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Thread: In praise of the Lee Hand Press

  1. #21
    Boolit Buddy perimedik's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by FWest View Post
    I have not tried them but may for the short money.
    You know what, I was the same way. I was hesitant too. One day my EMS partner came in with it (I was doing brass prep trim, chamfer, PP cleaning and Primer seating). He showed me how it worked and I was suprized at how sturdy and easy it was. I literlly called midway and ordered it while on the ambulance.

    It is also good for load work up at the range.
    The light at the end of the tunnel is a muzzle flash

  2. #22
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Frank :

    I have no idea if the threads are the same or not ( Hornady and Lee ) , but just guessing, I'd say no, it isn't likely that the 2 companies chose the same interrupted thread pattern.

    Ben

  3. #23
    Boolit Master


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    Frank and Ben,

    I'd go a bit further and say that they probably went out of their way make sure that the thread sizes were different. That is extremly common in manufacturing with competitors.


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  4. #24
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I guess we all better be glad that die manufacturers could standardize on 7/8 X 14 , else we would have 20 different die threads on reloading dies now.

    Ben

  5. #25
    Boolit Master


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    Ani't that the truth.


    Cat
    Cogito, ergo armatum sum.

    (I think, therefore I'm armed.)

  6. #26
    Boolit Grand Master
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    See if this makes the Lee Hand Press look like a good deal ?

    HDS COMPAC RELOADING TOOL
    Retail $ 133.98

    This unit is designed with the Back Packer, Black Powder Shooter, Bench Rest Shooter, and those that require a small portable reloading tool. This unit is made with high quality aircraft aluminum and steel parts. This unit accepts any 7/8”-14 dies and standard shell holder heads. The tool works especially well with window type seating dies. The unit can be mounted on a bench. If space and portability are important to you, this is your kind of tool. Size 3-1/2" x 9".


  7. #27
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    Midway has the Lee for $24.99 'til the EOTM.

    Gear

  8. #28
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Yes, that is what I paid for mine.
    A lot of reloading press for $25

    Ben

  9. #29
    Boolit Buddy Ziptar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ben View Post
    See if this makes the Lee Hand Press look like a good deal ?

    HDS COMPAC RELOADING TOOL
    Retail $ 133
    $133 is nuts but, I paid $50 shipped for mine, there is no comparison really to the Lee hand press. The Compac takes much less oomph to use, can be bench mounted with the included bracket if desired, and has a better priming setup. (Although I prefer using a hand primer). It's apples to oranges really.

    I will admit that a Lee breech lock hand press with four lock ring eliminators would be temping but, given the choice of that or the HDS for $50.00, I'd still take the HDS.

  10. #30
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by frnkeore View Post
    Regarding the Lee breech lock. Does the Hornady Lock n Load have the same thread?

    Frank
    The Hornady LNL doesn't use an interrupted thread in their quick change system. It's more like a locking lug, no threads involved.

    I had no issues with Lee's breech lock system while I had it. My only issue was that unlike the Hornady LNL, it wasn't adaptable to other presses. If you are using it in only one press, like Ben, it's a great idea. When I switched to the LNL stuff, was when I got 2 RCBS Rockchucker presses, and with the LNL system, I could use any die in either press. When I had the Lee press and 1 RC, the dies were set up to be specific to the press. The LNL made it a bit more flexible.

    I do like that lock ring eliminator though, very nice idea. Especially for Lee dies that don't have alot of threads on them.
    Lyman 22596,225107,225353,225438,225415,225450,225646, 225462,228367,244203,245496,245497,245498,245499 RCBS 22-55-SP,22-55-FP,243-95-SP,243-100-FP, NEI 100244GC-#14, 55 224 GC-#4,225 45-#3 PB, NOE 22-055 SP,MX2-243,Saeco 221 & 243, RD TLC225-50-RF,Lee 22 Bator 6c & 2c HP. Love casting small boolits, let me know if you have one that I don't that you would part with!

  11. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ben View Post
    See if this makes the Lee Hand Press look like a good deal ?

    HDS COMPAC RELOADING TOOL
    Retail $ 133.98

    This unit is designed with the Back Packer, Black Powder Shooter, Bench Rest Shooter, and those that require a small portable reloading tool. This unit is made with high quality aircraft aluminum and steel parts. This unit accepts any 7/8”-14 dies and standard shell holder heads. The tool works especially well with window type seating dies. The unit can be mounted on a bench. If space and portability are important to you, this is your kind of tool. Size 3-1/2" x 9".

