I just got my new press from Midway.

This is one HEAVY press. I think you could easily swage bullets on it, and not faze it. The opening is big enough that you can do 50 BMG with it. The top hole is drilled and tapped for the oversize dies required, and a steel insert brings it down to normal size. Primer disposal is through the center of ram, through a tube, which you can simply put over the waste can. Handle will set up left handed or right. You can set handle length shorter for more feel, or longer for more force. Fit and finish appear excellent. There is are little large and small primer gizmos that go inside the ram. Apparently, there is some kind of primer feeder coming that feeds primers to these. Linkage is steel.

The ads show railroad rails being melted down to make these, but the Lee ads say "cast iron". Someone with a background in metallurgy may be able to supply a reason for that, but for now, I think they are steel.

I'm having a hard time imagining what more the other single stage presses offer, for the additional money. At $60, this seems like a really good buy.

I've used nearly every press available for the last 25 or so years, and I now use the Lee Classic Cast. It's the best single stage press design I've ever used, period. I couldn't agree with you more.

Set it up and run it.....I want to hear how good the priming system is.....do a good job of critique and try hard to be objective.....

I am nothing, if not objective.

OK, formed half a dozen 243 out of 308 with it. No problem. Used the old priming system, and primed them just fine. So it works. The total system leverage seems to be greater than my old press, so it seems like it would be easy to crush primers. And I had to reset my dies. Other than that, it seems smooth as silk.

Is the rotating ram insert anything to be concerned about. If it moved a bit during a reloading session would this have any significant effect on headspace during FLS or OAL during bullet seating.

I've had mine for awile now and like it lots better than the RCBS and redding presses Ive tried. The combination of features it offers is enough to move it way past the others, heck the primer catch tube is wonderful, it catches everything no dust or pieces of primers, I cut my tube down to 6 inches or so and it still holds hundreds of primers, fill it up and dump it out,

The lee classic also works great with the hornady lock and load bushings

OzzieDoc, I'm not quite understanding the question. Help me out... "rotating ram insert" just isn't registering this morning.

The "ram insert" is what Lee calls the part that holds the shellholder and which is slotted to attach the primer arm. It is threaded into the top of the ram proper and can be rotated so that priming can be done on either side. My question is whether this rotation which seems to move this ram insert up or down can cause problems with headspace or OAL especially if movement occurs inadvertently during a long session. Is there anyway to index this ram insert or do you recommend just locking it down tight. I actually have one of these presses but haven't had the opportunity to use it yet so was hoping to benefit from other peoples experience. When I rotate my ram insert down so that it is locked tight against the ram proper then the primer arm slot is at an odd angle that could not be used for priming.

LOL!!

You're ahead of me, OzzieDoc! Until you told me, I didn't know that the dang thing rotated. And it sure enough does.

I guess the press is still too new on the market for anyone to determine the best way to position the ram insert for general use. I'm assuming that ideally the insert would be rotated down tight against the ram for consistency during FLS and bullet seating and then moved to whatever position preferred if used for priming.

Hi, I have also wondered about this press. It seems too good to be true for the money. Has anyone checked the runout on a finished cartridge (I will assume you are using a top quality benchrest or competition die and properly prep your cases if you are checking the runout)? Have you checked overall finished cartridge lengths for consistency? The person that said you preferred it over the RCBS and Redding presses, were those the Rockchucker and the Boss? Does anyone know how it compares to the CH4D? Thanks

Started a batch of 41 Mag today. Figured I'd just prime them the old way, and left the primer gizmo off the ram. Hmmm.... about one primer in three would bounce out of the slot in the ram, and onto the floor. Put the primer gizmo in. No more problem. Also, obvious how the primer thing works. So I would bell the brass with the ram up, and manually pop a primer in, and prime when the ram went down. Works slick as can be, even with manual feed. Brass does tend to dance forward a little in the shell holder, and when that happens, you can bend the primer out of shape. It's kind of a booger to get the primer out of the primer ram sometimes. So you do have to be sure the brass is correctly situated.

Works fine, saves time, and the old primers go down the tube where they are supposed to go.

Is it big enough to load 50BMG? Does it have a larger/taller opening then the Rock chucker or others? The ad says larger, but didn't give a number?

