Lee Classic Cast Iron Press

[BudRow]

Does the Lee Classic Cast Iron press "cam over" center at the top of the stroke?. It is a feature I always liked about my Rock Chucker and lends a feeling of a positive cycle. TIA BudRow

[EMC45]

Nope!

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Nope, but in using mine, I found I didn't miss that feature on the Lee. You can feel exactly where you are with the Classic Cast and the features it has the RC doesn't have (clean primer disposal, adjustable handle ergonomics, small footprint) is what sent my RCBS press to the for sale block.

Regards,

Dave

[monkeymt]

Copy that. Don't miss the RCBS at all.
Mark

[JesterGrin_1]

As the others have said the LEE Classic Cast Single stage or the Lee Classic Cast Turret Press are a better press than the RCBS and you also save money. How in the world can you beat that.

But I like the fact that the LEE does not do the Cam over thing. As the Lee Has a positive stop. :)

[jdgabbard]

Well, I cant speak for other brands. But the Lee definately doesn't have a positive stop. It does flex on all three of my presses.

[DLCTEX]

I used my RCBS Rockchucker over the week end and much prefer to use my Lee Classic. Changing primer size, spent primer disposal,, extra clearance, handle positioning and change to left or right, and esp. the Safety Prime system make the Lee a much freindlier press.

[EMC45]

Mine has stops on it. It is also made in the USA where as RCBS is made in China!!!!:roll: I think it is beefier than my RC. I have a large area for the LEE and load my pistol ammo there. I load my rifle ammo on my RC and have a smaller area there. I load pistol in way more volume than Rifle.

[exile]

I love my Lee Classic Cast press. I have been thinking about buying an extra one before the price goes up or they are hard to find.

exile

[1hole]

"...the Lee ... does flex on all three of my presses."

JD, That's sorta interesting, on it's face, but you really haven't told us anything useful. Lee, and most others, market a wide range of presses, some small and some large, some alum alloy and some cast steel. Without knowing which three you have, we can't take much info from the comment.

Fact is, all mechanical device, including every reloading press on the market, has "flex" when subjected to pressure, including my old RC II. Question is, "how much flex?" And, "Does it matter?"

Mostly, it's not a lot of flex and that little bit really doesn't matter. The loader only has to adjust his dies to accomplish what he wants. If he does that, modest flex won't matter. If he doesn't know what he's doing, a truly rigid press won't make any differece either.

I would swap my RC for a Classic Cast, even trade, in a minute. I would not swap it for a Challanger. ??

[ddeaton]

also, they started making the RCBS presses overseas, did they not?

[cajun shooter]

Yes, RCBS has done the dirty deed and "OUTSOURCED" the production of the Rockchucker. I will never sale my USA model even though the Lee is a good press.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Yes, RCBS outsourced the production of most of their products, but they did not reduce the prices. Those stayed the same. So less cost to them and more profit, but no benefit to the consumer or the laid off American workers. Hence why fewer and fewer of my reloading tools have RCBS on them.

Dave

[mike in co]

Well, I cant speak for other brands. But the Lee definately doesn't have a positive stop. It does flex on all three of my presses.


the subject is lee cast iron/steel single press...

how many of your flexing presses are in this catagory ?

yes my lee 3 post 3hole turret flexes....

so lets get back on topic...

mike in co

[1hole]

"... the Lee Classic Cast Iron press ..."

Actually, the Classic Cast is steel (old railroad rails), not weaker cast iron. I like that.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

AS correctly stated already; All presses under stress flex; some microsopically and/or imperceptibly, but they do. So we adjust the dies for it. I had an old (really old) Redding and it sprung like a diving board so I set the dies for it and made perfectly good ammo. It is true that the Lee Classic cast is made from railroad rails and that stuff if you have ever played around with it is totally raging bad news tough. Aside from the fact that it supports locomotives and cars filled with cargo, all weighing unimaginable tonnage running on it day and night it is brutally hard and then some. Try drilling it or grinding it if you haven't already done so. It eats bits and wheels by the batch. Cast iron or aluminum doesn't even come close. To get back to flexing, I don't know if there has ever been a study done between ammo that was made in a press that flexed and one that didn't. If anyone has read on it or has any knowledge please share your findings. Just for the record I have 2 Lee classic presses and use one just for resizing . It is very strong and has good mechanical advantage plus being s southpaw I like the left handed feature and the option of shortening the handle to reduce travel. LLS

[rugerdude]

I have had a Classic Cast for several years now and love it! As far as flex goes, there is probably more flex in my bench than in the press. :roll:

I would hate to know that I needed to put enough pressure on my reloads to get a Classic Cast press to flex or "cam over"!

