getting back into shotguns..sugestions

[NVScouter]

OK so I want to do a small amount of steel and specialty lead #2/buckshot/slug loads.

So would the cheap LEE loader work ok for say 2,000 rounds or so? Steel, buckshot, and slugs do OK in it?

I want the specialy load for coyotes since even Turkey loads here are steel :groner:

Sugestions?

[turbo1889]

For what you want to do, the Lee machine should work just fine for you. The Lee machine although cheap does make good loads but its not cheaper then its competition for no reason. There are four main complaints that people have about the Lee machine in comparison to its more expensive competitors. Two major complaints and two minor complaints:

Major #1 ~ It leaks powder for its bushing slide bar - this problem can be minimized by gluing home-made brown grocery bag paper gaskets to the top and bottom of the slide bar but not completely cured. Problem does not exist for those who weigh each charge on a powder scale.

Major #2 ~ Fold crimping for 3" shells is done by "feel" and there is no built in stop and you can booger up some loads until you get the "feel" down. This can be cured by cutting a 1/4" long spacer from 3/4" diameter PVC water pipe and slipping it over each shell in the first crimp station and then leaving the spacer in the first crimp station while the shell is finished in the second crimp station.


Minor #1 ~ It is not designed to be able to load 3-1/2" shells. Buy drilling a new higher mounting hole for the wad guide fingers and using a 3/4" long spacer cut from 3/4" diameter PVC water pipe in the same manner as used for 3" shells it is possible to load fresh primed 3-1/2" shells on the machine but it is not possible to re-load them since the de-priming/sizing station will not accept the additional hull length.

Minor #2 ~ The machine is not designed to be able to load shells shorter then 2-3/4" but can do so provided you cut the plastic tube on the first crimp station down shorter and use appropriate thickness spacers under the hulls for the last two (crimping) stations. This will also mean that you will need to re-adjust the length of your 3/4” PVC pipe spacers for 3” and 3-1/2” loads and make a new one for 2-3/4” loads since the bottom stop point of the press will then be less then 2-3/4”.

[Ferdinand]

I have a Load-all that I bought 15 or so years ago. I loaded thousands of rounds for trap on it and it was always reliable, although slow - maybe 100+ rds an hour if you're racing.

I've also used this machine for loading 00 bk loads and it's perfect for that. I use a separate powder measure when loading bk so that's not an issue for me. 00bk has to be loaded by hand anyway, and the access to each station is nice for this kind of loading.

Nothing has broken on it yet, by the way.

[sargenv]

It CAN be done.. but after fiddling with the thing for a while with all of it's goofy bushings, I went with a Mec Sizemaster and purchased an adjustable shot/powder bar for it and never looked back.. I have 2 Sizemasters (12 and 20) and use them for all of my specialty loading.. steel, slug, buck, tungsten, etc.

[cabezaverde]

MEC are a good investment. Buy one used, run the heck out of it, and then you could sell it used and get your money back.

[NVScouter]

Thanks for the input. I sold 3 MEC machines years ago when I was "done" [smilie=l:

It sounds like the LEE will work but I want to do the 3 1/2 shells so I think I need to look into the modification a bit more.

Any word on slugs? Just full crimp and be fine?