.38 Special Lee Loader info needed

[Slugster]

I recently ended up with a Lee Loader in .38 Special. Everything is there and complete except for the Instruction/Load information. Could someone who has that info please send me a copy via P.M. Thanks.

[racepres]

looking... I may have it...
I did think it is available online... Google Can Be your friend..

[foesgth]

https://leeprecision.com/files/instruct/RE1423.pdf

[mdi]

I started reloading in 1969 with a 38 Special Lee Loader. My only addition was a scale, beam not digital. One consideration is priming. Make sure the priming base is clean and the plate free moving. I like Lee Loaders and still have 7...

[Electrod47]

Its nice to have instructions, But those things are kind of intuitive. Lee made em simple. The dipper's still work for me.

[TNsailorman]

We will need more info to be able to help. Is your Lee Loader in a cardboard box, a 2 piece red plastic box, a 1 piece red plastic box. Also what color are the powder scoops. I have data for one of the early ones but it has a metal powder scoop, made only in 1963. Lee's site has most of the powder charts ( except the 6.5x55 swede) and the loading instructions are the same on all years. james:smile:

[Slugster]

Thanks for the info folks, I appreciate it.

Better late than never info: Red and black cardboard box with styrofoam insert, black plastic scoop.

[Green Frog]

I used to hang out on the Lee-loader.com forum (yes you haters, there is such a place!) and they have lots of good stuff posted there including a bunch of the data cards, both older and more recent. I can’t remember whether they had the instruction sheet on or not, but i know the old and new data cards are there... I posted them. If you can’t find an instruction sheet, PM me with your email address and I’ll send you a scan of one of mine. BTW, as the original Lee Custom broke up, the last of the sets in the old black and red cardboard boxed set came with a neat red plastic hand priming tool that eliminated the objectionable whack BOOM priming procedure that many careless reloaders experienced and complained about.

Froggie

[racepres]

I used to hang out on the Lee-loader.com forum (yes you haters, there is such a place!) and they have lots of good stuff posted there including a bunch of the data cards, both older and more recent. I can’t remember whether they had the instruction sheet on or not, but i know the old and new data cards are there... I posted them. If you can’t find an instruction sheet, PM me with your email address and I’ll send you a scan of one of mine. BTW, as the original Lee Custom broke up, the last of the sets in the old black and red cardboard boxed set came with a neat red plastic hand priming tool that eliminated the objectionable whack BOOM priming procedure that many careless reloaders experienced and complained about.

Froggie

Yes... the last one I purchased...was in a plastic box, and had a pretty darn good hand primer... I still use it for onesy, twosy's
One thing I vividly recall... Do Not inadvertently use the decapper and try to seat primers!!! Stuck that sucker in the ceiling pretty good...LOL
Doing it By the Book...I never had a moments problem...but was "gun shy" for a time...LOL

[Slugster]

PM'ed you froggie. Thank you.

[osage]

My 38 special and 270 are red box. I was just starting out but was real uncomfortable priming. I bought a Lee primer with round tray and a set of yellow scoops around 1980. Still using same priming tool.
I didn't know about Lee loader site, something else to check out. To

[mdi]

I still drop by the Lee Loader forum a few times each week. Lots of good, unbiased information and sharing...

http://www.lee-loader.com/index.php

[Bmi48219]

.... Do Not inadvertently use the decapper and try to seat primers!!! Stuck that sucker in the ceiling pretty good…

I use the decapper and base to salvage primers. Light taps with a 8 ounce leather mallet and wear a left hand leather glove just in case. Never had the decapper go airborne but there’s always a first time.

[racepres]

I use the decapper and base to salvage primers. Light taps with a 8 ounce leather mallet and wear a left hand leather glove just in case. Never had the decapper go airborne but there’s always a first time.

Wow... Do Not look down on it... let er fly!!!

[Green Frog]

The danger of decapping live primers is somewhat overstated IMO. Just be gentle and let the primer get pushed out. Remember, it's the impact that sets them off! Over the years I've probably removed and reused a couple of dozen or more.

Then again, maybe I've just been lucky... you have to decide for yourself what that primer is worth to you if you salvage it.

Froggie

[racepres]

The danger of decapping live primers is somewhat overstated IMO. Just be gentle and let the primer get pushed out. Remember, it's the impact that sets them off! Over the years I've probably removed and reused a couple of dozen or more.

Then again, maybe I've just been lucky... you have to decide for yourself what that primer is worth to you if you salvage it.

Froggie

well said... If (big Word) If ya have a press... nothing in the world to pushing live primers out... not including military Crimped ones!!
Hitting with hammer??? Not recommended... gonna put holes in ceiling!!

