Greetings

I am about to start reloading. I saw a Lee Anniversery Reloading kit that has everything but dies. Is anyone familiar with this set up? Even though I have never reloaded, I am familiar with the Lee name.

Thanks,

HG

Lee equipment works. The Anniversary Kit has probably started more people in the hobby of reloading than anything else on the market for one reason; it gives excellant value for the money. Lee's price points have done more to keep the cost of other brands down than anything else on the market too!

Those who sneer at Lee come from one of two camps.

Some think that external machining marks on things like dies is important but it isn't. The interior of Lee dies are as well polished as anyones and that's where the work takes place. Others, with more money than mechanical aptitude, think that reloading tools must be vastly overbuilt for the job or it's "junk". That's not true either but a few ham-fisted users do manage to break the Lee aluminum alloy presses from time to time due to misuse. Of course Lee's two cast iron presses are as tuff as anyones and have the reputation of being one of the most precisely made too.

Get the Lee kit, get Lee dies and enjoy them. Later, IF you want to reform 30-06 brass to .22-250, you may want to buy an iron press but otherwise you will do well with the Anniversary Kit, as thousands of others have.

The little Lee powder measure can be a problem with ball powders but there is a "cure" for that; use stick powders!

Ranger,

Thanks for the informed reply. I am fortunate enough to have 3 rifles that will put the regular(cheap) remington corelocks 150 gr. 30-06 rounds into an inch or less. But I've noticed inconsistancies from batch to batch, thus the desire to reload. I would want to start off by replicating that load if possible. Whats the best way to find load info?

Thanks again,

HG

Don't overbuy to start with. Get one of the starter kits such as Lee. After you reload for a while, you will be able to know what extra equipment you will need to make your job easier. I started with a Lee single unit handloader and ended up with a progressive press. Now that I don't do competitive shooting any longer, I have gone back to a single stage press. I reload for about 30 different calibers and it does all I need.

. . . Those who sneer at Lee come from one of two camps.

Some think that external machining marks on things like dies is important but it isn't.

Others, with more money than mechanical aptitude, think that reloading tools must be vastly overbuilt for the job or it's "junk".
You know, I can agree with most of what you said until you start sterotyping those who do not choose to buy Lee. This seems to be a consistent theme in your posts. I do not have Lee on my reloading bench but do not disrespect anyone that does. I do not lack for mechanical aptitude and you have no way to judge any of us as we cannot judge you. You seem to forget that we are ALL in the shooting sports here and each one of us deserves equal respect. I'm just not going to let these posts go by without responding anymore.

Nothing wrong with Lee, but I do agree with Marshal. I use a Dillon 550B progressive and I love it ! If you want to pump out some rounds once you get going, I would recommend the 550B at under $400 bucks.

Marshall - "You know, I can agree with most of what you said until you start sterotyping those who do not choose to buy Lee."

My opinon was directed to the reasons so many sneer at Lee, not at those who choose other equipment for valid reasons. Only a little of my tools are Lee but they serve me well because they were chosen for a reason and I use them correctly. But, while you are right that no broad brush can cover all cases, one can easily cover the predominate cases. My suggestions to those who would purchase Lee tools is more of a defense of them than Lee, per se, in the hope they will ignore the mindless nay-sayers.

Would you argue that those who loudly proclaim that "Lee is junk/crap", "you only get what you pay for", "Lee is made to looser tolerances", "wait until you can afford good equipment", etc. are not indeed sneering at both Lee tools and, by implication, those who buy it? Fact is, my Lee tools work very well if properly used.

While I would agree that there are various tools made by others that I find superior to Lee for specific tasks that does not mean the Lee tools as a group don't work as intended and do so at a significant cost savings to the new comer. Few new comers would get into reloading if they had to wait until they could afford the tools I use so I don't suggest they buy what's on my bench - they couldn't use much of it effecively anyway until they gain a LOT of experiece so why should I foster my tastes on them?

