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Press

glynglyn Member Posts: 5,698 ✭✭
edited April 2009 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
I have been reloading for a number of years and now want to get a progressive press.Is the Lee press any good.Cost is a major factor for me.
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Comments

  • glynglyn Member Posts: 5,698 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    HI there i have been reloading with lee hand kits for a few years and am seriously considering goin up to a press. what are the different types and advantages?
    thanks
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  • PearywPearyw Member Posts: 3,699
    edited November -1
    Don't waste your money. Save up for a Dillon.
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  • flyingtorpedoflyingtorpedo Member Posts: 1,301 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You can go to http://www.midwayusa.com/ and search around the forums and online to find reviews on different presses. If you get the hornady progressive press you get 1000 free bullets so you may want to consider that into your cost. I've been brousing different progressive presses lately and if I was to buy one I think it would be the Hornady.
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  • proofdoublesproofdoubles Member Posts: 31 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Unless you know someone who already owns a Hornady progressive and can show you the ropes, I recommend you stay away. I found it to be temperamental and not worth the 1000 free bullets. [:(] Sold it to a gentleman in Finland.
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  • IndffrntIndffrnt Member Posts: 6 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hi,(Had to get in this one) just my 2 cents, I'm new to this forum, but not new to reloading. I'm 52 yrs. old & have been reloading since I was 16. Used hand held (Lee)dies & a mallet at times, back in the day. Some people dislike Lee, a lot own them & don't admit it. Your experience will vary. You're going to hear a lot of bashing of different companies, but the question of is Lee "any" good?, I'll tell you why I say yes. I didn't say best. They have simply moved more people into reloading than probably any other single influence, due to their economic offerings. There are a lot of (negative) things said about them, but most all are unsubstantiated. I haven't had any problems actually proven to me. I have a Lee Pro 1000, & like all things, it has a couple quirks, but nothing an intelligent fella can't figure out. I may get a lot of retoric over this post, but it won't be anything I've not seen before in other reloading forums.Tools are never th eplace a craftsman should skimp, but cost being crucial, I think you will do well with one. It has no bells or whistles, no shiny paint or extra stations, you get the pic. You can buy a half dozen presses with dies, for the cost of one Dillon. I can afford any press available, I have loaded & reloaded more than 20,000 rounds handgun ammo on my press and am reloading this weekend. It's good bang for the buck. IMHO... Hope I didn't P O everybody, Richard
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  • mike992mike992 Member Posts: 62 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Got the Hornady and am very happy with it. The only complaint I have is the spring to discharge the completed bullet, but they just redesigned it. My buddy just bought one and it works great.
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  • geeguygeeguy Member Posts: 1,047 ✭
    edited November -1
    Please supply a little more information about how many rounds you reload per year, and type,caliber, etc.

    Indiffrt makes a good point that the Lee is a good starter, and if loading only a few thousand per year, they are OK. But with all due respect 20,000 rounds is not much in the life of the equipment.

    Most reloaders I know start out with Lee Progressives, the parts wear in about 20-30K rds and they buy a Dillon. Lee makes some great stuff for reloaders, but their progressives are for low capasity use.
    There's a good reason most people use Dillon and RCBS. They work and last 100's of thousands of rds.

    However, if low volume, they are inexpensive and will work fine. I found (being a cheap SOB)that it was better off to buy a used Dillon for about the same amount of money, clean it up a little, and they last a life time.

    Best of luck, which ever direction you take.
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  • skyfishskyfish Member Posts: 1,068 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think all are good info for you so far. I think any progressive press will take some tweaking. I have the Hornady press and like it, yes the ejector spring needs improvement but that's done. I have had no other major issues. After about 2000 rounds I had to tweak the rod the primer slide rides on. It needed less than a .010 as 1 in 30 or so it would not let the primer fall. I have a friend with a Lee Progressive, it works too, not as well but does, and he will not load rifle on it because of flex? Don't know what he's talking about but whatever. Have another friend who has a Dillion, over 2k in it(its like the 1500 or something). Yea he can out load me but he only does 45. I do 40sw, 9mm, 223. I could probably do my 204 ruger and 25 wssm on as well but I use the RCBS chargemaster for those 2.
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  • shootlowshootlow Member Posts: 5,425
    edited November -1
    DILLON
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  • glynglyn Member Posts: 5,698 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Think I going to go with the Hornady as soon as I can afford it.
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  • jsmith15jsmith15 Member Posts: 36 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I bought a Lee progressive. It was the biggest POS. I could never get it to cycle right or align. I followed the directions, and even went to youtube for a visual on how to align. Went back with the single press. If you are dead set on a progressive save your money and don't consider a LEE
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  • woodmaster9woodmaster9 Member Posts: 416 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:I have a Lee Pro 1000, & like all things, it has a couple quirks, but nothing an intelligent fella can't figure out. I may get a lot of retoric over this post, but it won't be anything I've not seen before in other reloading forums.Tools are never th eplace a craftsman should skimp, but cost being crucial, I think you will do well with one. It has no bells or whistles, no shiny paint or extra stations, you get the pic. You can buy a half dozen presses with dies, for the cost of one Dillon.

