Press or handloader for beginner with no workshop?

[bennadatto]

All

I want to get started reloading, in fact I am super excited about learning this skill. My question is this...

I know I will eventually get a single stage press. In my current home there is just no place to setup a reloading station. Can I get decent results using a lee handloader (not the classic, hammer using reloader but the one that operates similar to pruning shears)? I plan to reload 9mm, 8mm Mauser, .30-06, and 7.5x55.

I know using the handloader won't be optimal, but can it load the cartridges I am interested in?

Ps: I have seen the post about using the black and decker workmates, but again my house is pretty space limited.

Thanks all

 

[RandyP]

The rifle rounds could pose a problem unless you are built like Hercules? Pistol, no worries.

The Workmate or a small rolling cabinet are solutions that do work well and offer more than enough space for a single stage or turret setup. I made mine starting with a $30 WalMart rolling wood Utility Cart and reinforced it with scrap lumber on the sides and back and install a thibnk piece of ply to the top. My tumbler sits on a padded rubber mat (tool drawer liner) on an $8 WalMart folding wood snack table.

 

[LeonCarr]

The Black and Decker Workmate is a good solution to your problem. If space is limited, you can also use it as a heavy duty TV tray .

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[JimKirk]

Do you have anywhere to clamp a press, say the dining room table, the end of a kitchen counter top? One of my neighbors have a very small house and has built a reloading stand out of a 2" pipe welded to a 1/4" or 3/16" flat plate on which he glued thin carpet to the back so as not to scratch the floor. At the top there is a small flat plate that is just big enough to mount his Lee press. He puts the press stand close to the dining table and uses the top to set primers, bullets, powder and cases. He places his feet which are pretty big on the bottom plate to hold it down. I would say that his setup is not ideal, but it works well enough to load his 357 mags and 270 deer rifle. I would rather have it bolted down somewhere, but it works.

Jimmy K

 

[rcmodel]

Yes, the Lee handpress can be used to reload good ammo in all the calibers you mentioned.

But you will have arms like a young Governator after FL sizing a few boxes of bottleneck rifle cases.

During my stint in the Army, I lived in a tiny duplex for over a year, and loaded rifle & pistol, shotgun, and cast & sized bullets out of a GI issue foot-locker.

Stood on end, it became a reloading bench.
Holes on the end allowed mounting whatever press I was using at the time, and everything was stored in it when not reloading.

The rest of the time it got a nice throw cover, and became a coffee table in front of the couch.

So, where there is a will, there is a way!

rc

 

[rfwobbly]

I've heard some stories, but that one takes the cake !!

You can go by Home Depot and fetch a free 12x12 chunk of scrap plywood from their trash bin, mount the press to that, then clamp the plywood to any table top. This is what I did all through college and it works great.

 

[Ifishsum]

You can go by Home Depot and fetch a free 12x12 chunk of scrap plywood from their trash bin, mount the press to that, then clamp the plywood to any table top. This is what I did all through college and it works great.

I did this for 2 years before I had a workbench. Mine was more like 24x24 though, and I attached 2X2s along 3 sides to allow clearance for the mounting bolts. Used a Lee Challenger press which made it light and portable, worked great!

 

[Husker_Fan]

I have a lee challenger and the powder measure that came with it mounted to a 2x4. I recessed the holes on the bottom so the bolts are flush. I mount this with heavy clamps to the work bench in summer and move it to an overhange of the kitchen counter when the weather is cold.

 

[Cosmoline]

. Can I get decent results using a lee handloader (not the classic, hammer using reloader but the one that operates similar to pruning shears)?

The answer is YES absolutely. I've loaded many thousands of rounds with a Lee hand press. The only disadvantage is it's slow, but it gives you very precise control and "feel." This has come in very handy for my more oddball projects.

Resizing the big rifle rounds isn't that bad. I use the crisco style lube. The handgun rounds with carbides are a piece of cake and need no lube. It's fun. I can go through a few hundred rounds while watching movies.

As with the Mosin safety, I don't understand why people have such a mental block against it.

 

[David Wile]

Hey Bennadatto,

Most folks have given some good ideas about setting up a press in a limited area via various means. In your initial post, however, you mentioned that you already know about using Workmates and seem to reject that idea for lack of room. You do seem to be interested in a true hand tool to load ammo, and I will address that point with a few opinions and ideas.

First, you already seem to have rejected the classic Lee Loader that you smack with a hammer, and I would also agree that the hammer smacking Lee Classic is not worth the effort. I have not used the Lee Hand Press, but it does seem to reload with regular dies and shell holders.

I am quite familiar with two Lyman hand tools. The first I will mention is the Lyman Acculine press which can be attached to a bench or used strictly as a hand tool like the Lee Hand Press. The Acculine tool is no longer made my Lyman, but there is at least one available on E-Bay at this time. The Acculine uses standard dies and shell holders. The linkage can be reversed to make it so you can use as a standard bench mounted press or a hand tool. It also should include a priming die to reprime cases, but I would recommend using a Lee Auto Prime hand tool for primer reloading. I use the Lee Auto Prime for all single stage loading. With the Acculine, you will be able to full length resize rifle cases, but they will have to be lubed, and it will take some muscle effort, but I think the Lee tool will require more effort. If you are only doing straight walled pistol cases, it really doesn't take that much effort with the Acculine. Yes, with the Acculine you will be able to load the 9mm, 8mm Mauser, .30-06, and 7.5x55 cartridges.

