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BCB
03-30-2009, 06:17 PM
I do my reloading at home and then go to an area on another property that I own that is a dozen miles away to do my test shooting…

I have thought about getting an inexpensive Lee Hand Press and just letting it at the cabin where I do my shooting. I am wondering if it would work well enough to reload straight-wall pistol cases. That is about all I would be using it for. That way I could take the powder I was experimenting with and do the loading and shooting on the spot.

Any thoughts about this or maybe another inexpensive press that might work better as I would have to take some type of priming tool if I was to use the hand press…

I searched this forum for info on the Lee Press but keep getting a fatal error and no search results…

Thanks…BCB

woodsoup
03-30-2009, 06:24 PM
Best thing for that purpose.
Not a lot of investment if someone decides they need it more than you.

When I started reloading that is what i started with. Did 9mm, .38/.357, .40 S&W, and 7.62 x 39 rifle on that little press. Still use it at the range when working up loads.

Prep the cases up to the powder and bullet stage. Pack up the scale, the press and whatever powder and bullets, throw in the necessary dies and off to the range we go.

BPCR Bill
03-30-2009, 06:31 PM
I have a Lee hand press, and though it doesn't see much use I would never get rid of it. It's just too handy for all the aforementioned reasons! And I've loaded rifle cases with it.

Regards,
Bill

Gerry N.
03-30-2009, 06:43 PM
If you have any sort of a table or work bench at your cabin, I'd suggest the Lee Reloading Press, the little "C" press. A few buck less than the hand press and orders of magnitude more convenient if mounted on a work surface.

I tee bolted mine to a nice piece of 1/2" birch plywood so I can c clamp it to any handy horizontal surface.

Gerry N.

docone31
03-30-2009, 06:53 PM
I used to use my Lee Hand Press to reload .375 H&H.
I am sure it can do straight wall pistol.
I still use it to load my 30-06 paper patched loads.

gon2shoot
03-30-2009, 07:30 PM
I use a hand press to load everything from 357 to 45-70.
If you're doing a few rds. at a time for load development or just pressed for space, it's a good tool.

mooman76
03-30-2009, 07:48 PM
I had one to use inside in the summer resizing brass. I gave it away because I no longer needed it much and someone else needed it more that I did. I never actually relaoded with it but I did resize pistol brass. I will say it will give your hand a workout so I wouldn't want to use it allot on a regular basis but it would get the job done. Sounds like just the thing you need.

thxmrgarand
03-30-2009, 08:08 PM
I use one very often and for hours at a time. To travel from where I live I have to take a ferry for at least 4 hours but more often much longer. I take the Lee hand press, brass (most often .45 and .44), dies and primers along with some plastic buckets right up to the main lounge and watch the scenery as I prepare brass. Tourists very often come by and ask what I am doing. Because of the Lee hand press and instances like ferry rides and (perhaps more often) watching television I think batch processing suits me better for rifle and pistol than would a progressive reloader. I use progressive reloaders for trap loads but with the Lee press and especially with carbide sizing dies I think keeping thousands of prepared brass ready for powder and bullets suits me best. And what else can a person do on a ferry?

jh45gun
03-30-2009, 08:53 PM
I got two of them I think they are great and work for everything how ever I did buy a cheap used Lee C press for sizing my 284 brass to 7.5 Swiss use since you need to cam over the shell to make them chamber right and thats a bit tough with a hand press hard on the chest muscles but I have done it. :)

Old Ironsights
03-30-2009, 09:17 PM
I have a Lee hand press, and though it doesn't see much use I would never get rid of it. It's just too handy for all the aforementioned reasons! And I've loaded rifle cases with it.

Regards,
Bill

With ya there... even if I'd rather Load with my Lee Loader(s).

The Hand Press is 100x better for de-capping/sizing....

Ben
03-30-2009, 09:45 PM
Both Lee presses ( hand press and bench model ) are much stronger than your initial impression of them.

eli
04-01-2009, 09:19 PM
I have two of the hand presses as well as several other Lee press types and have used the hand press to reform 30-06 class brass to 7.65 Argentine caliber just to see if I could do it; you can, though I don't make a habit of it, preferring the large cast Lee press for such chores.

Two are handy at the range so you can size and load complete cartridges, one at a time.

Eli

Kraschenbirn
04-01-2009, 10:41 PM
Even though it takes an extra step, to minimize wear on my sizing dies I decap all my rifle brass before tumbling and have found the Lee Hand Press and Universal Decapper just the ticket for the operation. Also, I sometimes use the hand press for neck sizing and flaring clean brass for use in my bolt guns. No problem to run through a couple 3# coffee cans of empties while I'm parked in front of the idiot box watching a ballgame.

Bill

dukenukum
04-02-2009, 07:08 PM
I have one from my apartment days still works great .:castmine:
loaded 30-06 .357 mag 7.62 * 54 Russian .303 British .45 auto 7.62*39

Coastie
04-04-2009, 01:23 AM
I still use my Lee "Classic" Loaders on the road or for small amounts put together on my desk. My Lee Anniversary kit press is now mounted on a wood base that fits into my bench vise to assist the main press. Check out the Lee Anniversary Kit - we liked having the Anniversary Kit in the camper with a couple of "basic" dies and if somebody wanted to - they could bring their own dies. Usually kept a can of Unique with it and a few boolits in a box - just in case.....

dromia
04-04-2009, 01:36 PM
I'm not a big Lee fan their products designs are usually pretty innovative but their execution sometimes leave a lot to be desired.

However I do find their hand press to be an extremley usefull piece of kit, every one should have one.

Mind you if I was wanting to reload on a low budget or looking at portability then the Classic Lee Loader is one fine piece of kit. With a good powder dispenser, not the Lee "perfect" one, I can turn out 50 quality handloads in an hour easily.

Mk42gunner
04-04-2009, 10:03 PM
Another press that will work for you is the Lyman Accupress. It has a reversable handle to work either bench mounted or hand held. I found mine at a gunshow a couple of years ago for $15.00.


Robert

Shiloh
04-04-2009, 10:55 PM
I have one. and like one previous poster, mine doesn't get much use. Years ago I loaded lots of .38's, .30 carbine. and .223 with it. somewhat slow but does load good ammo.


Shiloh

RugerSP101
04-19-2009, 06:14 PM
I just started reloading and got the Lee handloader as a first press. So far so good. We got the ram prime with it and some case lube. I bought the 38 special carbide 4 die set and have been having pretty good luck so far.
Im sure theres a faster way, but I have plenty of time so for us its a pretty good setup . :)

revolver junkie
04-23-2009, 10:46 PM
i have reloaded 30-06 round at the range with the hand press but i judt neck sized them but it works well though

1hole
04-24-2009, 11:28 AM
I have a Lee hand press and it works good but I don't work so good anymore. One thing for sure, you will quickly learn which case lubes are good and which are better!

Slow Elk 45/70
04-24-2009, 12:28 PM
I use the Lee and also a Huntington, they are fine for any reloading that you do away from your normal operation, or if you don't reload much ammo. The quality can be good, it is just slow if you are loading large quanities of ammo.