Author Topic: Lee Anniversery Kit (Read 480 times)

e_collop · « **on:** October 07, 2005, 07:40:41 PM »

Is this kit a good one to start out with? I have always wanted to reload but hate to dump a bunch of money in it right off. Another probably stupid question can you use other brands of dies in a different brand of press (a Lee for instance)?
E

Zeke Menuar · « **Reply #1 on:** October 07, 2005, 08:48:24 PM »

My wife got me one of these umpteen years ago. I am still using most of the stuff that came with it. It is great for the beginner.

The thread in the top of the press are a standard size. RCBS, Redding and the other major dies will fit.

Stuff you'll need that the kit doesn't have:

Calipers. The $20 calipers at Harbor Freight will work just fine.

Check weights for the scale.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=493216

Dies. I use RCBS and Redding.

Stuck case remover. Nobody wants to admit we do this, but we do from time to time.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=504741

Bullet puller. Just in case you mess up a round. Pull the bullet and start over.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=630146

I'm sure others will chime in with the stuff I forgot.

Good luck
ZM

shoots4fun · « **Reply #2 on:** October 08, 2005, 03:52:03 AM »

I recently purchased this setup plus a set of Lee Pacesetter dies for .30-06 and .243. The other night I loaded a hundred rounds, first time in a little over two hours. I used the powder feed as well as check all powder drops with the included scale. Most needed 3-4 grains (the actual granual piece) added or removed to get the scale right on. I thought for the money it was pretty good. Considering my cousin who is an avid reloader uses RCBS and checked my first few loads saying they were fine, he's pretty particular. I was happy with that.

I could see a need for a bullet puller as mentioned, along with a trickler to add those two to three pieces of powder, although I got by just fine with the LEE scoppe that came with the dies and just tapping my thumb to trickle some out of the scoop to fine tune the load. I loaded another few rounds last night as I'd already shot most of what I loaded the other night.

goodconcretecolor · « **Reply #3 on:** October 08, 2005, 04:36:45 AM »

I am a big fan of Lee equipment. I bought a set of Lee powder dippers early in my reloading(more than 15 years ago) and bought an RCBS trickler after my wife gave me a Lyman Powder scale for my birthday(Lee scale was not on the market then). I find I can adjust thrown charges to a precise weight faster by dribbling the powder from one of the smaller Lee dippers.

shoots4fun · « **Reply #4 on:** October 08, 2005, 06:15:59 AM »

Quote

I find I can adjust thrown charges to a precise weight faster by dribbling the powder from one of the smaller Lee dippers.

That's good to know. Maybe I should just stick with my LEE scoop/dipper. I would like to verify with a known accurate scale that I was using my LEE beam scale correctly and that it measures what it is reading.

mg66 · « **Reply #5 on:** October 09, 2005, 01:59:09 AM »

I bought an Aniversary Kit but was only a couple of months and I bought a Lee 4 stage turret auto index press.

The aniversary kit is ok but I found it a pain to keep changing dies. With the Lee 4 stage you can set up each die and leave it set and it never changes. I do 38 and 357 so bought 2 sets of Lee carbide dies and leave each setup. It takes about 5 secs to swap turret plates. There is a picture at http://www.bghi.us/index.php?x=bench of my setup with the Lee Turret Press with auto-disk measure attached for reloading 38s.

I use a Lee auto-disk (extremely fast, easy and accurate) for 38s which stays on charging die and I hand measure my 357s.