Interesting Experience

[NAKing]

As many of you know, I am fairly new to shooting and am interested in reloading. I am fortunate enough to have a friend that reloads and was recently able to go visit and try reloading out. He has a Dillon 550B with all the extras and a nice big single stage press. I used the single stage since he currently has the Dillon set up for another caliber (plus, I wasn't going to make very many). He showed me the ins and outs of the process and let me have at it. After a little bit I noticed a small box on his shelf that said "Lee Classic Reloader". When I asked about what it was he simply replied that it was very slow and tedious. Being the curious guy that I am, I pulled it off the shelf and looked at it. At this point I'm thinking "[color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color]!! How do you load a bullet with this thing?" I read the instructions and when he went upstairs to get something I felt compelled to grab a mallet and give it a try.

Well would'ya know it, the thing actually works! After a couple of rounds he came back down. He told me once he heard the hammering he just rolled his eyes and knew I just couldn't resist. It was really fun and you could probably reload a box in a little over an hour. In fact, I enjoyed it more than the press. I haven't shot the reloads yet, but if they're as good as the press I just may have to get myself one. The puzzling thing is that I don't know why I prefer it. I guess it feels like you're actually doing something. You get the time to carefully inspect and handle each piece as you assemble it. It's like you're bonding with the ammunition. It gives me more pride in my work, I guess. He thinks I'm nuts.

[Dr. Strangelove]

those things are addicting...

I've got the one I learned to load on in the early 80's - my grandfather had an artillery model Luger and we would cast bullets and load them with the old 9mm Lee Loader and then shoot them in his basement. That's how I learned to shoot. I've loaded alot of rounds over the years with it, especially when my regular reloading gear was not set up. I still get it out occasionally.

Plus it's fun to load at the range with it, freaks your non-reloading crowd out.

[mikenbarb]

I started with one and they will produce some great ammo. I have also invested in a couple zero error models and they are as good as a regular press but you cant bring your press to the range with you. Your friend is rite when he says its slooooooow and they are but the best thing about them is that you can get a real good feel with whats going on with the bullet your loading. As a matter of fact, I just looked at mine today sitting on a shelf and im going to blow the cobwebs off them and give it a go with them.

[Stargazer]

I used to load some 30 carbine cases with one of those mallet jobs. My only gripe was that out of 100 primers 10 would go off on me. That tended to make the priming rod feel like a firecracker going off in your fingers. I learned to wrap a small towel around the rod from then on.

[Scorch]

I started out relaoding with a Lee Loader for 38/357, an anvil, a small hammer, a box of Sierra bullets, a tin of Bullseye and a tray of primers. I loaded hundreds of rounds with that thing, and they turned out pretty good. It was slow and laborious, maybe a little more laborious than a single-stage press, but it did give me a good background in reloading and reloading safety. The first time you detonate a primer a foot from your unprotected ears, you remember to be more careful of placement. It also taught me to take my time and make my shots count because it took so long to reload them.

[SL1]

IF you want to load with the Lee hand tool, I would suggest that you also buy a Lee (or similar) hand priming tool. It avoids the primer detonation problem with the hammer system, and lets you feel how each primer is seated. That helps improve accuracy. I use one today, rather than the priming arm on my stage stage press.

SL1

[ringworm]

I always wanted a lyman in 308...

[Archie]

As Scorch said, it gives an excellent basis in reloading. You see exactly how everything works and why that step is done. The safety factor is brought home as well.

And like he said, when it takes that long to put a round together, one tends to shoot it more carefully.