Another hit for Lee

[rbstern]

I picked up the redesigned Lee Challenger last week. This is the Breechlock model.

HUGELY improved over the old Challenger. Changes include:

1) Beefier. I don't have my old Challenger press to compare them side by side, but the new press looks to me to have more material in the O frame and base, and seems more rigid.

2) Spent primer disposal. It still drops the primers through the ram to a side catch pocket on the base. However, the catch pocket is drilled, and has flange on the bottom to attach a hose, similar to the flange on the bottom of the ram for the Classic presses. Lee supplies a short length of hose with a plug, to act as a catch reservoir. A longer length of hose could be routed to a trash bin.

3) Has the primer arm system used on the Classic presses, and is tapped on top so the safety prime dispenser kit can be added.

4) The cast handle linkage has been replaced by heavy, machined steel linkage.

5) The breech lock works great. It's nicely fit. The inserts go in easily, seat firmly, held perfectly with a spring powered locking tab. They come out easily.

All this, and it's under $50. Unbelievable. I like it so much, I'm thinking up excuses to use it alongside my Classic turret.

[GSPKurt]

Cool. I like Lee presses (most of them).

[Gee_Wizz01]

For about $35 more you can get the Lee Classic Turret and you will have the ultimate breech lock system that holds up to 4 dies at once! :mrgreen:. The challenger is a good press too and a bargain at that! My only gripe is the cost of the breech lock bushings.

G

[jonk]

I keep telling folks, go Lee, don't bother with RCBS unless you have one already or get it used cheap- at least not for a single stage press. The new Lees are as beefy as the Rockchucker and less than half the cost.

Yet some green snobs won't listen. Lee, that's all junk, you know! ;)

[oldhickory]

I've been buying LEE products now for over thirty yearsand have been extremely happy with everything, except their Perfect Powder Measure, I could never get that thing to throw consistant charges. Anyhow, I'm to the point where I don't buy LEE on price, I buy LEE because I like LEE products.

[captain-03]

When looking for something - Lee is the first stop!!

[dmen]

I'm on my second turret press from Lee, it works well for what I want. I can afford a more expensive press but I haven't found one better. dmen

[mold maker]

Reloading equip. is just like cars. You can spend more money, but the results are the same.
When you get to church, who else cares if you drove up in a caddy or a kia.

[Dale53]

MoldMaker;

>>>When you get to church, who else cares if you drove up in a caddy or a kia. <<<

AMEN!!
Dale53

[troy_mclure]

i just got my breech lock challenger kit today. assembled it, sized/deprimed some .204, and dropped the *** scale. it broke like an old ladies hip. ill be buying a METAL one now, instead of a cheapo plastic.

[RayinNH]

Troy, I suspect that if you drop the metal one, while it may not break, it will no longer be accurate either...Ray

[shotman]

dont know what church you go to but they dont want you if you cant pay to belive so better have a catty

[troy_mclure]

Troy, I suspect that if you drop the metal one, while it may not break, it will no longer be accurate either...Ray

i had a dillon back in the day, i steped on it. it still worked great.

besides i dropped it on a thick carpet.

[beanflip]

I have Lee molds and broke a sprue lever. For a 5 dollar part!!!!! It took me 30 minutes to get the lady to send me one without sending the old one back.

Heres Lee's policy:

Guarantee and Repair policy

Lee reloading products are unconditionally guaranteed not to wear out or break from normal use for two full years or they will be repaired or replaced at no charge if returned to the factory.

Our lifetime conditional guarantee states that any Lee product of current manufacture, regardless of age or condition, will be reconditioned to new, including a new guarantee if returned to the factory with payment equal to half the current retail price.

Another option is to send the product of any age back to the factory for repair. Labor is free and you are charged only for any parts that are necessary to get your product functioning properly.

Not at RCBS !!
It don't matter if you bought it broken, used, or how old it is no questions asked ... sir we will send the parts right out to you free of all charges.
To me the customer service is #1 at RCBS.

Just my @ cents worth

[jimkim]

I have Lee molds and broke a sprue lever. For a 5 dollar part!!!!! It took me 30 minutes to get the lady to send me one without sending the old one back.

Heres Lee's policy:

Guarantee and Repair policy

Lee reloading products are unconditionally guaranteed not to wear out or break from normal use for two full years or they will be repaired or replaced at no charge if returned to the factory.

Our lifetime conditional guarantee states that any Lee product of current manufacture, regardless of age or condition, will be reconditioned to new, including a new guarantee if returned to the factory with payment equal to half the current retail price.

Another option is to send the product of any age back to the factory for repair. Labor is free and you are charged only for any parts that are necessary to get your product functioning properly.

Not at RCBS !!
It don't matter if you bought it broken, used, or how old it is no questions asked ... sir we will send the parts right out to you free of all charges.
To me the customer service is #1 at RCBS.

Just my @ cents worth

I guess I'm just lucky. Touch wood. Every company, with the exception of Lyman, I have called has sent me new parts without me even asking. They just offer to while I'm telling them about the problem.

[jonk]

I have Lee molds and broke a sprue lever. For a 5 dollar part!!!!! It took me 30 minutes to get the lady to send me one without sending the old one back.

Heres Lee's policy:

Guarantee and Repair policy

Lee reloading products are unconditionally guaranteed not to wear out or break from normal use for two full years or they will be repaired or replaced at no charge if returned to the factory.

