Lee hand press

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3leggedturtle
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Lee hand press

Post by 3leggedturtle »

Well I loaded up 80 rounds of 300 Blackout with the Lee hand press. Was only a little slower than my using my RCBS Rochucker. They are up to $36 by themselves or $52 in a kit! Wish I had bought a few when they were $27 for a kit a few years ago! Todd
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Pitchy
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Re: Lee hand press

Post by Pitchy »

Cool, yepper they work good. :)
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Chuck 100 yd
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Re: Lee hand press

Post by Chuck 100 yd »

I bought one a few years back.I took it out of the box and looked at it once . Not a bad looking tool. Maybe I will remember
What I bought it for one of these days. I think it was to be able to deprime brass while setting in the shade ???
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Griff
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Re: Lee hand press

Post by Griff »

I use mine to mostly decap my black powder rounds with a "universal" decapping die. I drilled a hole in the side of the ram with an upward angle, letting the caps fall out. (Unabashedly stole that idea from someone here)!
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marlinman93
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Re: Lee hand press

Post by marlinman93 »

Portable hand presses like the Lee or old Huntingtons are great for load work up at the range. Rather than load up 10 of a dozen different loads, to figure out what the gun prefers, you can simply load up five, shoot them, and load up 5 more. Then once you get a group that shoots well you're not stuck with a bunch of loaded ammo you know wont shoot as well, but have to shoot it anyway, or go home and pull bullets.
I use my Huntington's hand press specifically for this scenario.
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Old Time Hunter
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Re: Lee hand press

Post by Old Time Hunter »

3leggedturtle wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2017 1:57 pm Well I loaded up 80 rounds of 300 Blackout with the Lee hand press. Was only a little slower than my using my RCBS Rochucker. They are up to $36 by themselves or $52 in a kit! Wish I had bought a few when they were $27 for a kit a few years ago! Todd
Richard donated a couple of them to our hunting camp a few years ago...well maybe fifteen or so years ago.

Never loaded more than twenty or so at a time...worried about having to take the bra out a couple of notches...had my wife help, she figured out what I was up to after load'n up a few rounds and called me a pig.
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Griff
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Re: Lee hand press

Post by Griff »

marlinman93 wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2017 4:14 pm Portable hand presses like the Lee or old Huntingtons are great for load work up at the range. Rather than load up 10 of a dozen different loads, to figure out what the gun prefers, you can simply load up five, shoot them, and load up 5 more. Then once you get a group that shoots well you're not stuck with a bunch of loaded ammo you know wont shoot as well, but have to shoot it anyway, or go home and pull bullets.
I use my Huntington's hand press specifically for this scenario.
WOW, this reminded me that 9 years ago, (didn't realize it was that long ago), I used mine at the FOBD shoot in CO, in just that fashion. I think I took 100 empty primed cases, a pound of BP, 100 sized, lubed bullets, Sharps, Lee Hand Loader and a .40-90SBN seating die...

For actual load development I tend to use my Lyman Bonanza press, bolted to a piece of ¾ or 1" plywood and c-clamped to the loading bench, a Black & Decker Work-Mate™ or the tailgate on my p/u. (I tried sizing those 2-5/8" long 40-90SBN cases on the Lee Hand Press... THAT was a no-can-do)!
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marlinman93
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Re: Lee hand press

Post by marlinman93 »

My Huntington press has no method to attach it to a board or bench. But it works great just holding it! I use it often for taking along if I'm going to be at a shoot out of town, or at the range with my Harrell's powder measure. Since I have a fair amount of data for the Harrell's measure, it allows me to dial in a certain number of clicks and know the powder charge. Plus I know the Harrell's drops a specific .03 grains per click, so I can adjust it and know the weight change.

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Ysabel Kid
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Re: Lee hand press

Post by Ysabel Kid »

I've loaded up a couple hundred rounds of .45 Colt, using a Lee Hand Press, while stuck in bed the last couple of weeks due to the back issues. Y2K brought up my bag that had all the components ready. It really helped get my mind off the pain.
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AJMD429
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Re: Lee hand press

Post by AJMD429 »

Ysabel Kid wrote: Wed Apr 26, 2017 5:43 pmY2K brought up my bag that had all the components ready. It really helped get my mind off the pain.
Now that's a truly devoted kid.....you raised him right...!
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Ysabel Kid
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Re: Lee hand press

Post by Ysabel Kid »

AJMD429 wrote: Wed Apr 26, 2017 8:53 pm
Ysabel Kid wrote: Wed Apr 26, 2017 5:43 pmY2K brought up my bag that had all the components ready. It really helped get my mind off the pain.
Now that's a truly devoted kid.....you raised him right...!
:D :D :D

He's coming home this weekend from college to take care of the lawn for me. :D
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otteray
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Re: Lee hand press

Post by otteray »

Chuck 100 yd wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2017 2:39 pm I bought one a few years back.I took it out of the box and looked at it once . Not a bad looking tool. Maybe I will remember
What I bought it for one of these days. I think it was to be able to deprime brass while setting in the shade ???
Hey, that's what I do too!
It is a darn handy tool for reloading.
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Camel73
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Re: Lee hand press

Post by Camel73 »

I use mine outside more often than not.
Sized lead with it just this morning out in the back yard. It was great!
I keep all my reloading gear in a case with a handle on it about the size of a shoebox.
It's the only loader I've ever had and for what I do its pretty sweet so far.
My first child - '94 30-30
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