[JesterGrin_1]

On mine I do full length resize my 45-70 Brass with no problem. But I have not formed brass on it say from a 45-70 to 40-65 or anything like that. But even if I was going to need to I feel the Lee Classic Cast Turret Press would work fine for it. :)

But be that as it may I would use a single stage like the Lee Classic Cast Single stage or any number of other single stage presses to form brass and save my Turrret Press for real loading. :).

[Sixgun Symphony]

I read lots of good things about the LEE Classic Cast press, but why buy a new LEE when I can buy a used single stage for half the cost?

There are lots of old single stage presses that can be had cheap. Many of them do use the propietary shellholders, but I find them on ebay. Vega Tool Company makes the obsolete shellholders for Hollywood, Herters, and other brands. CH/4D makes an adapter.

I bought an old and very massive Herters press, the cost came out to $40 with shipping.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I read lots of good things about the LEE Classic Cast press, but why buy a new LEE when I can buy a used single stage for half the cost?


1. Smaller footprint
2. Ergonomic operating handle capable of left or right handed operation.
3. Capability to convert to Hornady LnL bushings to speed die changes
4. Capable of handling .50BMG
5. Significantly improved spent primer disposable system that routes spent primers away from the press into a trash can of your choice.
6. Capable of adding Lee Safety Prime to operation, a very positive priming system

That's why. Particularly the spent primer disposal system because it keeps the press clean at all times, saving wear, tear and preventing filth.

Regards,

Dave

[Sixgun Symphony]

Why is a smaller footprint a good thing? I am thinking that a wider base would be more stable.

I am thinking that a "C" type press would be ambidextrous due to the open face.

I am not sure what advantage that Lock-n-Load bushings have over locking rings.

The Herters is a massive press, when I get home I will have to check if it can handle the .50 BMG cartridge.

I have yet to try the new safety prime system from LEE. I take it that it's pretty good.

When I had the older Lee equipment, I just let the primers fall to the floor. I would sweep it all up at the end of the reloading session.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Sixgun,

Answers to your questions in red in the quote below.

Regards,

Dave


Why is a smaller footprint a good thing? I am thinking that a wider base would be more stable.

You'd have to look at the Lee design to understand fully, but the quick answer is a wider base is not inherently more stable if the overall design isn't better. In the Lee press case, you get BETTER stability and rigidity than a Rock Chucker while taking up LESS bench space.

I am thinking that a "C" type press would be ambidextrous due to the open face.

NOT if the operating handle cannot be moved from either side to either side. The Lee has a large opening and you can move the operating handle to either side.

I am not sure what advantage that Lock-n-Load bushings have over locking rings.

They're much faster to change, one twist and click. You DO NOT have to screw them in, thereby saving significant amounts of time and when you're trying to get reloading done, every bit of time you can cut off while using a single stage is time you've saved.

The Herters is a massive press, when I get home I will have to check if it can handle the .50 BMG cartridge.

The Herters is a massive press, but it's the mass, not the design that makes it rugged. It also does not have a spent primer disposable system.

I have yet to try the new safety prime system from LEE. I take it that it's pretty good.

Yes, it's very very good, about as good as their hand held Autoprime.

When I had the older Lee equipment, I just let the primers fall to the floor. I would sweep it all up at the end of the reloading session.

Why would you want to sweep up trash when you don't have to? That's time you could spend doing something else. The Lee, with no effort on your part, allows you to route that trash to a trashcan, no brooms or filth on your floor.

