It's official; Lee will be releasing an "upside down" bullet sizing press.

[dverna]

I used to use feed tubes for the Star and it is an onerous task. So not a bug fan of feeders that use that method. Not too difficult to make a case collator...bullet collator is likely more challenging.

It looks like a good option for many and cost is very reasonable.

Looking forward to seeing reviews.

[The Dar]

Only down side I can see is it comes with Lee Breech Lock bushings. A solution to a problem that doesn't exist as I see it.

[megasupermagnum]

It looks like I'll have to do some more testing with Lee Alox lube. I haven't been nearly as thrilled with my Star sizer as some have been, even after I finally got it working right.

[Daver7]

Thanks for sharing the news, but it is a bit too late for me as I have already modified one of their C presses to be able to flip it right side up to upside down like using a receiver hitch on the back of a vehicle.

Can I talk ya into showing us a picture of your set up. I'm kind of dense

[mike69]

Looks very interesting just might have to add one to my bench . Should be able to use my NOE push through sizer dies in it .

[JBinMN]

Can I talk ya into showing us a picture of your set up. I'm kind of dense

I think I posted some up before a while back in another topic discussing upside down presses, and I hope that this topic doesn't go off the rails about other types of upsidedown presses. If some folks wants to discuss other types instead of the New Lee one, please go search for the other topics discussing these presses & leave this topic for the New Lee AAP press.

Anyway, I did some searching & did not find the topic where I posted up pics before, so here you are:

Upside down


Right way up


Close up of the "receiver hitch set-up"


I don't want to sidetrack this topic, so if anyone wants more info about the receiver type "hitch" I have, please just PM. Thanks.

[Dimner]

Only down side I can see is it comes with Lee Breech Lock bushings. A solution to a problem that doesn't exist as I see it.

Have you used the bushings? I far prefer them to the standard lock rings with Lee dies. It is much easier to keep your dies locked in with the bushings. This is especially helpful when I use the FL sizing die to bump my shoulders back 0.002" for max brass life, but also max accuracy. Re-dialing in the shoulder bump is a pain. So I would argue that for high accuracy loads these are very helpful.

[RogerDat]

I use a Lee universal deprime die in a turret press with the index rod out so it works as a single stage. Like the hollow ram primer collection tube a lot. This new press has a bottle. Doesn't seem like enough improvement to justify cost.

For larger quantity batches it may be that the new presses special case holder that allows automated case removal and placing the next one in the holder may provide enough speed to prove to be of high value. Same for sizing. When the red plastic case gets full of sized bullets I take it off and dump them. Takes a moment. Why would dropping them in a bottle be better than pushing them up?

I'm more likely to purchase a plain single stage press for the duties this does on the basis of it works with all the tooling I already have. For myself 250 to 300 cartridges at a time is high production. Some folks that is just going to cover Thursday at the range.

[The Dar]

Have you used the bushings? I far prefer them to the standard lock rings with Lee dies. It is much easier to keep your dies locked in with the bushings. This is especially helpful when I use the FL sizing die to bump my shoulders back 0.002" for max brass life, but also max accuracy. Re-dialing in the shoulder bump is a pain. So I would argue that for high accuracy loads these are very helpful.

I have a single stage Lee with the bushing. I use it for sizing cast bullets. I have no problem threading a different sizing die into the press. I'm used to it, I've been doing it with a Rock Chucker for 25 years. Others may find the bushings useful, I don't have a need for them.

[Catshooter]

Wow. I think John Lee is giving his old man a run for his money! Richard Lee was a very talented engineer and when he died I figured the company would lay around in the doldrums as so often happens. Obviously not! What an ingenious tool. I can see some serious usages for that puppy.

Well done to John Lee!


Cat

[lign]

Couldn't agree more with Cat. I thought the same thing when I read the announcement mentioning John Lee's patent for the new press. I think they are going to sell the daylights out of this when people realize they can use it for swaging. Seems crazy that you can get the whole setup with a press for the same money as other swaging-only solutions. Looks like the case feed tube will make it a lot faster than any other swaging solution (other than on-press swaging like Dillon 1050 or the 650/750 add-ons).

[Love Life]

It looks like I'll have to do some more testing with Lee Alox lube. I haven't been nearly as thrilled with my Star sizer as some have been, even after I finally got it working right.

I concur on the star. I've owned 3 of them over the years, and have never found them to be the holy grail. Are they fast? Yes they are, but they can be annoying. I actually prefer the lee push through process. I prefer pushing down on the lever with a standard reloading press. Less wear and tear on the shoulder.

This new lee press has gotten my interest for case processing, specifically depriming with the case feeder. Lee needs to offer a X-Shellholder pack like they do with the regular shell holders and auto prime shell holders.

[OS OK]

From looking at their information & specifications, it seems that Lee has put some time and thought into this as if they realized that they will get only one shot at getting it right. If they haven't thought it all the way through then another manufacturer can and prolly will jump in behind them and produce a press that is all of what they have but without the problems this new press may have.
I hope that this is not a typical Lee product from the past that'll require us handloaders to fine tune it to run like it should have right out of the box.

What I see as the weak link in this system...as far as speed of 'sizing' is concerned, is that the tubes have to be loaded to feed this press and that part of sizing is part of the overall time it'll take to complete the job when the cast come out of the oven.
So, it doesn't matter how fast you can crank the handle if that tube constantly is going empty.



Another question I have about the auto feed part is will it handle short, fat or skinny little pistol fodder and long rifle casts long/fat or skinny or is there more parts and pieces that have to be changed out to accommodate the various size/diameter/length casts.
must be several size tubes required to do this too???

[Bookworm]

During sizing of alot of brass, it seems to me that the act of inserting the brass in the shell holder and taking it back out actually takes more time than the sizing itself. Using a case kicker speeds up the process significantly.

It looks to me that the real breakthrough in this press setup is the "pass through" shell holder. I think that loading case tubes would take less time than inserting single cases.

I may be wrong, as I've never used a case feeder.

[JBinMN]

I would like to see a video of it in operation before I would buy it, and I bet there are others who feel that way. Like I said before, I do not need it, but I would still like to see how it works.

[OS OK]

I would like to see a video of it in operation before I would buy it, and I bet there are others who feel that way. Like I said before, I do not need it, but I would still like to see how it works.

I can't wait to see it run too...I'm wondering if I might get a good 'sizing race' out of one of the fellas that get one?

MONOTONOUS DUTY _ WANNA RACE?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcvhKHVn7gU

[Elkins45]

The pass-thru shell holder looks like it won’t get a very good grip on the rim since it only has one small contact point on each side. I hope the primer pocket swager is designed so it doesn’t stress the rims too much. It it works well I can definitely see using one of these just to size and swage.

[Dimner]

I have a single stage Lee with the bushing. I use it for sizing cast bullets. I have no problem threading a different sizing die into the press. I'm used to it, I've been doing it with a Rock Chucker for 25 years. Others may find the bushings useful, I don't have a need for them.

ah yeah for sure, no need for bushings with that application.

[Dimner]

i was able to get to the bigger pictures for all of us. so here they are!



This one looks like it's a CAD image, not real production:

[Dimner]

Bigger pics of the accessories:







primer pocket swager: