[TNsailorman]

I might add that I have a Lee Loader for every rifle and pistol caliber that I own, except for the .45 LC. My granddaughter has claimed dibs on my Ruger Vaquero .45LC and if she wants a loader, I will find her one(lee Loader that is). I still enjoy loading with them after buying my first one around 1962( a 30-06 with metal powder scoop). james

[6string]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the replies. Have been loading some 44 Special lately, always target loads w/Lyman 429348 185 gr. WC. I like to shoot them as cast, basically .432" or .433". I have two sizing dies, an RCBS carbide I bought in 1985, and a recent Redding all steel die. I also have my old Lee Loader from the early 80s. Of the three, only the Lee Loader resizes my cases to what I consider to be an appropriate amount. The two press dies are way too much. In fact, the Redding is crazy! It comes out if the sizing die looking almost like a 44/40, with a very discernible "neck". O.D. is 0.444". Most specs say it should be 0.456" or 0.457", which seems appropriate for my boolit diameter. Of course, the expander ball opens this up a bit (.425" for RCBS and .427" for Redding) I'd rather avoid overworking the brass, or risk choking my boolit when it's seated.
The Lee Loader just seems ideal from this standpoint.
I plan to run the same numbers for 45 Colt. I have three or four carbide dies (LC and ACP), a Lee Loader in 45 ACP (card says for .452" bullet), but not a Lee Loader in 45 Colt.

Thanks,
Jim

[John Boy]

In the die inventory drawer: a 30-30, 308 and 220 Swift. My 1st loading dies

[onelight]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the replies. Have been loading some 44 Special lately, always target loads w/Lyman 429348 185 gr. WC. I like to shoot them as cast, basically .432" or .433". I have two sizing dies, an RCBS carbide I bought in 1985, and a recent Redding all steel die. I also have my old Lee Loader from the early 80s. Of the three, only the Lee Loader resizes my cases to what I consider to be an appropriate amount. The two press dies are way too much. In fact, the Redding is crazy! It comes out if the sizing die looking almost like a 44/40, with a very discernible "neck". O.D. is 0.444". Most specs say it should be 0.456" or 0.457", which seems appropriate for my boolit diameter. Of course, the expander ball opens this up a bit (.425" for RCBS and .427" for Redding) I'd rather avoid overworking the brass, or risk choking my boolit when it's seated.
The Lee Loader just seems ideal from this standpoint.
I plan to run the same numbers for 45 Colt. I have three or four carbide dies (LC and ACP), a Lee Loader in 45 ACP (card says for .452" bullet), but not a Lee Loader in 45 Colt.

Thanks,
Jim

Can you. Back your Redding die out of the press until you get the amount of sizing that works for you ? What you describe sounds like it's putting a bit of taper on your case.

[6string]

Can you. Back your Redding die out of the press until you get the amount of sizing that works for you ? What you describe sounds like it's putting a bit of taper on your case.

That was my first instinct. But instead of having a constant taper, the die tapers from the mouth to about .700" in. From there, the die has a "choke" in it, much like you'd see in a shotgun barrel, except it is a straight cylindrical bore of about .442" diameter.
I talked to Redding, and they can't do anything for me. But, we concurred that if I cut a lap out of brass rodstock I could lap it out and bump up the diameter.
It's pretty much useless to me as is.

Jim

[gpidaho]

My lee Loaders, I have eight of them, are used as poor mans hand dies. I don't whack on them with a stick or a hammer. Instead, I use my harbor Freight arbor press and yes, I lube the cases as with press mounted dies. The loaders make very concentric cases. Although 95% of my loading is done using a press and dies it's fun to put some rounds together using the Lee loaders. Gp

[woodbutcher]

Hi gpidaho.Back in the 60`s when I got my Lee Loader in .38 spl,Mom and Dad fussed about the whack,whack when resizing the cases.So,to keep the peace,I just got a big C clamp to shove the cases in the die with a bit of lube..Worked a treat.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[BigAlofPa.]

The Lee loaders is how i started. Bought one in 45acp and 9mm. The wack wack wack got old real fast. It really aggravate my arthritis. I still have them as a reminder of what got me started.