Lee Reloading Kits?

[BunnyDoom]

Seen these kits on the internet saying "everything you need to reload" (apart from shells, bullets, powder and primers) - about £30 for the kit not including the hammer...

Does anyone know if they're any good? I'm new to reloading, so looking for a complete kit to try and see if I like it. Are the results as good as factory ammo with these kits?

Thanks,
BD

 

[sinbad]

I have one in .243, although crude the results are excellent, and will out perform factory ammo.
Not keen on doing the primers with it but Ive not had any go off yet.
I have also got the breechblock challenger kit that I use for the 6mm rem and .223, it came with an auto prime, so use that instead now.
Sinbad

 

[Triggermortis]

I bought Lee gear when i started but after seeing the results that others were getting with RCBS/Redding in terms of consistancy i've now gone down that road and seen the benefits of better engineering and tighter tolerances in the manufacturing process's that RCBS etc use, Whilst Lee have been around for years and plenty of people get results that they are happy with using Lee gear, i found that i have been able to produce better ammo on a more consistant basis using the more expensive gear and for me that's what counts.
Having said the above, if Lee works for you then all well and good but as with many other things, you only get what you pay for and to my mind, the better the equiptment, the better the end result?

 

[Aqueous Osprey]

Bunnydoom


If you look at the recent thread within ammunition, reloading & ballistics
[h=2]"Buying Ammunition from someone who reloads"[/h]there is quite a bit about the classic Lee Loader.

 

[saddler]

For the stalker only using a couple of boxes a year, but after the convenience of being able to home load, they are good bits of kit.
Minimal outlay & proven results.

My 1st relaoding rig was one of these, for my 1st rifle (or should I say "carbine" as it was an M1 Carbine)

Still got it - the Lee kit, not the M1 (sad to say, brilliant bits of kit for range fun...)
Have since bought a few more - some quite recently - as a few popped up at a price too good to say no to

 

[multiman]

I have sevral of these Lee loader kits and they are so simple to use. they are great for loading rifle ammo although i weigh my powder charge. I can Load 50 .303" in well under an hour.
I also have a Dillon 550B progersive press which is good for loading pistol ammo (250 an hour .357 Mag) I dont think I would like to load biger quantites on with the Lee Loader.

They are a good buy available from £22.50 a set......Bargain cost four times that to convert my Dillon to load another calibre!

 

[saddler]

They are a good buy available from £22.50 a set......Bargain cost four times that to convert my Dillon to load another calibre!

...as the saying goes - "you are doing it wrong!!"

 

[kennyc]

I bought Lee gear when i started but after seeing the results that others were getting with RCBS/Redding in terms of consistancy i've now gone down that road and seen the benefits of better engineering and tighter tolerances in the manufacturing process's that RCBS etc use, Whilst Lee have been around for years and plenty of people get results that they are happy with using Lee gear, i found that i have been able to produce better ammo on a more consistant basis using the more expensive gear and for me that's what counts.
Having said the above, if Lee works for you then all well and good but as with many other things, you only get what you pay for and to my mind, the better the equiptment, the better the end result?

I think you misread the OP if you can get a reloading kit from Redding,RCBS at anywhere near the £30-40 that a Lee Loader kit comes in at then could you get me a couple

 

[glogin]

Seen these kits on the internet saying "everything you need to reload" (apart from shells, bullets, powder and primers) - about £30 for the kit not including the hammer...

Does anyone know if they're any good? I'm new to reloading, so looking for a complete kit to try and see if I like it. Are the results as good as factory ammo with these kits?

Thanks,
BD

So Lee Loader is all you need. I got one in .308 and bought it for exactly same reason. If you dont like it you can sell it back on here or eBay and get your money back.

 

[BunnyDoom]

I take it RCBS kits are a lot of money then?

CSL posted an awesome "intro to reloading" thread - to be honest though I did think "j*sus that's a shed load of kit!"... left me wondering if it would be cheaper to just buy them at the shops... I started using PPU .243 ammo this season and had great results, so would need this to have pretty special results to justify buying anything expensive.

The other issue is I've just put in for a 7mm-08 - am I right in thinking I have to re-size 308 cases? Also does anyone know where I could get the heads? Is there such a thing as a Lee Loader for a 7mm-08 as haven't found one?

 

[stalker.308]

Anyone know if anything like this is available for reloading a 7x65R? Getting ammo is a pain and this is the way forward but will be making up minimal quantities.....

 

[saddler]

Anyone know if anything like this is available for reloading a 7x65R? Getting ammo is a pain and this is the way forward but will be making up minimal quantities.....

Made in the following sizes only....sorry to say

CALIBER
22 Hornet	7.62 x 54 Russian
223 Remington	308 Winchester
22/250	30/06 Springfield
243 Winchester	303 British
6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser	45/70 Government
270 Winchester
7mm Remington Magnum
30/30 Win (30 Rem)

[TD="width: 226"] CALIBER [/TD]

...next best bet for other calibers would be a hand-held single stage unit like the old Wamadet (Lee make one but its a bit, er, tinny for my liking)
OR
Failing that, a better make of single stage press bought 2nd hand will do the job

You can even relaod with JUST the press and dies if you use Lee dies and stick to the data on the included bullet weight/powder combo chart - & use the powder dipper that is in the set thats for use with said chart info...

 

[j0e_bl0ggs]

lee classic cast press, will do everything you want (even use it as a swage press) fraction of the price of rcbs redding lyman etc.

Oh NOT the breech lock or whatever it is called version.