    Ben:

    The picture you posted isn't the HDS tool, but rather the Decker Press, Decker was the original maker of those presses. When he died his widow sold the rights to the press to Huntington, they made a few changes to the press, and sell it as the Compac press. I now own the one that's in the picture you posted. It's a nice press, and I like it.
    - MikeS

    Want to checkout my feedback? It's here:
    http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/...d.php?t=136410

  12. #32
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Ok, fine.............this is the actual photo of the HDS press from their website.

    http://www.huntingtons.com/reloadingpresses.html




    My point however was the pricing difference for the 2 hand presses, $25.99 vs. $133.98.

    Ben
    Last edited by Ben; 07-27-2011 at 01:17 PM.

  13. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ben View Post
    Ok, fine.............this is the actual photo of the HDS press from their website.

    http://www.huntingtons.com/reloadingpresses.html




    My point however was the pricing difference for the 2 hand presses, $25.99 vs. $133.98.

    Ben
    You are talking abouy 70's prices vs current price. I bought my Decker Press in 1975 for $32.00. I bought a SW model 28 for $120 in the early 70's. Today, a similar handgun would cost approximately $600 to $700.

  14. #34
    Boolit Grand Master
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    BWelch47 :

    Guess I'm not being clear. I'm not talking abouy 70's prices vs current price, you may be but I'm not.

    The Lee Hand Press is $24.99 ---------2011 Price

    The HDS Press is $133.98............2011 Price. My point is, that is a farily dramatic difference in price for the 2 different hand presses.

    Ben
    Last edited by Ben; 07-27-2011 at 11:06 PM.

  15. #35
    Boolit Master

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    Ben, Thanks, I didn't realize that they were still selling that press. I agree, the Lee is much less expensive, and if it's anything like their other presses, it's probably a good one. I wasn't trying to be critical, just pointing out that you were showing a different press. There are small differences between the Decker, and the Compac, I don't know if they're improvements or not. Either the Decker or Compac basically have to be a more expensive tool than the Lee just because of the number of parts, which means somebody has to assemble all those parts, where the Lee has many less parts (and many less things to break!).

    For actual portable use (like camping, etc.) I think either handpress (the Lee, or Compac) with a Lee Speed die of the correct caliber is a great setup. I would say either is a better way of loading ammo away from 'home' than say a Lyman 310 tool, although they're good too.
    - MikeS

    Want to checkout my feedback? It's here:
    http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/...d.php?t=136410

  16. #36
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ben View Post
    Frank :

    I have no idea if the threads are the same or not ( Hornady and Lee ) , but just guessing, I'd say no, it isn't likely that the 2 companies chose the same interrupted thread pattern.

    Ben
    I wonder if the thread is the same as on their classic cast without the adapter to bring it down to the 7/8-14 thread? If it is, then you could use it with their thicker dies that use the larger size thread (I don't remember what size it is). That would make it handy for decapping some of the BP rounds that use the larger size Lee dies.
    - MikeS

    Want to checkout my feedback? It's here:
    http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/...d.php?t=136410

  17. #37
    Boolit Buddy Ziptar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MikeS View Post
    I wonder if the thread is the same as on their classic cast without the adapter to bring it down to the 7/8-14 thread? If it is, then you could use it with their thicker dies that use the larger size thread (I don't remember what size it is). That would make it handy for decapping some of the BP rounds that use the larger size Lee dies.
    No, the regular classic cast is threaded 1-1/4 x 12. The breech loch classic cast isn't so much threaded as machined to accept the BL bushings.

    The Hornady L-N-L conversion bushings will work in any 1-1/4 x 12 press so you get the regular Lee classic cast press and the L-N-L conversion and accomplish the same thing.

  18. #38
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    Reloading on an ambulance?.....Sweet.
    You can miss fast & you can miss a lot, but only hits count.

  19. #39
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ben View Post
    BWelch47 :

    Guess I'm not being clear. I'm not talking abouy 70's prices vs current price, you may be but I'm not.

    The Lee Hand Press is $24.99 ---------2011 Price

    The HDS Press is $133.98............2011 Price. My point is, that is a farily dramatic difference in price for the 2 different hand presses.

    Ben
    Ben,

    I own both the Lee Hand Press and the Decker Press. The Decker is very superior to the Lee, but if I had limited resources the Lee would be great. I would save and later buy the Decker aka the Huntingtion Compac Press. Both allow you to full size cases which is better that just neck sizing.

    When I purchased my Decker in the early 70's, the Lee was in the distant future. I was reloading at the time using 1 Lyman 310 tool. The Decker was a heaven sent gift when I read an ad in a Guns and Ammo Magazine at the time. I have reloaded 1000's of rounds since then. Both the Decker and Lee were dreams of us who reloaded in the 60's and 70's. Keep up your reloading.

  20. #40
    Boolit Mold
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    I started reloading back in June and bought this Lee hand press to start off with. I've loaded about 600 rounds through it and have very few gripes. Lee made a great product for people to get in to reloading with.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check