Ok...so I went a little crazy...

StainlessButcher · December 18, 2009, 03:23 PM

There I was, shopping Ebay for reloading stuff and up pops this Lee Turret press with some sort of powder measure/dispenser on it. I looked at my budget and bid as much as I would be able to afford. Not 5 minutes later I see this awesome buy it now deal with a Lyman Spart-T turret press, two other single stage presses(1 Herters and one Novak) and some sort of bench mounted powder measure. naturally I snagged it up. Of course, with my luck running the way it has, I won the Lee turret press too, so now I've got a veritable cornucopia of reloading presses. All this leads to my conundrum...I have only ever reloaded anything with one of those Lee Loaders. I don't even know where to start. Yesterday at Cabellas I looked for something resembling some sort of introduction/instruction book and was left sorely disappointed. Does anyone have something for a fella like me to learn from? I've done a lot of reading on the net, but so far, nothing has made a lot of sense. For a fairly intelligent fella, I find that I need pictures to show me what the text is telling me...LOL. I hope I can find something...anything that will help me get moving down the right path here.

Butch.

hornady · December 18, 2009, 03:36 PM

I don’t have a lee press. What I would do is get a copy of Lees Modern Reloading. Like all company’s they push there stuff. you will need a reloading book any way. Also you can go on-line to Lee Precision Inc. And you should be able to get the literature for your press

Nate1778 · December 18, 2009, 03:57 PM

I also recommend the Lee's modern reloading. pretty informative book and some good load info as well.

StainlessButcher · December 18, 2009, 04:04 PM

Nate, I've heard the same thing from a lot of folks. Some say the Lyman #49 is the go-to book for beginners. Since I can find one and not the other, I'll go with the Lyman next time I'm up at Cabellas. My next problem is finding load data for the obsolete cartridge I'm going to be loading. Lee Modern doesn't cover it...nor does anyone else in the last 50 years or more. Loading a .41 Long Colt with some of the newer powders and such might result in something unpleasant. I have heard from one forum member who told me what one of his pre-WWII load manuals says, but of all that info, only one of the powder companies still exists. I may end up having to write my own Load/bullet charts and post it somewhere once I figure out how this whole thing works.

Butch.

Pongo · December 18, 2009, 04:30 PM

Frank C. Barnes Cartridges of the world 5th Edition has this data for the .41 Long Colt, take these to be absolute maximum loads and work up to them in the appropriate manner.

200 Grain Bullet...3.4 Grains Bullseye for a MV of 730fps & ME of 231 ft lbs, duplicates factory ballistics.

200 Grain Bullet...4.5 Grains Unique for a MV of 820fps & ME of 301 ft lbs.

Of course the following disclaimer applies.

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

StainlessButcher · December 18, 2009, 05:31 PM

@Pongo....where can I find that book? Thank you for putting that info up too. What I got before was very similar so I'll start at maybe 2.75 grains of unique?....does that sound reasonable as a starting point?

Butch.

**Unclenick** · December 18, 2009, 06:01 PM

You should go online to Lee Precision's site and look at their help videos for your press. They are short and simple. The Lyman book will get you going with the other presses. Check online for PDF file downloads of instructions from any maker still in business.

Amazon seems to have a copy of the Barne's book for $3.24 (+S&H, of course).

azar92 · December 18, 2009, 06:52 PM

I don't have a copy of Ken Water's Pet Loads but he published copious amounts of loads, many for antiquated cartridges. Have you checked there for a .41 Long Colt load?

Anyone own a copy that can verify if he published one or not?

StainlessButcher · December 18, 2009, 11:04 PM

Unclenick...I'm not going to use the Lee press, as a matter of fact, I'll probably sell it. I kinda bought it by accident, but I'll take the powder measure that comes with it. I'm planning to use the Lyman Spar-T turret press I got on ebay. I've also found a few older load books on there dating to the 50s...perhaps one or more would have load data for that old 41.

Butch.

PCJim · December 19, 2009, 09:02 AM

Stainless, as a general rule, whenever only a maximum charge is provided, you should reduce that charge by 10% to begin your load development. If the 4.5gr Unique charge listed by Pongo is verified as the maximum, your starting charge for load development should be 4.0 gr. (no disrespect, Pongo, remember this is the internet)

You might also go to the youtube.com site and run a search for the presses you are seeking information on. There are a lot of amateur producers who have made videos of presses, showing their setup and operation.

sc928porsche · December 19, 2009, 11:32 AM

I think a copy of "Cartridges of the World" should be on every reloaders desk. So much valuable imformation there.

Pongo · December 19, 2009, 12:28 PM

As Unclenick says try Amazon.

StainlessButcher. Though you may have already done this, any older firearm I reload for I have checked by a gunsmith before I attempt to fire it.

PCJim. I think I made it clear where to find this data and that all precautions should be taken. If any Staff members think my post containing that data is inappropriate then please remove it. I will not be offended in the least.

