I hope I don't regret this: Bought my first press after my starter kit single stage

[Stopsign32v]

Well for too long now I've been using a single stage LEE Breech Lock Challenger, the basic of the basic. I've had it since 2013 and it is painfully slow and tedious. I've kicked around the idea of a turret press and all of the fancy ones but have never braved enough to spend the money on them. Today while surfing YouTube I watched a video from Fortune Cookie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCE8xhCWdGs

Now truth be told I clicked on it because I have wanted to look into wet tumbling. But his video shows a press I personally have never seen! I thought the speed of it was pretty cool and just imagined how much time I could save with it. Rolling my eyes and thinking "There's no way I'm going to pay the probably $150 it cost when I could have a non LEE branded other press" (I'm not a huge fan of LEE).

Looking into it I saw that Midway has them on sell for $69! https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1022385797

Well for $69 and free shipping there isn't too much to lose. To make it even better I looked into how other companies and people have been upgrading these to make them even better. So here I go...Rolling the dice on another LEE product. It should be here this time next week so we will see. I still need to purchase some accessories but in a time when everything is slim pickings I'm pretty happy on a $69 press that is in stock!

Greatly dislike the plastic pieces it has going on but I can buy extra for when (not if) it breaks.

https://leeprecision.com/files/categories/90933.jpg

[johnsonian09]

When you receive it let me know how it works out?

I've been considering it for bulk brass prep without loading and for sizing my cast bullets/airgun slugs

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[RydForLyf]

When you receive it let me know how it works out?

I've been considering it for bulk brass prep without loading and for sizing my cast bullets/airgun slugs

Sent from my SM-J337VPP using Tapatalk

I just got mine yesterday and for bulk brass prep, it is awesome. It's fast and easy. I use it for decapping and bulge busting 40. Best $90 I've spent in a long time.

I just listed my previous bulge busting press, Lee Classic Turret, for sale in S&S because I'll never use it again now that I have the APP.

[RydForLyf]

Well for too long now I've been using a single stage LEE Breech Lock Challenger, the basic of the basic. I've had it since 2013 and it is painfully slow and tedious. I've kicked around the idea of a turret press and all of the fancy ones but have never braved enough to spend the money on them. Today while surfing YouTube I watched a video from Fortune Cookie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCE8xhCWdGs

Now truth be told I clicked on it because I have wanted to look into wet tumbling. But his video shows a press I personally have never seen! I thought the speed of it was pretty cool and just imagined how much time I could save with it. Rolling my eyes and thinking "There's no way I'm going to pay the probably $150 it cost when I could have a non LEE branded other press" (I'm not a huge fan of LEE).

Looking into it I saw that Midway has them on sell for $69! https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1022385797

Well for $69 and free shipping there isn't too much to lose. To make it even better I looked into how other companies and people have been upgrading these to make them even better. So here I go...Rolling the dice on another LEE product. It should be here this time next week so we will see. I still need to purchase some accessories but in a time when everything is slim pickings I'm pretty happy on a $69 press that is in stock!

Greatly dislike the plastic pieces it has going on but I can buy extra for when (not if) it breaks.

https://leeprecision.com/files/categories/90933.jpg

You'll love it! I just got one yesterday and it's fast! I don't know if I'd want to load on it, but for fast brass processing, it can't be beat. I just listed my Lee Classic Turret, my previous bulge busting press, in S&S since it won't ever be used for it again for brass prep. You might want to look into that as a step up from what you had for loading rounds and use the APP for what it excels at, quickly processing lots of brass.

[mdi]

The Lee APP is an "automated processing press".Specifically for sizing and depriming brass. I believe it is also used for cast bullet sizing. Lee states it is also a single stage press, but I haven't heard much about that. If you wanted a faster press I would suggest a Lee turret. I used one for about 20+ years and it was as fast as I needed (I like reloading and am never in a hurry). I also put a ram prime on one turret, and sized bullets on my old style press. My "best for me" modification was to disable the auto index and hand index. Works best for me because I perfer batch loading. I wound up with 14 turets. most filled with dies and some with accessory dies (bullet sizing. priming, etc.).