[JesterGrin_1]

As said you can run the hose to can or whatever you like. As the hose can be purchased from many places if you need one longer or you can do as I did. :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/SHAKERATTLEROLL/IMAG0045-1.jpg

And it sure does keep things clean. :)

Another good part is that if I have to remove a good primer from a case that I find not up to snuff in the last second I can put a clean container there and it will keep the good primer clean to be reused if I so wish. Hard to do that sweeping things off of a floor or trying to get them out of those collection cups around a press like a Rock Chucker. :)

And you can go one step further to save table space with a mount by Pat here on the forum. That way once mounted you can change out from one type of press to another or even to a sizer. All in the same place. :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/SHAKERATTLEROLL/IMAG0052.jpg

[JesterGrin_1]

And YES Dave this is all YOUR FAULT lol. And Thank You. :)

[JesterGrin_1]

Sixgun Symphony I will even do you a solid. If you purchase the Lee Classic Cast Turret Press or the Lee Classic Cast single stage I will make you the plastic thing I used to join the hose and the cap out of HDPE in Black Or White and even include a pill bottle with wait hold on to your hat with the Cap with a hole pre made just to fit that bottle. :)

[gefiltephish]

"... the Lee Classic Cast Iron press ..."

Actually, the Classic Cast is steel (old railroad rails), not weaker cast iron. I like that.

Really?!
"A rigid cast iron frame, cast and machined with pride in the USA, baked powder finish and all steel linkage make this one of the most attractive and sturdy presses made."
The above quote came from this page:
Lee Precision (http://leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1248778045.3598=/html/catalog/classic.html)

"...old railroad rails.." Huh?! Where did you get that from? I'll admit that I'm relatively new to the shooting/reloading scene. Did I miss something? Having said that, I'll never understand why so many people insist on dispersing disinformation?

No, I'm not a Lee fan by any measure. I have a loadmaster, and it's a piece of $&@#.

[Sixgun Symphony]

Sixgun Symphony I will even do you a solid. If you purchase the Lee Classic Cast Turret Press or the Lee Classic Cast single stage I will make you the plastic thing I used to join the hose and the cap out of HDPE in Black Or White and even include a pill bottle with wait hold on to your hat with the Cap with a hole pre made just to fit that bottle. :)

Sounds good, I already have the Herters press, the C H Champion press, a vintage C H press, and a vintage Hollywood press. But I will likely buy the Lee .50 caliber kit by January of 2011 as I am budgeting for a .50 BMG rifle.

How about marking it on a calender for Dec. 2010?

[hiram]

Is the Lee Classic Turret Press the same press which is being referred to here as the Lee Classic Cast Turrest press. Lee shows its list price at $140.

[Sixgun Symphony]

LEE has two turrent presses for sale. The older turrent press, I had one and it was a good turrent press. Then there is the new Classic Turrent Press which has a four hole turrent over the same base as the Lee Classic Cast Press, which is a single stage.

I remember when they first came out. The catalog showed a fellow wearing the Lee ballcap thinking of how to make a better turrent press by cutting the base off of the Classic Cast press and attaching the turrent and frame portion from the turrent press.

[JesterGrin_1]

Well YES it is expensive Direct from LEE lol. Go here http://www.kempfgunshop.com/

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Really?!
"A rigid cast iron frame, cast and machined with pride in the USA, baked powder finish and all steel linkage make this one of the most attractive and sturdy presses made."
The above quote came from this page:
Lee Precision (http://leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1248778045.3598=/html/catalog/classic.html)

"...old railroad rails.." Huh?! Where did you get that from? I'll admit that I'm relatively new to the shooting/reloading scene. Did I miss something? Having said that, I'll never understand why so many people insist on dispersing disinformation?

No, I'm not a Lee fan by any measure. I have a loadmaster, and it's a piece of $&@#.

Actually, there was information put out by Lee advertising at one time where they were using old railroad rails as their source of metal for their Classic presses. I'm not sure if it's still available and I believe it was in a flyer they put out.

Dave

[JesterGrin_1]

Dave he was pulling your Leg lol. If you click on the Lee Precision that is highlighted it shows the railroad rails and melting them down and casting and so on to the paint of the Lee Classic Cast Single Stage Press. :)

[JesterGrin_1]

Sounds good, I already have the Herters press, the C H Champion press, a vintage C H press, and a vintage Hollywood press. But I will likely buy the Lee .50 caliber kit by January of 2011 as I am budgeting for a .50 BMG rifle.

How about marking it on a calender for Dec. 2010?

Okay Just give me a shout when ready. :)

[RedDelPaPa]

By default, the Lee classic cast press does not cam over. HOWEVER, I just finished a simple modification to mine that allows it to be used either way. I'll explain for anyone interested in modifying their Lee classic cast press. On the main links that connect to the press body, there are stops cast or forged in on both sides of both arms. 2 of the 4 stops are always unused. The 2 stops facing out are unused. All you do is take the press apart and grind off 2 of the opposing 4 stops on the main link arms. This way, you can use cam over mode, or, simply swap the 2 link arms with each other so that the remaining 2 stops will be facing inward which puts the press back into positive stop mode. When grinding the 2 stops off, I only ground for a few seconds at a time before submersing the links in a bowl of water to keep from ruining the temper if there is any.

