? on presses

[kawie]

i want to try reloading and im looking at the LEE HAND PRESS KIT or the LEE ANNIVERSARY PACK.i would use it for reloading 30-30 an 357 max in the future when i get a gun set up for it.the reason i picked these kits is they are cheap an im not totally sure this is something i really want to do so i dont want to stick a ton of money in something im not sure of.why this has come about is i bought my son a 30-30 handi rifle an want to get my son out an practice with it an so i figured i could load up some 125-130gr bullets an use them for deer an woodchucks.punching paper only teaches so much while being out in the field hunting woodchucks would teach him the other part(not a perfect target infront of you at a predetermind distant) hunting,making first shot count,different shooting angles ect.so my question is how these are any good will they work for someone staring out ect.even if i like reloading i dont think i would reload more than 100-200 shells a year.the only other gun i might use it for is im thinking of picking up a gun in 25 caliber(250 savage or 257 roberts).thanks Kawie

[moosemoose]

Many people start with Lee equipment.  I bought my son an anniversary kit through a distributor on Lee's website and paid alot less than what I could find elsewhere.  I spent the day with him and was impressed with the complete set.  One thing I would change is in buying another scale... the safety scale is very sensitive and takes forever to settle at zero.  I didnt buy Lee dies as I had another brand on hand so I can't attest to them.  The hand press looks fun but I would go with the anniversary kit again or buy a book on reloading to teach myself and purchase everything on ebay.

[LaOtto222]

Get the Anniversary pack. I think you will be much happier with it. You will need to get a set of dies for the 30-30 also. As said the scale has something to be desired, but it will get you by for a while until you decide you want to do some thing better. If you buy a set of Lee dies, they come with a dipper and a shell holder. The dipper is a generic weight, but if you can find a powder that will work with it, it makes measuring out the powder much easier and quicker. You can also buy a whole set of dippers, for a little bit of money. Determine a powder you want to use and weight it out on your scale, then find a dipper that will measure out the same amount of powder. It is really simple. I have progressed much beyond the simple tools, because I really enjoy the reloading process it self. You are not to that point yet, so keep it simple. Good Luck and Good Shooting

[mechanic]

I have two presses, one is an RCBS progressive, the other a Lee turret.  The Lee is over 30 yrs. old, and it is what I use the most.  Many knock the Lee equipment, but to each his own.  Its serves me well.  Nothing wrong with the RCBS, other than I have developed a mistrust of progressive reloading.........

[Lloyd Smale]

ive loaded thousands of rounds on a lee hand press. Whats nice is you dont even have to have a table set up. you can load right in your livingroom. I still use it for first time sizing of 223 and 308 brass because it needs to have the primer pockets swadged and its just easier for me to sit and watch tv and size and deprime them and then swadge them. After that i run them through a progressive press to load them. there a handly little press. the only disadvantage to them is they tend to flew a bit and sometimes with big mag cases or when using small base dies they dont quite size down the case enough but for most general reloading they will do what you need. Im actually on my third one. Ive wore out two of them through the years. Lee makes some very inexpensive but serviceable stuff. The only thing id recomend you stay away from are there progressive presses, the pro 1000 and the loadmaster. Both are headaches waiting to happen. But there single stage and turrent stuff is pretty good. there primer seating tool is something everyone that loads needs and there dies are my favorite handgun dies.

[wncchester]

"...i would use it for reloading 30-30 an 357 max..."

For those cartridges and modest levels of production, any press made will do you fine.  There is nothing at all to be gained by a larger or more expensive press.

Different strokes for different folks about the hand press.  I have never wanted to do any part of my loading while watching TV so I never use my hand press inside.  My loading is done at the bench and I use hard mounted presses there.  My hand press goes to the range sometimes, but not often. 

The Lee Challanger press will do normal work quite well.  The press body is made of an aluminum alloy so don't lean on it like it's made of cast iron (that needs the Lee Classic Cast or some other iron/steel press)!  And keep the bolts holding the lever and toggle links tight or the stressed parts may be broken with even modest lever pressure.

The Challanger press will likely last a moderate volume reloader a lifetime ... IF he keeps it oiled!  And, if you ever really expand your shooting horizions and want a larger, stronger, more rugged press later, the first one can still be used for limited/dedicated tasks so it should never be a waste!

[kitchawan kid]

I have used the Lee hand press for many years and very happy with it,you don't have to set-up anything just grab it and start loading.The only problem I have had is not dumping spent primers out of the press,if you don't every 30 or so you will bend a deprime pin.

[iiranger]

a house with 3 full baths? Point? The Lee hand press is sort of like the "tent living" and if that suits you, GREAT. The Anniversary pack or RCBS or is more like a full  house with 2 or 3 "baths."

Love my hand press and knocked out many, many (K's/ 1,000) primers with it. Mil surplus brass. Great exercise in front of the boob tube. Then full length sized them. And with dies it would do your reloading WELL. (Beware pointed bullets in .30/30 with tube magazine...) Now this is not too good for case forming or bullet making or even full length resizing many, many cases. It is called work. If you don't look like the Hulk, you will. But for a couple hundred a year. No problem. (I was young... and foolish...)

RCBS had a two handed press (Huntington's Die Specialties, the RCBS custom shop now???). Little higher quality and price. Lyman had a hand press too. I prefer mine to lee, but hear they are out of production. Longer. More leverage. Know a dealer had one break on first use. Lyman replaced it. Risk with anything cast I guess. I would not hurry. Study a half dozen or more manuals (used from gun show(s)) and see what suits your desires. Spend accordingly. For a beginning, this would be very good and very cheap. Luck.

[Blowtorch53]

Hey guys,

The Lee hand press is really handy if you want to resize cases while watching TV.  It makes some good accurate ammo.  I started on the Lee Loader stuff like many and it still works very well too.  The hand press is a step above that and there are many setups a step above that.  They all work and work fine.  The Lee Loaders will get you thrown out of an apartment due to all the hammering though.   Get a Lee hand press and load 'em up.  Have fun making empty brass!

BT

[goodconcretecolor]

I used the Lee hand press for 12 years as my only press. I bought a Lee reloader as I find a fixed press a bit more convenient than the hand press for bullet seating. After seating I use the Lee factory crimp die in the hand press. The hand press is less than $30 so try the Aniversary kit and a hand press.