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With a 223 Remington Lee Loader and the scoop included in the box, I loaded up 10 cartridges. I used a plastic card to level the top of the powder scoop.



For those who have never used a Lee Loader, the principle is simple. We'll not bother talking too much about priming for this exercise. If you prime the way Richard Lee did when he created the tool, you place a primer on the priming chamber. Next, you fully seat the new case into the die, so that the base of the case is fully inside the die (flush). Then you take the die with the case in it and place it over the new primer. Slide the black priming rod into the die and tap the rod with your nylon or wooden hammer to seat the new primer. Done!



Pick a powder from the list included with your LL. For this test I used Win 748.

Using a new, primed case, dump a level scoop of powder into the case. The case is still inside the reloading die (the shiny steel tube) - third pic below.. You dump the powder into the top. The scoop is dipped into the 748 and leveled using a paper or plastic card. In this case, I used my PAL. Finally, a good use for it!!



You seat the bullet by dropping it into the top of the die. The same place where you dumped the powder. Then gently tap the bullet to seat it. Seating depth is determined by adjusting the knurled, black knob on the loading die.



I put powder in ten cases. After I was done, I weighed the powder from each case just for fun. This is what I got.

1. 24.7
2. 24.8
3. 24.4
4. 24.8
5. 24.5
6. 24.4
7. 24.5
8. 24.5
9. 24.8
10. 24.8

24.4 to 24.8 grains of powder.

Average - 24.6 grains of powder.

I ran it through the computer and it told me that the cases were approximately 89% full. Average pressure would be about 37,750 PSI. Highest pressure - 24.8 gr - 38,600 PSI. With the 55 gr. Campro bullet, shot from my rifle with a 24 inch barrel, the velocity should be about 3000 fps. Safe. With the scope adjusted so that bullets will hit about 1 inch high at 100 yards, this load has a 200 yard zero.

Certainly, 748 may not be the most accurate powder, but the list included in the box has a lot of others to try.

Excellent post. Got a Lee Loader for a .30-30 that I've been wanting to try for several years (I'll get around to it). I'd like to know what accuracy you're getting.
Bob

Great post. I love Lee Loaders. They were my first tool for rifle and pistol.

In my experience, they will sometimes beat the accuracy of other tools. The LL dies is wonderful at seating bullets straight.

To me(after sighting in with one load), its fun to use the LL to load about 8 rounds before deer season. I inspect every case and round, even look at the primer anvils. Then I shoot 2 or 3 from a field position at 50yds. to check things.
Sometimes I'll carry those 5 rds. for years. When I shoot a deer I'll go load 1 or 2 to replace it.

Yes, some people don't appreciate them. I'm glad you guys enjoyed the post.

There is something relaxing about sitting inside when it's cold or rainy outside and making up a few cartridges by hand. I think many of us have made cartridges at the range, hunt camps, during boring family picnics or while listening to the radio and taking it easy. Sometimes you don't have to go full tilt.

Good tutorial. I enjoy using the Lee Loaders and I use the Target Model Loader for the 22-250 the most. I don't hit anything with a hammer, went to an arbor press.





The Lee Loader works well at the range. I set up in the comfort of my truck.

That's it. I'm getting an arbor press. which one is the best from Sinclaire?

An arbor press is very handy. I think if you spoke to the competition crowd, they would recommend something different, but I use an inexpensive arbor press I bought through amazon. It is made by Bald Eagle. If you ever buy LE Wilson seater dies, this is the cat's ass.



Sinclair has a press here. This is just about perfect. If you google reloading arbor press, you will find others.

https://www.sinclairintl.com/reload...sses/sinclair-arbor-press-prod37764.aspx

I loaded many rounds of .243 and .223 on a Lee loader before I got a press. The most accurate .223 load I’ve shot out of my .223 is a scoop of Varget from the powder measure and a 50 grain Hornady sx sp. one hole groups if I could hold steady enough, which is not often as I’m not a precision shooter just a hunter. I used a mallet every time lol. Fun times with the lee loader!

Had two of these in the mid seventies. One for 22-250 and 270. Worked great. Probably shot better than I could then. Was nice for a broke guy. I only had limited brass but I took them with on prairie dog hunts and could reload in the evening for the next day.
The norm for both guns was 1 inch groups. Doesn’t sound that great now but back then with factory guns and plain Sierra bullets it got the job done. Thanks for the memories. Edk

Richard Lee has introduced a great many people to reloading.

Bumping this old post up.

Just wanted to mention Lee's reloading manual. It is full of great information. New reloaders should read the whole book.

I’m currently using a single stage Lee press. I Prime and trim with my press also. Currently loading 300 savage, 222 Remington, 243 Win and 300 Win mag with my Lee single stage. D

Richard Lee was a smart cookie.

For fun, I checked around to get prices on new Lee Loaders. In Canada, they are about $56. In the US, about $37. Gun shows and gun shop used equipment tables are the places to look for less expensive kits.

You have to get lucky and find a seller that doesn't know the current market prices.

A kit for a .30-06 will be the cheapest. Rare or hard to find kits can get expensive. The older ones in .30-30 hover around $100 now.

