Upgrading LEE Hand Press to the breach lock?

[fiberoptik]

So I see LEE sells all the parts to the Hand Press, I'm wondering if I just buy the $12 Hand Press casting and swap parts, I'd have the new one. Opinions? Ideas?
The cheapskate in me just shrivels at buying a new one.:killingpc

[Fyodor]

I have an old style hand press, too, and asked Lee about an upgrade.

You'll need both big parts (body and lever), which sums up to about a new press. So I decided against an upgrade and instead bought a set of Lyman lock rings.

[starmac]

I do not know what parts you would need or the cost. I do know that lee hand presses do not last long in the swap and selling. I would almost bet a guy could sell his and buy the breechlock hand press for no more out of pocket money as upgrading the one they have. Just an idea.

[DeanWinchester]

I think starmac is right.

[Bullshop Junior]

What the heck is breech lock?

[DeanWinchester]

http://leeprecision.com/breech-lock-hand-press.html


It allows you to set a die in a metal sleeve with an interrupted buttress thread. ....I think it's a buttress thread...anyway, you buy a sleeve for each die and when you wanna use that die, insert, turn a few degrees and and it's locked in right where you left it. Keeps you from having to dial in each die, each time. I have a half dozen of them but admittedly never use them. I always meant to. Lol!

[Bullshop Junior]

So its kinda like the Hornady lock and load.

I change everything every time I load so its a waste of money to me.

[Maximumbob54]

I like the set it and forget it they offer.

[C.F.Plinker]

Other than not having to turn the die through several revolutions, how is this better than putting a locking lock ring on the die and leaving it set or installing a second lock ring above the first?

[Beagle333]

Other than not having to turn the die through several revolutions, how is this better than putting a locking lock ring on the die and leaving it set or installing a second lock ring above the first?
Other than that..... It isn't.
It is not an adjustment, it's just a faster way of installing the die into the press. Whether you leave it the way it was set the last time, or adjust it every time, it just takes out some twisting of the wrist.

[jmort]

I use Breech Lock system with two hand presses and Challenger and the Lock-Ring bushings are nice, a must have. The non-lock-ring bushings are just O.K. Having preset dies in lock-ring bushings makes sense.

[AlaskanGuy]

http://leeprecision.com/breech-lock-hand-press.html


It allows you to set a die in a metal sleeve with an interrupted buttress thread. ....I think it's a buttress thread...anyway, you buy a sleeve for each die and when you wanna use that die, insert, turn a few degrees and and it's locked in right where you left it. Keeps you from having to dial in each die, each time. I have a half dozen of them but admittedly never use them. I always meant to. Lol!

Well Dean, you better box them and and send them my way... I will put them to good use... :D

Plus, the salmon are running... And it would go a long way towards you getting some of them copper river reds... :)

[Ben]

For those of you who may of not seen a close up of how the new Lee Hand Press system works, here it is :


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Lee%20Hand%20Press/014.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Lee%20Hand%20Press/012.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Lee%20Hand%20Press/015.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Lee%20Hand%20Press/016.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Lee%20Hand%20Press/017.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Lee%20Hand%20Press/018.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Lee%20Hand%20Press/020.jpg

[jmort]

Beautiful explicit photo layout of the hand press and the lock-ring bushings, a must have accessory in my opinion. Love mine.

[AlaskanGuy]

Gosh ben, how awesome is that... Thanks sir...

I know you must have some awesome digital stuff for taking pics ben... With all them beautiful stocks you you do on your website.... If anybody hasent checked bens website, just look at the bottom of his signature line in his posts... He really is a professional...

AG

[W.R.Buchanan]

WOW Ben! Nice Pics. I knew that you did some stock work but I had no idea you were that advanced. Nice work.

I also now have a face to put with the name.

As far as the Lee Hand Press goes just buy the Breech-Loc version. It comes with a regular bushing. You can then just install it semi permanently and screw dies in and out as needed, or you can buy more bushings and dedicate them to specific sets of dies you use frequently.

If you plan on setting up die sets with dedicated bushings I would recommend the "Lock Ring" type of bushing as it permanently locks the individual dies settings in place and much more so than the standard Lee Lock rings with the O-ring that come with Lee Dies.

The utility of this Lee Product and Lee Products in general cannot be overstated. They are pretty good value and I personally have a bunch of Lee Stuff,,, But I also have a bunch of other Mfg's stuff as well.

Don't think for one second that you can do everything there is in reloading with just one brand of tools. Just like you can't get by with simply buying Craftsman tools. There comes time when you see something that some other outfit makes that you really like, and from that point forward your matched set of tools is no longer matched.

Best Idea is to find the best tools from every maker and buy what you need as opposed to keeping everything Red, Blue or Green.

Wonder why no one makes Yellow reloading tools? There must be room for another brand huh? :mrgreen:

Randy

[MT Chambers]

The Forster Co-ax system of die insertion is much better and you don't have any slop, instead the shellholder floats for the utmost precision, no bushings, no turrets, no pot metal(sorry: scintered steel) to break.

[jmort]

"The Forster Co-ax system of die insertion is much better..."

So what? Why not start a thread about the "Forster Co-ax system." This is a thread about a $30.00 hand press. Love the insertion of non sequitur buzz-kill posts. Thanks

[Ben]

WOW Ben! Nice Pics. I knew that you did some stock work but I had no idea you were that advanced. Nice work.

I also now have a face to put with the name.

As far as the Lee Hand Press goes just buy the Breech-Loc version. It comes with a regular bushing. You can then just install it semi permanently and screw dies in and out as needed, or you can buy more bushings and dedicate them to specific sets of dies you use frequently.

If you plan on setting up die sets with dedicated bushings I would recommend the "Lock Ring" type of bushing as it permanently locks the individual dies settings in place and much more so than the standard Lee Lock rings with the O-ring that come with Lee Dies.