My defense of Lee is based on fact, not opinion based on how pretty things are. Most makers have some uniquely designed tools that serve me much better than any others but NO brand has a lock on either quality or features that lead me to condem other brands as inferior. That respect for brands is not often reciprocated.

I do read a LOT of negative comments about Lee things getting broken but that's not happened to me so I'm left to assume the owners were using the tool improperly. Maybe I'm wrong but I just can't understand how some people have broken two or even three Lee presses, etc, unless they misuse them.

I also read a LOT about people using RCBS's or Dillion's customer service to replace things they have bent or broken, so again I have to wonder how mechanically competent a loader could be to do so much damage to their equipment. Maybe I'm wrong but I simply can't believe those people are very sensitive to their tools and their use.

My recommendation to Gator was in anticipation of the usual put-downs on beginners going the Lee route. Or would you also disagree that's a common reaction to all things Lee?

I have been reloading for many years,so most of my equipment is RCBS.
The Lee crimp dies are,in my opinion,the best buy.
The Lee line of equipment is reliable,and does produce first class ammo.
It is my best choice for a beginner.Some reloaders never change from it to a more expensive make.
Frank

Here's my bench. Most of it is Lee, but there's a mix from 45 years of use. I recommend you get the Anniversery kit to start and lee makes fine dies, especially the deluxe die set that comes with both the full length sizer and the collet neck sizer.

Here's my two little Lee shotgun loaders, a 12 and a 20 gauge set up on a turntable. Just loosen the wing nut to swing it around to the gauge you want to load and one bolt and the whole thing goes under the reloading bench to give me bench space for bullet casting.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Reloading/shotgunloaderturntable.jpg

My powder measures are put on upside down brackets to make bench space and all the Lee trimmers and shell holders are on a metal bracket mounted on the powder measure brackets to make storage and access easy. This also puts the powder measures up where their easy to see and operate.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Reloading/Shopanddog-34.jpg

Here's another view of the homemade bracket the measures are mounted on, thank god for a welder.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Reloading/ReloadingbenchRemodel-35.jpg

Here's a bracket that holds the powder scale at eye level with a trickler in it's own pipe ring welded on so it can't be knocked off.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Reloading/LeeSafetyscaleoncustomholder.jpg

I've got two Lee presses, an old Turret press and a single stage and they both get lots of use. Here's the bench after my grand daughter and I remodeled it. Notice how much bench space is freed up by getting the powder measures and scale up off the bench.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Reloading/ReloadingbenchRemodel-40.jpg

Here's my grand baby prepping cases on my hunting partners RCBS Case Prep center.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Reloading/Robinpreppingcases.jpg

Here's the RCBS electronic scale and powder dispenser, it's very accurate.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Reloading/RCBSdispandscale.jpg

Here's my casting setup, It's all Lee and I run two molds at the same time. This was before the remodel, notice how cluttered the bench is with powder measures.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Reloading/Castingbench.jpg

HG- I have been reloading for about 25 years or so, & currently load a dozen different cartridges. I started with a Lee kit, & still use the original aluminum press. Most of my dies are Lee or RCBS, with some Redding also. I have equipment from all the major players, & have found almost all of it to to be satisfactory. Certain products do seem to stand out better than others; at least for me, They include the Lee crimping dies, which are not case length sensitive; Hornady One Shot, which is less sticky than many other case lubes; & Lee case length trimmers, which are absolutely idiot-proof.

I began with Lee dies because they were less money, & included the shell holder ( others make big profits selling it to you seperately for 4 or 5 dollars ).

It is a wonderful hobby, & it will cause you to shoot more often; as, you will want to test your own recipes,

Those who sneer at Lee come from one of two camps.
IMO, I don't know how anyone can make such a general statement that "those who sneer at Lee come from one of two camps". Only TWO camps? If that isn't sterotype, then what is it? Also, "Others with more money than mechanical aptitude". . . are you including yourself in this catagory inasmuch as you've made mention that most beginning reloaders couldn't afford your equipment so you don't even recommend it? Aren't you underestimating the financial resources of the posters and being condesending at the same time? I have no problem with you or anyone else recommending Lee products and far be it that anyone here should sneer at a fellow reloader's equipment. But while you're recommending Lee products would you mind not inferring that some of us who did not go the "Lee" way are somehow sneering? Far better for all of us that we behave as "uniters" rather than "dividers".