    +1
    I have the Lee 1000 and I have loaded several thousands of rounds with it. No real problems. The ammo produced is very consistant and looks like factory. You do have to tweak it occasionally. The main problem I have had is with the primer feed. It work OK but you have to keep an eye on it. I recently bought a Dillon but have not used it yet.The main reason I bought the dillon was to get a little more speed rounds per hour.
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  • Lucky_LeftyLucky_Lefty Member Posts: 7,971
    edited November -1
    I have the Lee turret and I reload 45acp and 223. not a problem yet.
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  • rongrong Member Posts: 8,459
    edited November -1
    I bought a Lee pro 1000 ,couldn't
    get it to work reliably so I sent it back
    for another and ended up sending that back
    as well.I just bought a Lee classic cast
    single stage and that will be mounted next
    to my RCBS rockchucker (of 25yrs)both
    strong and reliable
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  • farmer37farmer37 Member Posts: 149 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Indffrnt
    Hi,(Had to get in this one) just my 2 cents, I'm new to this forum, but not new to reloading. I'm 52 yrs. old & have been reloading since I was 16. Used hand held (Lee)dies & a mallet at times, back in the day. Some people dislike Lee, a lot own them & don't admit it. Your experience will vary. You're going to hear a lot of bashing of different companies, but the question of is Lee "any" good?, I'll tell you why I say yes. I didn't say best. They have simply moved more people into reloading than probably any other single influence, due to their economic offerings. There are a lot of (negative) things said about them, but most all are unsubstantiated. I haven't had any problems actually proven to me. I have a Lee Pro 1000, & like all things, it has a couple quirks, but nothing an intelligent fella can't figure out. I may get a lot of retoric over this post, but it won't be anything I've not seen before in other reloading forums.Tools are never th eplace a craftsman should skimp, but cost being crucial, I think you will do well with one. It has no bells or whistles, no shiny paint or extra stations, you get the pic. You can buy a half dozen presses with dies, for the cost of one Dillon. I can afford any press available, I have loaded & reloaded more than 20,000 rounds handgun ammo on my press and am reloading this weekend. It's good bang for the buck. IMHO... Hope I didn't P O everybody, Richard
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  • farmer37farmer37 Member Posts: 149 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have used a Lee press since they first came out.I had loaded shotshells since the late 50s with a pioneer loadin tool.Made of maple with a steel depriming pin.I just could not afford a reloading press.While the Lee tool was available,I didnt care for hammering bullets in place.A friend did some reloading for me but I still did not shoot much center fire.My wife bought a Lee press for my birthday.It cost about 40.00 with a set of 38 dies.Reloading led to more guns.In short the low prices of Lee tools peaked my interest in guns.I see no need for a progressive press for most reloading.I load for 38 special 357 mag 303 british 8mm mauser 762x39 12 and 20 gauge.I have sold Lee dies in my shop.I cast bullets for all calibers I load.I would not start reloading with a progressive press.
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  • ryanek9freakryanek9freak Member Posts: 41 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a Lee Turret press, and although the dies and basic machine have never given me problems, the turret assembly doesn't work well. I took out the center turning rod , and now just spin it by hand.
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  • rotarymetertecrotarymetertec Member Posts: 30 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Lee is a great tool if your low on money/ want to get on the profit side faster.They come up with a lot of ideas, but there not a Cadalic.
    If you have any intentions of reloading alot or a lot in one seating. a dillion is big $$$ for a reason. I have a hornaday pro 7 loaded over 60k with it. it works. Most press's you need to learn the qurks. The money I have in it I wish I'd bought a dillion for it's extra features. Espeacilly for loading 223 ammo
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  • OdawgpOdawgp Member Posts: 5,380 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by glyn
    Think I going to go with the Hornady as soon as I can afford it.


    You wont be disappointed

    quote:Unless you know someone who already owns a Hornady progressive and can show you the ropes, I recommend you stay away. I found it to be temperamental and not worth the 1000 free bullets. Sold it to a gentleman in Finland.

    I have yet to own a progressive press that wasn't temperamental, in one way or another for at least the breaking period. By break in I don't mean the press I mean the operator. There is a lot going on with a progressive that the operator has control of and until you learn the press it will not function flawlessly. I don't care who makes it they all have their likes and dislikes
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  • rotarymetertecrotarymetertec Member Posts: 30 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Amen to the last one
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