From the top of the ram, to the bottom of top, 4 1/2".

Yes I was compairing it to the New Rockchucker and the redding big boss, the combination of features on the classic make it a better press in my book not to mention it is very srtong and cost less. I have been using the simple priming arm for rifle loading and it has worked great.

The .50 BMG case is 3.9" and the loaded length is 5.45". It would be necessary to tip the loaded round out of the shellholder.
Both RCBS and CH4D .50 BMG dies are 1�"-12tpi and would not squeeze into the 1�" die station even on an Atkins diet.
Cheers from Darkest California,
Ross

Quote

"Hi, I have also wondered about this press. It seems too good to be true for the money. Has anyone checked the runout on a finished cartridge (I will assume you are using a top quality benchrest or competition die and properly prep your cases if you are checking the runout)? Have you checked overall finished cartridge lengths for consistency? The person that said you preferred it over the RCBS and Redding presses, were those the Rockchucker and the Boss? Does anyone know how it compares to the CH4D? Thanks"



I've been using the "Lee Cast Iron" press for about a year. COL stays consistent. They never move. I use RCBS dies usually, with "partial-full length" resizing. I just recently put together some loads using 225 Nosler Partions and the accuracy was outstanding. As to runout? I don't know about that, but the loads are accurate. I looked at the other presses, but couldn't see why the Lee wouldn't perform just as well, or better. It's built just as solid as the "Rockchucker" is.

Edmond must be right on that. I took the die out, and just put a 50 BMG round on top of the ram. The tip of the bullet reaches almost to the top of the press.

I suppose you might theoretically be able to put a bullet into the die, and hold it up in place while you slip a case under it, but that would be very awkard at best.... maybe impossible.

Can the new Lee Press be used to put on Lee Press-on Nails?

I couldn't resist.

Denton,

For a guy who expounds so elequently on pressure curves, I'm downright disappointed in yer' choice of priming methods. Buy a Lee priming tool, it is far more accurate at seating primers, and a whole lot faster to boot. I gave up on those primer doo-hicky-tubey things supplied with the presses a long, long time ago.

Casey

I've got the little Lee hand primer tool, and it works well. Maybe after the fascination of the new toy wears off, I'll like the old way better.

It is nice to have the old primers go down the tube. I like that.

When I was in my teens, I milked cows by hand. There was only one kid in school who could break my grip... forearms looked like Popeye. That was a long time ago. Now, I don't like doing too many primers at once... makes my "squeeze" muscles tired.

Mine's nearly a year old now too. I've checked run-out on .260, 30/06, 270 and 280 and it's very good indeed. I was pleasantly surprised. I wonder if that's not a function of the dies as much as the press, but all is well.

I like the built in primer arm much better with the Lee classic, I use my lee primer tool for pistol but the press arm does a much better job for me with rifle,,

The primer catch tube is nice,

The worse thing about milking cows it that darn tail! never been kicked but a poop covered tail swat can ruin your morning...uggggg

Denton,

With all the money you saved on the new Lee press, you could buy a Holstein! Have all of the benefits of the new Lee press (just saw one in action recently--I really like it), fresh milk for the family, and Popeye arms for the Lee primer.

Maybe it's because my RCBS presses all date back to the early 70's/mid eighties, but I couldn't get the primers to seat consistently with the priming tools supplied with the presses.

Although my dad's day job was a teacher/school administrator he ran 200-250 head of beef cows in partnership with a good friend. His partner owned a dairy. I spent mucho time hand milking cows that for various reasons could not be hooked up to the automatic milkers and into the "general population" of milk. I have been stepped on, pooped on, kicked on, run under and over, and thouroghly squished.

I would speculate the hand held priming tool will win out after a while . Although it is suspect just how much primer depth affects accuracy in a firearm/load in anything other than competetive benchrest rigs, I find the primer tools handy and do think they make it easier to seat primers consistently (I have a feeling I'm gonna get hammered on this last statement).

Casey

Casey, I got kicked in the knee cap by a Holstein cow when I was about 14 yrs. old. I never did fully recover from that. I did my share of milking cows when I was growing up and I don't care to go back. Rojelio

I have often offered to buy my wife a nanny goat, for just those reasons, plus low cost lawn cutting and fertilization. She always turns me down. Can you believe it?