No.343 Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Is the Lee Hand Press worth having? I spend a lot of time in a hotel room and I wondering if it is even worth trying. I will be spending some time in shooting friendly states this summer and it would be nice to shoot my regular load instead of store bought ammo. Please share any experiences you have with this press. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 I used one in the seventies Worked ok (but SLOW) for the .38 Specials and .357 mag I loaded. Used it on my ship when I was in the merchants. Worked 28 days, off for 28. IIRC I had 400-600 loaded every trip. All my components were rat holed close to my cabin. Gave me something to do besides reading when I was off watch. Jim M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLM Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 I've loaded at least a couple thousand rounds of 9mm and over 1,000 rounds of .45acp on mine. If you don't mind single stage reloading it isn't bad, especially for the .45's. The brass is much easier to resize than 9mm brass is. If you've got nothing to do it's a very usable press and a good workout to boot! Just don't forget all the other stuff you'd have to have... powder measure, scale, dies, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD45 Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 I still have one, but seldom use it. They are nice if you are loading in a place where you can't mount a press. The hardest part is holding it steady to start and seat a bullet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougCarden Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 Oh my god...... Unless you are flying.......I would get a square deal and some C clamps for the desk or cabinet. I had a lee loader....Hell, I think I still do, at the folks somewhere. It is now considered torture, but definitely will be better than most of the evening TV show..... Go for it! DougC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No.343 Posted June 3, 2008 Author Share Posted June 3, 2008 Thanks for the replies. "Oh my God" and "torture" are what I expected. I think I will give it a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigar45 Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 I got one as part of a package deal... it is a handy press to have- I have taken it with me to the range to squeeze out a few extra rounds for load development. It is not the easiest thing to use due to limited leverage, but it does work. Makes me appreciate the blue equipment on my bench that much more. C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dunn Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 The Lee Hand Press would be perfect for hotel loading, if you can manage the tedium of a single station press. I found a good pair of gloves essential for loading any significant number of rounds as the press edges can be hard on the hands after a while. I loaded thousands of rounds of .41 mag on one when I was a teenager, today I'd buy factory before breaking it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 I use mine for loading .308. Works quite well. Slow as hell but I don't mind it for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 I use mine for loading .308. Works quite well. Slow as hell but I don't mind it for that. I've used mine for .308 too. After a good session, there's nothing like a little "tennis elbow!" For $15 or whatever they go for nowadays, I think everybody should have one. As mentioned, it's a handy little tool for load development or for running your ammo through a factory crimp die, etc. I have even used the Lee disk powder measure on mine. It works fine but makes the press hard to set down without dumping the powder out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 If you are not talking about reloading the brass you shot that day, then here is a suggestion. You can run your brass through a sizing/decap die, an expansion die and prime it all in advance. That just leaves the powder and bullet to add later. I plan on getting one for just that use with a chrono at the range to play with different powder volumes, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 If you are not talking about reloading the brass you shot that day, then here is a suggestion. You can run your brass through a sizing/decap die, an expansion die and prime it all in advance. That just leaves the powder and bullet to add later. I plan on getting one for just that use with a chrono at the range to play with different powder volumes, etc. That's what it's perfect for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhyrlik Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 I have five of them. Put them side by side in one place and you have a progressive. They're great for reloading in the living room, motel, in the car waiting for the light to turn green... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLD Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Is the Lee Hand Press worth having? I spend a lot of time in a hotel room and I wondering if it is even worth trying. I will be spending some time in shooting friendly states this summer and it would be nice to shoot my regular load instead of store bought ammo. Please share any experiences you have with this press. As others have said, it's great for hotels. I ran lots of 30-06 and .45 through it in the hotel. I didn't actually load, I just decapped and sized the brass. It's not ideal, but neither is living in hotel rooms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adweisbe Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 I have one. It works. It has all the caveats you would expect but at the end of the day it produces finished ammo. I wouldn't do more then 50 rounds at a time due to RSI concerns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Sinko Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Just buy one. I did. It's cheap and it works. You never know when something will go wrong and you'll desperately need it. Dave Sinko Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tokarev Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Here lately I've been using mine as a bullet puller. I've been pulling and reloading our hot Federal service ammo into something that's not so obnoxious in my limited gun. With the hand press, I can sit in front of the TV or sit in the living room and have a conversation with my wife while I pull ammo. I can run through a box of 50 in about 15 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin Can Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 NO. 343, If you have not got one already you can have mine for the price of shipping, lets say $8.00. Its like new, I used it for decapping on trips. I no longer use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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