MERRY CHRISTMAS and my typical luck

[Oklahoma Rebel]

so I wast factory crimping some 45-70 loads today on my early Christmas present, a lee reloading press( the cheap single stage kind), and on case would not crimp. I could still move the boolit in and out so I tried again, and SNAP! went the rear mounting hole. I am so bummed. I am going to send it back and get a refund. just wondering if anyone had a press not in use that they would sell for around 30 dollars or so, one that is tougher than lee's. I don't care if it is 80 yrs. old as long as it threads current dies. thanks, The O.K. KIDD

[1989toddm]

PM coming.

[troyboy]

I have that same press since 94. Use the factory crimp dies as well.I'd advise figuring out what went wrong and why before making the same mistake twice. Something was wrong and this caused the failure.

[Oklahoma Rebel]

thanks everyone I have already had two kind offers, so my Christmas is looking up again, merry Christmas to all !

[Oklahoma Rebel]

it is pig metal is what is wrong, I can tell by looking at where it broke, same look as a broken childs toy, well the ones I played with, today everything is plastic, too big to swallow, no small pieces, no sharp edges, no screws or bolts etc..... lol

[r1kk1]

it is pig metal is what is wrong, I can tell by looking at where it broke, same look as a broken childs toy, well the ones I played with, today everything is plastic, too big to swallow, no small pieces, no sharp edges, no screws or bolts etc..... lol

Lee uses aluminum for metallic presses and cast iron for their classic cast series. The only Lee press I have and kept after buying every press direct from Lee (pre Loadmaster and CC series) is the hand press. That goes with me hunting and that's it. So what press did you get?

Merry Christmas to you too

r1kk1

[troyboy]

From the OP description my assumption is the Lee C press.

[r1kk1]

From the OP description my assumption is the Lee C press.

Lee states it will full length size a 375 H&H mag case. Maybe they had a run of porous castings.

take care

r1kk1

[troyboy]

Mine has resized 300wby. That said it is definitely not the press for resizing rifle brass. Seating and crimping, de-capping, resizing pistol brass, and push through sizers are just some of the operations it excells at. The failure could have been a bad casting or it could have been improper die set up. Could have been lots of things

[runfiverun]

I use their C-press to size and trim with my Dillon trimmer.
it's been doing nothing but sizing brass for 20 years now.

I think you just over done it.

[r1kk1]

I have never broken a press other than linkage on the original Challenger. It went back with the 30-day money back guarantee after the 2nd one broke. I did notice that both linkages were poor castings. The new Challenger has the updated steel linkage that it sorely needed. I have had two different cast steel presses. On the A2, I have used a cheater pipe years ago swaging belts on a wildcat. More work than it was worth. No breakage. I have had a powder measure body crack. I heard it when it happened. NIB and sent it back for a replacement. It too was a poor casting.

Reading Richard's book, he has great aspirations for the reloader C. I swear he and Herter's were kinfolk. I put that Challenger through some tough jobs. No frame breakage. The weak point at the time was the linkage. If a fellow could find a pre-breechlock Challenger and replace the linkage with the steel type, I believe it would handle quite a few rifle cartridges within the limit of the window and ram travel. Not bad for a lightweight aluminum press. I just wish their production side matched the quality of their custom services side. It is like its two different companies.

take care

r1kk1