[TNsailorman]

I have to agree with the Green Frog, depriming live primers is not a problem if done right. A wooden mallet, or leather mallet and light taps will do the job without setting a primer off. Just be sure to set your depriming shell holder on a wooden block ; I use a cut section of 2x4 for that. I have deprimed well over 200 hundred primed case of different calibers and have only set one or two off and that was many years ago when I first started reloading with a Lee Loader. The 2 I set off were in the priming process and not depriming. My expereince anyway, james

[mdi]

As Mr. Frog and Mr. Sailor mentioned, removing "live" primers is completely safe, if common sense is used. When I had been reloading just a few weeks I took apart a primer to see how it works. Obviously a sharp blow to the cup will crush the compound between the cup and anvil, igniting the compound (convincing me that primers needed to be seated all the way to the bottom of the pocket, solidly supporting the anvil). Pushing a primer out from the case does not provide the blow necessary to crush and ignite the compound...

[John in WI]

I have a Lee Loader in .38. For the life of me, I have not been able to load CB's, and not have a little shaving of lead come off during seating. For my purposes it's not that big of a deal (I'm loading for a .38 snubby, shooting at close range). Still, I've not been able to figure out why it's doing that! If you gain some skills with using it, please share them.

[racepres]

I have a Lee Loader in .38. For the life of me, I have not been able to load CB's, and not have a little shaving of lead come off during seating. For my purposes it's not that big of a deal (I'm loading for a .38 snubby, shooting at close range). Still, I've not been able to figure out why it's doing that! If you gain some skills with using it, please share them.
My set (this one in the plastic box) has a very nice case Belling gizmo.. i always pushed it on/down by hand, but to get all the wau to the shoulder.. I may have needed the Mallet!!! Belled Plenty...as I recall... I will bust it out and double check...in awhile!!!

[Land Owner]

...have a little shaving of lead come off during seating.

Flare the case mouth, just a little bit wider to receive the boolit base, before starting to seat the boolit, which should eliminate the shaving of lead. During boolit seating, the added flare should be eliminated by a slight taper crimp from the die.

[jonp]

I have to agree with the Green Frog, depriming live primers is not a problem if done right. A wooden mallet, or leather mallet and light taps will do the job without setting a primer off. Just be sure to set your depriming shell holder on a wooden block ; I use a cut section of 2x4 for that. I have deprimed well over 200 hundred primed case of different calibers and have only set one or two off and that was many years ago when I first started reloading with a Lee Loader. The 2 I set off were in the priming process and not depriming. My expereince anyway, james

I use a piece o 2x4 and an acrylic hammer to do it. Set one primer off in 30yrs, maybe but you remember the sound and fury. Scares the jeepers out of you

[mdi]

Your kit should have one of these, a flaring tool. You should be able to apply enough flare in the case mouth to seat cast bullets cleanly and straight. If not, use anything with a taper (I have used chisel or punch heads, and even a 30-06 case, or anything in my tool box or laying around the shop that is tapered to flare the case mouth). Trying to stuff a .357" piece of lead into a .354" tube is very difficult without some sort of "entry way"...

https://leeprecision.com/flaring-tool-38.html

[poorman]

A deburring can also help
https://leeprecision.com/chamfer-tool.html

[Charlie Horse]

I got one of those. I've tried to give it away to several folks, to get them into reloading, but have had no takers. Hoping to give it to a grandson when he turns 21.

311687

[Alferd Packer]

Maybe "mike" the cast Bullet to see if it is oversize.
Mayhap it needs a run through a Bullet sizing die to trim the outside diameter.
I have Moulds that throw bullets .360 diameter for all 38s to include .S&W .358- .360 cases .
I just size them down for regular .38s.
But , easier to change to a smaller mold for smaller dia.Dia.

Easier to check Bullet Dia. And either resize or use smaller Dia. Bullets.
It goes without saying that you need to flare the cases first, but only enough for a regular sized bullet.
No one seems to consider that the Bullet may be too big around.
Slugs need to have outside diameter measured.
If they are bigger than .359, they won't slide into the seat die, and flaring for slugs that big may not work.
Will the bullets slide through the cylinder ?.
Drive one through and then try measuring the Outer diameter.
It may even seat in the case with a flared case of course.

I have seen people collapse cases with oversize bullets and swear off reloading forever!
You got to read reloading cast bullets book and try it again.

[Texas by God]

I got one of those. I've tried to give it away to several folks, to get them into reloading, but have had no takers. Hoping to give it to a grandson when he turns 21.

311687

If he doesn’t want it;
I’VE been 21 three times so far…….Just Sayin’[emoji3]


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