Lee Loader ???

The arbor press I used occasionally with my Lee Loaders is this one; http://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-a...ress-3552.html If a step is too "tall" to fit in the press, I just turn the slotted table until a slot/gap is under the ram, and get 4" more depth...
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I went to Harbor Freight last night with my LL to see if it would fit but they didn't have one on display. Measured with the die and the priming cup and the rod and got 6 1/4" before tapping the primer in. Good call, thanks!
 
I'm sure you're going to learn what many of us already know. Buy the best press that fits your needs and let the Lee Loader become a survival or novelty tool.

But hey you're learning how Lee helped people get into the reloading game. That video of old man Lee cranking out pistol cartridges left and right shows that in the right hand they are great tools.
 
I didn't buy the HF arbor press just to use with a Lee Loader, that would be kinda silly. To reloade quietly, of course a single stage or hand press would work better (if I were going to recommend a hand/portable press, I might recommend this one http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?311889-Video ). I do other stuff around the shop where an arbor press comes in handy. Someone mentioned an arbor press to the OP so I shared what works well for me. I'm even looking at some Sinclair/Wilson dies to use with my "El Cheapo" press, mainly just for fun...:D
 
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The HF 1 Ton Arbor press works great with the Lee Loader. The MSRP is $59 but I used a 20% off coupon which made it about $50 out the door. It's faster and easier than using a hammer.
It's not perfect and needs some tinkering to make it work better.
 
Ok just curious do you also have another reason for having an arbor besides having extra tools are great. I probably only need to use one every other year and I work on a lot of motorcycles and other things.
 
To reloade quietly, of course a single stage or hand press would work better
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If my interest in reloading increases, I'll want better equipment than I can afford now. The arbor is a significant improvement for the time being, using what I already have (the Lee Loader and my dining room table).
With the yard sale season almost here, I might find what I need for pennies on the dollar.
 
Bughunt, I second the recommendation for the Lee Hand Press. It is quiet, you can do a full-length resize with it, and it is portable. Everything I need (other than components) to reload 5 sizes of ammo including dies, hand press, calipers, balance scale, etc. fits into a large tool box with room to spare.
 
I'd recommend not just one hand press, but two or three, and just leave the dies in them, rather than changing them out.

They'll fit in a shoebox, and are super portable. Great for load development at the the range.
 
The quick breech lock system on the new handpress makes changing them out a lot easier without have to adjust the dies all the time.
 
But blind, they are like 30 bucks ..... last forever, and if you have a couple of kids, you can set up an assembly line around a picnic table at a camp ground.....
 
Ok just curious do you also have another reason for having an arbor besides having extra tools are great. I probably only need to use one every other year and I work on a lot of motorcycles and other things.
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I don't know what kind of bikes you work on, but have you ever had to install a bearing in a case, alternator frame, etc. without an arbor press. It can be done, but it can be a real problem too (I've used a hammer and chunk of wood to drive one into place, but if it gets started crooked, big trouble can result). I was working on a "custom" cover for a BBQ and used my arbor press to install grommets. I have used my arbor press as a clamp, sorta, to hold two pieces of wood together while gluing (I put a weight on the handle, set the piece in the press and adjusted the height so that the ram was pressing on the piece with the lever at right angles to the floor and and it applied pressure, holding the piece in place.). It's not a tool I use daily, but when you need one, you need one, imagination is an asset to any shop need. I'm a life long machinist/mechanic that spent the last 25 years of my career working on Heavy Duty Construction Equipment and also a confirmed tool nut.
 
But blind, they are like 30 bucks ..... last forever, and if you have a couple of kids, you can set up an assembly line around a picnic table at a camp ground.....
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Sounds like child labor to me. I guess it's ok if you already have the kids but it would probably be costly for me to rent a few.

have you ever had to install a bearing in a case, alternator frame, etc. without an arbor press. It can be done, but it can be a real problem too (I've used a hammer and chunk of wood to drive one into place, but if it gets started crooked, big trouble can result).
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And that's why I have a friend with an arbor press. But I use it so little that it isn't worth me buying one.
 
and if you have a couple of kids, you can set up an assembly line around a picnic table at a camp ground.....
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When I'm in the outdoors the last thing I'd want to do is reload ammo. I mostly fish and camp. Not a hunter. Though there's nothing wrong with that.:D
 
When I'm in the outdoors the last thing I'd want to do is reload ammo.
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If you have enough kids, all you really have to do is supervise ....

Sounds like child labor to me.
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We have a slightly different version of the "Little Red Hen Story" told at the campground ...... :D They want to shoot the bullets, then they better help load them!

I guess it's ok if you already have the kids but it would probably be costly for me to rent a few.
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They are really not that hard to make once you figure it out :D

....but nieces and nephews, and even my cousin's kids are all more than eager to put ammo together if they got to shoot some of it.
 
My kids are in their 30's and don't go camping with me. They like staying up all night partying. I like to stay up all night and look at the sky with my telescope.
 
I mentioned the arbor press to my brother and he told me one of the top shooters at his club uses an arbor press that's mounted to the bed of his truck with a Lee Loader. He get's razzed for not having a "real" reloading press.
 
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