Don't fret Lee's use of "plastic" as more than the plastic everyone thinks about (cheap Asian toys) Lee uses modern manufacturing materials and methods. Remember al the hoop-la about the first Glocks to reach the US? One of the most popular pistols now, it was condemned as "cheap plastic that wont last"...

[Land Owner]

"Buy once - Cry once" is the mantra for purchasing equipment that LASTS. You can hardly afford not to. At 429 posts on these Forums, a castboolit member for 6 years, and an avowed reloader for 8 years, what is not to get? Sure, $69 for plastic is CHEAP.
...there isn't too much to lose. I care to differ.

[358429]

What's all this about Hope and regret? You make do with what you have in your hands, Wherever You Are.

I've been reading about guys using these to process a bucket of 38 brass either before or after tumbling. Was watching the video on u tube how to set it up and synchronize the shuttle for sizing brass or bullets. Build quality seemed better after I could see how it was designed to operate. I'd like to see is one of these set up for priming cases or powdering or seating/crimping.

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[RydForLyf]

What's all this about Hope and regret? You make do with what you have in your hands, Wherever You Are.

I've been reading about guys using these to process a bucket of 38 brass either before or after tumbling. Was watching the video on u tube how to set it up and synchronize the shuttle for sizing brass or bullets. Build quality seemed better after I could see how it was designed to operate. I'd like to see is one of these set up for priming cases or powdering or seating/crimping.

This press isn't designed to do any of those tasks. It was designed for processing brass and bullets, not reloading. This press excels at rapidly decapping, swaging, bulge busting and sizing bullets.

[358429]

Do you know if it is capable of priming cases or expanding case mouths or seating or crimping? I could be the man of 1000 loading blocks the excitement could be heard for miles.

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[RydForLyf]

Do you know if it is capable of priming cases or expanding case mouths or seating or crimping? I could be the man of 1000 loading blocks the excitement could be heard for miles.

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It will not prime cases because there is no way to press the primers in. You can expand case mouths. Seating and crimping would defeat the speed benefit the press offers because you would have to load individual cases. The real benefit to this press is performing single operations in bulk by using their case feeding tubes, or by kluging up a connection to a case feeder and not deal with the tubes.

[Stopsign32v]

It will not prime cases because there is no way to press the primers in.

This isn't true at all.

Start watching this video at the 1:44:08 mark https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUneg5YCBKQ

[358429]

So there is no way to adapt Lee breech lock Ram Prime into the Lee app? this is a picture showing it in the hand press. Even if it was cumbersome it would be a huge Improvement on speed for me with a case feeder and all that Leverage.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210822/dcc190bfbd3e3a4f98fa723a0f844710.jpg

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[358429]

This isn't true at all.

Start watching this video at the 1:44:08 mark https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUneg5YCBKQTelling me I need to sign in and I ain't going to do that. How does he solve the priming problem?

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[358429]

I kind of want one of these just so I can mount it up on a stump, some portable reloading when I'm out and about listening to birds sing and drink coffee.

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[Stopsign32v]

Telling me I need to sign in and I ain't going to do that. How does he solve the priming problem?

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It shouldn't make you sign in. Anyways it CAN be a priming tool, it places the priming die on the bottom under the press. It can load from start to finish. However to me the priming of the cases looks very tedious so I will not be using it for this. I believe I will still be investing in a Century 21 hand priming tool.

[RydForLyf]

This isn't true at all.

Start watching this video at the 1:44:08 mark https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUneg5YCBKQ

I stand corrected. Thanks for pointing that out.

[RydForLyf]

So there is no way to adapt Lee breech lock Ram Prime into the Lee app? this is a picture showing it in the hand press. Even if it was cumbersome it would be a huge Improvement on speed for me with a case feeder and all that Leverage.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210822/dcc190bfbd3e3a4f98fa723a0f844710.jpg

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I wasn't aware that that tool existed. Yes, it will work on the APP. Very slow, but it will prime. It's a dark day when you don't learn somethin' new.

[358429]

So what do I got to do to get a powder measure to fit[emoji3]

I will take that back I kind of like the powder measure on the stump. If I can deprime resize prime and bell case mouths I would save so much time. Seating and crimping I can still do in the hand press if it does not work out.