... have a Lee Loader in 45-70 bought for $9.95

I was very fortunate and found an excellent Lee loader in 375 H&H at a yard sale, $10. 😀😀

I started my reloading experience with one of these for a R77V in 25-06, in 1974 or 75. Worked fine. Took about 20 caribou over 3 years, out to over 500 yards - probably well over!. 4831 powder, 120 gr Speer bullets. MOA for 5 shots.

Not a bad deal for $19, IIRC, including shipping, at that time, living in a remote village.

That's the way to get them these days. This is from a Canadian site in Cdn dollars. About 30% more than USD.

Midway has a decent price now. even for the .30-30 Win.

I can't stress enough ,If you are reluctant to reload, try one in your favorite caliber, or your deer rifle.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012833230?pid=735723

I like the Lee hand primer system too. Also a lee loader guy, 270 beginning in 1969.

If I had a dollar for every .45 Colt round I loaded with a Lee Loader I could put a bubble over Houston and air-condition it.

I've got a decent collection. I need to start posting pics and videos. I hope all of you do the same. This is a helpful and interesting topic to people wanting to start reloading.

And by the way, I'm looking for one in .257 Roberts

Started w RCBS A2
Prefer Lyman turret.

Only Lee products I run are collet dies and ram prime.
Got a Lee Loader in 12 ga and Loadmaster in garage.
Inherited.

I have one in 32 WinSpl that I've had (and still use) for 55yrs and the rifle to go with it.

I thought this might be a good place to start. I took some once fired cases and neck resized them using three different dies - a Lee Loader, a Redding bushing neck sizer with a .246 bushing, and a standard Redding neck sizing die. I measured the inside diameters and this is what I got.

I should point out that my mic measures in millimeters, so I converted the results into inches. The results were rounded to the closest 1000th of an inch.





I also checked the cases for runout. There were no issues. It seems that the Lee Loader reduces the diameter more than the Redding standard neck sizing die - .220 vs .223. It will take more effort to seat FB bullets because the case necks will be approx. 0.004 inches smaller than the bullet.

Years ago, I read that Lee was good about doing custom work for very little if you sent one in to change something.
I once read a guy wanted a Lee loader neck sizing diameter opened up just a hair, and they did so.
Great company.

I wonder if they still do that?

I don't know. but if you call them I expect they'd be helpful

I has a primer go off years ago, that's when I switched to other equipment !!!

I had a tight primer fire in my first one, the first round I loaded. It was a .270 Win. I soon got a Lee hand primer. I would suggest everyone to prime on something else. If the primers seat easily, you'll be fine if you don't get heavy handed beating on it.

As in all reloading, safety glasses are a must.

Damm you Steve. You show a inside mic measuring necks. I don't have one that size. My old Brown & Sharp starts at 1/2". I think I might need one.

Got my first Lee Loader in 1965 (a 303) I really like them. I added a powder scale, so I could vary my loads. I still use a Lee loader from time to time, and it IS fun! GD

Loaded a lot of 38 / 357 / 45 acp back in the day. Unique was my go to powder.

I started using a Lee hand priming tool because it was faster than tapping each primer into the case. I was shooting 303s at the time and would get the necks resized, cases primed and put away in an ammo box.


Yes, using an on or off press priming tool is better, I think.


They are handy, that's for sure. A few times here on this board, I've seen people posts about the collet die and not following the package instructions. It's really easy to turn the die in a bit at a time and try a bullet to see when you are getting close to the neck gripping the bullet. I was surprised that people didn't realize there is a little play in that die. It is easy to set it to .001 or .002 undersize. It takes a few seconds. You can use a mic or just use a bullet.


I know what you mean. They are fun and it's relaxing to sit on the deck or in front of the TV and neck size cases.

For bullet seating, I am surprised that more people don't buy Wilson inline seaters. They are just a slightly more expensive version of a Lee Loader. Nothing works like an inline seater! Probably 2/3s of my bullet seating for various calibres is done with a Wilson - and not the micrometer one either!

... still using my original Lee Loader for 45-70 ... original price @ Lebarons $9.95 ... I follow the slightly different methodology "logcabinlooms" used on one of his posts where he demonstrates the loading procedure on a stump ... I use the Lee factory crimp dies for most of my reloading

I have a Herters loader which is a direct copy of the Lee. I'm pretty sure Lee came first, but Herters never had any qualms when it came to copying or self-promotion! GD

... have a Woodleigh manual & shoot Woodleigh 300 & 405 grain Weldcore bullets in my 1895GS

This information has been around for a number of years. I don’t know if it is 100% accurate, but it has never been disputed.

http://gunlore.awardspace.info/gunknow/LeeTools.htm

Kind of off topic, but it is amazing how many of the old inventors/innovators that we owe so much to over the years were screwed over by "businessmen" or bankers, and lawyers. JM Browning himself was a victim, Ortgies, Peabody, James Paris Lee, hell, look what Nikola Tesla went through. We like to think of the good ol' days when a man's word was his bond...but I wonder if that was true.

Great thread, in a nutshell our societies are going to hell because they sit on their asses waiting to be entertained. Doing stuff like using a Lee loader or more sophisticated equipment are skills being lost. Using tools to build and repair or improve are the good things that enhance your life. Great thread..mb

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

Wonderful! Nothing beats simple, proven performance!