Lee Loader

[big boar]

My brother Dave gave me one in 303 British about 35 years ago. I loaded countless hundreds with it and enjoyed every round I made. I didn't use it for years and then, just for the fun of it, last year I loaded a box with it. Now a friend, Al, wants to try loading so I loaned it to him last week. We were at Epps gun shop today looking for one in 30-30 but couldn't find one. Brings back a lot of pleasant memories using that tool. By the way, wish I could get one in 450 Marlin. I wonder if a 45-70 could be opened up at the base to use for this?

[chris112]

Just in case anyone wants to know about it, there is a video on Youtube that shows Richard Lee using a Lee Loader. Something like 47 seconds start to finish for a round.

[kjohn]

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...3/MRCkitax.jpg

[UnderDawgAl]

In the post above, kjohn has posted a link to a picture of a Unitized Loader for the 6.5x55 rifle round. As I mentioned in an earlier post (#68, I believe), the unitized one full-length resizes the cartridge case. Pretty neat, huh? The regular Lee Loaders and the Improved Loaders both only neck-size.

Here's the evidence. The link is to the March-April 1982 issue of Handloader Magazine. If you'll scroll down to page 5 of the magazine (which is page 4 of the PDF file), you will see an ad for it on the right-hand side of the page. The old Lee Custom Engineering was reorganized as Mequon Reloading Corporation around the time Richard Lee was forced out.

I have no evidence to substantiate it, but I suspect the MRC items were priced too high to sell well. I found an old MRC Improved Loader in 357 Magnum that was priced at $20 around twenty-five years ago. Twenty bucks in 1984, according to the US Dept. of Labor's inflation calculator, would be $41.57 today, based on the actual inflation rate. Now that I think about it, that makes the prices on eBay for Lee Loaders look downright reasonable!

[.357]

Love me the lee loader, I buy them when ever i see them. I love to buy them and teach new reloaders to reload on them it really breaks the loads down to the basics and I think that people get some really good understanding from that hands on experience. Any one got any spare ones to sell i'm usually game to buy them at a good price.

[canebreaker]

Ok, what reloader are we talking about?
I have the org. 50th anns. kit, that came with the pack of shell holders for the auto primer in 1994.
Now it's called the breech loader kit.
All nickel cases .38spl. are loaded with 2.2 gr. bullseye, 120 rn. for flutterby.
All brass cases .38spl. are loaded with 4.1 gr. unquie(sp) 158 gr. swc for me.
I'll be glad when I run out of this stuff.
One son wants to help, but doesn't have a clue, need to teach him.
The other, doesn't have a clue????
They both want to shoot, but without help, they can keep their big A's at home.

[mike in co]

Ok, what reloader are we talking about?
I have the org. 50th anns. kit, that came with the pack of shell holders for the auto primer in 1994.
Now it's called the breech loader kit.
All nickel cases .38spl. are loaded with 2.2 gr. bullseye, 120 rn. for flutterby.
All brass cases .38spl. are loaded with 4.1 gr. unquie(sp) 158 gr. swc for me.
I'll be glad when I run out of this stuff.
One son wants to help, but doesn't have a clue, need to teach him.
The other, doesn't have a clue????
They both want to shoot, but without help, they can keep their big A's at home.

that is not a LEE LOADER, that is a press/kit.....not the same. lee loaders are hand loading tools used WITHOUT a press, no shell holder.
mike in co

[mike in co]

getting there.....

i just moved my lee loaders to a single location and was able to get a count.


95!....includes rifle/pistol/shotgun and 5 target models.

i have duplicates of several.....will be posting them in the for sale section...will probably consider trades.

mike in co

[JSAND]

I am just wondering what the advantages of these kits are? I am new to this whole reloading concept. If you have a press and the dies for your particular caliber are in the same price range as this kit, is there some other reason to own them?

[Old Ironsights]

500 SMP primers will fit into a single 35mm film canister. Keep 2 handy. A lb of a low volume powder like N340 (7gr/load - IIRC/YMMV) will get you nearly 1000 reloads, even using a dipper. Add scrounged lead, a good mould (like the 358156HP) and a campfire/stove and you are in business for a good long while... all in a 'kit' weighing less than 3 lbs.

THAT is the "advantage"...