I'd like to get a 30000 primers and a Dillon 650 for a reasonable price, that ain't going to happen boo hoo[emoji39]



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[lesharris]

I have the LEE APP press and have used it for decapping and case bulging. It worked fine for what it was designed. It was not designed for priming n and loading.

[Stewbaby]

Seems to be limited to 223 and pistol. I have not had good luck trying to auto feed 308, Swede and such.

[jonp]

Loaded thousands of rounds on Lee single stage presses. I don't need a Bugatti to load ammo and Lee works just fine for me. Buy what you want, spend what you want but just keep :Fire:

[GWS]

Seems to be limited to 223 and pistol. I have not had good luck trying to auto feed 308, Swede and such.

I had the same problem with .308, then I created a clear drop tube between and it works like this:

https://vimeo.com/399038398

Then made it faster to change calibers:

https://vimeo.com/412173481

https://i.postimg.cc/qq8NMjWp/IMG-3291.jpg

pretty simple, but the .223 size needing a wind or two of alum. tape to size it tight.

https://i.postimg.cc/Kzx2xDSy/IMG-3271.jpg

[Stewbaby]

I had the same problem with .308, then I created a clear drop tube between and it works like this:

Awesome thanks

[GWS]

For those who have or are planning to acquire a 3D printer, TylerR has taken that idea and created a caliber changing downtube that has the same feature, and can interface with a case feeder. On his version, the caliber specific part just drops in, so you don't have the change the part that screws into press. I designed and printed a wrap around tube for .223, .308, and .270 for his 3D printed verion.......270 version below:


https://youtu.be/diFyLzK9Wi8

TylerR's thread is here on Cast Boolits.....his files for feeders and APP can be downloaded from the link at his signature in every post he makes.

If anyone wants my rifle downtube .STL files for his APP quick change system just ask. Of course he has all the pistol downtubes for it too.

TylerR's downloads available here: https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?354324-Making-that-Bullet-Collator&p=5216287&viewfull=1#post5216287

There is an APP section. You print the APP_Bracket_Main.stl, then any caliber specific downtube. My rifle downtubes are not there.

[mdi]

Los of info from App owners/users on this dedicated APP forum; http://www.lee-loader.com/viewforum.php?f=86

[jonp]

For those who have or are planning to acquire a 3D printer, TylerR has taken that idea and created a caliber changing downtube that has the same feature, and can interface with a case feeder. On his version, the caliber specific part just drops in, so you don't have the change the part that screws into press. I designed and printed a wrap around tube for .223, .308, and .270 for his 3D printed verion.......270 version below:


https://youtu.be/diFyLzK9Wi8

TylerR's thread is here on Cast Boolits.....his files for feeders and APP can be downloaded from the link at his signature in every post he makes.

If anyone wants my rifle downtube .STL files for his APP quick change system just ask. Of course he has all the pistol downtubes for it too.

TylerR's downloads available here: https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?354324-Making-that-Bullet-Collator&p=5216287&viewfull=1#post5216287

There is an APP section. You print the APP_Bracket_Main.stl, then any caliber specific downtube. My rifle downtubes are not there.

Can't stop the signal

[GWS]

Can't stop the signal

Can't stop what?????

[redriverhunter]

I like mine well enough. I use it to decap, size, bell the mouth and seat bullets. I think, it comes in great to for sizing and belling pistol brass. I would not suggest using it to size anything that take some force. I had a 308 case get stuck in the die because the shell holder that makes sizing pistol brass so great did not have a enough of a grip on the 308's rim and it was heck to get that case out of the die.

[358429]

That would save a bunch of time processing a bucket of 38 Special.

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[onelight]

I like my APP enough I would buy another immediately if it disappeared.
Mine is used for de-capping pistol cases before pin tumbling , and the cartridges I use NOE expanders on I also resize when de-capping.
I find it to be a great time saver on a chore that I found to be tedious.
And it's cheap :bigsmyl2:

[GWS]

Over on TheHighRoad.org people are buying 2 APPs. Might make sense if you are doing several operations....they are that cheap.

I use it for what "onelight" does, and I also swage military 7.62 with it. The case feeder makes that go 3 times faster than my RCBS bench Swager or a similar Super Swager. I may have to begin the Boolit making side of the hobby so I can size lead boolits with the APP...many love it for that.