Lee Hand Press. Something useful to have? - Page 2

Pond, James Pond · April 5, 2014, 08:49 AM

I understand the principle of the collets.

It is simply they have no benefit to me. I run a classic cast turret press and this hand held would be for back-up/occasional/garage-is-way-to-cold use.

If the handheld has a collet system so be it: it won't stop me buying one, but I will not be selling and replacing my existing press with a breech-lock one in order to convert to the collet method.

Quote:

then you simply screw any die you ever wish to use in to and out of this ONE single collet.

This would be the plan.

BombthePeasants · April 14, 2014, 10:49 PM

James, you are describing my exact press situation. I use my Breech Lock Hand Press for light duty; mainly decapping range brass while watching the kids play, and for reloading .30-06 rounds when indoors. I use the Lee Classic Turret for crankin out .45Auto rounds. My Breech Lock Hand Press is the most used press by far, since it's so handy to take wherever, and resizing the large .30-06 cases is surprisingly easy to do! For the record, I did not buy any other collets.

Pond, James Pond · April 14, 2014, 11:58 PM

Quote:

James, you are describing my exact press situation.

Good to know that my proposed idea has worked well for others. I am very tempted to go ahead with this. If nothing else for the mobility of it.

Bezoar · April 16, 2014, 08:43 AM

the collet is really intended for someone with alot of calibers and money they want to reload.

If your trying to save space, teh only option you have is the lee hand press, the classic loader, or an lyman tong..

filthy phil · April 16, 2014, 02:19 PM

Id use one to equip a helper to deprime, expand, and prolly crimp

Pond, James Pond · May 16, 2014, 02:00 PM

Handpress ordered, together with the almost mythical .44Mag case length gauge and a Hornady trickler.

I won't see them for weeks though.

Sending them to my dad was cheaper by $23 than direct to me and as I don't actually need any of them right now, I am happy to wait but come July, when we meet up, I will be decapping on the balcony, with a cold one.

chris in va · May 16, 2014, 10:41 PM

Just out of curiosity, where is the 'top of the Baltic stack' exactly?

Pond, James Pond · May 17, 2014, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Just out of curiosity, where is the 'top of the Baltic stack' exactly?

Northernmost Baltic State: Estonia.

Pond, James Pond · July 8, 2014, 10:02 AM

The Hand-Press is in my.... hand!

I'm still on the road with 1200km to go, so I can only really look at it, but I have it now and I can start to think how it can work for me.

I also have my Hornady Trickler, so quicker charge weight dispensing, once combined with my PPM, coming to a reloading bench near me....

lee n. field · July 8, 2014, 11:59 AM

Quote:

I also have my Hornady Trickler, so quicker charge weight dispensing

Powder tricklers don't make for quick powder charge measuring, they make for precise charges, used in conjunction with a scale.

reynolds357 · July 8, 2014, 12:36 PM

I had one of Lee's hand presses and broke it. Piece of junk in my opinion. I guess it might be OK if you did not full length size too much on it.

Marco Califo · July 11, 2014, 12:06 PM

I have a Lee hand press with the quick change bushings. I also have a Lyman turret press and a Redding single stage. The Lee hand press gets the most use by far. I load in batches, deprime many at one time, size (223) many at one time, etc. It is perfect for these steps and I can find my most comfortable seat to do it in.
True that 308 re-sizing is better done on the bench presses. But the hand press is very handy to have around. It is also portable.
I do dispense powder and seat bullets with the hand press too. I use a large plastic cutting board with a Lee PPM clamped to it, sit on the couch with it on my lap and the components within easy reach
The breech lock is handy, but if you prefer, you can simply leave the one that comes with it in place, and screw your dies in the regular way. Not really a big deal. I have a number of the bushings, but one is stuck tightly in the press, so I just screw the dies in. I usually do 200 to 1000 cases at a step/batch so I don't mind adjusting the dies each time. If you cannot adjust a die in a few seconds, that is not the presses fault.
Mine has not broken, but I do not hit it with a hammer either. Resizing cases will work your arms and pecs. Use a good lube.
I do not use Lee products exc;usively, but the hand press and PPM are the best value for my money of any reloading tools I have purchased.

