Anyone have a Lee basic reloader they can post photos of?

[jmorris]

I would like to see photos of how this press manages spent primers and can it prime?


http://leeprecision.com/images/P/p-786.jpg

[r1kk1]

Take press off and primers collect underneath or drill hole under press and collect in coffee can.

Take care

r1kk1

[jcwit]

See that slot in the red cast aluminum frame directly behind the ram? There is also a slot/hole for the spent primer to fall thru then thru the slot in the painted frame. From there they pile up under the press unless you drill a hole for them to drop out of.

[EDG]

That press primes with a ram prime.
Most use a hand priming tool now days. Priming on a press is pretty much a hang over from the old days before hand priming tools were available. I am sure there are some that still think priming on a press is ok but they are simply following old reloading manual practice.

[jmorris]

Could you post a photo of what rhe ram looks like where the primer passes through on it's way to the slot? That is what I am really looking for.

[44Vaquero]

Jmorris,

I hope this helps. The slot is approx. 5/16 x 2 5/16. I did not get out my calipers. The slot appears to be cut by one large diameter tool judging by how the radius inside the ram is shaped.

[44Vaquero]

This is how on press priming is accomplished with this press and an easy way to collect spent primers. I have one set up as a dedicated priming station for 20 years!

[jmorris]

44, that is what I needed, thank you.

[44Vaquero]

Jmorris, not a problem. So what the new project/idea? The Lee Loader is a little bit beneath your normal scope of work.

[jmorris]

Oh, I can't spoil the suprize.

I figured if it would work with a few modifications, it would save me time over building a press from scratch. Even if I don't count my time it would be pretty hard to beat one ready to go for $28.

[mdi]

That press primes with a ram prime.
Most use a hand priming tool now days. Priming on a press is pretty much a hang over from the old days before hand priming tools were available. I am sure there are some that still think priming on a press is ok but they are simply following old reloading manual practice.

I owned one of the Lee "C" presses for a while and used it for all the reloading steps, including ram priming. Unfortunately it was sold during a messy divorce and even though I now have 4 presses (one turret and 3 single stage) I still use a similar press; an old C-H "C" type mostly for priming. I own 2 hand prime tools but they now sit in their drawer mostly unused 'cause I've found ram priming to work much better for me. More precise and better "feel".

I don't care for hand priming and I haven't found hand priming to be any better than ram priming and I usually ram prime a few thousand cases a year. In my reloading career I've tried several different methods and settled on the ram prime, which isn't a "hold over" of anything (most reloading/priming was done with a hand operated style of tool; like Lyman's 310. If anything hand primers are a "hold over" of nutcracker type loading tools which were more popular than presses). But as for normal press use, a Lee Reloader will make fine, safe accurate ammo if you do your part, and yep, you'll need to either use a ram prime, a hand prime, or Lee Loader for priming your cases...