flashhole
06-05-2010, 06:34 AM
I recently purchased a Lee 3-Jaw Chuck. My thinking was to use it in my drill press along with the Lee Case Length Gage and Lee Cutter to trim cases to the proper length after sizing. I had been using the Lee Case Length Gage and Lock Stud to do this in my cordless drill with good success but then switched over to the drill press. The Case Length Gage didn't hold the case centered as well as I like so I decided to try the 3-Jaw Chuck.
The basic principle behind the operation of the 3-Jaw Chuck is pretty simple. It has 3 blades that collapse down like a camera shutter when the body is turned on the shaft and they center the case. What is not appearent on the use of the tool is - after it centers/captures the case you have to continue tightening the assembly to secure the case against the base of the lock stud just like the operation of the Case Length Gage. It took about 2 seconds to figure that out.
I'd read all the reviews on Midway and it seemed a common complaint was the stiffness of the mechanics that work the blades. I did not have that problem. I did however lube it with some gun oil and exercised it a couple of thousand times by hand before using it. It works with just a flick of the wrist.
Thus far I have trimmed a few hunderd cases in my drill press. The tool works fine and just like any other tool, you have a small learning curve to use it efficiently. I wish Lee had made the Lock Stud on the 3-Jaw Chuck with a hex rod like they did on their Case Length Gage Lock Stud instead of a round rod ... but that's just me. I have a small nut driver I like to use to hold the stud when I do one or two cases by hand. I can't do that with the round shaft on the 3-Jaw Chuck Lock Stud.
Would I reccommend it ... yes. I paid less than $20 for both parts and it's pretty handy to have around.
The basic principle behind the operation of the 3-Jaw Chuck is pretty simple. It has 3 blades that collapse down like a camera shutter when the body is turned on the shaft and they center the case. What is not appearent on the use of the tool is - after it centers/captures the case you have to continue tightening the assembly to secure the case against the base of the lock stud just like the operation of the Case Length Gage. It took about 2 seconds to figure that out.
I'd read all the reviews on Midway and it seemed a common complaint was the stiffness of the mechanics that work the blades. I did not have that problem. I did however lube it with some gun oil and exercised it a couple of thousand times by hand before using it. It works with just a flick of the wrist.
Thus far I have trimmed a few hunderd cases in my drill press. The tool works fine and just like any other tool, you have a small learning curve to use it efficiently. I wish Lee had made the Lock Stud on the 3-Jaw Chuck with a hex rod like they did on their Case Length Gage Lock Stud instead of a round rod ... but that's just me. I have a small nut driver I like to use to hold the stud when I do one or two cases by hand. I can't do that with the round shaft on the 3-Jaw Chuck Lock Stud.
Would I reccommend it ... yes. I paid less than $20 for both parts and it's pretty handy to have around.