We shall see how Lee Handles this one.

[docone31]

As I was happily sizing away, POP! goes the press.
I have the Lee Challenge press, my favourite one.
It snapped off at the toggle link.
I shall call Lee tomorrow, and see how they respond.
So far, they have been really decent to me. Lets hope the "horror stories" are from perhaps folks haveing an attitude when they called.
I have my hopes up.

[Marlinreloader]

They will send you a metal one like the ones on the Classics for like $5.00. Thats what I did. It is awesome. Or they will send you one for free when you send them the broken one.
Marlinreloader

[docone31]

Well, I just finished sorting my castings.
I cannot blame Lee for this one! I was sizing my .30cal down to .308 for paper patching. I had mixed in the batch to size, my C312/185R mold I had honed out to .314.
So, I was sizing down to .308 from .314 with zinc in the mix. All in all, it held up fairly well.
I will just get another toggle, hopefully I will check more thoroughly this time.
I have a lot of sorting to do.
Usually when I size those down, I do it in two steps. Not one.
Small wonder it popped.

[yondering]

Hmm, I've sized quite a bit more than that, a good press should be able to handle it. I've sized jacketed and cast .401 bullets down to .359" in one step with Lee dies on my Lyman orange press, mostly just to see if it could be done.

Marlinreloader, what do you mean about the "metal" toggle link? They are all metal I think, unless you had one that was plastic? Maybe you mean "steel"? Aluminum, lead, zinc, and steel are all metals.

[Marlinreloader]

Hmm, I've sized quite a bit more than that, a good press should be able to handle it. I've sized jacketed and cast .401 bullets down to .359" in one step with Lee dies on my Lyman orange press, mostly just to see if it could be done.

Marlinreloader, what do you mean about the "metal" toggle link? They are all metal I think, unless you had one that was plastic? Maybe you mean "steel"? Aluminum, lead, zinc, and steel are all metals.

I meant to say steel but I think one could deduct what I meant knowing the classic toogle makeup is stronger. Next time I'll make sure I get ALL my metal names correctly.

[docone31]

Even so,
I try to be tender with all my machines. I usually size the .303 British in two steps, especially when I have mixed in zinc. I had some that were real large indeed. I haven't figuired that one out yet.
I have some crap alloy, with zinc in it. I have seperated as much of the zinc as I could, but, some always remains in alloy. With my smokeless loads, I am more than pleased with paper patching them. I get fantastic results with full tilt loads.
Not only were they large, but I only use dish soap for lube. I went too much this time.
POP goes the Classic.
I hope they do have a steel retrofit for the press. That would be good. I will find out tomorrow.

[tonyb]

I changed my challenger toggle and handle to the 1000 toggle and handle.

[docone31]

I called, and they handled it real well.
It was after all, my fault.
For 5$ plus shipping, I get an entire lower assembly. It is for the new Breech Lock system, but it will fit the Challenger.
It was simple, and they are pleasant to deal with.

[rbstern]

If you had paid three times as much for another brand of press, you could have saved yourself that $5 plus shipping.

[ducking and running for cover...]

:)

[mold maker]

Or you could have paid 3 times for a orange sizer and broke it the same way. The difference being it cost $17. + S&H for the handle and toggle.

[yondering]

I meant to say steel but I think one could deduct what I meant knowing the classic toogle makeup is stronger. Next time I'll make sure I get ALL my metal names correctly.

Wasn't trying to be rude, I don't own one of those presses and don't actually know what the toggle link is made of. I would have guessed you meant steel, but if the original piece was die cast, a machined aluminum piece would have fit the description as an improvement too.

I have considered buying one of these presses; although I thought they were supposed to be a bit stronger than that.

I do admit that it's kind of annoying when "metal" is substituted for "steel" or "iron", as in "aluminum molds aren't as good as metal molds".

[docone31]

In all fairness, the sizing I was doing was radical. The particular casting was literally mushrooming around the drive pin.
Up untill that one, it handled a respectable load. I might not use it for swageing, but it performs well within its limits.
It is cast aluminum, the part that snapped. The fracture was crystalline. I also bent the steel handle.
I am 6'6" and was a body builder in my 30s.
I just might have pushed the press past its limits.
Next time, I will size the .314 to .311, then .308. Especially as I have a zinc blend.
I cannot scratch them with a fingernail.
They paper patch well though.

[yondering]

In all fairness, the sizing I was doing was radical. The particular casting was literally mushrooming around the drive pin.


