Lee Hand Press

i have 2 that were given to me. a 243 and 30-06... i messed around with one and crushed the neck.... and havent messed with them since..
 
I take it your talking about the one that takes the 7/8 14 standard dies, not the old ones that you ran with a hammer and wood rod.

I use the one that is an actual press at the range on occasion, but what I do is take a bunch of sized brass and primered brass with me and just use the Hand press to set the bullets. Or if I'm just working on seating depth I will take a bunch that already have the bullets seated out way long and then tweak them in with the press until I arrive at a COL that works best.

I have never FL resized with one.

If your talking about the old hammer operated deal, I can't help you with that.
 
I recommend sizing your brass at home on a full-size press before you head for the range. Depending on what cartridge you're loading, sizing can get somewhat tedious with the Lee Hand Press; pistol cartridges with carbide dies, no worries. Machine gun-fired 7.62 NATO, not so much.
 
CCombs, I'll agree with prepping your brass at home.. I put together a small older 'C' type press that I can take to the range with my powder dispenser and play with seating depths as I'm shooting and everything fits in the box below..including seating die, powder, and bullets...

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It holds my press:
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Powder dispenser (mounted on a board that clamps to the bench), the press attaches to the two bolts on the board..
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and my beam scale
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I turn the box up on it's side to provide a wind break for using the scale when setting my powder charges with the scale inside and I can adjust my seating depth to provide the best accuracy for any charge...
 
I haven`t used the Hand press but do use the LeeLoader for loading at the bench.The results are impressive and have used them on a bunch of calibers.I don`t consider the tool an entry level tool.I use two scales(Lee + Lyman) to practice powder dumps with a dipper until I get it right every time.In this case it was a 123gr(.310dia) VMax over 44gr of Varget in boxer prime 7.62x54R.

If I wanted to I could have gone from 123gr clear to 180gr Sierra (.311dia)with the same powder load density and just adjusted seating depth on the tool as I went.

My Mosin-Nagant


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5 shots down range....spotted...then 5 more down range @ 50yds.

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I then took one case and loaded and shot a 5 round group using the LeeLoader.

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Most important part of using the tool is homework on practice powder dumps.I can load a round in a minute but usually take my good ole time so the rifle will cool between shots.All my equipment can be packed in a satchel including my high dollar rifle rest.In my opinion it is an excellent tool and self contained.I have had splendid results with 223,22-250,243,6.5 Swede,270Win,7.7 Japanese,`06,303 British,7.62x54R,and 45-70.

Hope this helps you out.
Mick Berger
 
Due to living situation I don't have room anywhere for a full size press so went to the Lee HandPress. I've had no trouble with it and have even made 222 from 223. The leverage could be better but it works and that is the important thing.
 
Not as cool as the Johny Walker rig but.....

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A friend of mine uses the Lee "nutcracker" as he calls it to seat bullets at benchrest matches.

Steve
 
Sorry, I've been away from the computer for a while. Yes I was talking about the newer version, and I figured I would size at home, and use it at the bench to work up loads. And I agree about the Johny Walker box, clasic.
 
I switched all of my reloading to the hand press over the last year. Albeit most of it has been for handgun and never more than a couple hundred rounds per sitting. Didn't have a deicated reloading area (or the room for one) and just got tired of setting every thing up every time I wanted to load. Works fine and I don't find it much if any slower than a standard single stage press.

CB
 
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