lee Reloader Single Stage vs Lee Challenger Breech lock vs Lee Classic Cast

TennJed · June 3, 2011, 11:23 AM

What are the main differences in these 3 Lee Single Stage Press.

Lee Reloader ($30)
Lee Challenger Breech lock ($50)
Lee Classic Cast ($100)

fairly big price difference in between them.

Thanks

overkill0084 · June 3, 2011, 12:05 PM

Lee Reloader- If I understand the question, it is the whack a mole kit. Effective but not terribly productive.
Challenger Breech lock press- Simple & effective single stage. I have one gathering dust since I bought my Classic Turret.
Classic Cast- Good quality, robust, single stage.

**Aguila Blanca** · June 4, 2011, 10:33 PM

I think the Reloader is a 'C' press -- the front is open. It's also fairly small, so you won't find it easy to do rifle cartridges on.

The Challenger and the Classic are essentially the same press, but the Challenger is an aluminum 'O' frame where the Classic is cast iron.

cheezhed · June 5, 2011, 01:35 AM

If you are asking about the lee reloader and it is the tool where you use a hammer to reload this is a slooooow way to reload. If you mean the little
C-frame it may be okay for pistol but it does not look robust enough for rifle
but I could be wrong. The challenger press looks like it would be fine for most
uses but I have no experience with it. I bought the classic cast to use for lighter
work so that I could leave my rock chucker set up for .30-06 but I find it easily the equal of the rock chucker. This would be my choice for a single stage press
from Lee, it may cost a little more but is still very reasonably priced and over the life of the press it is minor. You will always find a use for a good single stage press.

Eazmo · June 5, 2011, 02:45 AM

lee loader=http://http://leeprecision.com/xcart/LEE-LOADER-38-SPL.html

challenger breach lock=http://http://leeprecision.com/xcart/Breech-Lock-Challenger-Press.html

classic cast=http://http://leeprecision.com/xcart/Classic-Cast-Press.html

or there is classic cast with quick change breach lockhttp://leeprecision.com/xcart/Breech...ssic-Cast.html

223 shooter · June 5, 2011, 10:34 AM

I have used the little Lee C-Frame aluminum press for a number of years and it has loaded some really accurate ammo. There is not much leverage for full size resizing. As most of my rifle reloads were neck size .223s the press was sufficient.

I finally bought a Lee Classic Cast and this is a really great single stage. Absolutely solid and has good deal of leverage. Will easily handle anything I will ever want to full length size and with far greater ease than the old Lee C-frame I had used.

Comparing the iron Classic Cast to the aluminum C-press is sort of like a Mack Truck to a Ford Ranger.

Sevens · June 5, 2011, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Comparing the iron Classic Cast to the aluminum C-press is sort of like a Mack Truck to a Ford Ranger.

Totally agree, and comparing the Classic Cast to the Challenger is also like wedging a Toyota Tacoma there in the middle.

Lee makes products that are amongst the lowest-priced in the entire industry. They do it by using cheaper materials (aluminum & plastic) when & where they can. Many of their tools offer a lot of value for a small amount of money. Most folks, even those of us who very much like & use Lee products won't sit here and argue that they are as good or better than many of the products that cost twice as much money, or more.

However. The Lee Classic Cast can compete with any O-frame single stage press on the market, and it'll kill all of them in price, while matching or beating all of them in durability and utility. It may not be quite as smooth or finished as nicely. But durability, options, and user-friendly, AND low priced? It's got those nailed.

Lee's own Classic Cast is 5 times the press that their Challenger is, and it's 20 times the press that the little C-frame Reloader press is.

wncchester · June 5, 2011, 07:54 PM

"However. The Lee Classic Cast can compete with any O-frame single stage press on the market, .."

Big ditto! It will compete and win on features, strength, durability AND precision construction.

The tiny Reloader is a much better press than many seem to think! It's NOT a 'beginner' press, it will load rational cases as well as anything but it's not made for massive volumes over decades of service or massive case reforming work. It's a good, small, inexpensive press for low volume loaders, as are the rest of Lee's alloy presses - but that's okay, the vast majority of reloaders are low volume shooters!

