Hand dies .... Lee Target Model Zero Error Rifle Loader

Brithunter

Well-Known Member
Well this morning the parcel arrived from Scotland containing the Lee Target Model Zero Error rifle Loader in .244/6mm Remington. So as you do I had a good look at it and cleaned it up as there was a few spots of rust here and there :frown then hunted out a few 6mm rem R.P cases. Three to be precise. Gave them a polish up with a bit of brasso then following the instruction sized one. I had to use the lightest rubber hammer that I have and it's not the best way so a plastic hammer is in the to get list now. As after all they are very useful for other things too.


Once de-primed the primer pocket is cleaned and the case sized by hammering fully into the die. The neck is reamed then case is trimmed to length mouth deburred inside and out. Normally then the case would be primed and than charges with powder and bullet seated but of course I am not allowed to do that.


I did find that as I had stripped the tool down to clean and lightly lubricate that the bullet seating punch needed adjusting so that the micrometer adjuster worked out to be on a major setting. Hunting through all my odd boxes and trays I found one lonely 6mm bullet that got left behind. It was badly tarnished so a quick polish up and we we ready t set up the micrometer adjustment to see how well it works.


This took a few trial and error settings of the seating rod :Banghead: we we got there eventually.... Doh! just read the entire instructions and it says how to do it easliy :Banghead: :stars:


For those who have never seen the Target Model Zero Error Lee Loader the seating of the bullet is done by hand. This is in fact a hand die all except the neck sizing that is. Now without a bullet run out testing set up, I might try cobbling one up using a ground vee block, checking bullet run out is rather hit and miss without it but rolling the cse on a flat surface by eye I cannot see any wobble.


Initial case prep takes longer as the necks are reamed and cases trimmed to length but after that I can see this being really no slower than using a bench mounted press. I would love to see how ammunition loaded using this tool compares that loaded on my RCBS Rock Chucker press. Perhaps we will be able to do a comparison one day but for now I am happy with my little collection of Lee Loader tools. It's a window into the past if you like. The load data sheet inside the box has Nobel Rifle powders No 0, No 1 & No 2 listed and those have been gone for quite a few decades now.
 
Have you tried a small arbour press instead of a hammer Kevin, I found it worked very well.
Originally I did it to keep the noise down as I live in a downstairs flat, and tend to keep late hours.

Neil. :)
 
No I have not as I said it only arrived this morning although I now have two of the target models, the .222 Rem one is still sealed and so new, the .280 Unitized Lee Loader and the normal Lee Rifle loader to complete the set. I used to load on the press, RCBS Rock Chucker. e do not have an arbour press of any type. I nearly brought a nice Norton one some years back but the price went too high.

We don't have noise problems. nearest neighbour is at leats 300 yards away.
 
You don't have an arbor press :doh:
But you have a work shop and machine tools, build one, that way you get just what you want, not what
somebody thinks you need.
My first one was a lash up from an old diy drill press thing, it worked, so I built one based around bits from a £30
(broken) machine mart one that I was given, I'm sure you can do better with a workshop.

Neil. :)
 
I have these units in 243 and two of them in 222 Remington. They work very well. I like the neck reaming far better than neck turning. Reaming, as Kevin indicated, is only done on the first application on the brass. After that it's not needed. I have found that I can size, trim, debur, prime, charge, and seat a bullet in about 80 seconds.~Muir
 
You don't have an arbor press :doh:
But you have a work shop and machine tools, build one, that way you get just what you want, not what
somebody thinks you need.
My first one was a lash up from an old diy drill press thing, it worked, so I built one based around bits from a £30
(broken) machine mart one that I was given, I'm sure you can do better with a workshop.

Neil. :)

Yes we have a workshop although it badly needs sorting out to be able to use it let alone work in it like we used to. The rear left of the floor has broken and subsided, tipped up with the far corner dropped of course furthest fromt he door way and it mean all the machines really need to be moved out to get in an fix it. Where do we put them whilst this is done is the question?

At least two of them probably weigh about 1 1/2 tons. Cannot use rollers as the drive is gravel so it's get someone is with a big truck and hi-hiab.
 
Me!
I bought it in error from the US (misread the calibre at 2am!)

I have one in .270 and next Sunday all being well I will test some of these necked reamed "Zero Error" rounds up against some I knocked up with standard Lee Loader.

but I have also crossed to the dark side......yes...I bought a press.
Already have some .270 RCBS dies so if I get it in time I will compare all three

glad it all turned up OK Kevin. see there are a few more on eBay at the moment. would like one in .243 at some point
 
I think JAYB has one in 243.... ~Muir

PS: I did a side-by-side comparison of .223 loaded with the Lee Classic and RCBS bench mounted gear. The Lee had a more uniform seating dept but generally, both grouped identically.
 
HI brithunter where did you get the set of dies form

The auction listed finished at 03;30 as I seem to recall and I fell asleep or Bewsher and I would have been bidding against one another. I have a new still sealed set in .222 Remington I brought also from the US. same vendor in fact as Bewsher own the .224/6mm set from. I wanted them as I do own a 6mm Rem chambered rifle and live in hope that perhaps I can shoot it again.

I would love to fins a Target Model Lee Loader in 303 British but no one seems to know if they ever made on for that cartridge. They all add to the little collection I have. I do have presses in fact i have three bench mount presses still, a RCBS Uniflow, Lyman Universal trimmer, Lee Hand primer set,Ram prime, Powder trickler. Just get bits and bobs when I see them priced right.

I used to shoot a lot.............................. :doh:.
 
The auction listed finished at 03;30 as I seem to recall and I fell asleep or Bewsher and I would have been bidding against one another. I have a new still sealed set in .222 Remington I brought also from the US. same vendor in fact as Bewsher own the .224/6mm set from. I wanted them as I do own a 6mm Rem chambered rifle and live in hope that perhaps I can shoot it again.

I would love to fins a Target Model Lee Loader in 303 British but no one seems to know if they ever made on for that cartridge. They all add to the little collection I have. I do have presses in fact i have three bench mount presses still, a RCBS Uniflow, Lyman Universal trimmer, Lee Hand primer set,Ram prime, Powder trickler. Just get bits and bobs when I see them priced right.

I used to shoot a lot.............................. :doh:.

I'm thinking that .303 wasn't considered a target round in the US back then. I have a "Classic" in 303 though.~Muir
 
You have a point Muir I forget sometimes that is was back in the late 1950's that the NRA adopted the new 7.62x51 Nato so the 303 was already slipping from competition use.
 
how much run out do you get with the dies

Derek,

I tried the best I could with a cobbled up arrangement of a M&W ground Vee Block with the clamp acting as a stop for the head of the case and a Verdict DTI on a small magnet base. There seems to be almost no run out. maybe 0.0005" but I have only tried ONE case with bullet seated. hardly a good "size" example. It would require more to be prepared and checked. perhaps i can scrounge up some 6mm Non expanding bullets to try a bigger "Example" to measure and find a better way to keep the case back against the stop.

But I was pleased with the result :D.
 
Brithunter,

I'm surprised you don't have a Belding & Mull powder dispenser in your list of older reloading tools... May want to look into one. :) Besides, they're back in business again, and it looks like their website is gearing up for production of them again. A classic (and accurate) powder measure, as I'm sure Muir will attest to...
 
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