There is also the old fashioned Lyman/Ideal 310 Nutcracket hand tool that is still made by Lyman. I also have and use the Lyman Nutcracker, and it has good and not so good things to consider. The Nutcracker uses non-standard dies which only neck size the case. This is good and bad. It is bad because of the non standard dies that are rather expensive, but it is pretty easy to size the case necks which also have to be lubed. If you want to load the four calibers you mentioned, I would not want to buy that many die sets for the Nutcracker.

All three of these tools and everything related to reloading can be carried in a small gym bag, and you can reload cases anywhere. While I have both Lyman tools, I would probably recommend that a new person start by getting a used Acculine hand tool on E-Bay or wherever. With the Acculine, any dies and shell holders you buy for it will be able to be used with a bench press when you move to that route. I suspect that is also true for the Lee hand tool. With the Acculine, however, when you do get some more room, it can actually be mounted to a small bench and used as a bench tool.

You are correct that a hand tool is more work than a bench mounted single stage press, but the three hand tools I mentioned above can really do what you want to do, and it is not a bad way to start reloading.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

 

[RedAlert]

One thing I didn't read about here was using a shooter's stand, portable of course, as a reloading bench. Clamp a plywood top on it to hold a standard press or use the top to keep all your gear together as you use the "pruning shear loader" of your choice. Pack it up and its ready to take to the range or the "toolies" for some varmint hunting also.

Ralph

 

[RedAlert]

duplicate

 

[joed]

I started out with the Lee tool that you beat the cases in with a plastic hammer. It produced good ammo for me for 3 years. At that point I purchased a Rock Chucker and continued.

I still have the Lee tool in .25-06 Rem, and who knows maybe someday I'll use it again. For a beginner it was decent. I never used the dipper with it though, I bought a scale to go with it.

 

[ranger335v]

If you are short of space and need a small press, look at the Lee Reloader. Same cost as the hand press, works MUCH easier for the rifle cases. Mount one on a wood scrap and C clamp it to a table. Will do a good job, will last a long time too.

 

[greyling22]

if a picture's worth a thousand words, this setup has lived on coffee tables, kitchen tables, tv trays, etc. all through college and a variety of apartments. I like the lee turret press, but any press will do.

 

[jfdavis58]

I've got a hand press and use it to load 270 winchester and 300 winchester magnum in the field. I'm more fat than muscle but it's no big deal or maybe I just come from sturdier stock than some people.

You don't mention a budget and you're getting a whole bunch of suggestions for small reloading set-ups--all with popular full sized equipment. Rather humorous.

If you really want a press that can compete with anything suggested so far (and whup their butts individually and collectively) check-out harrells. This link shows their (his) small press and you would need the largest size-there are three versions of this press. Still, it will fit in a standard sized lunch bag.

You should also look around the site for other machines, maybe drop them an email with a few questions. The linked device and the turret press both take standard dies from any maker.

These things are normally the highpower and benchrest shooters tools but I've played with a turret from Harrels and will soon put one on order--I'm neither a benchrest or highpower shooter--I just like great ammunition and great tools to produce it. Harrells stuff is in the Rolls-Royce level of quality.

 

[bullseye308]

A Lee Reloader Press will run you around $40.00 and come with a manual. You will need a manual anyway and this one is not bad. You can bolt this press to a 2x6 then C-clamp it anywhare and load darn near anything. Once you have it bolted you can even take it to the range and do load development. Use wingnuts and the press, 2x6, C-clamps, and dies will fit in a small bag that you can put almost anywhere when not in use.

At some point you will discard some furniture to make room(it could happen, it is a sickness you know) and get another press to put on a bench and a good single stage will still have a place next to it.

Whatever you do, get a scale and don't rely solely on the scoops. Until you know just how much the scoops REALLY put out you are guessing, and that aint good. The Lee safety scale is a good scale, though some dislike it, and can be had for around $25.00. It is well worth it and a scale is a necessity.

 

[qajaq59]

The board and clamps work pretty well. We spend 8 years traveling the country in our motor home and I used to just clamp the board to the dining area table or whatever picnic table that was handy. Putting all the stuff up and down is kind of a pain, but it certainly works. And a press does make loading a lot easier.

 

[James Thomson]

I started out with a Lyman Nutcacker and got rid of it just as soon as I could. Your best bet is to start out with a single stage and adapt it to fit any kind of table you can come up with. The Black and Decker WorkMate is a good choice. You can also mount it on a board and use clamps to clamp it to another table.

 

[aprayinbear]

Against the flow.......

I know not many will agree, but I like the Classic Lee Loaders. I use mine for my 9mm and after a bit of trial and error I turn out nice, consistent rounds. As others will tell you, it only sizes the neck, but if you use brass from store bought ammo fired in your gun, you'll not have a problem. I find it very relaxing and turn out 30-50 rounds an hour.

I intend to buy a press in time, but now I shoot for very little $$$ and enjoy my reloading time.

Just a though

 

[delta5]

I have my Lee classic turret press mounted on a grinder stand with caster wheels. I can reload in my bedroom, or I can roll it into the living room and set it next to a card table. Apartment living sucks...

 

[duck911]

I built a small portable bench that I store in the garage or basement when not in use, and simply bring out and put on the kitchen table when I want to reload:

 

[delta5]

Duck, how do you like that Lee cast press?

 

[duck911]

Delta,

I love it. Simple, heavy duty, repeatable, cheap - works perfect for my needs.

I am a rifle reloader and weight each case by hand, so speed is not a consideration.

--Duck911

 

[420Stainless]

I built a small portable bench that I store in the garage or basement when not in use, and simply bring out and put on the kitchen table when I want to reload:

Good one duck911. Thank you for sharing, I think you just gave me a winter project.