help identifying lee press

[bgclevenger]

hello folks and good morning. i'm new to reloading and to this site but i've already found alot of useful information here. perhaps someone could further... shopping around for a good, used press i came across this

59457

i've heard mixed reviews on lee presses, with some models receiving better opinions than others. would anyone be able to tell which model this is or have any info on it? many thanks.

brian

[William Yanda]

Check the Lee Precision site for a definitive answer. Its obviously a single stage, bench mounted press, "O" design is stronger than the "C" type. rust on the handle will not affect performance. Was it free?
Bill

[bgclevenger]

don't have the press at the moment; deciding wether or not to buy it. the seller didn't have any other info on the press other than "its not cast iron its solid steel stronger than cast iron". thanks again.

brian

[r1kk1]

Challenger press.

r1kk1

[VHoward]

Lee doesn't have any solid steel presses. Everything Lee makes is either cast aluminum or cast iron depending on model.

[r1kk1]

Aluminum press not sold steel. Midway sells one for 60.00. Lee has updated the linkage on the older ones. Had one and returned on Lee's 30 day policy.

Take care

r1kk1

[EMC45]

New Challenger presses are built differently than this older model you show. Newer ones are cast like the cast steel press (Classic Cast). It is a Challenger press. Decent presses, but I believe the newer ones are a far better value.

[Guesser]

That model in it's first variation was introduced in the early 80's, 30 years ago, doesn't seem that long. It was named "The Challenger 2000" was guaranteed until 2000, or so. I still have the one I bought in 1984. The linkage was updated by Lee a couple times on mine. Good press and still in regular use.

[wallenba]

Caution:!! Look closely at the picture. It looks like the upper part of the top link is out of the boss. The press is resting tilted one way and the linkage the other. Is this a photo ad? Part may be broken.

[bgclevenger]

thanks for the input, everyone. dutch, i did notice that linkages didn't seem to be in-line with the frame. seller says it works fine, but based on what i'm reading here i think i'll pass on this and continue my search.

brian

[r1kk1]

New Challenger presses are built differently than this older model you show. Newer ones are cast like the cast steel press (Classic Cast). It is a Challenger press. Decent presses, but I believe the newer ones are a far better value.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/176078/lee-challenger-breech-lock-single-stage-press

Read description of press material.

Take care,

r1kk1

[r1kk1]

That model in it's first variation was introduced in the early 80's, 30 years ago, doesn't seem that long. It was named "The Challenger 2000" was guaranteed until 2000, or so. I still have the one I bought in 1984. The linkage was updated by Lee a couple times on mine. Good press and still in regular use.

That's the reason mine went back for the 30-day money back guarantee. That was mid 80s. The linkage has been updated on the newer ones. I cannot comment on those.

Take care

r1kk1

[VHoward]

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/176078/lee-challenger-breech-lock-single-stage-press

Read description of press material.

Take care,

r1kk1

I have the Breech Lock Challenger press. Midway's description says solid aluminum. It is as solid as cast aluminum can be. Mine still has seam marks from where the mold halves met. It is soft aluminum fine for light duty.

[mdi]

Nuttin' wrong with the Challenger press. I'd give $20.00 for it and I'd be able reload thousands (mebbe tens of thousands) of rounds with it. Treat it as you would any tool, keep it clean and use it for what it is intended for and it'll last many years of reloading. Many badmouth the aluminum presses, but in 30 years Ive seen very few (mebbe 2) that had linkage problems, but none that the aluminum parts failed...

[Recluse]

Early Lee Challenger press. I still have one on my bench and use it at least weekly, if not more often. In fact, I just used it last night to prime some 30-30. When I first bought it back in the late 80's, it did all of my rifle and single-stage magnum pistol reloading--and did so for years. Now I use it for de-capping, push-through sizing and priming. I like it well enough that I'm going to upgrade the linkage on it. It's never given me one single problem in well over twenty years of at least weekly, if not sometimes daily usage.

Agree with Wallenba, the linkage looks messed up. It may be an optical illusion as the press has a twenty or thirty degree cant when mounted, but even so, it doesn't look right in the picture.

:coffee:

[zuke]

That linkage is offset 30 degree's so when you bolt it onto the bench you have more handroom and clearance to put in.remove you brass.
I've used one for decade's,along with a LEE turret. All original part's from the 80's. Just routine maintenance and common sense to keep them alive.

[KCcactus]

I have one of those I bought at a garage sale, but mine was in much worse shape. If you have linkage problems later on, you can buy replacement parts. Check the sides of the connector link for cracks. It's the H shaped top part of the linkage. That is the most likely spot for a problem. I broke the exact same part on my older turret press. Lee has a steel replacement connector link for $5. If you get the press for a good price, it should serve you well.

[WyrTwister]

hello folks and good morning. i'm new to reloading and to this site but i've already found alot of useful information here. perhaps someone could further... shopping around for a good, used press i came across this

i've heard mixed reviews on lee presses, with some models receiving better opinions than others. would anyone be able to tell which model this is or have any info on it? many thanks.

brian


I have the same press , used it for years .

Only gripe is the die cast zinc / aluminum linkage . Broke it twice . Second time , I reinforced the broken linkage with J B Weld . Kind of like glass bedding a rifle to a stock . Never broke it again .

A year or two ago , I order the updated iron / steel linkage . Had to tweak the handle a little bit to clear the frame . No sweat .

It made a good press even better , with the stronger linkage . I have no problem recommending it to anyone . Particularly if you are buying it used at a good price . ( Paid $ 20 for mine , years ago . ) With the O-Frame design , the zinc / aluminum is plenty strong .

But , if you are buying new , I suggest one of the Lee cast iron presses . They make both single stage and turret presses in cast iron . ( Cast iron is strong enough for the body of a press . Steel is not really needed . )

I have the cast iron turret press . It is a great press for an even greater price . One round of loaded ammo for every 4 pulls of the handle .

God bless
Wyr

[mikeyd23]

I only have one of those and love it, though something tells me I would upgrade if I tried something nicer...maybe not.

[jonk]

The Challenger press is fine in terms of the frame. Yes, it is aluminum, but I have resized and reformed just about anything you care to name on mine; and while it is what I started with (and I now have half a dozen presses on my bench) the original Challenger is still going strong after 13 years of reloading. What WAS the weakness was the linkage; but after the Classic cast was introduced, Lee offered the same basic linkage as on the Classic cast as an upgrade for older Challengers and standard on new ones; as such it is as strong a press as you'll ever need.

I'd pay up to $30 for that press, if I were in the market, and $15 to Lee (incl. s/h) for the parts to upgrade the linkage, and be done with it.

[bruce drake]

I have a LEE Challenger mounted right beside my RCBS JR3 press on my workbench. I like them both. The LEE Press actually has better leverage for resizing than the RCBS press! Now I'm not recommend you try to swage a bullet on the LEE Press, but I can tell you the force required to resize a brass case is significantly lesser than the RCBS. I'd not think twice about picking up the press and paying LEE for the upgrade parts as well. $45 total investment will get you reloading for just about every standard cartridge (50BMG not being counted as a standard cartridge...)

Bruce

[WyrTwister]

5988159882

Here is my Challenger press , with updated / iron ( or steel ? ) linkage .

God bless
Wyr

[slohunter]

Bought that same press back in the 80's. Gun show price was $14.95. Still tight as new!