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Thread: Lee Hand Loaders

  1. #41
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I always use a stick about 2" around and 12" long for a mallet instead of a hammer. It works real good.

    As far as shtf kits, a lee loader isn't any better than a standard die set with hand press. The hand press doesn't take up enough weight or space to justify losing the advantages it offers. Chiefly, the ability to use any dies you might scavenge. Other calibers, M die, universal decapper, lee sizing dies for your cast bullets. Though I suppose in a pinch you could use the lee sizing dies whack-a-mole style.

    The disadvantage of the lee hand dies is that they don't full length size. Maybe not an issue in times of plenty but in shtf, you may scavenge brass and need to full length size it. You could always add a Lyman hand die, but then you defeat the idea of a compact all in one pocket reloading kit.

    All the said, yes they are neat and have their place.

  2. #42
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Der Gebirgsjager View Post
    An interesting observation, but he wasn't "bugging out", was he. If one lives remotely then they have a place to store components and to cast bullets, and perhaps a bench to work on. But if wandering around in the mountains or forests
    just having more ammo makes better sense to me. The actual act of casting bullets kind of makes the rest of the idea of a Lee Loader for "bugging out" impractical (to me) as our modern version of cast boolits requires skill in alloy, temperature, a good mold, and lube to be very successful. The last guy I saw successfully casting bullets was Mel Gibson in "The Patriot" where he was melting down his deceased son's little lead toy soldiers into round balls.

    Maybe as long as 10 years ago I watched a movie on TV (so good that I watched it twice) perhaps sponsored by National Geographic or a similar source. It was about a man who lived a hermit-style life in Siberia. The Czar sent a mapping expedition to Siberia and they encountered this fellow and hired him as a guide and hunter. He had a Mosin Nagant rifle, as did the expedition which was military in nature and composed of an officer and several enlisted men. At the end of the season's work they gave all of their left over ammunition to the Guide. The relationship lasted several summers. Maybe someone else saw the film?

    DG
    That sounds interesting.

  3. #43
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    I use a block of lead to place my Lee loader on and hammer with a lead hammer.
    Takes the noise out of whacking them.

    I hand seat my bullets in the case after starting them in the mouth and pressing down on the seater with a twisting motion if I’m using fixed ammo.

    I do find them faster than a 310 loading tool if I get sick of batching my brass and want to knock out a few rounds.

    You will make very accurate ammo with a little skill with them.

    You won’t be winning any plastic wood in benchrest shoots.

    But you won’t be far off if you watch some use their Wilson dies at a benchrest match and how they baby their brass.

  4. #44
    Boolit Master

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    Correction on my part. I rewatched the video last night about the Siberian hunter. He wasn't shown reloading at his trapping/hunting area, which was 100 miles from his home. He was doing it during the spring duck hunting season only about 10 miles up river from home.

  5. #45
    Boolit Bub
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    I will definitely keep an eye out for some, the popping primers thing seems alarming though, only because I have very close neighbors!

  6. #46
    Boolit Master

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    If you’re no paying attention you might pop one primer every hundred or so tries. When I started shooting again I loaded all my ammo on Lee loaders for the first year or so. I shot at least 200 to 300 reloaded rounds a week every week. I doubt I popped 7 primers altogether. Besides even if you pop one every hundred I’m pretty sure you won’t be loading more than 300 a night.

  7. #47
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    Keep a little downward pressure on the rod in the case and the primer in the pocket and you will not set one off.

  8. #48
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    if I had to use either I much prefer the lee loader kits to the hand loader. ive used both. for a bunch of years the only way I could reload for the 222 was with a lee loader kit. and that ammo was plenty accurate and killed many a crop eating pests.
    the lee hand loader I don't like too much its like a balancing act adding power and seating bullets. I very quickly graduated to a Lyman orange tmag which still serves well today.

  9. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by Acknott View Post
    I will definitely keep an eye out for some, the popping primers thing seems alarming though, only because I have very close neighbors!
    I only have one Lee Loader that popped primers more than one or two out of 50 or so loadings, my 44 Magnum kit. I fixed the problem by making sure the priming base was clean and the "movable washer", the spring loaded disc, is free and clean. I also chamfered the primer pocket of the cases, just like removing military primer crimps (not a lot, just maybe .008"-.010"). Fixed the problem and now I don't get any surprises...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  10. #50
    Boolit Master
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    When you get in a hurry, or you are tired, you shouldn 't be reloading.
    A popped primer is your first warning.

