Lee Hand Press for larger Cartridges?

[VariableRecall]

This is just a quick one,

I've got a Lee Hand press and I love the little thing. I've got a buddy in OK that's hoping to eventually get started with reloading for his Atlantic Arms FAL in .308. Would a Lee Hand Press be capable of going through the motions for a relatively large rifle cartridge? If not, he's got space for a tabletop press, fortunately.

The manual says it accepts cartridges up to 3 inches but considering how long those bullets are, I have my doubts.

If you happen to have Lee Hand Press experience loading for larger rifle cartridges, what's the largest cartridge you've successfully loaded with it?

[adcoch1]

It will work for.308 length wise, but for the necessary full length sizing an FAL will require a hand press is pretty weak. Id go with a used single stage before the hand press.

[Mk42gunner]

I have Lyman's version of it: the Acculine IIRC.

I have loaded .243 Win with it, but it is not the easiest thing in the world to do. It is much easier with a bench mounted press, even an old C frame type.

I know I would rather use my Pacific Super C than the Lyman in hand held guise. I have never mounted the Lyman to a bench, I have other presses for that.

It is kind of neat to have a semi-portable reloading kit, but I much prefer having a bench mounted press. Bullet seating without spilling powder with everything in your lap is a learned balancing act.

Robert

[gwpercle]

I reload all my handgun ammo from 32 acp up to 41 Magnum and 30-30 Winchester and I did resize 500 - 308 Winchester once , but not all in one sitting ... a few at a time while watching TV . No problems with those cartridges fired in modern sporting arms .
I bought some once fired 303 British brass , they must have been fired in oversized chambers and had a lot of trouble resizing even on a bench mounted Pacific Super Deluxe C Press . I believe the brass had been fired in Lee Enfield military rifles or maybe even from a machine gun ... I had to size them down in 3 separate steps and the compound linkage of the press was necessary to do it ... it was more like forming brass rather than just resizing ... what I'm trying to say is there is room to reload 30-06 but there is not much leverage in the resizing stage .
After I got the 303 British resized on the bench mounted Pacific Super Deluxe ... I finished loading them on the Lee Hand Press .
I just took a fired 30-06 case , fired in my factory rifle which has a nice minimum dimensioned chamber and resized it ... lubed the case well and had no trouble ...had to put a little muscle in it but the hand press doesn't have much leverage to help you . I would do 20 on the hand press ...
50 or 100 ... I would go out to the bench and visit the the Pacific ...71 year old hands might have something to do with it ! But 30-06 can be done .
Gary

[Bazoo]

I've used my hand press for many 30-30 and a few 30-06 cases.

I recently measure how much I'm setting the shoulder back on my 30-30 when my die is set to maximum .039. That's a bunch by the way.

[rswink]

It will do it as long as you have the strength

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[GhostHawk]

Imperial sizing wax and the Lee Hand press I was able to full length size 7.62x54r for my Mosin's.

I won't say it was easy or fun, but yes doable.

Mostly these days I resize large rifle on larger lee fixed press. But everything else is done with the Lee Hand press.

It will do it, but it takes both Imperial sizing wax and some oomph.

[Bazoo]

I've had good luck with Hornady one shot as well as imperial when using the hand press. The hardest part in my opinion is removing the case from the die as that is when the neck is inside sized. The Hornady helps there as when you spray it it lubes the inside of the neck. Otherwise it's a good practice to use dry graphite in the case necks.

[poppy42]

I’ve loaded 30-06 on mine. I certainly Wouldn’t want to do hundreds on it if I had another option but I had no issues. Oh and yes I full length size the cases. I also loaded 06 with a 310 tool although that was neck sized only. Whatever you do don’t forget the case lube.

[rswink]

I’ve loaded 30-06 on mine. I certainly Wouldn’t want to do hundreds on it if I had another option but I had no issues. Oh and yes I full length size the cases. I also loaded 06 with a 310 tool although that was neck sized only. Whatever you do don’t forget the case lube.I still want a 310 tool for 30-30 every so often.

The first round I reloaded were on a Lee Classic Loader.

https://leeprecision.com/lee-loader-308-win.html

Nothing like hammering out some ammunition.

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[W.R.Buchanan]

My BPM Hand Press will resize just about any Brass Case. .308's are easy and I have a video of a guy sizing .308 machine gun brass in one stroke which is pretty hard to do on most single stage presses. It takes me three strokes to do it on my Rock Chucker.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnVUXKdqHcs&t=291s

My tool has about 25-30% more Mechanical Advantage than the Lee Tool. It also costs more because it is made from all machined parts and assembled by hand and designed to last. I have customers who load .338 Lupua and all the larger cartridges, and one guy who does .577 Nitro Express at the campfire in Namibia!

Please note: a Lee Hand Press WILL NOT DO THIS !

There are several other videos on youtube on the press and you should check it out. www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

Randy

[jonp]

I've used mine for 308 but use the wax and have Wheaties for breakfast. The Lee excells at pistol length stuff imho. If you want to do longer and keep it simple the whack a mole will work.

[gwpercle]

I've used mine for 308 but use the wax and have Wheaties for breakfast. The Lee excells at pistol length stuff imho. If you want to do longer and keep it simple the whack a mole will work.