Marshal, you are forcing words into my mouth that I didn't say and that ain't sanitary. I would ask that you note I spoke of those who do in fact sneer at Lee gear but I never implied that ALL of those who don't use it are sneerers. I'm sure many are not and they likely buy by the same criteria as I, by features and value. That's fine, but informed choices should come from experience, not by the color of the boxes.

I wonder, just what would YOU suspect is the reason so many posters complain of bending/breaking reloading gear and needing warrenty parts, no matter the brand? Surely you wouldn't suggest they are mechanical whizzes.

It seems clear to me that anyone considering the Anniversary Kit has some concern for the price of entering reloading. That isn't judgemental, it is a simple recognition of a fact. I don't want to hinder them by condeming inexpensive equipment out of hand, that isn't true, it isn't fair to the beginner and it isn't intellectually honest for fans of other brands to do so without specific explainations and that's a rare happening.

My equipment isn't really expensive, it just costs more than neccessary to get wet feet but why recommend a beginner purchase a Rockchucker instead of a Bonanza Coax, or a Dillon rather than a Lee progressive if the writer really wants to suggest top of the line tools for a struggling and uncertain beginner? Personally, I thinks that would be counter productive to our activity, that's why I strive to defend the intelligence of those who are considering starting small but if you think that's a mistake on my part, so be it.

Not only are the negitive comments about Lee not honest, it fosters an elitist attitude that simply isn't helpful to our community. I'd rather see us united in encouraging new people to get started anyway they feel comfortable with, not by encouraging them to follow my - or your - footsteps, after some 40 + years of loading with all brands of equipment.

Finally, it is my belief that the "dividers" are those who condemn Lee equipment without explaning just what makes it "junk", etc, while you wish to object to MY blanket and broad brush condemnations!??

YOU know what guy's I own prudy much all colors and only one mold from lee bad they made it right, one die RCBS bad they made it right.The one thing is lee gets the job done and cost. Now as far as one group PICKING on the other group!

THICKIN YOUR SKIN BOY'S DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO CALL !!!

( REV. AL )

OK guys calm down a bit. Lets get this new guy some help rather than getting angry at each other. Between now and next week this time my little Lee presses are going to cycle thru about 3000 cartridges. Lets see there's 745 220 Swifts, 5 or 600 204 Rugers, a thousand 38 specials, a thousand 40 S&W's and about 400 41 mag cases to be stuffed. Sure wish I had Huge Gator here to break in loading, I could use the help.

[QUOTE=ranger335v;322036]
My equipment isn't really expensive, it just costs more than neccessary to get wet feet but why recommend a beginner purchase a Rockchucker instead of a Bonanza Coax, or a Dillon rather than a Lee progressive if the writer really wants to suggest top of the line tools for a struggling and uncertain beginner?



I recommended the Dillon progressive because I have experience with it, and it has been a great purchase for me. It's what I started out with, under the tutelage of my father-in-law, so I did have an experienced voice guiding me through the processes, but it is still simple to learn (though hard to master . . .so many loads so little time to test 'em all).

Fortunately, I am not one of the "ham handed" types who has a lot of experience with Dillon's customer service, but it IS legendary, and if anything ever does happen I won't have to worry about it.


Anyway, I hope that answers your question, or at least why I recommended the Dillon.

Steward - "I recommended the Dillon progressive because I have experience with it, and it has been a great purchase for me."