Anyone trying to FL size .300 mag rifle cases on a little Reloader had better use a good lube or expect to break the toggle. But such efforts on such a small tool should clearly be improper to all but the most blissfully iggerenant loader!

June 3, 2011, 11:23 AM	#1
TennJed Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2010 Posts: 1,536	lee Reloader Single Stage vs Lee Challenger Breech lock vs Lee Classic Cast What are the main differences in these 3 Lee Single Stage Press. Lee Reloader ($30) Lee Challenger Breech lock ($50) Lee Classic Cast ($100) fairly big price difference in between them. Thanks __________________ Find out just how tall I am By jumping in the middle of a river

June 3, 2011, 12:05 PM	#2
overkill0084 Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2010 Location: Northern, UT Posts: 1,162	Lee Reloader- If I understand the question, it is the whack a mole kit. Effective but not terribly productive. Challenger Breech lock press- Simple & effective single stage. I have one gathering dust since I bought my Classic Turret. Classic Cast- Good quality, robust, single stage. __________________ Cheers, Greg “At the core of liberalism is the spoiled child – miserable, as all spoiled children are, unsatisfied, demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless. Liberalism is a philosophy of sniveling brats.” — P.J. O’Rourke

June 5, 2011, 02:45 AM	#5
Eazmo Senior Member Join Date: April 15, 2011 Location: Arizona Posts: 164	lee loader=http://http://leeprecision.com/xcart/LEE-LOADER-38-SPL.html challenger breach lock=http://http://leeprecision.com/xcart/Breech-Lock-Challenger-Press.html classic cast=http://http://leeprecision.com/xcart/Classic-Cast-Press.html or there is classic cast with quick change breach lockhttp://leeprecision.com/xcart/Breech...ssic-Cast.html __________________ I'm just an average man I drive a average van My dog ain't got no pedigree!

June 5, 2011, 07:54 PM	#8
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	"However. The Lee Classic Cast can compete with any O-frame single stage press on the market, .." Big ditto! It will compete and win on features, strength, durability AND precision construction. The tiny Reloader is a much better press than many seem to think! It's NOT a 'beginner' press, it will load rational cases as well as anything but it's not made for massive volumes over decades of service or massive case reforming work. It's a good, small, inexpensive press for low volume loaders, as are the rest of Lee's alloy presses - but that's okay, the vast majority of reloaders are low volume shooters! Anyone trying to FL size .300 mag rifle cases on a little Reloader had better use a good lube or expect to break the toggle. But such efforts on such a small tool should clearly be improper to all but the most blissfully iggerenant loader! Last edited by wncchester; June 5, 2011 at 08:08 PM.

June 4, 2011, 10:33 PM	#3
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,468	I think the Reloader is a 'C' press -- the front is open. It's also fairly small, so you won't find it easy to do rifle cartridges on. The Challenger and the Classic are essentially the same press, but the Challenger is an aluminum 'O' frame where the Classic is cast iron.

June 5, 2011, 01:35 AM	#4
cheezhed Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2007 Posts: 302	If you are asking about the lee reloader and it is the tool where you use a hammer to reload this is a slooooow way to reload. If you mean the little C-frame it may be okay for pistol but it does not look robust enough for rifle but I could be wrong. The challenger press looks like it would be fine for most uses but I have no experience with it. I bought the classic cast to use for lighter work so that I could leave my rock chucker set up for .30-06 but I find it easily the equal of the rock chucker. This would be my choice for a single stage press from Lee, it may cost a little more but is still very reasonably priced and over the life of the press it is minor. You will always find a use for a good single stage press.

June 5, 2011, 10:34 AM	#6
223 shooter Senior Member Join Date: October 26, 2008 Posts: 557	I have used the little Lee C-Frame aluminum press for a number of years and it has loaded some really accurate ammo. There is not much leverage for full size resizing. As most of my rifle reloads were neck size .223s the press was sufficient. I finally bought a Lee Classic Cast and this is a really great single stage. Absolutely solid and has good deal of leverage. Will easily handle anything I will ever want to full length size and with far greater ease than the old Lee C-frame I had used. Comparing the iron Classic Cast to the aluminum C-press is sort of like a Mack Truck to a Ford Ranger.