The next step is knowing how to take the press apart. Which is fairly simple. Here's how: First, mark which stops you'll be grinding off so there is no possibility of mistake. Next loosen the 2 big nuts on the sides of the linkage. Next, remove the top part of the ram that holds the shell holder and primer arm. It unscrews from the ram. It's a fairly tight fit so be careful to not nick up the finish. Now run the ram to the bottom of its stroke. Now you'll see the main link pins from the inside and what's required to remove them. Next, you'll need about a 5" long punch or something that will work as a punch, 7/64 diameter or smaller to remove the main body link pins. These must be punched OUT, not in. This is why I said you'll need a 5" long object to use as the punch. One of the pins has a hole that goes all the way through it so that the punch can be fed through the hole and make contact with the pin on the opposite side. I used a piece of a hardened stainless U shaped ground/garden stake for the 5" punch. Worked nicely. Now, simply finish removing the 2 nuts on the side of the linkage, rearrange the main link arms for the mode you want to use, grease the joints while you're there, and then reassemble the press. Good luck and enjoy.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Just so this old man can get this straight. Are you talking about NEW manf. RCBS RC presses or are you talking about my 40+ year old RC press? I guess maybe I don`t fully understand what "cam over" means anyway. I had a Lyman Orange Crusher press for a very short while that had what I would call "cam over" at the top of the stroke, never could get used to that ********* press.Robert

[JesterGrin_1]

And why would you even wish to have a press cam over? Makes no sense to me.

[1hole]

""...old railroad rails.." Huh?! Where did you get that from? I'll admit that I'm relatively new to the shooting/reloading scene."

That's okay. But it shows.

[451whitworth]

Yes, RCBS has done the dirty deed and "OUTSOURCED" the production of the Rockchucker. I will never sale my USA model even though the Lee is a good press.
the last i heard RCBS brought back the casting of the the press from China to the USA. the final machining on the China presses was still done in CA. they were having QC problems (metalurgy) with the China foundry. i had heard the casting was being done in Oakland. if anyone can verify this please let me know.

[Freightman]

the last i heard RCBS brought back the casting of the the press from China to the USA. the final machining on the China presses was still done in CA. they were having QC problems (metalurgy) with the China foundry. i had heard the casting was being done in Oakland. if anyone can verify this please let me know.
That is what I was told in a conversation with the lady that handles the Lifetime warranty. But I am ready to move up to the LEE Classic four hole progressive when I get the money and use my RC II to form and load for my Veterlli, so I will not have to change settings.

[AZ-Stew]

I am thinking that a "C" type press would be ambidextrous due to the open face.

As someone else said, unless you can move the handle to the other side, it's not really ambidextrous, unless the handle is permanently mounted centrally. Actually, a C press is a disadvantage. It's not as strong as an O-type. It will flex, throwing the ram and die out of alignment with each other.

By the way, there's no "n" in turret (see your post #29).

Regards,

Stew

[shooterg]

If ya look at the bottom of Lee's page on the Classic Cast, the pic of railroad tracks waiting to be turned into presses is still there.
The things are straight enough and strong enough that some very well known match bullet makers are using 'em for swaging(with linkage mods).
If I was buying a single stage nowadays, I'd get one , see 'em at $85 or so, compared to a new RC, heckuva deal.

[1hole]

""...old railroad rails.." Huh?! Where did you get that from? I'll admit that I'm relatively new to the shooting/reloading scene. Did I miss something? Having said that, I'll never understand why so many people insist on dispersing disinformation?"

Yeah. Life's a beach, ain't it? ;)

[Reverend Recoil]

Those track rails were probably fed into a cupla furnace along with old motor blocks, brake drums, and bathtubs. If the cupla furnace is properly fed and operated it will pour out the specified class 35 gray iron all day long. Gray iron is the best and lowest cost material for fire hydrants, manhole covers, and reloading presses.

[rtracy2001]

""...old railroad rails.." Huh?! Where did you get that from? I'll admit that I'm relatively new to the shooting/reloading scene. Did I miss something? Having said that, I'll never understand why so many people insist on dispersing disinformation?"


