Just passed 2,000 rounds with my Lee hand press

S

spacecoast

New member
I've been reloading about 3 months and truly enjoy it - there's a lot of satisfaction knowing you are shooting something you made (or at least assembled) and that you are saving some $ doing it. Those 2,000+ rounds have been 42% .38 special, 24% .45 ACP, 17% .380 ACP, 13% 9mm and 5% .357 magnum. I calculate that I've saved about $500 vs. new ammo, way more than enough to pay for the hand press, tumbler and 4 sets of dies. I've only consumed 1.25 lbs of powder. Powder goes a LONG way. :)

I know 2,000 rounds is an afternoon's worth of reloading for some of you, but I like the fact that with the hand press I can store it in my desk and do a little here and there, 100 rounds before I leave for work, de-prime for an hour in front of the TV, etc. With the hand press, Lee dippers and small food-saver containers for powder, I can be up and running very quickly, and I don't have to isolate myself out in the garage, shop or utility room.

Moderator - you can move this to the Reloading area if you wish, sorry about that.
 
I've got one of those too, and while I haven't done that many rounds with it it's a convient setup for someone who doesn't have the space or want to spend the money for a more elaborate setup.

Now, back in the day, I used a simple Lee Loader set with a plastic hammer to put up thousands upon thousands of rounds of 38 wadcutters. Even less expensive and less space. :D
 
CajunBass...Now, back in the day, I used a simple Lee Loader set with a plastic hammer to put up thousands upon thousands of rounds of 38 wadcutters. Even less expensive and less space.
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Same here! Except I whittled a 2x4 into a large mallet and wrapped athletic tape around it to keep it from splintering.

I would guestimate I loaded a couple of thousand rounds in my dorm room. (of course that was back in the late '70's)

Anytime one of my customers brings up reloading on his Dillon, I have a moment of oldcodgeritis. Kinda like listening to my parents talk about walking five miles to school.....uphill....both ways....in the snow.......barefoot....:D
 
Anytime one of my customers brings up reloading on his Dillon, I have a moment of oldcodgeritis. Kinda like listening to my parents talk about walking five miles to school.....uphill....both ways....in the snow.......barefoot....
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And were GLAD to do it! :D

I had a couple of those little "Lee Loaders." One in 38/357, one in 45 acp, and one for 44 mag. I never loaded anything hot with them, but they were great for loading up 50-100 rounds to get me to the range next week.

I was shooting the 45 in an IPSC club back then and that little Lee-Loader kept my 1911 running. I don't think I ever fired a round of factory ammo in that gun except for some old surplus stuff I got when the gun was new. I scrounded brass wherever I could find it. Picked it up at the range, people gave it to me, bought it at gun shows, and so on.

I picked up a couple of extra tools that I found I needed. An auto-primer, a case-trimmer, chamfer tool, primer-pocket cleaner, and such but it would all fit into a shoe box with room left over, and it all cost about $50.00. A box of 500 round nose lead bullets, a can of powder, and primers and I was in business.
 
I still have my Lee Handloaders from the mid-70s. With a couple of Dillon Progressives on my bench, I no longer use the old equipment, but I can not bring myself to part with them.... Great memories.

Boarhunter
 
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