I understand and appreciate your position. You stated it respectfuly, clearly and by experience, without condemnation of any other brand. That's honest. I use a Rockchucker but know it is vastly over built and over priced - for most reloading needs - so I don't recommend it to beginners. Especially since Lee started making their Classic Cast iron press which is superior to mine in almost every way! :)

My objection, written without anger but with disapointment, was to the elitist put-downs I see so often, and without justification, of Lee tools. If I have offended anyone by defending both Lee and those who use that equipment, for what ever reason, I'm sorry but my opinon of what's right to say about it doesn't change.

And, hey, fellow, we are almost neighbors, I'm just south of Asheville!

Hello, Huge Gator. I am familiar with the Lee Anniversary kit because my younger brother bought it to start reloading several years ago. It is a very prudent choice, IMO, for the beginner because it does have all the basic necessities (except the dies themselves, as you mention) and works well. You asked about load data. If you purchase Lee dies, most of them come with load data specific to the cartridge they work with. The RGB dies are the exception that don't have the shellholder, load info, nor powder dipper. I have 3 Lee presses myself; a Pro 1000, a Challenger, and a Hand Press. The Lee kit I bought was a Pro 1000 kit, and I was and am happy with that selection. My brother's purchase of his Lee anniversary kit was partly because of experience with my kit.

I've had an RCBS press and dies as well, and they were excellent tools. I sold them long ago due to financial pressures at the time and also frustration. Basically I had bought a few things to start reloading at the recommendation of a shop I didn't know and who, I found out, didn't give me the kind of input that was very helpful to me as a beginner. Most new reloading tools I buy are Lee these days because they offer me a price point I need. In any event, my brother and I were and still are happy with the Lee kits we bought. Have fun!

OK guys calm down a bit.
Not a problem, Bob. Ranger and I are just voicing our opinions on the subject of "sneering" at anyone's choice of equipment or by anyone. IMO, the subject should not be tolerated here and is closed. Here's my hand on that Ranger.

Well said, we understand each other. Have a good weekend.

I looked at all the starter kits, but none of them had all of what I wanted and can't see throwing things away. I started with a RCBS partner press ($50) an RCBS 505 scale ($60) RCBS Hand primer ($35) and a RCBS Uniflow powder measure ($60). I bought a couple of manuals, and RCBS dies, and I was off, I didn't even own calipers or trim or prep cases for a long time.

You will find things you don't like or really like about every brand, I've used Lee and Dillon, and don't really care for them at all. I believe Redding builds some of the nicest dies in the business, and Lyman and Hornady both make great presses as well. The good news is that a lot of things are interchangeable. Keep in mind that reloading is dangerously addictive.

Thanks guys, I sure appreciate you all and your opinions. The way my arm feels after cycling that press all day I sure wish Huge Gator was here to run that press handle up and down.

Got all 785 swift cases sized and 500 of the 40 S&W's and 500 of the 38 Specials sized. I'm going to rub some horse liniment on my arm and shoulder and take an extra pain pill tonight before bedtime. There are times when one of those Dillons would sure be handy.

. . . There are times when one of those Dillons would sure be handy.
Bet it would have been a good feeling knowing that everytime you had cranked down on that press handle, a loaded round was produced. With those BIG runs, a progressive really shines!

Aman to that Marshal. A Dillon is out of my price range, but if I do more shooting with the handguns this summer one of the little Lee 1000 models could find a place on my bench. Lee's sells returned repaired one's at a discount from their factory. and for under a hundred and a half from Midway I'm thinking hard that one sure could fit on my extra bench space. I end up loading 38/357, 40 S&W, 41 mag, 44 mag, 45 ACP and 45 long colt. Mostly 38's and the 40 S&W's.

faucettb - "The way my arm feels after cycling that press all day I sure wish Huge Gator was here to run that press handle up and down. "

YOU are one of those guys who NEEDS a progressive! :)

Thanks to all!

Faucettb,

I admire your loading set up-since I use my benches for a lot of stock refinishing, I will need a similar set up to keep space open. Also, helping someone reload would be great experiance for anyone "just getting there feet wet".

I ordered the Lee Anniversary Kit, and will obtain it Tuesday. Keep the lines open guys.