  11. #51
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alferd Packer View Post
    When you get in a hurry, or you are tired, you shouldn 't be reloading.
    A popped primer is your first warning.
    That seems a fair rule! It's a good thing the primer goes in before the powder

  12. #52
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    Quote Originally Posted by Acknott View Post
    That seems a fair rule! It's a good thing the primer goes in before the powder
    ^^^This^^^ A single primer going off by itself in isolation will startle you, but usually nothing else. Add some powder and compression or constriction and things get a lot more exciting quickly!
    "It aint easy being green!"

  13. #53
    Boolit Master
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    From '61 to the earliest 70's I popped one primer. It definitely was not loud enough for the neighbors to hear and we lived in a duplex. It was a little startling but basically, it's a non-event...unless you're that thin skinned.
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  14. #54
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    Quote Originally Posted by sharps4590 View Post
    Memory lane? Nostalgia? Ahhh....yes. As several have mentioned, Dad started me with a Lee loader in 1961. Well, it was his for 16 bore but he taught me to use it. When I bought my first loaders for 357 and 30-30, that's what I bought. I still have the one Dad bought in the late 50's, the others went down the road a long time ago. Oh, it is priced at $19.00 and some change. Evidently they bring more than that today?

    As has been said, if you're loading for one firearm, they produce perfectly adequate, ordinarily very accurate ammo.
    19 dollars?
    A new in box LEE Loader Is now 42 dollars plus tax or shipping depending on where you buy.

    I always buy them at gunshows especially if they are pistol cals or any .30 cal.
    I gift them to friends or relatives who have just become gun owners.
    Tops is .38 special.
    I get a hundred bullets, hundred primers and a pound of Bullseye.
    I show them how to load a few and then take them to shoot ammo that we loaded.
    Usually that's all it takes.

  15. #55
    Boolit Master
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    I buy the hand loaders if I see them anywhere to give to new gun owners to start them reloading.
    I check back and find that some are pounding those cases in there without using case lube.
    I usually give them a chunk of paraffin wax and tell them to rub it on the case.
    They forget, but then it makes it so easy.
    I have used vaseline, but prefer lanolin or STP.
    Even a touch of wheel bearing grease.
    The lanoline or wax is safer for your health and smells better.

  16. #56
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I was buying good used sets in the black cardboard boxes for $5.00 back in the '70s. I sure miss those prices!

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  17. #57
    Boolit Master

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    My first LL was a 12 gauge kit, paid $10.00 + tax new in late 60’s. Almost 60 years later & I just picked up a lightly used 38 special kit complete for .... $10.00, no sales tax!

  18. #58
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bmi48219 View Post
    My first LL was a 12 gauge kit, paid $10.00 + tax new in late 60’s. Almost 60 years later & I just picked up a lightly used 38 special kit complete for .... $10.00, no sales tax!
    Wow! My most recent purchase of a 38 Spl kit (admittedly one of the MRC iteration with the improved red plastic priming tool) cost me about $45-50 on flea Bay! I won’t even be able to get the parts to refill my current issue 45-70 set for $10. Ya dun good, pilgrim!

    You wouldn’t have much trouble getting 8-10 times the original price of that 12 ga set if it is still complete and in good shape.

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

  19. #59
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    Lee loaders are just plain fun to use.

    The mention made of case lube brings the question, did lee ever make loaders that full length size rifle brass?

    I can't remember if I shaved lead or not when using one in 30-30 with lead bullets. I do remember not belling the case mouth, but can't remember if it presented problems.

  20. #60
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bazoo View Post
    Lee loaders are just plain fun to use.

    The mention made of case lube brings the question, did lee ever make loaders that full length size rifle brass?

    I can't remember if I shaved lead or not when using one in 30-30 with lead bullets. I do remember not belling the case mouth, but can't remember if it presented problems.
    I know there were some Lee Loader kits that did full length sizing, but I don't know whether they made some for bottle neck cases or whether they were all for straight side pistol cartridges. I do know there were some Lee tools that were made to bell case mouths. Essentially they were short little tapered punches that were manually forced into the case mouth sufficiently to open it and allow a lead bullet to be inserted without shaving.

    Froggie
    "It aint easy being green!"

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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