"field reloading"

[tplumeri]

http://item.express.ebay.com/Sporting-Goods_Hunting-Archery_Gun-Hunting-Accessories_357-Magnum-FIELD-RELOADING-KIT-DIE-SET-357_W0QQitemZ370003382897QQihZ024QQptdnZGunQ20Q26Q20HuntingQ20AccessoriesQQddnZSportingQ20GoodsQQadnZHuntingQ20Q26Q20ArcheryQQptdiZ1091QQddiZ577QQadiZ1388QQcmdZExpressItem

357 "field reloading kit"
reload "match grade" ammo with this kit and a hammer.
is this legit?

[rg1]

Yes, it's legit. Lee Loaders have been around for many years. Lee Loaders in rifle sets only neck sizes. The dipper for powder is "supposed" to be calibrated for so much of certain powders. It comes with a chart. I'd rather have a small hand press like Lyman's and a 2nd set of dies with a cheap balance beam scale. This would work well at a hunting camp or out on the farm. Here's a site with some info:
http://hunting.about.com/library/weekly/aa010321d.htm
http://www.jesseshunting.com/articles/guns/category8/117.html

[tplumeri]

thanks for the links, it seemed weird that i could get the handload set for the same money, or less, than a set of dies for my RCBS rockchucker!

[Gbro]

That is my 1st reloading kit, ".357" I used to reload in the barracks to get ready for the weekend fun.
My 2nd was 30-30, and i could only reload my brass. Hardly ever found one that would chamber.
So always make a dry run with scrounged brass before reloading with a Lee Hand kit.
Now I have 3 presses on the bench.

[W. C. Quantrill]

The only problem I have had with a Lee Loader is getting the charge right for a semi Auto. Their dippers are on the conservative side. You might want to weigh some of your dippers to see if you are getting what you want. I have a .308 that I started with in about 1959, and it loads OK, but it wont throw enough powder to cycle my M742 Remington.

[David Wile]

Hey tplumeri,

I wouldn't wish a Lee Loader kit on my enemy. They are so slow and laborious, and then you have to use a hammer to do everything. There is just something wrong about reloading cartridges with a hammer.

My first step into reloading around 1960 was a Lee Loader for my 30-40 Krag. I loaded one box of shells and traded it in for an RCBS Jr. press, but a bench press is not exactly what you asked about.

I also purchased a Lyman 310 "Nutcracker" Tool for field use, and I would much prefer to load with it than have to use a Lee Loader. The 310 tool uses its own dies and only neck sizes, but that is not too bad if you are only using it for a couple of calibers. There is something charming about using the 310 tool at a hunting camp.

If you want a hand tool that will use "regular" dies, Lee makes one, and Lyman's Accupress is a little bit bigger, can be mounted on a bench or used by hand, and it can also be switched from upstroke to downstroke by changing the linkage. I think the Accupress was discontinued, but it is still being sold on E-Bay. I have several 310 tools and die sets, but I wanted an Accupress which could use regular dies and still be a hand tool, so I purchased one on E-Bay recently, and it works rather well.

If you want a field tool, think twice before buying a Lee Loader Kit. Get any of the real hand tools rather than the hammer kit.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[rwilson452]

Yes. it works. It really isn't a nice way to go. I would rather use a "nutcracker" Lee makes one that I have.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=410804&t=11082005

357 "field reloading kit"
reload "match grade" ammo with this kit and a hammer.
is this legit?

[freakshow10mm]

The Lee Loader Kit is what it is. Retails for way less than $25. I have one I got in a trade. "Match grade" ammo? Highly unlikely. Not with this kit.

I was going to keep it for my SHTF bag.

The Lyman 310 tool is about $50 with dies about as expensive. A Lee hand press and deluxe die set will run you $50 with a few dollars for shipping. I started loading on a Lee hand press. Still have it.

[Bogie]

For a "field" kit...

Assuming you are not wanting to bolt anything down...

Lee hand press with sizing/decapping die

Lee priming tool

Steel wool for the necks

Wilson hand die with arbor press for seating

Lee powder dippers and "known weight" chart for your choice of powder.

Should be more or less golden.

[tplumeri]

they mention a hammer in their ad. whats the hammer for?

[Crosshair]

Yea, the nutcracker hand press is much better than the Lee loader. They are rather obsolete, but inexpensive and they do work.

[freakshow10mm]

The hammer is used for operating the loader. You need to use a hammer to do the steps.

[T. O'Heir]

Mine was in .243. Lee Loaders work(they're not really for field loading though). Match grade ammo is possible, but not using the scoop. The scoops can vary the powder charge plus or minus a full grain. If you opt for one, use a plastic mallet. A steel hammer will damage the die.

[David Wile]

Hey tplumeri,

It has been forty some years since I used a Lee Loader Kit, but I think it goes something like as follows:

Sizing - There is a neck sizing die into which a lubed case is driven with a hammer to resize the neck.

De-Priming - Once the case is in the sizing die, you place the case and die on some sort of pedestal thing with a hole in the middle so the primer can fall out. You then stick a long decapping rod through the die to the bottom of the case and drive the old primer out.

Case Removal & Cleaning - You then put the case and die on another pedestal thing and drive the case out of the die with a rod and a hammer. The case then has to have the lube removed with a rag.

Re-Priming - You use another pedestal thing to reprime. Put a new primer on the pedestal, then the case is placed on top, and again with the hammer to hit a rod you placed in the case to seat the new primer. At this point your case is resized, deprimed, and reprimed and ready for charging with powder.

Charging - You then use a Lee powder dip to get a "measure" of powder to pour in the case. You really need a loading manual to find what powder to use and how much of it to put in the case. Once you know the weight of a safe load for your purpose, you really need a scale to weigh your first charges. For example, let's say your manual calls for 20 grains as a beginning load and 25 grains as a max load for your gun. It is never safe to use dippers at the max loads; you really need to use starting loads if you are dipping powder. So, you want 20 grains of XYZ powder for a safe low load. You can then test your dipper with the XYZ powder and weigh your charge. If it is exactly 20 grains several times in a row, this will be a miracle, and you can use the dipper as is. More likely, it will be too much or too little, and you will have to alter your dipper so it will consistently throw charges of 20 grains + or - a grain. Once you have your dipper throwing the right charge, you can use it to charge your case. This is best done with a powder funnel, and it really would be helpful if you had a loading block to hold your cases.

Bullet Seating - Once your case is properly charged, it is back to the hammer and tools to seat the bullet. I absolutely forget what is used, but it does need to be adjusted to seat the bullet to the correct depth in the neck. Again a hammer is used to do it. Once you have seated the bullet, you have completed your first round. Good, one down and nineteen to go. I told you I would not wish this punishment on a real bad enemy.

The Lee hand tool and the Lyman Accupress will use regular dies to reload your cases, and you would not reload one shell at a time. Instead, you will size all your cases, then deprime them all, prime all, charge all, and finish by seating bullets in all. Really much easier than the Lee Loader Kit. One advantage to the Accupress is that it can be screwed to a bench when available or used hand held. The Lyman 310 Nutcracker tool is also a very nice tool and very user friendly. Its only drawback is that it uses special die sets. If you only plan on reloading one caliber in the field, it would be my first choice.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile