Lee Handheld Reloaders????

[redrider03]

I live in a small apartment with no room for a reloader so I was looking into the Lee Handheld reloaders that they have. Cabelas sells two models. The Lee Hand Press Reloading Kit for 39.99 plus what ever dies I need. And the Lee Classic Loader Kit for the caliber I want for 24.99. Has anyone had any experience with either of them. I dont shoot alot so the slow process doesnt bother me and I only need it in .45 Colt so the one caliber restriction of the classic doesnt bother them. Here are the links for them. Thanks and your help is apprecited

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... jsp.form23

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... jsp.form23

[Andrew]

I have that Lee 'nutcraker' press and it works just fine; slow but fine. If you are worried about room you might try what I did. I got a small single stage press and mounted it to board, then mounted the board to my computer desk. It comes right off and goes out of the way but works much faster than the Lee 'nutcracker'.

[bdhold]

check prices at midwayusa.com., and between those two, you definitely want the hand press.

[AJMD429]

The hand press really is much more versatile, although I reloaded the first several thousand rounds of .44 Magnum (for revolver and rifle) I ever reloaded with one of the little 'mallet' kits, and they were just as good as any I've since turned out on a Dillon RL550B, Rockchucker single-stage, or Lee Classic Turret (the latter being my favorite).

If you get a hand press, consider drilling a hole on the side of the ram to allow spent primers to 'fall out' the side; otherwise they tend to clog under the shellholder and you sometimes must slide out the shellholder to dump them out.



The little 'mallet' kit might just be something to get and keep in an emergency kit, although spare ammo may be a more practical thing to keep in it.

[J Miller]

The best choice of the two is by far is the Lee Hand Press. It does take a bit of effort to use but is far better than the Classic Lee Loader kit.

I have both.

The Classic kit requires hammering every step of the way including seating the primer. It's gets OLD very fast. And I'll bet your neighbors in the apartment building would lynch you after the first box.

However I also sometimes put my extra presses on a 2x4" and then C-clamp them to a table. This works great for handgun calibers and just like Andrew's set up you can take it down and put it away till you need it.

Joe

[mikld]

I use both. I started with the Lee Loader, a pound of Bullseye, some primers, a box of brass, generic lead bullets and of course, a hammer. I made up a LOT of ammo with that set up before I went to a single stage press. I use the Hand Press when my other presses are set up and I don't want to change them, or for a small run of ammo (50 or so rounds). I've used the Hand Press for seating gas checks/sizing with the Lee push through dies and I got as good of results as I think possible. You can do just about anything on the Hand Loader thay you can do on a single stage, 'cept size the really big boys. Both the Lee Loader and the Hand Loader will produce ammo as good as any, maybe a little slower than a progressive, but still good ammo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeEl9wZyabc not too slow!

EDIT: Plus the Handloader uses standard 7/8"-14 dies.

[Blaine]

The Hand Press.....Killer exercise for your upper body, as well

[BigSky56]

lyman makes a combo hand held and bench model (Acculine) I have a lee hand press but prefer my lyman 310 for pistol and rifle they go any where with you. danny
Midway carries them and of course lyman
http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/2,190.html

[Blaine]

lyman makes a combo hand held and bench model (Acculine) I have a lee hand press but prefer my lyman 310 for pistol and rifle they go any where with you. danny

I was looking at the 310, but it seemed like you have to use their dies and there were not that many different calibers.....

[bdhold]

Yes, I believe the Lyman press requires dedicated 310 dies The Lee hand press takes standard dies, which will move up with you on your next press...

[Don McDowell]

Go with the handpress kit and a decent set of dies from RCBS,Hornady etc. If that kit doesn't come with the auto prime tool get it, a scale and the perfect powder measure.

[BigSky56]

Blaine, The current calibers are limited to a handful but there are several older dies available they make them in all the lever calibers. danny

[Blaine]

Blaine, The current calibers are limited to a handful but there are several older dies available they make them in all the lever calibers. danny

With 30WCF, .44 mag and 45-70, what more would you really need if one were downsizing? I'd still need the hand press....You can't find .284 anyplace anymore, and if you could it's 60 bucks a box

[BigSky56]

Blaine 30-30, 45colt and 357 just about covers it for me if I could find some 348 & 300 savage dies I would be topped out heres a link to a guy that has alot of 310 tongs and dies. danny
http://www.the310shop.com/

[mav]

I've been reloading about six years and the Lee hand press is all I've used. I reload between 300 and 500 rounds a year. I'm well satisfied with the hand press.

PS Welcome to the forum!

[JReed]

Blaine, The current calibers are limited to a handful but there are several older dies available they make them in all the lever calibers. danny

With 30WCF, .44 mag and 45-70, what more would you really need if one were downsizing? I'd still need the hand press....You can't find .284 anyplace anymore, and if you could it's 60 bucks a box

Yep I have a 310 in 45-70 works great. The only down side is like said you can only use 310 dies in it.

[El Chivo]

of the two, the handpress will let you use regular dies so you can do full-length sizing, so you can use the ammo in any rifle of the same caliber.

The cheaper one does neck sizing only, so you would have to segregate your fired brass to make sure they go back to the same rifle. But could be more accurate due to this.

I like the handpress and may go back to it someday. I live in an apartment too but do have room for a turret press right in the living room. If I was married or had a roommate I might not get away with this. The handpress is for the day I no longer live alone, so everything can be put away in a box and slid under the bed.

One idea I was considering is to put some sort of bracket on the wall somewhere, slide the handpress into it for a temporary mounting. Then I'd get all the torque of a mounted press, but could take it down for storage. The press has some flat ridges that would allow this, I'd just have to work it out.