OK, that is a bit extreme, especially with a zinc blend! I've cast a few pure zinc boolits, and they were very hard. I did not try to size them. :drinks:

[Tom W.]

Get one of those nice GREEN presses, and don't worry about it any more.....

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

The green presses are made in China these days. Instead, get a better press than the green press, get the Lee Classic Cast. It'll handle anything and has many innovative features. I had a green press, got rid of it for the Lee Classic Cast single stage.

Regards,

Dave

[Willbird]

The green presses are made in China these days. Instead, get a better press than the green press, get the Lee Classic Cast. It'll handle anything and has many innovative features. I had a green press, got rid of it for the Lee Classic Cast single stage.

Regards,

Dave

Bigger does not = better :-).

There are plenty of American made green press's out there.

Bill

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Bigger does not = better :-).

There are plenty of American made green press's out there.

Bill

My green press was an older American made one and the Lee Classic Cast single stage still beat it and ran it off my bench.

Regards,

Dave

[seagiant]

Hi,
I pretty much love anything Green,but will have to admit the COOL factor is pretty high on the LEE cast press being made from scrape railroad rails!! !

[Willbird]

I have bought enough Lee stuff that I was not happy with, so I am very careful about trying a new product, I have enough green and blue press's now to last me a lifetime anyway :-).

As to making a press from scrap RR track....hmmm o k hehe :-). You can break RR track with a sledge hammer if you scribe a stress riser onto it first, what it is made for in now way endears it to the design of a reloading press.

Bill

[reivertom]

Love my Lee Classic!!!!!

[TAWILDCATT]

I have most brands but like the Lee clasic cast turret. I cant see buying a single stage when the turret is better.I use mine with out the auto turn.and you keep all the dies set and change in seconds.the handel is die cast as I broke on on a turret press and sent the old one back and got new steel one free.the steel one is hardened pressed steel.:coffee: [smilie=1:

[1hole]

I would swap my old but perfect condition RC II for a new Classic Cast without hesitation, if for no other reason than Lee's spent primer catcher works!

Those who might feel the RC is "rigid" need to place a dial indicator on top and then FL size a case, most any case will do to show the spring. Mine deflects about .004-5" when resizing well lubed .30-06 cases, a bit more with larger cases.

No question, the RC is a good press but it's not magic. No better in any way than compariable presses from Lyman, Hornady, Redding or Lee. That list excludes Forster's Co-Ax and Redding's UltraMag, which are indeed - somewhat - "better".

As for RCBS "free" parts later, they really ain't free, we just pay for them up front, even if we never need them! That simply doesn't make me feel as warm and fuzzy about buying green, or baby blue, as it seems to for others.

To each his own....

[mtgrs737]

I have a RCBS RC press that I got when I first started reloading back in 1975 from an old retired gentleman who used to sell reloading supplies out of a converted back porch. He wisely sold only top notch reloading gear that would last a lifetime, and he knew what a starting out kid needed to get the job done. My RC has reloaded many thousands of rounds and will last me to the end of my days. Looking at presses today, I have noticed that the RC in the stores are made a little looser than mine and that for the same money (sportsmans Warehouse) that the Redding Boss press is tighter like my old RC is. Today I would recomend the Redding Boss or the Lee Classic Cast to a new startup reloader. Made in USA by Americans is important to me.

[shooterg]

Like many others I've broken several of the monkey metal toggles on my old Lee Challenger, and as above, have replaced the toggles with the steel ones from the newer Challenger Breech Lock design. It doesn't get used much anymore except for 'oddball' stuff but it was my first press and loaded thousands and thousands of .223/.308/.30-06 before the bride gave me a Dillon and I gave me a Corbin ! That cheap red Lee will be reloading for someone after I'm gone !

[docone31]

I just got my parts from Lee.
Holy Moly! They sent some chunks of IRON. I mean heavy parts. I am pretty sure I could swage with this press now. I won't but I bet I could swage castings into shape with it.
Easy fix, they sent a larger pin for the ram, everything is steel.
It is also a little shorter than the original. The throw is faster so it will have less torque. A good thing.
I am very satisfied. The best 5$ I have spent in a while.
Now to cast for my .308 to get back to paper patching.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Just goes to show ya that the current Lee company under the son is a better company than it was under the Dad. It's not often a family owned business turns out that way. Pop oughta be proud.

regards,

Dave

[rbstern]

Just goes to show ya that the current Lee company under the son is a better company than it was under the Dad. It's not often a family owned business turns out that way. Pop oughta be proud.

regards,

Dave

Dave, right on.