Thanks Again for all the help everyone.

HG

Huge I've been stuffing shells since around 1962 and started with one of the little original Lee loaders in 357 magnum. I pounded shells in and out of that loader on an old tamarack stump for a year before I got my first press, boy was I proud of that new press. I was shooting a 308 Norma Mag for my big game rifle and both the 222 for benchrest competition and a 22-250 for a varmint rifle.

Over the ensuing years I've loaded and shot thousands and thousands of rounds and can't even imagine what it would have cost to shoot factory ammo.

I'm really pleased with the Lee equipment on my bench, I bought into it several years ago when I found myself down in Arizona working for a trucking company living in a camper and wanted to do some coyote hunting. All my "nice stuff" was stored up in Idaho and I thought what the heck for $70 bucks I'll get one of the Lee anniversery kits. It should last til I can get back home to the real reloading stuff. Gosh here it is years and years later and my Rockchucker went in a yard sale six years ago.

There's still a mix of equipment on the bench, but those little Lee presses are running strong and other than the need to add a progressive press to the mix for handguns I just crunch along. Usually I load a bunch in the winter and shoot all spring before I need to spend a week or so loading again. I'm on the way out to the shop to stuff 500 220 Swift cases with powder and bullets. Last evening I sat and watched TV and primed them with the little Lee auto-prime, what a great tool.

Here's my grand babies making ammo. They both have one goal in mind and that's outshooting old grandpa.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Reloading/RobinKathy.jpg

Here's one working the dickens out of the little Lee single station press.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Reloading/Kathyreloading.jpg

Their both careful knowledgeable reloaders and have all the basics well learned. We've been out several times this winter calling coyotes and they just really like shooting. There's not many boys in the 4H shooting program their in that can outshoot them. Oh and the hat says "Worlds greatest Grandpa".

Bob,

Once again, nice set-up.

Seeing your G-Kids loading reminds me that I have a Rem 660 in .243 that my daughter shoots, but her interest has waned(teenager!) Maybe if I can get her interested in making her own ammo, it might rekindle the fire. At least it will be cheaper to shoot, as the 660 only likes Federal Premium at $40 a box.

I plan on doing a lot of reading before anything else, and I am sure more questions will arise.

HG

Gator:
If I were going to buy a Lee, I would buy their Turret Press (or someone elses Turret Press).

The reason why I say this is that you can still operate as if it were a single stage press by removing the auto index bar. In this way you can get familier with reloading and when your comfortable with what you are doing, you can graduate up to the full turret press features.

Thats what I did and it worked out fine.

I'm sure other manufactureres make turret press that can operate as a single stage press, so you may consider something other than a Lee. Best of luck on a new hobby/pastime.

I have been reloading for about 5 and a half years now and I only use Lee presses. I must admit it did take a little while to figure out how to use them properly. I recently was considering buying a dillon press but could not justify the cost which I think are to high. I decided that I did not need the dillon as my lee presses work fine. It means I won't be producing 400 rounds an hour and I think thats fine. I would tell any newbie to buy lee as it has helped me to slow the process of reloading down so I do not make mistakes. Thats what I would instill in any one just starting slow down and learn how to prevent mistakes. I think we all have some mistake we wish we could take back. Anyway buy the kit and do some research ask lots of questions and be safe.

I’ll have to chime in here. I posted on another topic on this forum about the Lee in line bullet seater. There were people that jumped in and started to bash people that talked bad about Lee. My post never talked about people that bashed Lee. I think that some on this board jump on people for bad mouthing Lee when it is them that are just being defensive. I use what works and I like some of Lee’s products and some of RCBS and some of Redding I think Huge should get this kit.

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30-30 Man
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30-30 man over 45 years of reloading has had a bunch of equipment on my bench, Most of it's Lee now and I always recommend the Lee starter kit to new reloaders. For a hundred bucks plus some dies a fella is set up to reload. Later on he can always buy more expensive equipment if he wants, though I haven't found any equipment upgrade loads any more accurate ammo. Sometimes It just makes a fella feel better if he has more expensive equipment. I call it the Cadillac syndrome.