StainlessButcher · December 20, 2009, 11:16 PM

Pongo, thanks for that tip. This particular gun has been in our family it's entire life. My grandfather bought it new in 1909 and it's probably not seen 1000 rounds shot through it in it's entire life. I have had several gunsmiths look it over casually and they have all commented on how sound and solid it was. One even compared it to the tightness of a barely broken in 357 he owned. I have considered having the thing X-ray'd by a friend I have in the pipeline business, but that may be overkill. I know the history of the gun....LOL.

Butch.

**Unclenick** · December 21, 2009, 06:19 PM

Stainless,

Sounds like a nice gun.

Check the Lee press carefully. I have a Spar-T and it isn't really rigid enough for anything but handgun loads. I did load some .30-06 on it long ago, but would hesitate to do so again because of the amount of wiggle in the turret. What I'm thinking is you may find the Lee press more rigid? Check before you decide?

StainlessButcher · December 21, 2009, 06:32 PM

Unclenick...I was only planning on loading plinking ammo for the old 41LC pistol on that Spar-T. I got a Herters O style press in another auction which I intend to use for loading my rifle stuff and maybe for working up loads for the .41 in small batches....oh, and I picked up the Lymans 49th edition today so I've got plenty of reference material. It's been an eye opener so far and I'm only about 30 pages into it.

Butch.

Citywaterman · December 21, 2009, 07:28 PM

Try http://www.loadmastervideos.com/ and go to the Loadmaster video forums. There's a good area for turret press discussion. Good experience to get a lot of answers. Citywaterman

StainlessButcher · December 23, 2009, 01:27 PM

Citywaterman, I checked out those vids, and while they are not referring to my particular Lee press, they do cover a lot of material that is pertinent. Thank you for the link.

Butch.

medalguy · December 23, 2009, 08:39 PM

Youtube is an excellent place to find videos on anything. There are a lot of videos on reloading and they are definitely worth checking out.

December 18, 2009, 03:23 PM	#1
StainlessButcher Member Join Date: December 15, 2009 Posts: 52	Ok...so I went a little crazy... There I was, shopping Ebay for reloading stuff and up pops this Lee Turret press with some sort of powder measure/dispenser on it. I looked at my budget and bid as much as I would be able to afford. Not 5 minutes later I see this awesome buy it now deal with a Lyman Spart-T turret press, two other single stage presses(1 Herters and one Novak) and some sort of bench mounted powder measure. naturally I snagged it up. Of course, with my luck running the way it has, I won the Lee turret press too, so now I've got a veritable cornucopia of reloading presses. All this leads to my conundrum...I have only ever reloaded anything with one of those Lee Loaders. I don't even know where to start. Yesterday at Cabellas I looked for something resembling some sort of introduction/instruction book and was left sorely disappointed. Does anyone have something for a fella like me to learn from? I've done a lot of reading on the net, but so far, nothing has made a lot of sense. For a fairly intelligent fella, I find that I need pictures to show me what the text is telling me...LOL. I hope I can find something...anything that will help me get moving down the right path here. Butch. __________________ Custom Leather work at affordable prices www.twistedleather.com

December 18, 2009, 03:57 PM	#3
Nate1778 Senior Member Join Date: January 21, 2009 Location: Louisville Ky Posts: 312	I also recommend the Lee's modern reloading. pretty informative book and some good load info as well. __________________ "And finally, the Baby Bear looked and he said, "Somebody's sleeping in my bed, and the bastard's still there!" But Goldylocks had a Remington semi-automatic, with a scope and a hair-trigger!"

December 18, 2009, 05:31 PM	#6
StainlessButcher Member Join Date: December 15, 2009 Posts: 52	@Pongo....where can I find that book? Thank you for putting that info up too. What I got before was very similar so I'll start at maybe 2.75 grains of unique?....does that sound reasonable as a starting point? Butch. __________________ Custom Leather work at affordable prices www.twistedleather.com

December 18, 2009, 06:01 PM	#7
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	You should go online to Lee Precision's site and look at their help videos for your press. They are short and simple. The Lyman book will get you going with the other presses. Check online for PDF file downloads of instructions from any maker still in business. Amazon seems to have a copy of the Barne's book for $3.24 (+S&H, of course). __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

December 18, 2009, 06:52 PM	#8
azar92 Senior Member Join Date: April 16, 2009 Location: Utah Posts: 209	Ken Waters Pet Loads I don't have a copy of Ken Water's Pet Loads but he published copious amounts of loads, many for antiquated cartridges. Have you checked there for a .41 Long Colt load? Anyone own a copy that can verify if he published one or not?

