Lee Load All vs ?????

[jaguarxk120]

Sorry about bringing up a old thread. I was looking for loading data on the Lyman sabot slug and I just has to throw in my two cents.

Hogtamer is right, I bought a older Lyman press for $5 at a swap.

Bikerbeans, I load 12 gauge 7/8 ounce load for trap and 3/4 ounce in 20 gauge. The lighter shot loads break clay's just as well as full trap loads.

[trapper9260]

jag get your self the lyman shotgun book.It will have all the info you are looking for in it,I load for 10 .12.20.410 I did start with the Lee load all but before that it was the lee loader by hand only and then the load then later on went with the Mec and each one have it own place But like stated if eye a eye out you can find a deal on a mec.Also a texan will be just about like a mec but if you have not use a mec then you better off with the Mec then .

[MT Chambers]

The plastic *** lee is not near as useful as the Mec 600 even used, I use a Ponsness Warren and I save alot of money by making my own shot.

[Vinne]

The plastic *** lee is not near as useful as the Mec 600 even used, I use a Ponsness Warren and I save alot of money by making my own shot.

Right you are, MT. Saving money = shooting more and what about the day, down the road, you find the price of those "value" shells just got out of sight...or empty shelves.!! Look at what happened to 22s.

[jaguarxk120]

Duplicate post

[Mauser48]

If he is just doing a few hundred shells a year he is really just better off buying a bulk pack at walmart.

[bdicki]

If there is a Dicks nearby they have sales on shells all the time. $55 to $60 a flat/ 10 boxes.

[Kilroy08]

Even if it's cheaper to buy factory, having the tools to reload is never a foolish idea.

For informal stuff, I've never had a problem with recycled shot.

My advice is patiently watch and wait. I scored a VersaMec for $25 off the bargain table at a LGS and bought an adjustable charge bar. For an investment slightly above a Lee Load All II I have superior tooling.

[Patrick L]

Lots of good points made here, both on the original topic and some others that have sort of materialized. I have some opinions, as I am a die hard shotgun shooter, and I reload 5 gauges. Mostly for skeet, or a bit of trap and sporting clays. I don't bother to load hunting shells, I haven't fired 10 shells in the woods in the last 5 years!

I agree, even as a die hard shotshell loader since the mid 80s, its hard to save money, or at least save enough to make it worthwhile, if you can buy shells at WalMart prices, given the current insane shot prices and powder shortages. This is especially true if you are shooting 12s or 20s. 28s and .410s are much more expensive, there aren't as many "cheap" shells in these gauges, and ironically they use less of everything so your cost to reload them is less. Ditto for 16 gauge shells, which are generally not as available as the more popular gauges. And, most of what you do find will be hunting loads.

Another virtue of the cheap Wal Mart shells is that they don't use premium hulls. I like them when I shoot sporting clays with an autoloader, since on most sporting clays courses it is tough or sometimes impossible to get your empties back. They're a throw away shell, but they break birds fine though. Two negatives are 1). they are made to cycle semi autos, so they tend to be snotty. You can definitely load a softer shooting shell, and recoil DOES matter if you shoot a lot. And 2). They tend to be available in only #7 1/2 or #8 shot, which is a problem for me for skeet since one of my clubs requires #9 shot for skeet. They're fine for trap and sporting clays though, at least at the places I shoot.

As for the Lee vs Mec, its hard to say. The Mec is clearly a much sturdier machine, but prices have gone crazy on those. I just don't seem to see the used Mec stuff anymore, and when I do its not cheap. I remember 10-15 years ago used 600 Jrs were going for $25-30 bucks, new ones were still around $75-80. Not anymore. I started loading on Load Alls in the mid 80s, and I loaded thousands of 12s and TENS of thousands of 20s. They were all good shells and broke birds. I eventually moved onto Mecs, but only because used bargains came along. However, when I started loading 16 gauge in the late 90s or so, I ordered a Load All, and was disappointed to see the base was now plastic. It still loaded shells fine, but I didn't like it. Both my 12 and 20 gauge Load Alls had the older metal base. Just like there's a difference in the feel between a Mec and a Lee, there's a difference between a metal base Lee and a plastic base one.

If it seems like I'm being vague or evasive, I apologize. It just seems there is no clear answer to this one!