April 16, 2014, 02:19 PM	#30
filthy phil Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2013 Location: Tomball Tejas Posts: 105	Id use one to equip a helper to deprime, expand, and prolly crimp __________________ glocks gen4 :21, gen 3 17tb, 19, 30s (×2) , sig tacpac 1911, colt 6920(x2), cia underfolder ak, npap underfolder

May 16, 2014, 02:00 PM	#31
Pond, James Pond Senior Member Join Date: July 12, 2011 Location: Top of the Baltic stack Posts: 6,079	Handpress ordered, together with the almost mythical .44Mag case length gauge and a Hornady trickler. I won't see them for weeks though. Sending them to my dad was cheaper by $23 than direct to me and as I don't actually need any of them right now, I am happy to wait but come July, when we meet up, I will be decapping on the balcony, with a cold one. __________________ When the right to effective self-defence is denied, that right to self-defence which remains is essentially symbolic. Freedom: Please enjoy responsibly.

July 8, 2014, 10:02 AM	#34
Pond, James Pond Senior Member Join Date: July 12, 2011 Location: Top of the Baltic stack Posts: 6,079	The Hand-Press is in my.... hand! I'm still on the road with 1200km to go, so I can only really look at it, but I have it now and I can start to think how it can work for me. I also have my Hornady Trickler, so quicker charge weight dispensing, once combined with my PPM, coming to a reloading bench near me.... __________________ When the right to effective self-defence is denied, that right to self-defence which remains is essentially symbolic. Freedom: Please enjoy responsibly.

July 11, 2014, 12:06 PM	#37
Marco Califo Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2011 Location: LA (Greater Los Angeles Area) Posts: 2,598	I have a Lee hand press with the quick change bushings. I also have a Lyman turret press and a Redding single stage. The Lee hand press gets the most use by far. I load in batches, deprime many at one time, size (223) many at one time, etc. It is perfect for these steps and I can find my most comfortable seat to do it in. True that 308 re-sizing is better done on the bench presses. But the hand press is very handy to have around. It is also portable. I do dispense powder and seat bullets with the hand press too. I use a large plastic cutting board with a Lee PPM clamped to it, sit on the couch with it on my lap and the components within easy reach The breech lock is handy, but if you prefer, you can simply leave the one that comes with it in place, and screw your dies in the regular way. Not really a big deal. I have a number of the bushings, but one is stuck tightly in the press, so I just screw the dies in. I usually do 200 to 1000 cases at a step/batch so I don't mind adjusting the dies each time. If you cannot adjust a die in a few seconds, that is not the presses fault. Mine has not broken, but I do not hit it with a hammer either. Resizing cases will work your arms and pecs. Use a good lube. I do not use Lee products exc;usively, but the hand press and PPM are the best value for my money of any reloading tools I have purchased. __________________ ............ Last edited by Marco Califo; July 11, 2014 at 12:16 PM.

April 14, 2014, 10:49 PM	#27
BombthePeasants Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 351	James, you are describing my exact press situation. I use my Breech Lock Hand Press for light duty; mainly decapping range brass while watching the kids play, and for reloading .30-06 rounds when indoors. I use the Lee Classic Turret for crankin out .45Auto rounds. My Breech Lock Hand Press is the most used press by far, since it's so handy to take wherever, and resizing the large .30-06 cases is surprisingly easy to do! For the record, I did not buy any other collets.

April 16, 2014, 08:43 AM	#29
Bezoar Junior member Join Date: October 19, 2004 Location: michigan Posts: 578	the collet is really intended for someone with alot of calibers and money they want to reload. If your trying to save space, teh only option you have is the lee hand press, the classic loader, or an lyman tong..

May 16, 2014, 10:41 PM	#32
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	Just out of curiosity, where is the 'top of the Baltic stack' exactly?

July 8, 2014, 12:36 PM	#36
reynolds357 Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2012 Posts: 6,165	I had one of Lee's hand presses and broke it. Piece of junk in my opinion. I guess it might be OK if you did not full length size too much on it.