You can see where Richard Lee kept costs down in the various products. And it served many of us very well, because he carried that philosophy across the product line. While we might regret that the Lee Pro 1000 doesn't have a better priming system, we can rejoice at the $34-goodness of the Lee six banger molds, or the quality of a Lee die set that costs less than $25.

John Lee has taken some of his dad's best ideas, modernized them, and added that 10% extra 'something' that really makes the products exceptional in both innovation and quality.

They are doing the opposite of what many do at this stage of a company's life.

[Recluse]

You can see where Richard Lee kept costs down in the various products. And it served many of us very well, because he carried that philosophy across the product line. While we might regret that the Lee Pro 1000 doesn't have a better priming system, we can rejoice at the $34-goodness of the Lee six banger molds, or the quality of a Lee die set that costs less than $25.

John Lee has taken some of his dad's best ideas, modernized them, and added that 10% extra 'something' that really makes the products exceptional in both innovation and quality.

They are doing the opposite of what many do at this stage of a company's life.

Very true. I will always be convinced that Richard Lee is a veritable genius. Some of the ideas and innovations he came up with and engineered are other-worldly. And, many other reloading manufacturers continue to pay royalties to Lee for using those ideas in their own products.

Richard Lee's major shortcoming is that he comes across as an arrogant, grade-A Alpha Hotel. From his narratives in the Lee Reloading manual to phone conversations to firsthand witness accounts from those who dared not kiss his ring upon meeting him, the stories and lore are consistent.

Back in the 80's, I was a semi-serious IPSC shooter, and with a stock wheelgun nonetheless. Ended up buying a Pro1000 to load my .38 special ammo with. Long story short, I had some dealing with Lee Precision that helped me continue shooting and reloading at a greatly reduced rate. Everyone I dealt with at the company was incredibly professional and polite, except for. . . . At the time, it really aggravated me, but now all these years later I figure that most geniuses are NOT people persons.

By all accounts, son John is putting in that "extra" in many of the products. Dad Richard came up with many of the ideas and son John is not necessarily inmproving the design, but rather the quality.

I am a very loyal Lee customer. They helped me out when RCBS and Hornady wouldn't, and when Dillon literally laughed me off the telephone. I took immense pleasure in competing against wheelgunners who wore their Dillon patches and apparel. I took even greater pleasure in giving extra effort to thoroughly kick their ass in the match, then mailing (way before the internet and cell phones) the results to both Dillon and Lee.

Now I'm considerably older and a lot more comfortable financially. I can buy whatever color I wish, and I have some blue stuff. I've never had a bad customer service experience with Dillon, but I do not like the self-annointed superior attitude prevelant in so many Dillon owners and supporters.

I used a Rock Chucker for many years, and still have a lot of green on and about the bench. Varying shades of red (Hornady, Lee, Forster), and again, some blue here and there. But my predominant tools are the bright red of Lee Precision. I do not think there is a finer single stage press made than the Classic Cast. The Classic Turret is a fantastic value and defines efficient multi-tasking at it applies to a reloading press. The Challenger is the best single stage value for the money, bar none. I will not comment on the progressives, as it IS hard to do favorably in my opinion and experience.

I like Lee dies. I also like RCBS dies. About all I have are Lee and RCBS dies. I like RCBS powder scales, although I do use a Lee Safety Scale as my backup to make sure the RCBS is correct. I love, and I do mean LOVE my Lee Perfect Powder measure. I've had it for over twenty years and it's well-broken in. It throws flawless, consistent charges every single pull of the handle. My Dillon powder throws are about as accurate and consistent as today's liberal media.

I had a Hornady powder measure that while built superbly, would never throw consistent charges with any powder. Finally sent it back to Hornady for good. I found their customer service severely lacking, with the result being I haven't bought anything with the Hornady name on it for well over ten years. The Hornady folks even admitted to me that they couldn't get the powder measure to throw consistently in the three instances I sent it back to them. I wanted to simply trade it for some bullets and a set of dies, but Hornady said "no" all the way up the food chain. So I've said "no" to their products all the years since. Not saying Hornady stuff is bad--it's good stuff. I just won't deal with them anymore.

Everybody has hiccups now and then. How they are handled often determines how we view them. Glad to hear Lee did right and sent the heavy-duty stuff.