On the cheap.. Lee Loader 38sp 357mag . Have you used one?

[Construct More Pylons]

Wrong.

You can't get a better blend of versatility and speed than the Lee Classic Turret Press. It will load 200 rounds an hour. And you can change to a different caliber, including changing primer size, in about 1 minute, if you're moving slow. Or a minute to convert it from automated to single stage, again, moving slow.

NOTHING else on the market can do that. And it will do 25acp all the way to large, magnum rifle cartridges. And it's well made, really solid. For about 150 bucks.

Yes, some of the Lee presses are fiddly. Very fiddly. The Lee Pro 1000 is such a press.

Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

I'm glad your's worked out for you. No one I know has had good luck with them (I have a friend kicking himself in the nuts right now from buying a Lee press that was on a BF sale). From terrible priming systems made of 2 piece molded and burred plastic, to tilting turret heads when the cases wobble their way in, to having to spend time to dremel/fit/smooth/pray to make them work semi decent, Lee is not a press I, nor anyone I know that reloads, reccomends.

If we are going to go slow, mainly for PRS rounds, I would reccomend a solid single stage with good tolerances (cheap hornady). If you want to go fast, I reccomend a Dillon 750XL. From the time you save reloading 700+ rounds an hour on a 650/750, you more than compensate for the 3-5 min it takes to swap heads and plates to change calibers vs the 200 rounds an hour (if it runs reliably) with the "1 minute" caliber change.

IMO the only thing worth it from lee is their dies if your trying to ball on a budget. The dies are actually pretty good for range fodder mass reload ammo.

Cartman is an individual thats VERY VERY knowledgable, that has reloaded for years on all types of presses. I'd be willing to bet $20 he has had bad expirence with Lee, and knows plenty of people that had an accelerated midlife crisis from the stress they cause. Hell I can call the guy, and he can tell me what adjustments I need to make without seeing my press lol.

 

[rbstern]

I'm glad your's worked out for you. No one I know has had good luck with them (I have a friend kicking himself in the nuts right now from buying a Lee press that was on a BF sale). From terrible priming systems made of 2 piece molded and burred plastic, to tilting turret heads when the cases wobble their way in, to having to spend time to dremel/fit/smooth/pray to make them work semi decent, Lee is not a press I, nor anyone I know that reloads, reccomends.

If we are going to go slow, mainly for PRS rounds, I would reccomend a solid single stage with good tolerances (cheap hornady). If you want to go fast, I reccomend a Dillon 750XL. From the time you save reloading 700+ rounds an hour on a 650/750, you more than compensate for the 3-5 min it takes to swap heads and plates to change calibers vs the 200 rounds an hour (if it runs reliably) with the "1 minute" caliber change.

IMO the only thing worth it from lee is their dies if your trying to ball on a budget. The dies are actually pretty good for range fodder mass reload ammo.

Cartman is an individual thats VERY VERY knowledgable, that has reloaded for years on all types of presses. I'd be willing to bet $20 he has had bad expirence with Lee, and knows plenty of people that had an accelerated midlife crisis from the stress they cause. Hell I can call the guy, and he can tell me what adjustments I need to make without seeing my press lol.

You must not know a lot of reloaders.

I've been reloading and casting bullets for 20 years. Have used all sorts of presses to load I don't know how many 10s of thousands of rounds across a dozen or more cartridges. I've had good and bad experiences on both Lee and many other brands of presses.

The Lee Classic Turret isn't comparable to a Dillon 750XL. It's like comparing a pickup and an SUV. And they are priced wildly differently. A "fast change" on the Dillon costs more than the entire, ready to load turret press and dies from Lee.

You had a bad experience with a Lee Pro 1000. I get it. I've had a couple. One was a nightmare, the other popped out finished 9mm as fast as you could pull the handle. Not a great press, too fickle, but for a budget machine, very capable in the right hands and circumstances.

The issue is, you are condemning an entire line of of products, some of which are very good, because you had a bad experience with one that is known to be difficult to use.

You like the 750? Great! Load away! But don't tell everyone that a press you have zero experience with isn't any good because you had a difficult to use product with the same brand name.

 

[shovel99]

Wrong.

You can't get a better blend of versatility and speed than the Lee Classic Turret Press. It will load 200 rounds an hour. And you can change to a different caliber, including changing primer size, in about 1 minute, if you're moving slow. Or a minute to convert it from automated to single stage, again, moving slow.

NOTHING else on the market can do that. And it will do 25acp all the way to large, magnum rifle cartridges. And it's well made, really solid. For about 150 bucks.

Yes, some of the Lee presses are fiddly. Very fiddly. The Lee Pro 1000 is such a press.

Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

I second the Lee classic turret. I am probably 100-150 per hour because I don’t load often and have to relearn. I have loaded 4 pistol and 4 rifle calibers.

 

[RiverBend]

had one in 9mm in early years, worked great and had a few primers go bang during loading process

 

[WildBillHimself]

had one in 9mm in early years, worked great and had a few primers go bang during loading process

For this reason, spend a few extra dollars and get a hand priming tool for that job.
Other wise the Lee Loader works well, just slow.

 

[BkBigKid]

Wow How did we get from using a Hand reload set to discussing progressive and auto presses? Read the original posts folks!!

 

[CAMSDADDY]

Wow How did we get from using a Hand reload set to discussing progressive and auto presses? Read the original posts folks!!

Well cheap is relative. I prefer bang for the buck when I am buying something. When I was getting into reloading I purchased a Lee turret and have turned out thousands of rounds very easy and effectively. I think in the long run the original poster will be happier with a turret. The OP also asked about rounds per hour. If that is a concern I think the tap and go press is not going to be what he is looking for.

I have a LEE turret, LEE Pro 1000, Dillon Square Deal. The turret is the easiest, cheapest and less finicky of the three and the easiest to change calibers.

 

[MuleShoe]

I’ve got one in 44. Never know when it might come in handy.

 

[97 winchester]

Not a reloading guy, but these appears to be a must have...
Have you used one?
Other than slow what do you think?

38 SPECIAL LEE LOADER

LEE LOADER 38 SPECIAL Note: The 357 Mag can be reloaded with this kit with appropriate load data and dipper. The kit will crimp both the 38 Special and 357 Magnum cases. The Classic Lee Loader neck sizes only. This is not recommended for semi-auto, pump and lever action guns. Lee Loader is a...

www.titanreloading.com

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!

I have used a few. I have loaded many .357 and 38 spl. with these. It may not be fast but it does load excellent rounds cheaply.
I have loaded many 410 shells for squirrel and rabbit too.
I have several for different calibers.
If I want faster I go to the Rock Chucker. If I want faster, big quantity I got to XL650,which is set right now for .357.
If you want to load for 3-4 hour range sessions your nights will be busy but it will work.

 

[BIKER13]

Wow How did we get from using a Hand reload set to discussing progressive and auto presses? Read the original posts folks!!

read ? bahahaha hahahaha hahahaha