Bought some PPU .222 Rem ammo recently on sale. Range time was disappointing with 3-4 in groups. So I shot it up for the brass. I decided to just neck size the brass with an old LEE .222 Rem loader. The kind you hammer in and out. I used nothing but the kit to reload with except to weigh charges on a powder scale. Bullet was a 55 grain Hornady SP on top of 19.5 grains IMR 4198. Primers were Rem 6.5. Rifle is a 1972 Rem M700 Varmint Special. Bedded and free-floated, w/target crown. In a 15 mph steady cross-wind and 1.5 in of dope I fired five, five shot groups at 100 yds. Three of the five were 3/4 inch with the other two about 1 inch. I think I paid $20 for that kit.

I got my first LEE Loader in '64. 8x57 Mauser.
The LEE Loader neck sizes only and it is well made.
The loads I did "on the cheap" always shot well.

Still have several of them.

I have one in 45 Colt I bought back in about 1978, now you have got me wanting to dig mine out and try it again. It is a far cry from my Hornady L-N-L AP setup but it was/is quite efficient at loading.

Steve........

I suspect many of us oldsters started on Lee Loaders, the hand tools. I started with a 12 ga in 1967 or there about. Then in 1974, I graduated to metallic, 357 mag, 25-06 and 7MM mag. loaded many rounds with them.

1966; 30-30; I loaded over 1000 rounds on that thing. I still have it.
I recommend that every new reloader start out on one and learn from there. There is a posting close to this one about a guy who is in the learning stage and is bogged down in minutia; too much info too fast and he is drowning from drinking from the fire hose.

never owned one started with a tru line jr. loaded 38on it till a couple years ago

You missed out on some great experience. But when you are high school kid back in the hills in the 1960s, you start out on Lee Loaders.

I started with a 12ga in 68. Tried one of the standard Lee loaders in .308 and did fine. Then, bought one of the Lee Target Loaders. Wow! I have five of them that I still use ... along with three rifle presses, 42 die sets etc, etc, etc. I learned more from the original Lee set and the tgt loaders that really helped me later on.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
You missed out on some great experience. But when you are high school kid back in the hills in the 1960s, you start out on Lee Loaders.

In 1968 I spent the summer on my grandfathers farm. When he saw me hitting the Lee loader with my plastic hammer at the kitchen table he banned me to the old cook house. He said something about a young kid not blowing up his house.

The main problem with the old cook house was the wasps didn't like me banging on the work bench either.

Used a Lee on my 6.5Jap for years. Actually never bought any other dies. Lost count of the number of 20ga I loaded all through HS with a Lee.

Started reloading on a Lee Loader for my Remington Model 600 in .308 Win around 1964. The 600 is on my wall. The Lee Loader is in a trunk in the garage. Those were the days.

When I moved up to an RCBS Rock Chucker, I thought I was a King.

I started off with my Reloading 30 years back with a Lee Loader in .303 British. I have purchased one of them for each caliber I am reloading just for the novelty value.

In '66 a friend of my dad's gave me a circa 1907 Winchester 1894 rifle in 32 Spl. Saved up $9.95, bought a Lee Loader and started reloading. Still have the rifle and the Loader. Dad's buddy is still around (he'll be turning 90 soon). I call him every few months to see how he's doing. No matter what we talk about he always asks if I still have the rifle. It makes his day when I tell him yes I do, and yes I still shoot it.

I got started in 1967 on shotgun shells, then in 1969 started on .300 Win. Mag. I still have several of my Lee Loaders, and occasionally use them when loading for some of my guns.

I started with one to reload 38 and .357 ammo. I think it actually resizes the case all the way down to the rim. It's been so long I can't remember for sure.

6.5X55 for me. Eventually 30 06 and 303 Brit. Learned a few basics. Still have the 6.5 and 06 set. The Rock Chucker next did make me feel on top of the world. Going to have to dig that 6.5 set out again...

I have a couple of them, a target model for 7 mm magnum, three-inch 20-gauge, might be another one for 7x57mm (can't remember and am not going out in the rain to look for it - I may have given it away with a 93 Mauser I should have kept).

I use my Lee to load 10 gauge 2 7/8" for limited shooting I do with both rifle and shotgun in that gauge. I bought a second decades ago in case a part of the first one broke. Very simple, inexpensive, and work well.
Cal

The first time I loaded with a Lee Loader was in 1962. My uncle loaned me his Lee Loader and taught me how to load shotgun shells.

quote:

Originally posted by Reloader270:
I started off with my Reloading 30 years back with a Lee Loader in .303 British. I have purchased one of them for each caliber I am reloading just for the novelty value.

Same cartridge . 1976 . I learned to check for Berdan primed cases right away ! Came to Alaska . Got another 303 SMLE and another Lee loader. Then got a Savage 99 in 358 Winchester . and another Lee Loader. Finally in 85 I started loading on a Rock Chucker . I still have at least one or 2 Lee loaders.

don't forget that not too long ago, bench shooters were setting records using kits quite similar to a lee loader.

quote:

Originally posted by Joe from So. Cal.:
I started with one to reload 38 and .357 ammo. I think it actually resizes the case all the way down to the rim. It's been so long I can't remember for sure.

Same here. A box of cast 148 wadcutters, a pound of Bullseye, and my dad's nickel plated S&W Model 10 taught me a great deal. Haven't used it in years and if I did I'd probably use it with my arbor press.

i collect these.. and love them