I have a Lee Loader in 38/357 that I used on the kitchen table and when visiting the in-laws. I have loaded thousands of rounds with it.
In 1968 the Lee Loader was retired except when making the two week visit to the in-laws. I purchased a Lyman Spar-T turret press. It is still in use and primarily used for loading handgun rounds. At the same time I was give a Lyman Jr. turret press and some other reloading tools. I kept the Lyman 55 powder measure and gave the Lyman Jr. press to my best buddy.
In the last few years I purchased a Lyman T-Mag II press. I is an improvement over the old Spar-T when it comes to loading rifle rounds. It offers better leverage for the aging reloader.
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000157040781I am considering purchasing a second die head for the T-Mag II. The only reason it is in the consideration box is changing dies on either press is not difficult. But every once while a sweet spot is found in a die setup and I hate to change the dies. The Spar-T is currently turning out quality 9MM ammunition. I am getting the itch to load some 38/357 rounds, it would be nice to switch heads on the T-Mag and be ready to load.
But a less costly option is to take advantage of the open stations on the two presses. I have a carbide 3-die set for the 38/357. I can easily place the carbide sizing die in the Mag-T press and the #2 Expander-Decapping die along with the #3 Seating and Crimping Dies in the Spar-T press. A Carbide, 4-die set currently occupies four of the six stations in the Spar-T press.
Many times I have the T-Mag II setup for two different rifle calibers along with the Lee decapping die.
When I purchased the Spar-T kit it came with an auto primer with a small primer tube, and a large primer tube. I used it a lot but use a Lee Hand primer now days, I consider it safer.
I have the Lyman 7/8 x 14 adapter to mount one of my Lyman 55 Powder measures in the turret but use a separate stand for the powder measure.
Forty years ago I meet a gentleman who “was” a major commercial reloader. Before his accident I use to purchase some of his loads because the price was right, they were good, and I was short of spare time. His business “was” good and he would deliver a few hundred boxes of ammunition to different shops at a time. He had a primer tube explode resulting in the loss of an eye, major damage to his face, chest, and an arm.
I have mangled a few primers using the Lyman Primer without setting one off, but I have also thought about having one go off with a 50-primer tube setting above it, creating a chain reaction involving the Lyman 55 powder measure setting next to it on the turret.
I am not out to ignite the owners of progressive loaders. I suspect there has been a lot of improvements in the last forty years. And I do not know if human error was a factor in the reloader’s accident.