Whack-A-Mole only neck sizes the cases ... hand press and neck sizing is a walk in the park , if neck sizing is all you need .

Gary

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Lubing the cases is the key. Lee sells case lube in tubes that is supposed to be very good. A properly lubed case will glide in and out of a full length sizer with modest effort. The sized cases will be more uniform as well. I have never used a hand press though.

[smithnframe]

I've used a Lee for 45/70's with no problems!

[AlHunt]

I love the simplicity of these little things but a small press mounted to a 2x6 and C-clamped to a table will be a lot more productive for the guy.

[Prairie Cowboy]

I love the simplicity of these little things but a small press mounted to a 2x6 and C-clamped to a table will be a lot more productive for the guy.

I agree. A Lee Challenger bolted to a plywood base and clamped to a table is pretty compact and sturdy.

You glue up 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood and then saw it into a base that lets you C-clamp it on either side of the press. You bore holes for the mounting bolts and counter-bore holes underneath to recess the bolt heads and the washers.

It doesn't need to be a large base, just wide enough for the clamps and deep enough to support the press, plus a bit more. Store it in a closet or a cupboard.

[poppy42]

I agree. A Lee Challenger bolted to a plywood base and clamped to a table is pretty compact and sturdy.

You glue up 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood and then saw it into a base that lets you C-clamp it on either side of the press. You bore holes for the mounting bolts and counter-bore holes underneath to recess the bolt heads and the washers.

It doesn't need to be a large base, just wide enough for the clamps and deep enough to support the press, plus a bit more. Store it in a closet or a cupboard.
For me this defeats the whole purpose of a hand press. I can take my hand press to the range and load rounds, or sit around the campfire and load rounds. But then that’s why I bought mine

[MostlyLeverGuns]

When using the Lee Hand Press (even for my Lee Cast Iron Bench Mounts) I find sizing in the die WITHOUT neck expanding makes the process easier. Neck expand using an 'M' die, NOE or Lyman, helps reduce the sizing power requirement and usually makes straighter cartridges. I use a decapping unit smaller that does not expand the case neck. Redding and Lee both have non-expanding decapping stems/pins available for their dies.

[Bazoo]

I do like mostlyleverguns does. I size without the expander button, then I trim, then M die expand, then load. Now this is with 30-30 both with cast and jacketed. The main difference is the trimmer pilot won't go in the necks unless expanded. It needs to be reduced in size. I spun mine in a drill with sandpaper wrapped around it till it fit.

Now, variable recall sir, this change in loading is not required for loading. It is a tweak to the normal method and both work. The main reason for it is ease of loading if you're already going to use an M die for cast bullets in rifle cartridges.

[Prairie Cowboy]

For me this defeats the whole purpose of a hand press. I can take my hand press to the range and load rounds, or sit around the campfire and load rounds. But then that’s why I bought mine

Probably, although you can take the Challenger press to the range if you drive there, as long as you don't have to pack it very far. Things like a spotting scope, shooting boxes, and such, are heavier. As long as you can clamp it down somewhere convenient, it will work. But, the hand press might work better for you, especially in a camp situation.

However, the OP mentioned that his friend needed a press for home use as a beginner. This portable press avoids building a reloading bench, can be stashed away out of sight when not in use, and will serve as a single stage press if the guy does build a bench.

[44magLeo]

I have found if you hold the handles between your knees you can use your leg muscles to close the handles.
Leo

[bpatterson84]

Ive had no issue doing 458 win mag and 338 win mag when developing loads at the range.....not sure if those are big enough for you.....

[poppy42]

Probably, although you can take the Challenger press to the range if you drive there, as long as you don't have to pack it very far. Things like a spotting scope, shooting boxes, and such, are heavier. As long as you can clamp it down somewhere convenient, it will work. But, the hand press might work better for you, especially in a camp situation.

However, the OP mentioned that his friend needed a press for home use as a beginner. This portable press avoids building a reloading bench, can be stashed away out of sight when not in use, and will serve as a single stage press if the guy does build a bench.

Yep definitely agree. I live in an apartment so space is limited. All my equipment (presses, powder measures , etc is mounted to the bench I designed and built with T-nuts. It can easily remove and stored away. The bench can even serve as a table if need be. My hand press, 310 tools, hand primers and dippers are stored in range bags. I have the ability to load any calibers that I currently shoot and have dies for on the go! Just in case of. But the Op’s Original question was can you load larger calibers with a Lee hand press. The answer to that question is yes! The advantage of a hand press over 310 tools is that you can use standard dies and full length size of need be. With all that being said I certainly would not want to have to load a couple of thousand 9 mm rounds or a couple of thousand 5.56 rounds. Or in the case of 30.06 rounds, a 310 tool. I have much better options. But I’ve done it before, I certainly could if I had to.

[bpatterson84]

Little side note on these presses.....I don't think Lee can make them fast enough! All the reloading tirekickers are buying them all up! Probably buying a lot if these....and 9mm or 556 die sets bought up, and not a single other reloading supply by these people hahaha! Yea, I love mine quite a bit, but I haven't seen one in stock anywhere in a while.

[rswink]

True, I was thinking of getting a few to leave in various places that I might need them in the future. Guess that it is a future purchase now. I did pick up a Lee Classic Loader for my brother, they can still be found.

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