Cheap gear that turned out to be better than more expensive/name-brand gear.
- Thread starter WVGunman
- Start date
GeoDudeFlorida
Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2020
- Messages
- 11,118
This:
leeprecision.com
Best $10 I ever spent. They’re $15 now. A variety of pins is only a few bucks more.
Decapping Die
Lee Decapping Die, no cleaning or lubing of cases necessary. Even removes crimped primers, one size fits most cases
berettaprofessor
Member
Wheeler Torque “Wrench”. The springy analog kind
bullseye308
Member
Lee Reloader press, Lee universal deprimer, and the above mentioned Lee auto bench priming tool. I have gone through 5 Reloader presses in about 20 years. When I wear one out I usually have a spare under the bench to replace it with. For the cost it's a nobrainer, I get about 80-100k rounds ususally, mainly 9mm, but also 38, 357, 223, and 308.
Lee Perfect Powder Measure. Am always amazed at how well that piece of cheap plastic engineering marvel works. And if one wants to go all in, pop for the Deluxe. And then there are the Lee dies.
And am sensing a common theme here..............(cough......Lee).
And am sensing a common theme here..............(cough......Lee).
My first powder measure was a Lee PPM. Since that first powder measure, 3 much more expensive powder measures have come and gone but I still have a Lee on my bench, When used correctly (every throw as close to other throws as possible) I have run -.1 gr, variation of some powders, W231, and .1 to ,2 gr of others. Also liked the Lee bench prime. I went through 4 hand priming tools before I got the Lee. I broke it, my fault entirely. Dropped a wooden box off an overhead shelf and broke the shell holder slot. (I should have purchased another Lee, but figgered I'd go more "sophisticated" and bought an RCBS bench prime. Rarely use the poorly designed tool anymore).
splattergun
Member
Cast aluminum, not pot metal.
WestKentucky
Member
I got mine years ago before I really had a workspace. Still have it in my toolbox and occasionally use it. I think mine was $12 when I got it. I still lived in an apartment then, so probably about 13 years ago.
tightgroup tiger
Member
My old cheap Chinese made dial calipers I bought back when I couldn't afford Mitutoyos. Sterrett's didn't make one with a covered rack at that time, but it didn't matter, I couldn't afford them either. Brown and Sharp were also out.
I'm still using those cheap dial calipers and they still work as good as the Mitutoyo's I have now.
I'm still using those cheap dial calipers and they still work as good as the Mitutoyo's I have now.
Nature Boy
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- Joined
- Apr 21, 2015
- Messages
- 8,262
Like just about everything from Area 419, I’ve always thought their powder funnel kits are really cool.
However, this cheap, plastic Lyman Powder Pal is perfect and I’ve never seen the need to use anything else.
However, this cheap, plastic Lyman Powder Pal is perfect and I’ve never seen the need to use anything else.
The first thing that came to mind was the Lee Auto Bench Priming Tool. It was the easiest to use and the most consistent priming tool I'd used until I converted my ACP to a APP Deluxe.
The next thing was the Lee Universal Depriming die, but you really should add the Squirrel Daddy pins to it to make it faultless
The next thing was the Lee Universal Depriming die, but you really should add the Squirrel Daddy pins to it to make it faultless
sparkyv
Member
I use the older Lee Value 4-hole turret press which has a terrible spent primer design. This 3-D printed snap-on fence helps keep most spent primers from going all over the place. Guy on cast boolits forum sent me one for the price of shipping.
maxxhavoc
Member
I assume you are talking about the old bullet feeder.
I have had nothing but a great experience using their inline bullet feeder die
jmorris
Member
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2005
- Messages
- 24,241
This one.
It’s a plastic and simplified version of this feeder that actually worked well.
The Lee instructions tell you to boil the fingers in water, once they don’t have enough tension to hold the bullets and they start spitting out everywhere.
I guess even that wouldn’t be a deal breaker, if that wasn’t every 150-200 rounds…Faster to stick them in there with my fingers at that point.
I chose the Lee Classic Cast single stage over the RCBS Rock Chucker just based on how it handled spent primers. I really wanted a Co-Ax but didn't have the coin
American_Fusilier
Member
I used to work at Lee, and I have a ton of their presses and dies. It's good stuff.
lightman
Member
My Lee Universal Depriming Die!
CQB45ACP
Member
Lee’s dippers. I use the .5cc exclusively for all my loading.
Started with everything Lee made for powder dropping then went to a Uniflow, now the dipper.
Started with everything Lee made for powder dropping then went to a Uniflow, now the dipper.
Mr_Flintstone
Member
A few years ago I bought a General Tools utility micrometer for $6.95. It's an analog graduated scale micrometer, but it is dead accurate. I just checked the price online, and they are running about $16 now, but still a bargain for those willing and able to use old technology.
I have one of those in blue clamped to a rock table top that came out of the lab we renovated. Great for light jobs.
Yep, I have the funnel and 3 or 4 inserts, but I use my Precision Hardcore Gear for 6 MM, it’s slick as snot
CQB45ACP
Member
A thread assessing the opposite question would be interesting too—expensive stuff that ended up being meh.
