timbrayford
Well-Known Member
I had the centre pin on the turret give up due to metal fatigue!
First Press - without brand snobbery
- Thread starter danielsonson
- Start date
Motard
Well-Known Member
I use a lee classic cast from day one, no runout never had a single problem with it. Some years ago bought another Classic cast breech lock style on occasion. It was also the havvy version not the light Challenge one. Nevertheless I didn't like it and got rid. Could say if you find e traditional Classic cast buy it and you will never regret at all. Classic Cast bear e stealth feature that most people doesn't knows. If you look very near at the RAM you will see e very very light mark nearly around the web at mid tallness. This Is where the upper half of the ram can be taken apart by unscrewing it with a good strong lever for loading 50 BMG or resizing and swaging jacketed bullets. this should tell you haw strong those presses are..
8x57
Distinguished Member
Yes I had the top of a Lee press completely shear off when resizing some 8x57irs cases. It was an old press that was given to me by a friend giving up shooting and he had been given the press too, so heaven knows how old the press was.
My friend claimed that he had been given it by one of the local chapter of the hells angels. It was just after the members of one biker gang shot the member of another gang on the motorway.
Hell's Angel 'biker shot dead on motorway in attack carried out with military-style precision'
A Hell's Angel was gunned down on a motorway in a 'military-style operation' by a rival biker gang, a court heard on Monday. Gerry Tobin, 35, died instantly from a single shot to the head.
deeangeo
Well-Known Member
Dunno where my press was made Ken, but I reckon I've had it for 30+ years & it's never failed
as for other RCBS tools, I never bothered to look cos they have 'Lifetime' warranties.If & when I had any issues with tools (Rare) RCBS have been spot on replacing stuff promptly & without question
Friend of mine had a Lee one crack, didn’t exactly ‘let go’ as in spectacular parts everywhere style, but was FUBAR. I found him a nice old s/h Lyman turret press to replace it.
Leec6.5
Well-Known Member
When I began loading my own I used Lee for all my equipment and I loaded some very very accurate projectiles, then I upgraded to RCBS, did the accuracy change? No is the simple answer!
I sold all of it and started again when I started loading for the 7x57 my press is an old pacific, my dies are RCBS a mix and match of odds and sods in between, again the question does it load any more accurate ammunition and the simple answer again is no!
So in this roundabout way, does it matter if you use Lee equipment/RCS/Reading etc?
In my opinion of 20 years or more of rolling my own no it doesn’t
I sold all of it and started again when I started loading for the 7x57 my press is an old pacific, my dies are RCBS a mix and match of odds and sods in between, again the question does it load any more accurate ammunition and the simple answer again is no!
So in this roundabout way, does it matter if you use Lee equipment/RCS/Reading etc?
In my opinion of 20 years or more of rolling my own no it doesn’t
Motard
Well-Known Member
Mind not all Lee presses are equal in front of..us. What I mean is that if you look at s cast or at a challenge they mae appear just the same. But the the first is (still, I believe) made from cast iron coming from Us recycled railways. The second is a light mould of some light metal alike zama.
Rookandrabbit
Well-Known Member
when I was at school ( it's so long ago I can't remember the colour of the slate or chalk we used) a group of us clubbed together and bought a lee challenger press. After A levels, we all went separate ways. never saw the press again so scrimped and saved for a secondhand wamadet press and it's done sterling service! so much so I recently bought a second one .
It's heavy and powerful and with the wooden base can be used anywhere. Still have some lee dies and they are over 40 years old well used but still producing accurate loads.......
I see some people will pay hundreds of pounds for wilson in-line dies and also Redding dies to name a few but can they produce rounds which have less run out or more accuracy?
The other latest thing appears to be bushing dies which neck size cases to individual chamber dimensions....maybe for the bench rest shooters to wring out the utmost accuracy however I think sometimes having the latest kit to reload and a custom rifle may be just a form of psychological reinforcement to give confidence to the shooter.
I don't think at my age or ability I could tell down to thousandths of an inch at 100 yards and I don't have a cartridge run out gauge to measure loaded rounds so like using a bore camera sometimes ignorance can be bliss.
Enjoy your shooting you don't need to pay thousands for kit you may not need.
regards Rookandrabbit.
It's heavy and powerful and with the wooden base can be used anywhere. Still have some lee dies and they are over 40 years old well used but still producing accurate loads.......
I see some people will pay hundreds of pounds for wilson in-line dies and also Redding dies to name a few but can they produce rounds which have less run out or more accuracy?
The other latest thing appears to be bushing dies which neck size cases to individual chamber dimensions....maybe for the bench rest shooters to wring out the utmost accuracy however I think sometimes having the latest kit to reload and a custom rifle may be just a form of psychological reinforcement to give confidence to the shooter.
I don't think at my age or ability I could tell down to thousandths of an inch at 100 yards and I don't have a cartridge run out gauge to measure loaded rounds so like using a bore camera sometimes ignorance can be bliss.
Enjoy your shooting you don't need to pay thousands for kit you may not need.
regards Rookandrabbit.
I’ve been trying to get hold of RCBS for some parts but no matter, can’t get a reply. How do you contact them?Dunno where my press was made Ken, but I reckon I've had it for 30+ years & it's never failed
If & when I had any issues with tools (Rare) RCBS have been spot on replacing stuff promptly & without question
Here you go, bang on cue - this is what happens when you use white metal castings for components that endure load…
Does anyone have any idea of it’s possible to buy these parts?
You make some good and valid points but in the matter of neck bushing dies its only after using one that the frankly agricultural properties of a standard die's expander ball/mandrel will be fully appreciated.
K
303British
Well-Known Member
If it is just for rifle and vermin/hunting get a single stage lee, should be fine, if you buy a used check the frame for cracks, I cracked one, a Lee, did not swear that much as I had an old wamadet to step in and then bought an RCBS, but I was loading for target shooting and it was getting a lot of use full length re-sizing.
Leec6.5
Well-Known Member
Email play I’ve always had prompt replies and any spares that I’ve needed have been supplied free of charge.
Their customer care is first class in my experience
Motard
Well-Known Member
Titan reloading supplies or directly LeeHere you go, bang on cue - this is what happens when you use white metal castings for components that endure load…
Does anyone have any idea of it’s possible to buy these parts?
deeangeo
Well-Known Member
I e-mailed them on 2 occasions & got prompt response - new parts arrived thereafter FOC within a couple of weeks.
I looked at their contact & note they say at present they are slow to respond... I think I simply filled in the form at the time & they responded.
They say once the form is sent, there's no need to re-submit
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