I've been out of reloading since the 80"s but am putting together an order to get back into it.I'm going with the Lee Load All II for shotgun. I had one before and liked it.I'm having trouble deciding on what rifle (30-06) press I want. I'm looking at the Lee Breechlock,Lee Classic Cast, and Redding Boss.I would appreciate any advice, comparisons, or pro and cons on these presses.Thanks.

I've been out of reloading since the 80"s but am putting together an order to get back into it.I'm going with the Lee Load All II for shotgun. I had one before and liked it.I'm having trouble deciding on what rifle (30-06) press I want. I'm looking at the Lee Breechlock,Lee Classic Cast, and Redding Boss.I would appreciate any advice, comparisons, or pro and cons on these presses.Thanks.

All 3 would serve you well but I recently got my brother started in reloading and he got the Lee Breechlock. You can't go wrong with Lee and this press is a shinning example. It's built well and the Breech Lock feature is a real bonus

Lee's Classic Cast has several features that make it a better choice: 1. Excellent primer disposal 2. Their Safety Prime System allows for quick reloading of primers on the press without messing with the primers. 3. The lee press now has compound linkage. 4.Takes up minimal space. 4. The Lee is tall enough and strong enough to handle 50 BMG if ya can afford to do that! 6. The operating handle can be adjusted to your personal liking when using the press. 7. I don't own a Redding but I hear it's now made in China and they like the extra $$ it cost!:rolleyes:

for the money, you cannot go wrong with the Lee Classic Cast......less than the rest, and very good quality for the $$$

check here :

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=LEE90998

I'm a Lee guy and have a single stage PRE-Breechlock and the Turret Press. I wish the Breechlock was available when I got mine as the dies are locked into a quick change ring so you set them up once. If I were to buy today I would get the Classic Turret and the Classic Cast or the Breechlock. The Classic Cast sure looks nice and I would have bought it and the Classic Turret if they were available when I started. I like having both a Turret and a single stage. This is not a brand war thing as any of the other presses will work just fine, I just like Lee Precision and their pricing is the best value for the $$$. I honestly believe that even if Lee were the only manufacturer of reloading equipment they would still keep their prices low. They just have a very good made in U.S.A. - family values - good product - best price - non-corporate attitude.

Lee is excellent equipment. I recently bought the new Hornady Lock and Load single stage press because of their bullet giveaway. When you buy their press, they will send you 500 bullets free. If you are going to be buying a bunch of bullets shortly, it may pay you to look at this deal.

Thanks for the replies.One of my concerns about the Breechlock Challenger was the bushings locking in tight.Another was I had read some reviews that sait it was "springy".Looks like it's ok after all. If was going to load bunches of ammo it might be different but for what I'll do it will probably be fine.

I ordered wednesday from Midway.I went with the Lee Breechlock Challenger and the Lee Load All II. I had a Load All years ago and it worked great.I decided on the Challenger for rifle reloading. For what I will do it should be fine.If I understand right, it now has the same steel linkage as the Classic Cast. That should do away with the linkage breaking issue. I'm looking forward to reloading again. Thanks for everybodies help!

I ordered wednesday from Midway.I went with the Lee Breechlock Challenger and the Lee Load All II. I had a Load All years ago and it worked great.I decided on the Challenger for rifle reloading. For what I will do it should be fine.If I understand right, it now has the same steel linkage as the Classic Cast. That should do away with the linkage breaking issue. I'm looking forward to reloading again. Thanks for everybodies help!

It has steel linkage but it isn't the same as the massive linkage the classic cast has but you don't need a press like the classic cast cast to reload ammo anyway. I have been wanting a breech lock to load my rifle ammo with and reserve my classic for swaging.

daboone - I believe you hae confused Redding with RCBS with your made in China comment.