There's lots of good reloading equipment on the market, but the only real difference I can see from my usage is the price. Same with rifles, lots of folks like the Savage, but I find them ugly as sin and like Remingtons even though most out of the box Savages's seem to be very accurate, of course some folks like Rugers.

I sat down yesterday and loaded a total of 350 220 Swifts cases and 40 30-06 cases on the little Lee single station press and felt very good about it. My buddy with the 06 is going down to Northern California in a couple of weeks on a guided hog hunt.

Last year he took his dad, but his dad had hip replacement surgery and is sidelined this spring. I've got a pile of varmint cartridges to load, a total of 775 swifts, 1000 204 Rugers and some 223's before I'm done. With the way it's warming the ground squirrels and rock chucks will be popping out soon.

Cadillac syndrome? Tell me, what is the cure? Oh look at the time. Time to go out with my favorite guys at the opera tonight. Niles and Frasier Crain<O:p</O:p
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30-30 Man

I've been using the Lee Anniversary Kit since Feb '06 with much success for about 3000 total rounds. Only problem I've had, I caused. I wasn't properly lubing my .444 cases, so I stuck one really good. Even though I'm confident Lee would remove that case if I sent them the die, I refuse to. I'll find a way to get the case out of it myself so I can learn from my mistake. I've tried Lee's recommended way and using a fender washer screwed into the primer pocket while the die was mounted on the press without success.

I do note that the power measure appears to be influenced by the relative humidity. I don't see this as a defect. I see this as this tool having its special requirements just like many other tools. for example, I get better results, for me, YMMV, using certain screws for my screwgun than I do with other brands.

Ranger335b
Thanks for the awesome info. I wouldn't waste your time defending anything you said about the two camps and all that. I understand the point you were making and that's what's important. I don't think you stereotyped anyone and I don't think more or less of anyone who loves or hates Lee equipment. This thread is about the Lee equipment, not the people using or not using them. Again thanks for the info, it has helped me a bunch. Can't help there are overly sensitive people out there who get their feeling hurt about everything.

OK, now that I've got that out of the way I do have some questions regarding the Lee Anniversary kit. I plan to buy this kit. I'm new to loading rifle/pistol ammo and I'm not sure what else I would need that is not in the kit. I only own one centerfire gun (223 Rem) so that's all I plan to load for. I know I will need Dies, but even then there are multiple kinds. What about a case trimmer and/or a deburring chamfer tool or something like that? I plan to get a reloading manual and read it all before I start but I want to try and work up a budget and determine what I will need to buy.

Thanks

Ranger-

I've been reloading for about 25 years. I started with an earlier version of today's Lee kit, & it's still in use. Over the years, I've added equipment from all the majors, but most of my bench remains Lee.

I don't have a picture of the current kit offering in front of me, so some of what I list as useful may already be included.

You will need a both chamfer & primer pocket tools. Lee's are low priced & do the job. A spray can of case lube. I use One Shot. It;s fast & allows me to get a little inside the neck while doing the outsides. I use Lee case length gauges & trimmer whenever possible. Some guys complain that they remove too much material, but I've never had a problem with them. Please note that my loads are for hunting & practice. I do not seek to maximize every step in the process for precise target shooting. I have added Lee Crimping Dies to virtually all my die sets. At about $9each, they are a bargain.

As you move along, you'll surely add other items. A universal decapping die allows you to get rid of spent primers from many different cases at one sitting. A dial caliper is useful in setting overall cartridge length. a primer tray will arrange them all facing the same direction, which greatly facillitates the reprime process.

Then there are generic items. fine steel wool & perhaps Brasso for case cleaning. A beaker to hold the powder being used. A small plastic spoon to act as a powder trickler. The list goes on as you develop your own procedures & habit structure. Reloading is an enjoyable hobby all its own, it certainly aids the overall shooting experience. Good luck & good reloading.