Here's what works for me. I have 5 Mec progressives. I load all my skeet loads, so I can buy #9 shot in quantity. Plus everyplace I shoot skeet I can pick up my empties, so the AAs and STSs get used for skeet loads. My 12s, 16s, and 20s kick less, and 28s and .410s are still a considerable savings. I tend to buy the WalMart cheap 12s and 20s for sporting clays, and if I can find inexpensive 16s in # 7 1/2 shot (like Remington Game Loads) I will buy them for sporting clays. Otherwise I will keep a bag or two of #7 1/2 shot and load 16 ga sporting clays loads. I don't shoot the 16 that much so I don't need all that many shells. Just the occasional round for fun.

I did modify the 16 ga Load All to load 2 1/2 inch shells (don't ask,) but I swapped out the plastic base for the metal one off of the old 1980s vintage 12 gauge.

I'm not saying this is the only way, or even the best, but its the best for me!

[Mytmousemalibu]

I was going to buy me a Load-All but happened to be strolling the isles of a local antique mall as I like to do on occasion and stumbled upon a Mec 600jr, an old one but in good condition. I rather like vintage equipment so it was a bonus it was a pretty old one. It was I think priced $65 iirc but that booth had a 25% off sale that weekend so I got it for about $50 with tax, thats a pretty good deal I think. I think the Lee will serve you well but if your not in a rush, finding a good used Mec would be nice! Mine even had new shot/powder bottles on it. One thing that would be annoying with the Load-All is the uni-hopper, I'm told it can be a pain to dump/switch powder & shot. Mec is easy with individual bottles that flip over to unscrew. If you can settle on one load that fits your needs, you don't need to buy a lot of charge bars/bushings. Or try finding a used adjustable bar. As for component costs, I save all my hulls and when I host fun shoots at my place, i'm the only reloader and everyone is more than happy to give me their fired hulls. If you have to buy some, local shops often have barrels of fired hulls for cheap. I have never had to buy any though. Bags of Claybuster's are pretty budget friendly even if they aren't the best, fine for fun shoots. I'd buy a case of primers, cheaper that way. Shot is the most expensive part. Check with local shotgun clubs, some have a line on better shot prices. I'm again lucky on that, I get 25lb shot-filled ballast bags for free, they must be tossed if they get holes and it does happen. Not perfect shot as it gets tossed around/deforemed and I have to add a little graphite but its free and dusts clays just fine! Keep an eye out for farm/estate auctions. I have got a bunch of good wads & hulls that way and for cheap! I reload and shoot a lot of the cheap Winchester HS hulls. If you are thrifty and don't mind shopping around, you can shoot for cheap! If its all too much, walmart & Dicks often has the Winchester Xtra-Lite target loads & Win Universal heavy lead load 100rd boxes for a $25 or less. Also the source for the HS hulls. Get yourself a copy of the Lyman shotshell loading guide, great source of info. Graf's & Powder Valley have good prices on the Nobelsport/Vectan powders and they give you more. The 1lb bottles are actually 1.10 and cost less than others. So far, I like all I have tried.

MtGun44, If you make it down to Wichita, come by Finley's Hobbies. He deals with reloading components and a good selection of shotgun stuff, shot, hulls, wads, primers, etc. He has a good amount of powder on the shelf at all times in the past months. Give me a shout if you drive down, i'll buy you a cold one!

[krag35]

The only 12 gauge I reload are slugs, buckshot and Turkey loads. I can buy ammo off of the shelf cheaper than loading. In 410 and 16 gauge, I can save money by reloading.

[toallmy]

Their is a lot of use in a cheap load all . I have had one in 12 ga for at least 20 years . I have 3 mec 1 600 for the 410 and a 9000 for the 12 and 20 . All that being stated when I want to make a box or 2 up for some hunting loads ,buck or slug loads I use the load all ( it comes with a real nice selection of bushings) it does not put a nice final crimp on the finished shells for the automatic ,but my dubbel and pumps will eat them up. I set the 9000s up and leave them alone thay are for large runs .and they are very good at it. I load for the 10-12-20-410 and I like to spin a crimp on as well. The load all will get you loading slow and simple so you can get a new person into it cheap and easy. Check out the old pacific and hornady loaders on eBay some nice old 20 dollar loaders .but you spend the extra in the bushings.

