Lee Hand Press

[Phauxtoe]

Hey anyone have or use a lee hand press for reloading ?
I don't have the space for a bench, so thought I might just do small amounts of 38/357s to play and feed my Ruger 77/357 and my Smith Revolvers.

Worth it or not
Is the factory crimp die important?
(3 dies or 4?)

 

[Magnus]

I was told it isn't a bad reloader to take to the range, but it doesn't give you the leverage to crimp.

 

[SigSweet]

If you are loading for a revolver you are better off getting a single stage press u can mount to something for more leverage and ease of sizing.

I think the hand press uses special dies as well which was a turn off for me when i was looking at something to deprime outside my workbench since i wet tumble my brass.

As far as the FCD i use it on my handgun rounds and love it, some people think you dont need it with straight walled cases and that it affects the bullet but i load a lot of plated rounds and it doesnt if mark those heads

 

[gun_slinger_boy]

In a word yes. It will do everything you need to load your rounds.

ETA: It takes any standard threaded die and has plenty of leverage.

 

[MilesTeg]

How big of a space do you have? It doesn't take much space to reload. Personally I don't like the hand press, but that's my personal belief.

LEE RELOADING STAND

 

[Deplorable Me]

I own a hand held Lee as a novelty. Lots of extra time, as a prepper portable item for maybe 200 rounds a years, tops.
Get a basic bench mounted press, any manufacturer, I guarantee you'll get your money's worth but will end up upgrading to a cast iron frame RCBS or Hornady in time. Whatever press you get, stick with threaded traditional dies for maximum versatility.

Lee Factory Crimp is an absolute must. I use mine in an RCBS Rock Chucker. My reloading mentor introduced me to them many years ago and they have corrected all my case-chamber fit problems. Totally worth the one extra reloading step. (.38/.357/9mm/.44/.45acp/.30-30/.35Rem/.444).

Get a good basic beam scale to start, I totally like my digital scale.

The secret is in picking your powder for easy metering. Avoid flake powders (Green Dot, Unique, Blue Dot) go for the ball powders which is many of the Winchester. I also find Winchester cleaner than the flake powders. For .38/.357 I don't load my cartridges balls to the walls, saves on brass life. When I do want peak velocity for hunting rounds I use Alliant 2400 powder.

Nothing wrong with flake powders if that's the only powder you can get (I survived the great reloading shortages.)

 

[turbobike]

I don't have the space for a bench, so thought I might just do small amounts of 38/357s to play
Worth it or not
Is the factory crimp die important?
(3 dies or 4?)

I like my Lee hand press, I'm like you limited space for bench. It works great. Uses all the standard Lee Dies, I do recommend getting all your dies with the quick disconnect adapters, makes loading more efficient. The factory crimp, the 4th crimp die is more of a luxury. I've found that once the third die is set correctly the final die is really not needed. YMMV.

 

[SigSweet]

In a word yes. It will do everything you need to load your rounds.

ETA: It takes any standard threaded die and has plenty of leverage.

Correct about the die sizing, i know something is different I guess maybe it is the shell holder being good for only the hand press

 

[gun_slinger_boy]

Correct about the die sizing, i know something is different I guess maybe it is the shell holder being good for only the hand press

Everything in the lee reloading die packages works on both the hand press and single stage/turret presses. The shell holder wont work on the progressives. Those use shell plates. The only difference between the hand press and the single stage is that the single stage can be mounted, although I've seen some creative individuals mount the hand press as well lol.

This has inspired me to make a video of the hand press in action. Seems the hand press has been coming up a bunch lately.

 

[Mosinitis]

A press can be mounted on a piece of plywood or a board. C-clamps can be used to temporarily secure it to a bench, counter top or a table. Just in case you didn't consider this.

 

[MoMan]

I had a Lee hand loder kit years, and years ago. I was loading some 308 for a rifle I had back then. It did exactly what it was supposed to do, and served my needs fine. I wasn't looking to load 100s of rounds at a time, just a handful here and there is all. I have long since parted with that handy little press, and do all of my reloading on a Lee Turret Press at this time. I load 100os of rounds with this set-up, and it really doesn't take up much bench space at all.