Lee hand press

[Freezer]

It's been a few years since I needed to reload, as I was well stocked. The house I now live in is small, and I don't have a man cave. I am designing a reloading top of my "workmate" bench and will sort through my gear over the next month or so. As I researched what others have done, I remembered the Lee hand press, I could sit in my recliner or kitchen table and reload. My current need is load work up and small patches of hunting ammo, later I'll set up a portable system for my Rockchucker and piggyback press for general shooting ammo.

For $125 I can get the press and bushings I need. Have you used the Lee hand press? Opinions please.

[bullsi1911]

Yep! That’s how I started reloading when I was just doing one or two calibers. It was a great tool for that, and I was able to keep all my reloading gear in a toolbox and then load anywhere. I used it mostly for straight wall cartridges

Still have it, and still use it for small batches.

[Diver43]

I have one and have loaded .45 Colt and .223 with it. It is slow, not good for large volume loading, but worked fine for loading .223 for my bolt gun.
And working up a load for my Blackhawk.

[CPJ 2.0]

Had one, traded it off for….something. Maybe the other cheap press lee makes? I can’t recall.
Anyway I’d own one but it wouldn’t be my only press. I’m to used to a regular press bolted down. There’s a ton of ideas out there from the workmate to DIY deals that clamp to a kitchen table. Hell a shelf as wide as a 2x6 secured to the wall is big enough for a press.

[Justsomedude]

I have a Lee Challenger that I've had for quite sometime. I'm pretty sure I was pushed into buying it by the old forum, when Dan J was still around. I only started using it last year to load for my 225 Win. Seems to work well but I know eff all about reloading.

[Freezer]

I owned a Lee Anniversary Kit that I bought as a Christmas toy for myself since nobody bought me one. I loaded tens of thousands of rounds through that thing. I had a man cave in my last three houses but no more. I'm designing a bench that will be an attractive piece of furniture, and it will be in the bedroom, but it will take some time to design and build. I found a flush mount base for the press, vise, case trimmer, whatever I want to mount in it. I can remove the pieces, put them on a shelf and there's nothing left out to see. Right now I need to do load work-ups for the 6.5-06 and 6.5 Creedmoor. I also need rounds for my 280 and 308, all will be neck size only. I will be making the workmate system but sitting in my recliner......

[bullsi1911]

One of the best uses I found for the Hand Press was resizing/ decapping. You can do it anywhere and it’s pretty simple.

Wife wants to watch a crappy lifetime movie? Time to prep some brass

[CPJ 2.0]

One of the best uses I found for the Hand Press was resizing/ decapping. You can do it anywhere and it’s pretty simple.

Wife wants to watch a crappy lifetime movie? Time to prep some brass in the garage while I drink beer because ain’t nobody got time for lifetime movies.

FIFY

[Bigslug]

My father has one. I don't recall that we've ever actually loaded complete ammo on the thing. Mostly what he uses it for is his BPCR cartridges - after firing he knocks out the primers at the range and plunks the cases into a jug of soapy water. We've also used it for field expedient adjustment of seating depth if we get a round that is slightly over-long to chamber. I'm honestly not sure how it does for serious leverage applications.

Best thing you can do for limited space: bolt your presses to chunks of solid hardwood board (i.e., oak or high-density plywood), with the bolts countersunk on the bottom. Get a sturdy workbench that can be used for multiple things and use a C-clamp to lock the press down while in use.

[Japhy]

One of my range friends uses a Lee press to reload .45 ACP including a lee bullet mold. Semi wad cutter maybe 250gr? That ammo runs flawlessly in multiple 1911s.

[Castle]

One of the best uses I found for the Hand Press was resizing/ decapping. You can do it anywhere and it’s pretty simple.

Wife wants to watch a crappy lifetime movie? Time to prep some brass in the garage while I drink beer because ain’t nobody got time for lifetime movies.

