Anybody here use the Lee Hand Press?

M

mp510

Joined
Mar 20, 2006
Messages
2,221
I have been thinking about buying a Lee Hand Press, primarily to load .303 British but I will probably also end up loading for some .223 for the AR as well and possibly some other calibers. Are they more trouble than they are worth? Do they require an insane amount of effort to crimp with, or are they something that the average guy can use easily? Do the crimps hold well- I really don't want my cartridges falling apart in the magazine- had that happen with a defective surplus 7.62x54r round once and it was a fun afternoon ruiner. How is depriming and priming done? How is case length resizing done? Is it likely that I will need to buy a case trimming tool as well? Thanks guys:cool:
 
the hand ram press or the original lee press? I have the hand ram press which works wonderfully for me since I don't have the space to set up the full press. So far my reloads have not had any problems but I don't load them too hot. I load only the pistol caliber 357 mag and .45 acp.

if you are constrained on space, then yes it is worth it, if you got the space, then a full size would be much easier on the arms, especially if you load a lot.

all steps are done with the dies except priming which is done in the priming tool. the resizing is in the die. I haven't had the need to trim any cases yet so I can't comment on that.

Please note that if you are talking about the original lee press, that's something else completely different.
 
I love mine. But I'm a low-volume shooter. (If you're wanting to load up "paper" and "p' dog" rounds for the .223 you won't save much and wear your arms out.) The crimping does just fine on my pistol rounds.

I know the what pressure the .223 operates at but my 22-250s definately needs trimmed.

You definately want a powder scale (the little measuring scoops don't cut it) and a set of calipers. AND SOME RELOADING MANUALS!!!
 
The hand press might be ok for the 303 but I don't think you would be satisfied with the results for your AR. With a bolt action neck sizing is not only sufficient but often desirable for accuracy. However for reliable functioning in either semi or full auto you need to do a full length resize on the case. These tools are also incredibly slow, you would spend far too long loading and little time shooting. What they are nice for is load development while at the range.

If you want to get a start in reloading I would suggest spending a bit more and start right. The Lee 50th Anniversary Kit would give you a good start in reloading with little else to buy but components although I would recommend a hand priming tool and a brass tumbler. I have tons of brass so for me I can take things easy in stages but you can do this with the brass you just shot as well.

1. tumble the brass, you don't need to make it shiny new but just clean it.
2. deprime and size the brass on press.
3. use the hand primer to prime all the brass at on time. You can do this in your easy chair.
4. powder. The kit comes with a scale and powder measure, set the measure to the desired charge and charge all of the cases. A homemade loading block helps greatly here. Just a piece of 2X4 with holes drilled in it.
5. seat and crimp the bullets.

Reloading can be both fun and a money saver...unless you allow it to become a compulsion and then you end up with a reloading room that looks like this....

reloadingbenchsmall.jpg


In all seriousness I would be more than happy to help in anyway I can with your reloading project. You can send me a message and I can go though everything with you step by step. As you can see in the pic I serious about my reloading...there are a couple press on the bench that are not in the pic...lol.
 
Yeah, I should've stressed the volume a little more. I load up 50 rounds for my 44Mag...or 40 for my 22-250 and I'm SPENT!!!!


BUT...that's about a three month supply for me.
 
I use one for a 45 and a 357 and it works great. I don't know if the rifle calibers would work or not. Why not give the company a call and ask them.
 
Here's what I think we're talking about...at least it's what I'm talking about.

images


It'll do rifle cartridges just fine. And you don't HAVE to use lee dies. In fact, I recommend the lee carbide dies for straight wall pistol cartridges, but DON'T recommend their dies for shouldered rifle cartridges.

(My lee 22-250 die gave me fits after about 200 rounds. De-priming "pin"...don't know if that's the right name or not...kept slipping out and then you're left with a chunk of steel wedged into the throat of your casing.)

The press handles my 22-250 fine...and I have no doubt it'll handle long-action cartridges too, there's plenty of travel in the "stroke".
As far as I know It'll do it all....except the 50BMG!!! lol
 
Yes, that is the contraption I have been thinking about. The volume that you mentioned is what I'm looking at loading- .223 I already have a massive commercial and surplus ammo inventory for, but for those times when I want to let go for a mag or two, I would like to be able to do it for less. The Lee Enfield, I would load session quantities. With quality surplus becoming harder to find for the .303, I would prefer to not burn it up blasting- but then again, there is only so many rounds your going to fire an afternoon, and so frequent that I'm going to shoot it. I have a quality digital powder scale (I was going to try reloading before, but didn't have a need to get into it). I also have a top notch set of calipers too. I have an oppertunity to buy a used hand press on the very cheap~so it might be good for giving it a try.

Soilarch, could you please tell me a little more about priming and depcapping?
 
There is a pin in the resizing die that will punch out the used primer, this is the first step. Now there can be a problem with 303 in particular. Much of the surplus ammo is berdan primed. This ammo can be reloaded but as a general rule it is so difficult as to not be worth the trouble. If you shine a light into the brass and see 2 small holes just toss it. You want brass that is boxer primed, these will have a single hole.

zapsnap962gn2.png


You will also be dealing with two sizes of primers, the 303 will take large rifle and the 223 will take small rifle. There is a cup the primer will sit in on the tool, it simply pushes in and seats. Unless the brass has been shot with very heavy loads it will be a nice snug fit, no worries about it falling out. It tends to be a matter of feel but a properly seated primer will not looked crushed and will fit flush with the bottom of the case. As the primer starts in you will feel it start, then seat...look at it and make sure it is flush, if not you can seat it the rest of the way. I would recommend a primer pocket brush to clean the pocket each time as the primer can leave crud that will make full seating difficult. There is another problem here as well, a lot of the mil-spec 223 brass has crimped in primers that will require the crimp be removed before they can be re-primed. Best in both caliber to stick with commercial brass.
 
Thanks for the process info. :cool:

Best in both caliber to stick with commercial brass.
Click to expand...
That's the plan- I'll use non-crimped once fired for the .223- I save my brass as-is and I'll start with virgin commercial brass for the .303 reloading, and reuse it as long as it maintains integrity.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top