Re-sizing hulls on a Lee load all Jackpine

[Markopolo]

Morning...

This post is for Jack.... apparently he has had several Lee Load-all’s over the years and they did not come (used) with the sizing ring for whatever reason and didn’t realize that the load all does do resizing quite well.. I use the load all for all sorts of projects from slug, goose, round ball, and whatever else. It has earned its spot on my bench time and time again. And with the proper kit, it loads several caliber’s... not many presses out there can be had and do a reasonable job of that for under 50 bucks used.. I have probably loaded 1000’s of shells over the last 30 years with a load all. For my light use and special projects, it is a total winner...
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On to priming..

Stage one, place the metal ring with the numbers not upside down over the shell.

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Place shell in stage one and deprime. The steel ring slides over the base of the shell and resizes and deprimes in one step.. the steel ring will not come off the base until stage 2.

Stage 2 place the shell with steel ring still over base in stage 2 and pull handle down. Steel ring is removed and that is all there is to it... move on to stage 3 or whatever you want to do.

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Hopefully, this clears things up for you Mr JackPine... the load all is an awesome tool, once it is learned. There is nothing better for the money....

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Blessings
Marko

[toallmy]

Well explained and photos are a big help , I have had one on my bench since the early 80 s and agree hold heartedly .

[Jniedbalski]

I like mine. I loaded just rabbit ammo or sheet loads in my loader. Haven’t used it in 20 years but still have it

[gpidaho]

I use my Lee Load All for a lot of projects as the ones mentioned above and I have an accumulation of ten shotgun presses. With some once fired hulls, especially high brass ones the shells tend to stick in the sizing station of Mec and Pacific presses. Lee size ring to the rescue. BPI sells the Lee size rings in 12, 16 and 20ga. and these I use in conjunction with my Harbor Freight Arbor press. At just $4 they are a very handy item for the stubborn hulls. Gp

[toallmy]

That pack of power and shot bushings that comes with them will make you all the hunting shells you need also . The only thing I would charge is a ( tapered crimp die ) for self loading shotguns . I am a pump man at Hart but the 3-4 auto's I have like a tapered crimp to feed .

[RogerDat]

So how is the load all for buckshot or slug? The larger shot won't easily shear off and one has to set slugs by hand. Single stage MEC vs. Load All I wonder how the Load All does.

[Markopolo]

I set them by hand.. I actually set by hand anything larger then BB. I do all the resizing and powder filling, wad setting, and then drop in the shot or slug and crimp. Simple and easy. A simple mark on the wad seating station with a loggers pencil and I know the height of the wad colum and that keeps me from crushing the wad by applying too much pressure. It is real simple! It does take a bit of experimentation with the powder charging inserts to find what throws correctly. And remember, the press is designed to have your hull sized and primed in order to settle the powder... if you skip this part on the load-all, your charge throw WILL be light.

[trapper9260]

Thanks for explain this more.I have one that my dad got years ago and the problem got was the finish crimp part did not feed to well in a pump. So what I did is deprime and size in my Mec and have the hulls done all up that way then when I need to load I finish off with the Mec or the Lee.I have not use the Lee for years now. but keep it just in case for some reason I need a portable 12 ga press I will use the Lee.

[toallmy]

As marcopolo I load all bigger shot stacked by hand , I put the slug in the wad and run it in the proper section with the press . At the final crimp section be mindful not to crush or buckle the hull .

[Jackpine]

Thanks for the posting Marko. Because I have, for so many years, not known the sizing ring existed for the Load Alls, I want to make sure I have this correct, so still need to clarify. The second and third picture in your original posting shows the sizing ring pushed down (or maybe pushed up) to the top of the shell brass. I assume that pic #2 is taken just before the the sizing ring is pushed down and #3 is taken after it is pushed back off. Is that correct.

Thanks

[Markopolo]

That is correct sir.. I didn’t have an empty shell handy, so I used a screwed up slug round for demo only. But you are right... pic w is before it is de-primed, and pic 3 is after it is primed....

[Jackpine]

Marko,

I think I have it now. Thanks for the COMPLETE explanation.

Sent you a PM.