FIFY

+1

[Castle]

I owned a Lee Anniversary Kit that I bought as a Christmas toy for myself since nobody bought me one. I loaded tens of thousands of rounds through that thing. I had a man cave in my last three houses but no more. I'm designing a bench that will be an attractive piece of furniture, and it will be in the bedroom, but it will take some time to design and build. I found a flush mount base for the press, vise, case trimmer, whatever I want to mount in it. I can remove the pieces, put them on a shelf and there's nothing left out to see. Right now I need to do load work-ups for the 6.5-06 and 6.5 Creedmoor. I also need rounds for my 280 and 308, all will be neck size only. I will be making the workmate system but sitting in my recliner......

I bought one of those Anniversary Kits for $69 bucks, way back when, and figured if everything goes to hell, I'll still have a complete setup on standby. We'll, everything didn't go to hell and I got tired of staring at it in the closet so I set it up and went to work. I already had an RCBS but I couldn't stand seeing a complete setup sitting in the closet doing nothing

Some 20 or 30 thousand rounds later, it got retired (still works fine) but I just bought a better setup and ran out of work space. Believe it or not I still have a new, in-box, Lee Load Master sitting in the closet doing nothing.

I still don't have a handpress, I might have to get one now before everything goes to hell!

[jaywapiti]

I started hand loading with a Lyman Hand press in 60, loaded for .32 win. Spc. and .358 win. wont set any speed records but will turn out good loads.

JAY

[rberg]

Some years back I picked up a Lyman hand press with 9mm and 45 acp dies. It was never used and still sets new in box, guess I should try it out someday.

[Japhy]

@Freezer
Reading the responses it is apparent that a number of members have reloading presses to spare. Might be time to do a deal?

[Gila]

@Freezer
Reading the responses it is apparent that a number of members have reloading presses to spare. Might be time to do a deal?

That wouldn't be with me. I only have my old Rockchucker with a piggyback and an old MEC 9000. They still function like new.

[Japhy]

Maybe we need a swap meet category?

[Jerm]

The Lee Hand Press is the perfect tool to take to the range to work up loads. Size and prime the brass, then take the Hand Press along with the very accurate $20 battery operated dope scales that are now on the market and work up loads right there at the range.

Every reloader needs a Lee Hand Press. You can fit a complete reloading kit in a shoe box and take it to the range or hunting camp. Those with space issues have no excuse to not reload knowing that these hand presses exist.

[Freezer]

@Freezer
Reading the responses it is apparent that a number of members have reloading presses to spare. Might be time to do a deal?

I didn't have the balls to ask, but it's a great idea! I have a couple scopes I wouldn't mind trading. Money is a little tight right now.

[Freezer]

@Freezer
Reading the responses it is apparent that a number of members have reloading presses to spare. Might be time to do a deal?

I didn't have the balls to ask, but it's a great idea! I have a couple scopes I wouldn't mind trading. Money is a little tight right now.

[Freezer]

Got an offer from a member, thank you!

[Diver43]

IMG_20231001_091227132.jpg (3.73 MiB) Viewed 4467 times

Got an offer from a member, thank you!

[bullsi1911]

Nice!

How are you going to handle powder measurement and dispensing? I have to say that I wish my first “upgrade” to my reloading setup had been the RCBS ChargeMaster.

I know that’s weird and seems out of whack to have a robot dispensing powder and spending so much money on that. But it is the SINGLE best upgrade to my loading speed and made things so much simpler.

[Freezer]

I have an RCBS powder dispenser and I believe I still have my Lee. I also have a Lee and Lyman beam scale to trickle charge. I like the iea of upgrading, but not right now.

[Freezer]

Shout out to Driver43! You da man! I got the Lee hand press in the mail today, and I'm elated with it! After doing some chores at my deer blind this morning to find it in my mailbox. I was able to sit in my recliner, watch the Steelers win, and resize 75 pieces of 30-06 brass to 6.5-06. It took much effort than I expected. It really isn't any slower than a single stage bench press. With a towel in my lap and a Lees case trimming system, I'll handle the next steps. I have two hand priming tools so that can be done in my chair also. I may use the kitchen table for charging but seating the bullet can be done in my chair. If you haven't used a lee hand press, you should consider it, they're not bad!