 

[sikadog]

Lee equipment will produce ammunition far better than you can shoot.
1" groups from my 6.5x55 and my 22-250 with Lee.
About the same with my 222,270,30-06 with RCBS, my 6.5 shoots the same with RCBS, so save your money I cant tell the differance but then I am a stalker not a target shooter.

 

[kennyc]

Made in the following sizes only....sorry to say

CALIBER	CALIBER
22 Hornet	7.62 x 54 Russian
223 Remington	308 Winchester
22/250	30/06 Springfield
243 Winchester	303 British
6.5 x 55 Swedish Mauser	45/70 Government
270 Winchester
7mm Remington Magnum
30/30 Win (30 Rem)

...next best bet for other calibers would be a hand-held single stage unit like the old Wamadet (Lee make one but its a bit, er, tinny for my liking)
OR
Failing that, a better make of single stage press bought 2nd hand will do the job

You can even relaod with JUST the press and dies if you use Lee dies and stick to the data on the included bullet weight/powder combo chart - & use the powder dipper that is in the set thats for use with said chart info...

I used my Lee hand press for ,308 and 7.5x55 which is bigger and never felt it was tinny, they are actually a very useful tool in their own right, and as they work with standard dies, any dies bought can be transferred to a bench mounted press in the future.

 

[Simjim33]

lee classic cast press, will do everything you want (even use it as a swage press) fraction of the price of rcbs redding lyman etc

oh NOT the breech lock or whatever it is called version.

I cant agree more!
Here is a lee cast in swage mode. The only modification needed is the longer handle. You can see it in the picture.Look at the lee hand press on top of the de-rim die thats in the press at the moment. It's purpose is to make extracting the new de-rimmed case easy. but it's a great press in its own right.

The lee cast press is about as good as it can get. Plus the best value for money@ around £100.





I use the lee powder dippers too. The ammo is spot on. Also have a good read through the lee moddern reloading 2nd addition.

 

[saddler]

I used my Lee hand press for ,308 and 7.5x55 which is bigger and never felt it was tinny, they are actually a very useful tool in their own right, and as they work with standard dies, any dies bought can be transferred to a bench mounted press in the future.

I had said "tinny for my liking"
Possibly as I'm comparing it to my first real press: a Wamadet hand-press = solid steel tubing so not that tinny given the solid steel content

I cant agree more!
Here is a lee cast in swage mode. The only modification needed is the longer handle. You can see it in the picture.Look at the lee hand press on top of the de-rim die thats in the press at the moment. It's purpose is to make extracting the new de-rimmed case easy. but it's a great press in its own right.

The lee cast press is about as good as it can get. Plus the best value for money@ around £100.

I use the lee powder dippers too. The ammo is spot on. Also have a good read through the lee moddern reloading 2nd addition.

If spending about £100 I'd personally opt to buy a 2nd-hand press - as for that money there are LOTS of top of the range single stage presses to be had which will do the above AND MORE, as quite a few people have left the sport and others have moved onto progressive units...
i.e. Last single-stage I got was an RCBS Rockchucker II = I can use it to load, swage & the rest with std. 7/8" dies; then I remove the adaptor to use it with larger 1 1/4" dies - for some obsolete calibers, 12-ga shotshells, etc.

NOT saying that purely looking at the Lee press above is wrong - just a case of trying to broaden the net & see what else is on offer for the same funds or less that will do the job

 

[j0e_bl0ggs]

I had said "tinny for my liking"
Possibly as I'm comparing it to my first real press: a Wamadet hand-press = solid steel tubing so not that tinny given the solid steel content



If spending about £100 I'd personally opt to buy a 2nd-hand press - as for that money there are LOTS of top of the range single stage presses to be had which will do the above AND MORE, as quite a few people have left the sport and others have moved onto progressive units...
i.e. Last single-stage I got was an RCBS Rockchucker II = I can use it to load, swage & the rest with std. 7/8" dies; then I remove the adaptor to use it with larger 1 1/4" dies - for some obsolete calibers, 12-ga shotshells, etc.

NOT saying that purely looking at the Lee press above is wrong - just a case of trying to broaden the net & see what else is on offer for the same funds or less that will do the job

Nothing wrong or 'tinny' with it for 100 sovs has a larger ram bore than the rock chucker or your wamadet also you can remove the adapter as well.
£100 quid for a worn press compared to new...

 

[Simjim33]

I had said "tinny for my liking"
Possibly as I'm comparing it to my first real press: a Wamadet hand-press = solid steel tubing so not that tinny given the solid steel content



If spending about £100 I'd personally opt to buy a 2nd-hand press - as for that money there are LOTS of top of the range single stage presses to be had which will do the above AND MORE, as quite a few people have left the sport and others have moved onto progressive units...
i.e. Last single-stage I got was an RCBS Rockchucker II = I can use it to load, swage & the rest with std. 7/8" dies; then I remove the adaptor to use it with larger 1 1/4" dies - for some obsolete calibers, 12-ga shotshells, etc.

NOT saying that purely looking at the Lee press above is wrong - just a case of trying to broaden the net & see what else is on offer for the same funds or less that will do the job

Yeah each to their own. I personally would not want to punt £100 on a second hand press if was in the position of the OP! He is clearly new to reloading thats why he started the thread. So would he know what to look for in a second hand press? Probably not!

I got mine brand new from here Opticswarehouse Rifle Reloading Press its still the same price i paid.
What do you swage for? I swage for .243 and soon .30cal. Nice thing about the lee (like the Rockchucker) you can take the thread bushing out of the lee cast so you can use it for the big dies too. Im hoping to able to swage and load for .338 one day.

 

[MONGOOSE]

This is a good press better than the one your talking about or is it this one http://www.henrykrank.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=164_181_472&products_id=2056