[W.R.Buchanan]

I was at Phillips Wholesale in Covina CA today and while looking thru all of the junk boxes I came across the sizing die and plunger for a Lee Loader for 12 ga.

I have been kind of looking for one to use for reloading brass shotshells, and slugs, but hadn't gotten serious enough to buy a complete kit off EBAY. They don't make the tool for Shotgun shells any more. But there were several available on Ebay, IN fact there was 3 full pages of Lee Loaders for sale, and alot of oddball calibers too.

I got the part for a buck so I can't go wrong in any event. I can probably make the other 2 parts the deprimer and the knock out punch, and I have dippers galore.

Has anyone one used this tool for loading slugs? Is it a viable way to load slugs.

I am looking for a set of instructions for the tool and info on a Crimp Starter that was mentioned on one of the posts on Ebay. Seems like a Pacific Crimp starter would work fine.

I was surprised that Lee didn't have the instructions available on their website. Maybe it was just an oversite.

Randy

 

[goatskin]

Randy, I have the instructions on several .jpg.

Gimme your e-mail and I'll send them to you. I have several Lee Loaders and I use them all the time. They make absolutely perfect bullets, and if you like roll-crimps on Federal Papers, well, there'ya'go.

I prolly have 6- and 8-point crimp starters, too, but you won't need them unless you are loading unfired, unskivved hulls. Crimp memory folds perfectly every time.

You can de-prime with an old, wore-out #1 phillips screwdriver pretty easily.

And the Lee that made the shotshell reloaders is a completely different Lee from 'Lee Precision', who bought the license for metallic from Lee Custom Engineering.

Bob

 

[W.R.Buchanan]

Bob: I sent you an email.

I kind of was starting to suspect that there were two different Lee companies.

I think Richard Lee was involved with both but they were 2 separate entities.

Probably some bad blood in there somewhere. Which is usually the case when a company resturctures. Who knows. Isn't history a wonderful thing?

I do know that they make good tools, and as a machinist I can say with absolute certainty that the vast majority of machinined parts(dies etc) I have seen from Lee are as good or better than many of the high priced outfits. And in some cases way better! One of the Green manufacturers consistantly offends me with their lack of QC and attention to detail on products that they want more for than anyone else.

When I see a big time manufactures reloading die and the knurls are incomplete or over ran, and they haven't even deburred the part, or the threads are not smooth and clean, and they still want $65 for the same die I can buy from Lee for $10. Well I do take exception. In fact, I get down right offended.

I think Lee offers really good value. I don't think everything they do is world class, but their machine work is pretty damn good, and for the price they are pretty hard to beat. Others could definately take some lessons from them.

Randy

 

[Smithy47]

Randy, the Lee Loaders came in a standard set and a Deluxe set. Here are pics of both. Let me know if you need the instruction sheet, I will scan it and send you a copy. Bob

 

[SPACE GUN]

I had one I used back in 1973 when I started shooting. I donated it to the hall of fame in ohio. When I heard the HOF might move I ask for them to return it to me, of course they would not! I did however find one a a flea market this summer $20.00 later I have fond memories, Boy do I love my 9000H.

 

[grntitan]

I wish one of the manufacters of loaders would make a loader that could load shotshells and also metallics buy changing heads or dies like shotgun gauge changes. I just think if it was quality it may sell like hotcakes. Not saying it would be an easy task. Then again, it might be more trouble than its worth. Just a thought............

 

[likes-to-shoot]

I wish the Lee Load All was avaiable in 410 ga. for no more than I shoot a 410 a cheap loader would be the cats meow.

Bill

 

[W.R.Buchanan]

Thanks to Bob Sikes and Bob Smith (my favorite uncles name was Bob Smith) for the instructions. I've got that covered now. also Thanks for the good pictures of the complete sets. I found out I missed a part when I picked out mine. I bummed that I left the Wad starter at Phillip's Wholesale in the junk box. I hadn't seen a picture of the deluxe set until today, but sure enough there was one there, and I left because I thought it said C&H on it and was a part for a C&H shotshell press. Oh well, maybe it'll still be there in a few weeks. Gives me a good reason to drive 85 miles to pick up a 2 dollar part?

Matt: Its all about "Leverage". Metalic Presses have a much more significant mechanical advantage than shotshell presses do. That said C&H and RCBS both make shotshell loading dies that will fit into some reloading presses. They would produce shells about as fast as the Lee Loader hand tool.

Bill: I think there was a Lee Loader Hand tool for .410 on Ebay this week.

I know there was 3 full pages of the tools in many oddball calibers. There were several in .45 ACP and 30-40 Krag also. There were also several in .44 Mag for you too Matt.

I want to fool with this thing enough to figure it out and produce some slug and buckshot loads for Defensive shotgun practice. And maybe some heavy hunting loads. I don't need that many of any of them, and they certainly aren't worth the time to set up My DL155, or DL 266 to make them. As long as I can get the crimp to close right, I already know I can make a good product.

Randy

 

[Brian in Oregon]

I reloaded a crapile of .38 Special, .357 Mag, 30-30, 410 and 12ga with Lee Loaders when I was a kid. Had a lot of fun doing it. Still have all my fingers.

Because we were under 21 we couldn't buy handgun ammo. So we simply bought brass, primers, powder and bullets and loaded our own. I remember feeling pretty smug about that.