"I don't own a Redding but I hear it's now made in China and they like the extra $$ it cost!:rolleyes:"

Flashhole is correct, that's RCBS.<!-- / message -->

OldReloader,
Like you, I owned the old Lee Loadall in the late seventies. I owned two of them in fact. They're not cast iron and they squeek and groan, but they CANNOT be beat for the price. Having used my uncle's multi-stage (Redding or Hornady, I believe), I have to admit the Lee beats it hands-down IF price is a concern and you're not reloading for the Vandalia.....if that were my situation, I would certainly have a heavier-duty press.

Like others said, I appreciate Lee's made-in-America attitude and their adherence to a solid product for a fair price. Oh how easy it would be for them to boost their prices way high to just under competition prices....but they don;t.

I own the Lee Breechlock. I've said before, if I had to do it all over again I'd get the Classic Cast, and will get one probably later this year. BUT! There isn;t anything wrong with the Breechlock. I have yet to stick a die and adapter bushing in the press and it is NOT springy. You'll be happy with it I'm sure.

The only way I can see the die adapter bushing getting stuck in the press is if you tighten it IN with a wrench. I leave my full-length resizer in the press when I have to loosen the expander collet (just had to do it tonight when I pulled the expander out of the collet when resizng a steel-cased .270 to 25-06). I put a large crescent on the die body and a small crescent on the expander collet, then loosen, But I make sure I don;t inadvertantly tighten the adapter into the press. Make sure when you install the adapter bushing that you tighten it finger tight against the large nut on the die. Put some goodly strong pressure on it but only finger pressure. The large O-ring will make sure the die does not change position.

You might think about ordering a couple of extra sets of adapter bushings so all your dies have one installed on them. Kempfgunshop.com sells them in a two-pack for about $8.

If the shell holder contacts the die during resizing, there will not be enough "spring" to change the finished product. I love Lee products, especially the presses- if my loading area where better climate controlled my go to press would still be a Lee Classic Turret. But, I've had 3 Lee press rams that continue(d) to rust- even well oiled, where my older RCBS presses do not. I still use Lee dies exclusively, but store them in the house A/C. One night in the garage that's A/C but not humidity free, and they'll likely rust.

Just my experiences with Lee products. Great design, great folks, great value, but not so sure about the metallurgy in less than stellar climates.

thanks for the share! i will be keeping this one for referral

If the shell holder contacts the die during resizing, there will not be enough "spring" to change the finished product. .

plstrns - Your assertion here is - this is a good thing? If yes, I agree. I have presses that cam over but have found in many instances I get better sizing results if I limit my ram travel to stop when it contacts the base of the sizing die.

"for the money, you cannot go wrong with the Lee Classic Cast......less than the rest, and very good quality for the $$$"

A friend has a Classic Cast. Actually, it is very good quality press period, no matter the $$$. More massive and strong and it has the most helpful user features of any. I know of none in its class that are better.

I have an RC II, a Lyman turret and two small Lee's. Keep them all clean and lightly oiled and have NEVER had any serious problem with any of them rusting. I live in the humid Southeast, my loading "room" is in a non-AC or heated garage.

plstrns - Your assertion here is - this is a good thing? If yes, I agree. I have presses that cam over but have found in many instances I get better sizing results if I limit my ram travel to stop when it contacts the base of the sizing die.

I prefer the same. But understand press flex can be an issue when sizing with no ram- die contact or too much due to cam over.

I have a manual RCBS 4x4 press that I set up with a Lee dead length seating die in hole 4 deep enough to prevent cam over and provide a solid ram stop during sizing. In hole 1 I adjust my Lee "body" die to just bump the shoulder. When loading 264, I also have a Innovative collet die in hole 2.

Cases are tumbled after sizing

The seating die stays there, the sizing die is replaced with a Lee collet neck die, and a Universal charging die body with just the rifle powder bushing, and funnel adapter from a pistol die set is installed in hole 3 with a funnel on top. Powdered by Chargemaster combo.

The end result is 2 or 3 sizing operations, priming, powder charging, and bullet seating with the cartridge only being removed once for tumbling and trimming, and 2 pulls of the press handle. Sorry, more info than needed:o

Lee body die explained; I use a 270 win. FL die with the expander removed for my 25-06, and a 7RM for my 264WM.:)