December 18, 2009, 03:36 PM	#2
hornady Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2009 Location: SWPA Posts: 428	I don’t have a lee press. What I would do is get a copy of Lees Modern Reloading. Like all company’s they push there stuff. you will need a reloading book any way. Also you can go on-line to Lee Precision Inc. And you should be able to get the literature for your press

December 18, 2009, 04:04 PM	#4
StainlessButcher Member Join Date: December 15, 2009 Posts: 52	Nate, I've heard the same thing from a lot of folks. Some say the Lyman #49 is the go-to book for beginners. Since I can find one and not the other, I'll go with the Lyman next time I'm up at Cabellas. My next problem is finding load data for the obsolete cartridge I'm going to be loading. Lee Modern doesn't cover it...nor does anyone else in the last 50 years or more. Loading a .41 Long Colt with some of the newer powders and such might result in something unpleasant. I have heard from one forum member who told me what one of his pre-WWII load manuals says, but of all that info, only one of the powder companies still exists. I may end up having to write my own Load/bullet charts and post it somewhere once I figure out how this whole thing works. Butch. __________________ Custom Leather work at affordable prices www.twistedleather.com

December 18, 2009, 04:30 PM	#5
Pongo Member Join Date: October 26, 2009 Posts: 74	Frank C. Barnes Cartridges of the world 5th Edition has this data for the .41 Long Colt, take these to be absolute maximum loads and work up to them in the appropriate manner. 200 Grain Bullet...3.4 Grains Bullseye for a MV of 730fps & ME of 231 ft lbs, duplicates factory ballistics. 200 Grain Bullet...4.5 Grains Unique for a MV of 820fps & ME of 301 ft lbs. Of course the following disclaimer applies. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

December 18, 2009, 11:04 PM	#9
StainlessButcher Member Join Date: December 15, 2009 Posts: 52	Unclenick...I'm not going to use the Lee press, as a matter of fact, I'll probably sell it. I kinda bought it by accident, but I'll take the powder measure that comes with it. I'm planning to use the Lyman Spar-T turret press I got on ebay. I've also found a few older load books on there dating to the 50s...perhaps one or more would have load data for that old 41. Butch. __________________ Custom Leather work at affordable prices www.twistedleather.com

December 19, 2009, 09:02 AM	#10
PCJim Senior Member Join Date: July 11, 2008 Location: FL Posts: 570	Stainless, as a general rule, whenever only a maximum charge is provided, you should reduce that charge by 10% to begin your load development. If the 4.5gr Unique charge listed by Pongo is verified as the maximum, your starting charge for load development should be 4.0 gr. (no disrespect, Pongo, remember this is the internet) You might also go to the youtube.com site and run a search for the presses you are seeking information on. There are a lot of amateur producers who have made videos of presses, showing their setup and operation.

December 19, 2009, 11:32 AM	#11
sc928porsche Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2008 Location: now living in alabama Posts: 2,433	I think a copy of "Cartridges of the World" should be on every reloaders desk. So much valuable imformation there. __________________ No such thing as a stupid question. What is stupid is not asking it.

December 19, 2009, 12:28 PM	#12
Pongo Member Join Date: October 26, 2009 Posts: 74	Cartridges of the world. As Unclenick says try Amazon. StainlessButcher. Though you may have already done this, any older firearm I reload for I have checked by a gunsmith before I attempt to fire it. PCJim. I think I made it clear where to find this data and that all precautions should be taken. If any Staff members think my post containing that data is inappropriate then please remove it. I will not be offended in the least.

December 20, 2009, 11:16 PM	#13
StainlessButcher Member Join Date: December 15, 2009 Posts: 52	Pongo, thanks for that tip. This particular gun has been in our family it's entire life. My grandfather bought it new in 1909 and it's probably not seen 1000 rounds shot through it in it's entire life. I have had several gunsmiths look it over casually and they have all commented on how sound and solid it was. One even compared it to the tightness of a barely broken in 357 he owned. I have considered having the thing X-ray'd by a friend I have in the pipeline business, but that may be overkill. I know the history of the gun....LOL. Butch. __________________ Custom Leather work at affordable prices www.twistedleather.com

December 21, 2009, 06:19 PM	#14
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	Stainless, Sounds like a nice gun. Check the Lee press carefully. I have a Spar-T and it isn't really rigid enough for anything but handgun loads. I did load some .30-06 on it long ago, but would hesitate to do so again because of the amount of wiggle in the turret. What I'm thinking is you may find the Lee press more rigid? Check before you decide? __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

December 21, 2009, 06:32 PM	#15
StainlessButcher Member Join Date: December 15, 2009 Posts: 52	Unclenick...I was only planning on loading plinking ammo for the old 41LC pistol on that Spar-T. I got a Herters O style press in another auction which I intend to use for loading my rifle stuff and maybe for working up loads for the .41 in small batches....oh, and I picked up the Lymans 49th edition today so I've got plenty of reference material. It's been an eye opener so far and I'm only about 30 pages into it. Butch. __________________ Custom Leather work at affordable prices www.twistedleather.com

December 21, 2009, 07:28 PM	#16
Citywaterman Member Join Date: March 30, 2009 Posts: 99	Lee Classic Turret Press Try http://www.loadmastervideos.com/ and go to the Loadmaster video forums. There's a good area for turret press discussion. Good experience to get a lot of answers. Citywaterman

December 23, 2009, 01:27 PM	#17
StainlessButcher Member Join Date: December 15, 2009 Posts: 52	Citywaterman, I checked out those vids, and while they are not referring to my particular Lee press, they do cover a lot of material that is pertinent. Thank you for the link. Butch. __________________ Custom Leather work at affordable prices www.twistedleather.com

December 23, 2009, 08:39 PM	#18
medalguy Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 2009 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,033	Youtube is an excellent place to find videos on anything. There are a lot of videos on reloading and they are definitely worth checking out.