Our lifetime conditional guarantee states that any Lee product of current manufacture, regardless of age or condition, will be reconditioned to new, including a new guarantee if returned to the factory with payment equal to half the current retail price.

Another option is to send the product of any age back to the factory for repair. Labor is free and you are charged only for any parts that are necessary to get your product functioning properly.

Not at RCBS !!
It don't matter if you bought it broken, used, or how old it is no questions asked ... sir we will send the parts right out to you free of all charges.
To me the customer service is #1 at RCBS.

Just my @ cents worth


The only experience I have had with RCBS customer service was downright awful. My RCBS electric scale broke. Dunno why. Called them. I was told that they do not insure or guarantee electronics whatsoever. I sent it in for repair. Came back still broken. Sent it in again. Ended up paying $50 for the part, and $30 for shipping twice and they wouldn't pay me a penny back. I could almost have bought a new (good) scale for that price!

I had a similar break of a sprue handle with Lee. They said a scan of the broken part or digital picture would suffice. 1 week later the replacement came, no questions.

[Gerry N.]

Customer service with all its nuances and arcanities aside, I'd like to know how much the breechlock adaptors cost. I've been looking to buy a new press, but I load for a heap of calibers andn will need a pile of adaptors. I've yet to see prices in any catalogs or any of the online stores.

Gerry N.

[Newfoundlander2]

Getting back to the press.. the Breechlock has one great advantage over any other press in its price braket: potability. The Lee BL has grat bells and whistles and is plenty strong and accurate for 9 out of 10 reloading related tasks but no other press has the same features and is as portable.

[BCall]

Customer service with all its nuances and arcanities aside, I'd like to know how much the breechlock adaptors cost. I've been looking to buy a new press, but I load for a heap of calibers andn will need a pile of adaptors. I've yet to see prices in any catalogs or any of the online stores.

Gerry N.

I'm not sure where you are looking, but I have been using this press for awhile, and most every site has them listed. Grafs-8.59, Midway-7.49, Cabelas-7.99, Midsouth-7.04 all prices for 2 bushings per package. They can get a little pricey if you are trying to buy all at once for a bunch of dies. I just kept an extra one out that I could put in the press for calibers I reload less. Then I can screw dies in and out like normal. Then whenever i place an order, I throw a set on. Soon I will have enough to have one on all of my dies. The only other comparable system is the Hornady Lock-N-Load, and the bushings for that are about the same price at 7.58 up to 9.39 for 2. The one thing Hornady does that Lee should consider is selling a 10 pack. You can save a bit on the Hornady's buying them this way.

I like my Breech Lock press. It's not a solid as my dad's rockchucker, but it can do everything i need it to do for alot less cash. My dad has been using the lock-n-load on his rockchucker for years. When I bought my press, I really didn't have the money for a green one, so I bought this one to try. I have been happy with it so far, and have not felt the need to upgrade yet.

Some people don't see the need for quick change bushings, but I sometimes have butterfingers with brass. Ever drop one and bend the neck when you are getting ready to seat a bullet? With the quick change, and can quickly change dies, resize the neck, reprime and be back to where I was in a couple of minutes. I love them and will probably not reload without them in one form or another again. Billy

[TAWILDCATT]

why get that press when you can get the lee clasic cast turret.extra turrets are $10 and you can set up the dies permenant and change turrets in seconds.I have 15 sets and several have powder measure on them.hornady has them because they could not convert their press.
hornady LNL die bushing 3 pack $11.midsouthshooters
lee bushings list $9.98 2 pack=7.04 midsouth

[troy_mclure]

so far i like my breech lock challenger, just deprimed/sized 226 .204 ruger cases. got a universal decaper die now to do my 7mm, and 45/70 with out having to size them yet.

the only thing i dont like is that only 1/10th of the primers go out the hole to the catch tube, the rest pop out to the right on the floor,

[Dale53]

Another vote for the Lee Classic Turret - EVERY primer goes down the tube. I hardly know how to act. My Dillon 550B's are "pretty good" regarding primers on the floor, my RCBS Rockchucker is pretty sad, but the Lee CT is perfect!

Dale53

[BCall]

so far i like my breech lock challenger, just deprimed/sized 226 .204 ruger cases. got a universal decaper die now to do my 7mm, and 45/70 with out having to size them yet.

the only thing i dont like is that only 1/10th of the primers go out the hole to the catch tube, the rest pop out to the right on the floor,


I had the same problem with the primers, but when I left the priming lever in the ram, almost all of them went down the tube. It's a little bit of a pain with the priming arm in there though, so sometime soon I'm gonna try to put a straw or something in the slot to try to get them to go the direction they are supposed to and i can get rid of that arm. Billy

[troy_mclure]

yep, i just figgured out the priming arm trick! lol

i returned my lee safety powder scale at cabelas. they would onle let me exchange it since i had no receipt.

[rbstern]

why get that press when you can get the lee clasic cast turret.extra turrets are $10 and you can set up the dies permenant and change turrets in seconds.I have 15 sets and several have powder measure on them.hornady has them because they could not convert their press.
hornady LNL die bushing 3 pack $11.midsouthshooters
lee bushings list $9.98 2 pack=7.04 midsouth

I have both presses. :)