Jackpine

[Undercover Rabbit]

I like my Lee LoadAll 2 press. Just ordered a spare sizing ring so that I can de-prime and size one hull while priming and removing the sizing ring on another hull. My Lee LoadAll 2 gives me good 6 point and 8 point crimps as long as I am doing my part with correct column height. The one drawback I am dealing with is the sizing ring getting stuck on high brass. I'm considering using a large washer stack or pipe fitting under the sizing ring when removing the sizing ring in the priming step. Just something that would push the sizing ring completely off the high brass on the priming station. On low brass the sizing system on the Lee LoadAll 2 works well and quick.

Just in case anyone has a Lee LoadAll 2 press and needs parts, here are a few links:
12G LOAD-ALL II PARTS (https://leeprecision.com/parts/shot-shell-reloading/shot-shell-reloading-press/12g-load-all-ii-parts/)
12G LOAD-ALL NOBEL 2 3/4 (https://leeprecision.com/4/)
16G LOAD-ALL II PARTS (https://leeprecision.com/parts/shot-shell-reloading/shot-shell-reloading-press/16g-load-all-ii-parts/)
20G LOAD-ALL II PARTS (https://leeprecision.com/parts/shot-shell-reloading/shot-shell-reloading-press/20g-load-all-ii-parts/)
The parts should be the same except for: charge table, shell plate, sizing ring & wad guide.
Conversion Kits (https://leeprecision.com/parts/shot-shell-reloading/conversion-kit/)
Personally, as cheep as they are, I would buy a Load-All II in another size rather than buy a conbersion kit. :coffeecom

[Markopolo]

Yea, I had a bit of trouble with the hibrass shells at first also.. I have a small piece of wood that I insert under the Sizing Ring when working with hi-brass

[Ranch Dog]

Marco, it looks like your Load-All II has a metal base, how old is it? My II is a decade and a half old, I noticed they don't sell them with a primer feed tray anymore. Never had a problem with it.

[Ranch Dog]

Marco, it looks like your Load-All II has a metal base, how old is it?
Oops, saw the answer... 30 years.

I've been searching for a way to limit the star crimp stroke on the Load-All II, and my latest seems like it might be what I've been searching for. I put a BPI X12X gas seal in the priming chamber. In the image below, the first shell was started by feel, and I got it right.

https://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/Casting/NOE/680-500-HB_CE1/680-500-HB_CE1_Federal_12S3_02.jpg

With the second hull, I went to deep and resulted in the twisted appearance when I seated the crimp (top row). I stopped and pondered it a bit and put a BPI X12X gas seal in the priming chamber. With the next three, when starting the crimp, I ran the press down until it stopped on the gas seal. Each time the fold was perfect.

https://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/Casting/NOE/680-500-HB_CE1/680-500-HB_CE1_Federal_12S3_04.jpg

These are new Cheddite hulls when I reach the fold stop; I give it a "five count". At the final fold station, I rotate the case three times, a third of a turn each time, and the shell looks more like a factory-perfect crimp. I think this might work better than other stops that I have come up, as nitro cards can be added to the seal to adjust the height needed. Anyone using something else?

[bikerbeans]

Roll crimper on a drill press solved my lee loadall crimp problems.

BB

[Ranch Dog]

Roll crimper on a drill press solved my lee loadall crimp problems.
Got one of those too, some things need to be folded.

[Undercover Rabbit]

I've heard of making reference white marks on the piston of the wad station and using the wad guide as a reference point. I've also heard of painting the whole piston white and making fine black lines to us the wad guide to see where to stop for favorite loads.

[Markopolo]

I have some of those x12x gas seals.. I will try it with next time I load shells...

[toallmy]

Nice crimps on those new hulls .

[Ranch Dog]

I have some of those x12x gas seals.. I will try it with next time I load shells...
I'm going to expand on this and keep a small selection of wads available. I've never owned a Lyman Easy, but from reading the instructions, this is where they had something on Lee. There crimp starter adjusted to either 2 3/4 or 3", and then you could make a small adjustment to the individual hull lots. As I said, that is what the instructions say, never owned one. Everyone I've seen for sale has not aged well. I've gone long enough with LAII that I'm good.


Nice crimps on those new hulls .
Thanks!

[Markopolo]

Mine is aged, and works fine. I do, as you say, wish there was a way to go with some adjustable wad colum marker or something. I have crushed more then one wad acting like a gorilla or rushing too much.. I should just learn to enjoy the journey instead of rushing to get to the end.