[Mauser48]

I only load 12 gauge because I like a particular load and I started loading about a year ago when Walmart would sell out of shotgun ammo fast. Now they stock a lot. I still continue to load it though because I'm getting a better shell for a touch cheaper than Walmart ammo. You will save some good money if you load a lot of game loads for duck and pheasant. Its also nice to be able to load buckshot and slugs. I wanted a press I could load any type of 12 gauge on so I got a sizemaster with a universal charge bar. Great setup. 410 is a great money saver too. Eventually I will load larger shot sizes and it will be more worth it. Save for the mec. If you choose to get reclaimed shot check it with a magnet. I don't use it because I can only find it online and after shipping its pretty much the same price as new shot.

[rsrocket1]

When I started back into skeet shooting, I wanted to reload to save money. My used Mec 9000GN cost me $350. I was making 3/4 oz 12 gauge loads for $3.20/box which meant I needed to shoot about 233 boxes to break even. It took close to 2 years to do this, but now that the press has paid for itself several times over, I'm glad I have it because I find that I've been able to load buckshot and slugs for no more than regular target loads and my low payload weight shells have far less recoil than 1-1/8 oz loads. They break the clays just as well and I go home after 150 shots with no sore shoulder

For your young friend, I would never discourage learning how to reload, but if funds are limited, Walmart is your best supplier of ready to shoot shells if a few hundred per year is all he wants to shoot. With the ease of access of cheap ammo and the current difficulty of finding shotshell/pistol powder, it's kind of a no-brainer right now.

[Buckshot Bill]

Get a MEC, if you're on a budget get a used MEC. I passed on a 600jr at a flea market last week for $50 because I already have 2. It probably could have been bought for $40-45. In fact I might snag it next week if he still has it and set it up for a specific load.

[Maximumbob54]

FYI - Lee's website has factory reconditioned Load All's for sale at a huge discount right now.

[smkummer]

What everybody else said. Keep checking for sales at walmart, brass pro and dicks. My local trap range has good prices on components and its been a few years but I could load a 1 oz. 12 gauge for about $4 if I bought primers by the 1K, claybuster wads, powder by the 4 or 8 lb. jug and the cheapest shot which at the time was close to $40 per bag of 25#. And that was using range pick ups of AAs or Remington STS hulls. Again, looking for sales at walmart is the easiest way to go. Yep, first 12 gauge loader was a lee load all in the 70's. It worked fine but a Mec Jr. was a fine tool compaired to the Lee. A Pacific 266 is the Cadillac of all the single stage. Do a national search on craigslist as well. The only reason I am still loading trap and sporting clays shells is because I have a shotmaker and I am getting wheel weights for $25 per 5 gal bucket. After a some pleasurable amount if shot making, I am loading a 1 1/8 oz. 12 gauge 25 round box for $2.

[perotter]

Back in the 1990's Pa bought a shotmaker as the Christmas present for all the men folk in the family. He said that way the shotmaker was free. I made a few 5 gallon pails of shot, but it is time to make get it back out and spend a day or two this winter making more.

On topic, I use old Lee hand loaders for 16 ga and .410 and for 12 ga a Lee Load All. A younger brother uses Lee for 16 ga and MECs for 12 ga and .410.

[mac1911]

I hate to throw cold water on this thread BUT, a lee or MEC loaders are not the answer. With the cost of shells today, reloading is a very iffy matter.
To reload and save money components will have to be purchased in very large quanitys.

That is powder in no less than 8 lb. caddies, primers five thousand box's, wads in 5,000 lots, and shot by the hundred pounds.

Start adding up what it costs by purchasing in small quanitys and then compare the cost of new shells by the flat. You will find the savings is not there, it's not like the old days!

This.....I,don't even fire up the shot maker anymore....unless target loads get back up to 8$ plus a box I will just buy shells.
Now if you want to load something different or stuff that is not locally available reloading is a option.
The lee load all can not be beat for its price new and new it will function just fine for low volume loading....follow the directions and it works. That's what lee is for inexpensive stuff that works.

[troyboy]

I use a Lee and it works fine. He would be well served by one as well. They are the definition of simple and make excellent ammo. I have only loaded slugs but imagine that shot would be trouble free.