[kimwcook]

I've got a Lee hand press and I've got to say I'm very satisfied with it. I've used it to load 45 Colt and 45-70 BPC. Slow, but will definitely get the job done.

[fordwannabe]

I don't mean to hijack but there is a very neat article on apartment loading setups at the frugaloutdoorsman.com. It goes into his way around this and I thought it was good. Tom

[J Miller]

I don't mean to hijack but there is a very neat article on apartment loading setups at the frugaloutdoorsman.com. It goes into his way around this and I thought it was good. Tom

That's our old buddy Juniors site. I couldn't get your link to work so I went to my bookmarks and got there by this one: http://www.castbullet.com/

Joe

[Big Bore 94]

I have a few turret presses and enjoy collecting Lee Loaders and Ideal/Lyman 310 gear. I was using the 310 the last two evenings. I enjoy "handloading".

[Molasses]

The Hand Press.....Killer exercise for your upper body, as well

That's what I used forming .33 Winchester from .45-70 brass back in the last apartment we lived in before buying our house. My other press was a Bonanza Co-Ax mounted on a 2X6 and C-clamped to the kitchen table; every time I worked the handle with that much load on it there was a pretty good "CLUNK" going into the floor, so used the Lee to keep the downstairs neighbors from getting sore. Was pretty sure I'd end up looking like "De Ahnuld" if I kept that up...the Mrs. probably wishes I had.

Don't know if they still make it, but I've got a Lyman hand press that's not a 310, but sort of a cross between the Lee hand press and a small bench mounted model; it's got holes on the base for fastening down and finger grooves on the back of the body for handheld use, already has a hole in the ram for spent primers to fall out and the handle/linkage setup can be reversed to work on either the up or down stroke. I like it a lot and if I had to give up the rest and have only one that didn't take up much space...

About the Lyman 310 tools; the current caliber offerings are a pale shadow of what they used to offer. Bought an older one at a gunshow not too long ago, in the box with a set of .270 dies for a total of $45. A good look around auction sites and such can turn up some interesting dies for those things.

[JohndeFresno]

I live in a small apartment with no room for a reloader so I was looking into the ...Lee Hand Press Reloading Kit...and the Lee Classic Loader Kit...

Welcome to the fire, Red Rider.

Like several here, I have both. Both do the job, and are excellent for their intended use.

If I were forced to choose just one, I would go with the Lee Hand Press (the portable nutcracker type press). As mentioned, it handles most calibers with standard dies. Besides its ability to produce quality ammunition from cramped quarters, it travels well to the range for working up loads. And it is a great tool if you ever go into survival mode.

Besides being a dandy handheld reloading station for rifle calibers, the Lee Classic Loader Kit is a great fallback tool. Given any future "Katrina" scenario where law abiding folks are disarmed by "authorities, " the small kit and handgun of your choice can be readily carried, packed, and secreted in some small cache.

[Griff]

The Hand Press.....Killer exercise for your upper body, as well

+1

Full length sizing my .40-90SBN is a REAL WORKOUT!!!! For ease, you might want to keep it to pistol cartridges and use a carbide sizer. For work in a limited area, I really like my Lyman "C" press and Black & Decker "WorkMate" folding bench. I can sit in front of the TV, with the workmate, load ammo, with the computer on the coffee table next to me and chill with my friends on the Forum!

When I get done with the loading... I can holler, "DEAR"!!! And the little lady fetches me a beer!
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And if you believe that I have some "soon-to-be-beachfront" property in AZ you might be interested in!!!! MAYBE in some OTHER life she'd fetch a beer!

[L_Kilkenny]

I've been reloading for 10+ years and have never had room for a dedicated reloading bench. So all I have ever used is a cheapo Lee press bolted to an old cutting board top from a portable dishwasher which I "C" clamp down to the kitchen table.

I've looked at the hand presses what seems like a thousand times but have never pulled the trigger. To tell the truth, they don't look like something I'd want to use on rifle cartridges because of lack of leverage and the need to still lube cases. One of these days though I'm gonna buy one and set up some powder dipping cups for the .357 and .32M. Figure it would be a great way to spend time on the deck or while camping and everything would store in a small tool box.

LK

[BigSky56]

Molasses that lyman loader thats a combo is a Acculine I had one but the nephew took it from me Iam am looking for another one. There's a guy in Texas that will make dies for the 310. danny
http://www.the310shop.com/

[awp101]

Molasses that lyman loader thats a combo is a Acculine I had one but the nephew took it from me Iam am looking for another one.

That Acculine sounds intriguing. My friend Mr Google couldn't find any, I take it they are no longer in production?

[BigSky56]

AWP, I believe their out of production ebay is where I've seen them, heres a pic of one. danny
http://www.southernhuntingsupplies.com/ ... press.html

[Ysabel Kid]

Most of my reloading equipment is made by Lee and I like it. I started on there stuff 30 years ago. I will often sit in front of the TV with the Lee Hand Press popping primers and resizing cases. It is a very handy tool!

[awp101]

Molasses that lyman loader thats a combo is a Acculine I had one but the nephew took it from me Iam am looking for another one. There's a guy in Texas that will make dies for the 310. danny
http://www.the310shop.com/

Thanks, that was the first link that came up for me as well. Folks must hang on to them. I found a lot of old "for sale" posts but only one current.

If I pass, I'll let you know first BigSky.

[Molasses]

I believe their out of production

Figures. Seems like whenever somebody makes a great product, they end up dropping production and leaving people going "Hey!, I want one of those!" Well, at least this time, I've got mine!

Thanks for the link about the 310 stuff.

Here's a shot just for purposes of showing the Lyman Acculine and to compare size against the Lee handheld press: