Reloading With the Old Whack-a-mole Lee Classic Loader

[Old 454]

Has any of you reloaded with the old Lee Classic loader the "Whack-A-Mole" ?

I just ordered one in 303 british, I figured for the amount of ammo I will load for my 303 it wasn't worth buy a compleat set up for my LM press.

I am actually looking forword to using this thing, damn thing looks so simple to use its scary lol.

[viciouskitty]

I used the wack a mole kit to get my feet wet in reloading a few years ago, I reloaded for 30-06 and even was able to make up some good hunting loads with that kit. Over the years those rounds got me 2 deer down here in south Texas.

I have popped 2 primers with that kit, I got to vigorous with the mallet at those times. The only thing I did different from the manual included with the kit is I used my own scale and weighed out my own charges consulting my lyman manual. I found that this gave me a lot more versatility with my loads, so if you plan to load alot with that kit that option could be good for you.

I know upgraded to a lee classic turret for my 30-06 loads but i still have the wack a mole for backup.

[603Country]

Just like Vicious, I used the Lee Loader for quite a while for my 270, though I finally decided to switch over to an RCBS press and dies. And I never used the dippers, but got a scale, Lyman 55, and trickler.

I think the reason that I went to a press and dies was that due to the Lee Loader I was shooting more and needed a faster way to make ammo. And then there was pistol reloading. You may wind up like me, and want more and more ammo and shooting, and then more guns....and it never ends. But think of the savings....yea right....

[gundog5]

I used one for my first two years of reloading including the dipper as at the time with three small children I couldn't afford anything else. Pretty darn accurate and took several deer with them. I still have mine as a back up. Great little devise.

[mikld]

I purchased one in 1969 to begin reloading. I was never in a hurry, so one box (50) as a sitting was plenty 'cause I could do two or three sittings a week. Nuttin' wrong with ammo from a Lee Loader and I was shooting quite enough for several months with this set-up. Next acquisition was a manual and scale, then a couple months later a single stage press and dies. Even though I now have 4 presses, 8/10 die sets, three beam scales, a digital scale, 3 powder measures (plus a dipper kit), I will still on occation use one of my 4 Lee Loaders (30-30 is my favorite followed closely by my .38 Special) to put together a box of ammo...

[BoogieMan]

I have to ask. What is the "Whack a Mole"? The breech lock?
http://leeprecision.com/breech-lock-hand-press.html

[ScottRiqui]

No, it's the old "Lee Loader":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeEl9wZyabc

[BoogieMan]

That thing is pretty cool. Reminds me of the old looney tunes. Daffy hitting the artilery rounds....dud....dud....dud....the end

[AL45]

I got my start reloading with a Lee Loader a few years ago. Mine is in .308 and it produces great ammunition. I did get a Lee hand primer.

[Twitch Farley]

I have one for each caliber that I reload and anytime I want to try a new recipe I just whack a few out with the Lee Classic Loader to see if I want to set up the press and make more. I think they work great especially if you only want to make a few rounds for a test fire.

[Lost Sheep]

Originally Posted by BoogieMan

That thing is pretty cool. Reminds me of the old looney tunes. Daffy hitting the artilery rounds....dud....dud....dud....the end

Yup, that certainly is what it looks like.

My shooting buddy, who I taught to reload, won't even be in the same room if I use one. Of course, it makes him nervous when I use a kinetic bullet puller. Yet he loads his 500 S&W with H110. Go figure.

The Lee Loader is nothing more than a neck-sizing set of dies that happens to be powered by momentum rather than leverage. They are also useable in an arbor press.

Wielded by someone with adequate skill they produce admirable accuracy and are as safe a way to load as any.

Darned inconvenient, though. All that pounding is noisy and generally unnerves anyone witnessing the process unless they know what it is.

Handy for knocking out a few rounds as Twitch Farley said and if you load at the shooting range, very convenient.

Lost Sheep

[Old 454]

Tis good to know that many peeps here have used the ol Lee Classic loader.

I have pleanty of manuals and a beam and electronic scale as I will be use Vitavori N133 powder for my 303 british as it was the only rifle powder avalible.

So yes I will be weighing my loads, and you all just confirmed what I have read about the ol Whack-a-mole, that it will make a fine ammo just not a hugh amount at a time. hell I only have 80 fire formed cases from my 303 and for 40 bucks for the classic loader it beat spending 100 on a set up for the loadmaster.

Just need to go and get me a plastic mallet and away we go!

Any interesting storys with the Classic Loader ? Makes for some great reading....lol....and some do's and don't lol

[BoogieMan]

If I can find one in 303brit I will jump on it. I have a couple of bench mount 1-ton arbor presses that would work great in place of hammering. Its cheaper than buying a die set by far. I dont shoot that much 303 anyway. I may even use it for my 30-06 if I can segragate the brass fired in my rifle -vs- my buddies Ruger.
How about trimming length? Are they effective with non rimmed cases?

[Pilot]

I am still using my Lee single stage press for everything. Sigh, it does take forever it seems to load a decent amount of cartridges. I have been thinking about switching to a progressive, but kind of stuck on which one to get. Or maybe the turret press.

[BoogieMan]

@Pilot- I dont know what your reloading. I have a Lee Loadmaster that im using on 9mm. Its fast and I have had very little trouble so far. I have only done about 200 rnds. For $220+- you get the press and dies. I added a bullet feader for $28. I cant comment on how it soes with other calibers. I plan to use it for 30-06, 460, 44m, 357/38 in the future.
I am looking for a wack a mole to try my hand with low volume 303brit.

[Don P]

I'm old and use a Lee press so I guess that makes me an old whack-a mole

[mikld]

With a Lee Loader, just like any tool, the user determines how safe/easy it is. There's some guys out there that could ruin a rock. I've had good luck (?) with all my Lee Loaders and used them on occation with an arbor press, and/or a dead-blow hammer (I got mine from Mac Tools, a 3 lb. plastic coated hammer which I think works better than a tap, tap, tap.). But being a lifelong mechanic/machinist I am very well versed in the use of hand tools...

[Old 454]

@Boogieman.....Ebay 45 bucks shiped......every one else is out of them.

Mine should get here tomorrow or the day after.

They have 1 left in 303 ....hurry !

[jcwit]

I only wish I could get the Lee Loaders for every caliber I reload for.

Really handy to take to the range and work up loads for. Same method as the L.E. Wilson dies.

Some of the older ones in rifle calibers do in fact full length resize.

[maggys drawers]

Wish I could find one for 410 shotgun. I've seen a few on ebay, but they want waaaaay too much for them.

[Prof Young]

Hardest part of using "wack a mole" was finding a plastic mallet. Shopped multiple store before I found one. Wear a glove when seating the primers incase you set one off. I did that twice. The bottom line is that while they take some time . . . they work just fine. Oh and if you are doing a necked case, I'd use come case lube.
Live well, be safe
Prof Young

[sob (sweet ole bill)]

Have 9 of those little suckers. Well over 50,000 rounds . Slow, but, Oh so versatile. Use arbor press (bottle capper) to eliminate noise and give compression control. Have never popped a primer. Also use Lee auto-prime for bulk prime (more than 10).
Have extreme accuracy and don't mess with something that works well.

[Lost Sheep]

Originally Posted by Old 454

Any interesting storys with the Classic Loader ? Makes for some great reading....lol....and some do's and don't lol

As Prof Young said, wear a protective glove on the hand holding the tool, and eye protection. I suggest ear protection, too. Even if you never set off a primer, repeated banging of the mallet produces effects on your hearing, too. Every little insult to your ears is cumulative even if the individual effects are microscopic.

A wooden mallet can be made from a length of 2x4, though a 4x4 might be better. Either take a 12" long piece and saw on it until there is a handle that fits your hand or take a 4" long piece of 4x4, drill a hole in the side and glue a handle into the hole.

Or, if you are really desperate, pad the face of a hammer with the rubber foot from a typical folding chair. Just don't expect it to last very long.

Lost Sheep

[Lemmon]

In the early 70s I bought my first center fire pistol in Spartanburg, SC. My Ruger Security Six was a wonderful pistol and I still have it today. I found out that even in the early 70's the cost of ammunition was high. I visited a gun shop in Columbia and one of the salesmen suggested that I reload. He sold me the 38/357 classic Lee Loader, a pound of powder, 100 small pistol primers and 100 lead round nose bullets. His main selling point was that I would save a lot of money. I was single and live with two other guys and they enjoyed me "Whacking" the brass in the Lee sizing die. They called it "Tap - Tap - Darn" imitating my sounds that I was making especially when one of the primers blew up unexpectedly. I quickly bought a Lee priming tool that took care of the "Bang" in the priming process. They also enjoyed going out with me to shoot.

This started me in reloading and I have been somewhat active all these years. I did take a break when I met my wife to be and started a family.

Lee started me out reloading which I thank them for having an economical starting kit for me to reload. Thanks Lee Precision...

Lemmon from Rural South Carolina

[GWS]

My first reloader was this Lee Target Loader in .243. I loaded 20 rounds...shot 5 of them in one hole at a 100 yards, and promptly upgraded to an RCBS Rock Chucker. I'm afraid at 23 I was too impatient for that kind of accuracy! RCBS groups opened up a little....and I didn't much care.

No, I never used it again.....what can I say. But I will keep it....sorry. Nostalgia. Gee, I still have the gun too....el cheapo Remington 600 Mohawk....cost me 4 times as much as the $25 Target Loader! Yup, big spender when I was first married, but both the gun and the loader were the best bang for the buck in those days.

My grandson killed his first mule deer buck with it a few months ago....first time out.....better than I did.