Umm, it came from here:

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1252860515.4660=/html/catalog/classic.html

Just scroll to the bottom

[Milltown353]

I liked the one I used, but I did bend the handle.

[PatMarlin]

Headroom- lots of it on the LCCS. I like mine a lot. Very smooth also. Was waiting to buy a Redding then LEE hit the market. Glad I waited.

[XWrench3]

well, i used to own a rockchucker years ago. it was i fine press. i never had an issue with it at all. but, i got out of shooting and reloading for a lot of years, so i sold off all of it. in the last few years, i have gotten back into it. not knowing how long this was going to last, i bought a lee challenger press. well, i ended up wearing it out! i replaced it with the lee cast classic. am i happy with it? OH, BABY, AM I! this is the press i should have bought in the first place. i think the only way you could hurt this is to deliberatly try to. does it cam over, no. that is just fine with me. it is kind of like switching from tighty whiteys to boxer breifs. they both do the same job, but differently. it just takes a little to get comfortable with either of them. and once you do, you will never go back.

[1hole]

"I liked the one I used, but I did bend the handle. "

Lee knows that some people don't know when to stop. That's not a slam, just a fact. He designed that lever to bend before something on the press broke, much as he designed the aluminum top cap in his Collet Neck Sizer to strip and pop out rather than break the press.

Few people comprehend how much pressure a compound leverage press can generate if it's done right (or wrong?). I've seen web photos of the top strap on vaunted Rock Chuckers broken. Lee wanted to prevent that and the bendable lever was the simpliest way to accomplish it; a very good design feature.

[cajun shooter]

The Lee Classic Turret is a super press with a Achilles Heel.The small square plastic piece that works off the turning shaft will break at the most important part of your reloading session. Not on the next to last round needed but on the 190th out of the 350 you need. Then you open the parts drawer and to your dismay you have none to use. Buy a good supply to keep you happy.

[Moonie]

Cajun Shooter, correct, if you use the indexing. But that is not the press being discussed here.

I have the Classic Turret, actually had 2 over the years, never used the indexing feature. I have progressives for that.

[a.squibload]

All these years I didn't know cam over was bad. Thought it was designed that way.

My new Classic Cast felt funny 'cause it didn't cam over. I'm getting used to it.
At first I missed the "positive stop" of the cam over, 'til I realized there IS a positive stop without cam over on the CC.

I got the CC to swage boolits BT-style. Works real good.
Primers DO jump out of that slot sometimes, have to keep a thumb on there.

Here's how to eliminate cam over on your RC. Yes, there is a use for steel stickon WWs if you have JB-Weld.

I have a couple of ideas to make the RC handle adjustable, really like that feature of the CC.
As if I didn't have anything else to do...

[maddog2020]

Does the Lee Classic Cast Iron press "cam over" center at the top of the stroke?. It is a feature I always liked about my Rock Chucker and lends a feeling of a positive cycle. TIA BudRow

I love my lee cast o-ring, the spent primer tube is a GOOD idea, best primer catcher I've seen

[Stevejet]

Beware of any presses showing up in Harbor Freight Tool stores!

[Doby45]

No, I'm not a Lee fan by any measure. I have a loadmaster, and it's a piece of $&@#.

I will take that Toadmaster off your hands for ya. Mine needs a friend..

[a.squibload]

Beware of any presses showing up in Harbor Freight Tool stores!

Don't know about their presses, but I have twisted a couple of their big C-clamps.

[1bluehorse]

[QUOTE=gefiltephish;62363


No, I'm not a Lee fan by any measure. I have a loadmaster, and it's a piece of $&@#.[/QUOTE]

I'd be more than willing to take that piece of $&@#. off your hands for a fair price. Send me a PM.

[Doby45]

Dagnabit, I called dibs first!!!! ;)

[maddog2020]

Does the Lee Classic Cast Iron press "cam over" center at the top of the stroke?. It is a feature I always liked about my Rock Chucker and lends a feeling of a positive cycle. TIA BudRow


I love the primer catching tube on the Lee, best idea I have seen as far as spent primer catching

[jeff423]

I like my my Forster because:

It doesn't need shell holders
Die changing is as fast as a LNL
I doesn't cam over
Has a good priming system
Catches all the spent primers and primer dust
Doesn't take up much room

Jeff