[mike in co]

I am just wondering what the advantages of these kits are? I am new to this whole reloading concept. If you have a press and the dies for your particular caliber are in the same price range as this kit, is there some other reason to own them?

cause they are very good at what they do, and the target versions are better than any conventional press.

they are very convienent for doing small batches of ammo.

having one for each rifle means you can leave it set for that rifle.

its a whole lot cheaper to get started with.

the down side is the tapping in of the primer......

some sets have a hand priming tool.

get a lee hand primming tool as your first upgrade.

get a scale for your second upgrade....

you don't need a work bench, you don't need to mount anything.

it can be done almost anywhere.

own one even tho you have dies...yes....i have a bunch of 308 win rifles. some are loaded in bulk on a dillon press, and most are loaded unique for each rifle with a individual lee loader labled for that rifle....


mike in co

[mike in co]

i was at a gun show thi slast weekend and was able to pick up a cardboard box version of 7.62 russian( what we call 7.62x 54/53r). yes they still have the new plastic version available, and even back then they were 308 instead of 311 or so...

mike in co

[lesslethal]

I'm not new to reloading, and certainly not an expert. But I am just getting into casting and loading some calibers that are new to me. (loading that is). Last night I ordered a lee 1000 in .45 COLT, and two original lee loaders in .45 colt and .38 special. If I hadn't found this thread I would probably not admitted to the purchase of the two, at least until I had an opinion to express. Now that I know I'm in good company, I'm just downright Dixie proud of my purchase. Thanks guys.
Oh yeah, I ordered a lee 255gr. .454 mold and a .38 158SWC mold too.

[nkpwxman]

This is my first posting in a long time. I too have used Lee Loaders (.222, 12 ga, .308, .45 Colt). They go with me to the range in case I have to make adjustments. The .308 is my third one. The original is in different places right now for reasons I can't remember, but I keep one in my range box and one in my go anywhere else box in my travel trailer.

But most of all, I have an original Lee Reloading Handbook, First Edition that cost me $.98 back in 1971 that I bought with my first Lee Loader in .308. I used to refer to it when I loaded my .45 Colt or .308 as a starting point (don't anymore, after loading hundreds if not thousands of rounds). I also bought the Lee hand primer and the Lee Powder Measure Kit ( have three of those now).

Never had any real problems with these tools.

One other thing: Never carry primers outside their packaging. As a former ammo inspector for the Army, I have seen what primers can do when you have a chain reaction of primers going off, with some being more sensitive than others. Richard Lee has some good recommendations in his book for the quantity of primers to use in their auto priming tool. I concur with him on this.

[winelover]

A friend just brought over a MRC Improved Loader for 357 Magnum. Seems to be a precision tool. It has the hand primer seater. There are no instructions per se. I figured out everything except for crimping the bullet. Not sure what part to use. BTW, I've never seen, let alone used a Lee Loader. Do these things full length resize straight walled cases? I did use RCBS case lube and pounded the case all the way in. I 'm guessing it can also be used for 38 Spl as long as there is enough adjustment in the seater stem. Haven't tried it to confirm.

Winelover

[BCall]

Yes, the 357 will do 38, just have to adjust load data. The 357 and 38 kits I have came with different scoops.

The "Improved" kits crimped with the case mouth expanding tool. Just flip it over, using the other end of the flaring tool, put it over the round and give it a few taps for the crimp. You can put too much or too little crimp, just kinda have to go by feel.

[winelover]

Yes, the 357 will do 38, just have to adjust load data. The 357 and 38 kits I have came with different scoops.

The "Improved" kits crimped with the case mouth expanding tool. Just flip it over, using the other end of the flaring tool, put it over the round and give it a few taps for the crimp. You can put too much or too little crimp, just kinda have to go by feel.

Thats what I suspected but didn't want to try it until I was sure. Thanks. Probably wont use the scoop, just weigh charges with a scale.

Winelover

[Combat Diver]

I've got about a dozen different Lee Handloader kits in different calibers. Started using them in the barracks in the Army and out of the rucksack in the field. I used to be able to reload a box of 50 .41 Mag 215 gr LSWC with 2400 in 1 hour. Would do that in the evening after an afternoon of shooting my M57. It bet studying more Arabic after a 8 hour day of it already.


http://www.leeprecision.com/html/cat...leeloader.html

Nathez Shooters Supply has them for $19.99
http://www.natchezss.com/brand.cfm?b...E&startRow=201

CD

[Indio]

Hey people.. I've recently picked up a Lee Loader kit in 45-70 and in the instructions it mentions you can get an optional flare tool for loading cast bullets. I checked the Lee web site but it doesn't list one for 45-70 but it does list one for the 45 Colt kit.. Do you think that would work ok?

[Old Ironsights]

Just call Lee and order one. They're really good about that.