"Free" press from Lee with book purchase

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I like Lee's book, FWIW.

The press is a 98lb weakling in comparison to my Rock Chucker, but it is nice to have a cheap press around to do some dirty jobs.
 
It's not a bad press if you're new to reloading and just want something to start out with. It works. It's not a RCBS or Lee Classic Cast, or any of the other serious duty type presses. It's a basic press. I bought this combo at first, mainly because the book is highly recommended here.

Bottom line: it's a good press to see if you want to get into this hobby without spending a ton of money only to find out you're really not one for the hobby...
 
I use that same press to run my RCBS press-mounted APS primer tool. Works very well for that but then it is not a high pressure job. IIRC it was 19 dollars at my local reloading shop with no book.
 
The book is good. The free press, I wouldn't want to try to size anything much beyond .223, but set up next to something beefier, its convienet to have the size die in the big press and bullet seating die in the little one.

--wally.
 
I'm not into reloading now. However, my Father has several presses set up in a line and this one seemed like it would be good for certain uses in a set up like that.

Besides, if you were going to buy the book anyway a "free" press is a nice beny!
 
I have one of those little Reloader Presses on my table, used mostly for for odd jobs . Although not as robust as some, it does a good job on handgun ammo and probably the smaller rifle calibers. Would work well for the new reloader on a budget or the occasional reloader that didn't want to spend a lot of money.
 
I'm not sure where people get the idea you need a high end press to resize brass. I've done a lot of whole length resizing with a lee HAND press, not even a bench. All the extra leverage of a big press does is increase the chance of tweaking brass.
 
I've FL sized hundreds of .243 and .30-06 cases with my Challenger press - it works just fine if you don't mind priming off-press.

The book is good. It's definitely slanted to Lee's products (why wouldn't it be?) but has some great sections on cast bullets and reduced loads as well as all the other basics.
 
When it was $25 for the kit it was a better deal. The press isn't much, but if you chop the ram off it you can make a decent powder measure stand out of it....

The book is decent if you can read past the propaganda. They are most certainly proud of themselves and their equipment. The data in the second version is pretty solid, there were some errors in the first edition that got sorted out in the second.
 
I consider the Lee reloader press to be adaquate for:
1) decapping
2) priming
3) crimping

They are light weight and handy, but I prefer to use better presses for sizing and seating.

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I do .45, 10mm, 44mag, and 30-06 on that lee press. eventually I'll upgrade to a turret, but that press works for me fine.
I think I heard it best said while I was press-shopping...
"RCBS, Dillon, and the rest are all great presses, and built to be 10x stronger than is needed, for a solid, sturdy feel. Lee is only built to be 2x stronger than needed."
 
Is this the Lee press you have to unbolt from the bench to dump out the spent primers after sizing? It's been a while since I"Ve use Lee's presses,but If it is,it's something to keep in mind as to it's uses.
 
Just drill a hole under the mounting point... add a empty can as a catch can... problem solved... :neener: I even went to the extreme of beveling the hole a little... :cool:
I've sized plenty of 7mm-08 and .280 Rem with mine... it does fine...
 
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