The Classic Lee Loader

Jesse1579

I've been thinking about getting one of the classic Lee Loaders. I don't have much room right now and was thinking it would be fun to work up a few loads for a revolver I just got. I haven't done any reloading in the past and am kind of tying to gradually get into it. Has anyone used one of these? If so, are they ok to reload a few rounds a month? I'm thinking like 10 or 15 rounds a month tops. Any input would greatly be appreciated.

richbug

For 20 rounds a month they are a great learning experience, and you aren't out much in cost.
What caliber are you loading for?

Jesse1579

.44 mag

Jesse1579

Well, I shoot a lot more than that. It's just that the other pistols, revolvers, shotguns, and rifles I shoot tend to cost a lot less per bang. Even my .357 cost less to shoot so it gets shot a lot more.

friedlbug

I reload .44 mag in a Lee Loader. The big thing is the mallet. You need much more pressure for stright walled cases in the LL, and the rubber mallet doesnt cut it. I like a plastic dead blow hammer, but the end is going to get ruined about every few hundred rounds, which adds an added cost per round. I haven't found a better way yet. I was thinking maybe a hammer wrapped in leather?

ap55

A wood block works good, the harder woods like oak are better, then you can use any hammer. I load 308 and 30-40 that way. They are fun to load with if you don't need to load a lot of them.I can do 40-50 per hour taking my time to make sure there is powder in every one.Had a squib when using a prog loader once.

Throckmorton

Wouldn't a little lube on the case make it much easier to work with?
A tin of Imperial sizing wax is cheap and lasts forever.I use lube on every tenth case on my dillon and it makes it so much easeir to run I wouldn't do without it.
Just a thought.

friedlbug

I am using Imperial. There really is a radical difference between the force required to resized straight-walled cases and everything else when it comes to the Lee Loader.