The utility of this Lee Product and Lee Products in general cannot be overstated. They are pretty good value and I personally have a bunch of Lee Stuff,,, But I also have a bunch of other Mfg's stuff as well.

Don't think for one second that you can do everything there is in reloading with just one brand of tools. Just like you can't get by with simply buying Craftsman tools. There comes time when you see something that some other outfit makes that you really like, and from that point forward your matched set of tools is no longer matched.

Best Idea is to find the best tools from every maker and buy what you need as opposed to keeping everything Red, Blue or Green.

Wonder why no one makes Yellow reloading tools? There must be room for another brand huh? :mrgreen:

Randy

Thank you Randy,

Ben

[Rio Grande]

I like the old model better.
The new breech lock is unnecessary in my opinion and costs more. It does not produce better reloads.

[garym1a2]

I like the breech lock concept a lot in my Classic cst press.

In the hand loader it can be quite useful for range devlopment where you want to change them out a few times and not have to re-adjust.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Rio Grande: As Gary above stated,,,Where the Breech-Loc feature comes in handy is when you are loading a few rounds at a time at the range, like when you are doing load development.

The ability to swap dies quickly comes into it's own when you are loading 5 rounds to test and then the same 5 rounds again and again with different powder charges or components. This tool is pretty much the absolute best way to accomplish this task, and it is certainly the most cost effective.

If you are doing batches of 50 or so rounds then there is little difference between the two tools.

The ability to size and deprime, reprime, and charge and seat bullet quickly on a few rounds makes the quick change die feature a real asset .

Is there even $5 difference in the cost? Not worth arguing about.

Randy

[MT Chambers]

I was merely pointing out the fact that bushings such as these add a certain amount of additional "slop" to the reloading process, and it's not a centering type of "slop" like the Co-ax. I'm sure a reloader with your expertise would not want to introduce anything that compromises loading accurate ammo with little or no runout.

"The Forster Co-ax system of die insertion is much better..."

So what? Why not start a thread about the "Forster Co-ax system." This is a thread about a $30.00 hand press. Love the insertion of non sequitur buzz-kill posts. Thanks

[Handloader109]

There is NO slop.. Have you used the system? it is a thread, just as described, interrupted to allow you to do 1/3 revolution to LOCK it into place. If you want to start a thread on the coax, then go do it. I, for one, don't enjoy twisting my wrist 30 or 40 times, EVERY time I want to change out EACH one of my dies. Your comments are like saying go get a progressive because they are more accurate. These inserts are, IMO, one of the better ideas that Lee has made. There is SLOP when you put in a lock ring, as you have NO IDEA how much torque -read vertical distance- you did last time you put that particular die in the press, unless you use a torque gauge to adjust each time. Now that is SLOP! Sorry, Rant off.


I was merely pointing out the fact that bushings such as these add a certain amount of additional "slop" to the reloading process, and it's not a centering type of "slop" like the Co-ax. I'm sure a reloader with your expertise would not want to introduce anything that compromises loading accurate ammo with little or no runout.

[jmort]

"I'm sure a reloader with your expertise would not want to introduce anything that compromises loading accurate ammo with little or no runout."

With my level of "expertise," I doubt I could tell the difference. I have no doubt that that Co-Ax is as good as it gets for "lack of slop." We are discussing a $30 hand press. A post comparing other bushing systems to the hand press "Breech Lock" may have been useful/appropriate.

[Maximumbob54]

I just wish they offered a kit like Hornady does to allow other single stage presses to use the Lee breech lock system. I actually find it superior to the Hornady system since the lock into place with the push of the button. On my LNL AP if I don't set them finger tight and then give them just a slight push with a wrench I've had them work loose a couple of times.

[dudel]

I use Breech Lock system with two hand presses and Challenger and the Lock-Ring bushings are nice, a must have. The non-lock-ring bushings are just O.K. Having preset dies in lock-ring bushings makes sense.

Question on the Breech Lock. I have it on my Lee Hand press, and have not found it to be a great advantage over setting a lock ring (an RCBS or Hornady type that locks to the die vs a Dillon or Lee which does not) and screwing it in. It keeps my settings and is repeatable. I can't put all my dies in the Lee lock ring bushing, because most of my presses (RCBS and Dillon) do not support the Lee Breech Lock. I like my Lee Hand Press; but the breech lock, to me, seems to increase the cost for marginal benefit. I guess there's more benefit if ALL your gear was Lee Breech lock equipped. This is not a dig on Lee, the Hornady lock and load seems to have similar marginal value (to me).

The question though comes from setup. I had been taught to tighten up the lock ring or die while case was run up into the die to get the die concentric with the brass. The breech lock seems to be able to lock in at any of three points. Would you get the same setup at each starting point. Probably not much of an issue on a hand press for pistol rounds, but what about on a Lee Classic and rifle rounds?

[Ben]

I think if you have 38 sets of reloading dies, buying the bushings would be cost prohibitive.

For some beginning reloaders that maybe load 1 rifle caliber and 1 pistol caliber , I think the system definitely offers merit.

Ben

[jmort]

" I can't put all my dies in the Lee lock ring bushing, because most of my presses (RCBS and Dillon) do not support the Lee Breech Lock. I like my Lee Hand Press; but the breech lock, to me, seems to increase the cost for marginal benefit. I guess there's more benefit if ALL your gear was Lee Breech lock equipped. "

I completely agree. I have two Breech Lock hand presses and one Breech Lock single stage. I do 9mm, .357, .223, and .308, so lock-ring bushings are not prohibitive for these four. I like the Breech Lock system but it is not everyone's cup of tea. A single hand press set up for one's favorite caliber seems handy and not overly/complicated or expensive.