Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Canada Some Lee Loader fun

It's probably the difference between someone who is driven to improve everyone's lives versus someone who is driven to improve his personal bottom line.

I'm gonna start a new thread on this soon with pics. Unless someone here wants to beat me to it. The Lee Loader is just too good.

I get a kick out of you tube and the fabulous one inch groups. A Lee loader was doing that for me in the mid 1970s. I knew nothing and still got good groups with the Lee loader.
Stone broke with about 100 pieces of 22-250 brass going prairie dog hunting. Lee loader in the hotel room at night in Brodus Montana. Reload and shoot the next day. It was a blast! Edk

Go for it! Maybe encourage people to post pictures of how well their ammunitio shoots. Hunting or target.

I have a Lee Loader set for 7x57 made in the early 70's. I use it all the time. Sometimes I use my Lee dippers and sometimes I use my mini digital scale. The Lee dippers give some very precise powder measurements, and I have full confidence in them if I had to load in the field.

Great thread. I got my start in the mid 80s using a Lee Loader for my Remington 700 30/06. Shot a few deer with 150gr Hornady Interlocks. As with most people, I progressed with more and "better" equipment. For kicks I compared the powder measure volume amounts on a scale to see how accurate they were, just as Steve did at the top of this thread. Very close once you knew how to consistently "scoop". I learned to dip the scoop backwards and let the powder into flow in over the top. Oh and by the way the loads with the Lee loader may have been a tad more accurate than full length sized cases as I recall. My only complaint was the occasional primer fire. Like others, I would suggest using a different primer method.

I had 1 primer fire fairly recently and it caught me off guard. No matter, I loaded a bullet with no powder and created a dummy round.

Dummy rounds make short work of setting up seating dies - regardless of maker.

I will have to check with Lee and see if they have an updated chart that lists the new powders. In the meantime, I use the latest burn rate chart and find a powder immediately above or below the powder I want to use and look on the Lee chart for the appropriate scoop.

For example, Win StaBall Match is a new powder, and is listed immediately above Win 748 on the latest powder burn rate chart. If 40 grains of StaBall Match powder was recommended for a load, I would use the Win 748 scoop closest to 40 grains. I scoop and weigh it level filled with StaBall to make sure that it is not throwing too high. I want the scoop to throw less StaBall than the recommended charge. In my example, 40 grains.

The chart says that a 2.5cc scoop will throw approx. 38.1 grains of 748. I weigh one 2.5 cc scoop, filled with StaBall. A level scoop and trickle charge the rest. This method has not failed me yet.

That is exactly what I do when I want super consistency. I just bought a brand new powder measure kit as I wanted to work with Varget. The Lee 2.8 cc scoop equates to a ~38.3 grain charge, which makes for a nice mild and accurate 7x57 load under a 162 grain ELD match bullet. ~2500 fps. If I want more, I use the trickle charger to top-up. I found that 41 grains of Varget gives me optimal accuracy in my 7x57 and decent velocity at around 2650 fps.

The dipper system doesn't get the recognition it deserves, I think. It's not something people would use for high volume reloading, but for 5 or 10 cartridges, it is a good way to get them assembled quickly.

One of the things that is available at the Lee site is an instruction list for all their equipment. It includes a page for dipper capacities, listed by powder type.

I have emailed asking if they plan to make an updated cardboard powder list available (the slider in the powder measure kit). I am waiting for the reply, but I think they will say to check with the link they provided on the Lee Precision site.

This first link is to all Lee equipment instructions - https://leeprecision.com/instructions

This second link is for dipper capacities by powder type. - https://leeprecision.com/files/instruct/Dippers.pdf

This link is for a downloadable PDF version of the Lee 2023 catalog. - https://leeprecision.com/files/instruct/90495_2023_compressed.pdf



The dipper charts have all the capacities listed across the top and the powders down the left side. You locate the powder you are using and look across to find the approximate amount of powder in grains that you need. Look at the top of the chart and it will tell you which dipper you need.

This chart would be easier for Lee to keep current.

Steve, thanks for your posts. When I get time I'll put some up. We know Canada has a terrible government(ours is close now), but most people there are great. I'd like to visit and hunt there one day. I got close once, at Niagara Falls.

You're very welcome.

I got an answer back from Lee about the sleeves. Brenda was nice enough to include the part no. and link. I think it would be a good idea to keep the link for the dipper capacities by powder type as well. - https://leeprecision.com/files/instruct/Dippers.pdf

Brenda at Lee Precision, Inc.
Staff - 07/17/2023 1:27 pm

Steve,

The replacement sleeve is available. It was last updated in May of 2019. The part number is PM1396 and is available to order at this link: https://leeprecision.com/sleeve-slide-card

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Brenda
Customer Service

I do all my reloading with Lee Loaders. I have a press but haven't used it in 15 years. Whether I have 20 rounds to load or 200 I use a Lee Loader

Easy peasy!

20ga, 1966 dipper set,and 30-30 set, great with cast load's.

My apologies for not getting back to you. I was away for a long weekend.

I have a 20 Ga Lee Loader, but haven't used it in years. I got it from an older shooter who was cleaning out his reloading room. I accepted it gratefully, but didn't use it much because I was buying 20 gr ammunition in boxes of either 250 or 500 for less than what I could reload them for. Still, I tried it with No 6 shot he gave me to try. I loaded it into some old Canadian Tire hulls. It worked great on grouse.

I just loaded two boxes of 30-06 with my Lee Loader yesterday

Is the ammunition destined for hunting?

Yes. 55 grains H4350 and a 180 grain Interlock