Lee Load-All Shotshell Loader

01 January 2002, 18:11

Does anyone here know anything about the Lee Load-All? I assume this is a low-end product but I only want to load a few hundred shotshells per year. Would I be better off with something like a Mec 600 Jr. Mark 5? What about accessories?
I haven't loaded shotshells before so any advice would be appreciated. I have an RCBS Rockchucker that I use for all my centerfire loading but I assumed that doing shotshells with it might be awfully slow. I want to reload 12 and 20 gauge both.

------------------
"Don't let so much reality into your life that there's no room left for dreaming."

01 January 2002, 18:25

ready_on_the_right

I bought one about 15 years ago from Gander Mountain Catalog, sent that joker back as fast as I could!! It wouldn't crimp worth a hoot for me! I have heard of others having some success but My MEC sizemaster 77 has loaded at least 150 Boxes of shells for me and two friends without a hitch!

Mike

01 January 2002, 19:34

<David Wile>

Hey Plainview,

Skip the Lee presses. They are very low end. A MEC Junior is low cost but not low end, and it will last all your life, and you can pass it on to your grandchild. I have a MEC Junior in 20 ga., a MEC Sizemaster in 12 ga., and two Hornady 366 progressives (one in 12 ga. and the other in 16 ga.). I use them all and like them all, but you do not need a progressive. With my Junior and the Sizemaster, I have added an auto primer feed for convenience and one of the adjustable powder/shot bars. Neither of these features is necessary, but you can add them later if you care to spend the money. In fact, I think the Sizemaster comes with the auto primer feed. Skip the Lee presses for anything. They simply are not worth it at any price.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

01 January 2002, 19:37

denton

I have the Load All, and have made a few hundred shells with it. Mine works fine, except that it won't feed primers worth a darn... have to keep poking at them, to keep one in the right place.

I'm happy with it, but have concluded that, for me, there isn't much reason to reload shotgun shells. 2 3/4" skeet/trap shells are so dang cheap... I figure I save about 2 cents apiece vs. what I pay for store bought.

If you're doing waterfowl hunting, you can save a bunch per 3" shell, especially steel, but a lot of ducks and geese have to pass by before you can pay back even the modest price of the Load All.

I just about won't shoot store-bought in my rifles or handguns, but I don't feel that way about shotguns.

02 January 2002, 04:42

<I Need Guns>

I was thinking of geting one so time back, but read a review of one. It was extremly positive but then the writer menchend that only 1/2 of his crimps looked right, and 1/3 of those fell out(he was convinsed that it was becouse of his lack of experence not that the thing was crap). Affter reading this I when right to MEC's web site and started looking at there reloaders.
What I am now doing and think would be a good idea for you would be to look for a use MEC on eBay. But first figur out how much muny you are saving by reloading, and how many shells you will have to reload before the reloader pays for it's self, and keep saving your hulls.

02 January 2002, 04:51

LE270

In my opinion, the MEC reloaders are so far superior to others -- especially the inexpensive ones -- that I wouldn't consider anything else. If price is a big factor for you, look for a used MEC single-stage press. It should also be noted that spare parts and accessories for the MEC loaders are readily available. If nowhere else, you can call MEC and they'll supply them for you or tell you where to get them.

02 January 2002, 09:06

p dog shooter

Buy the mec works a lot better. i have 3 mec's a poncess warren and a lee the lee is only use when I want to load 5 o 6 shells for testing or when I want a few 3"ers for goose hunting other than that get a mec.

02 January 2002, 15:32

JerryO

quote:
Originally posted by plainview:
Does anyone here know anything about the Lee Load-All? Would I be better off with something like a Mec 600 Jr. Mark 5? What about accessories?

BTW: Buy one reloader for each caliber. changeing dies to change calibers isn't done as it is on rifles and pistols.

It depends on what you expect. I bought a lee loadall 20 years ago for my 20 gauge. It worked great with winchester AA hulls, but would wrinkle a few of the federal field hulls. I already had a mec 600jr for 12 gauge.

Changeing bushings can be tricky. in the mec you just pivot the bottles to the rear. In the lee you unhook the handle, lift off the hopper/dies and sit the unit upside down. The tricky part is to do this without looseing the lid and dumping the shot and powder. With the shot and powder in a single two part hopper, emptying one without spilling the other is also a chellenge in the lee.

Both give you your money's worth.

I could do 4 boxes per hour with the lee versus 6 boxes per hour with my mec 600jr.

Both the lee and the mec have lasted 1,000s (make that 10's of 1,000's for the mec) of rounds with no indication of wearing out.

I would say I found two big differences in them.

1) the lee is low priced (comlete with all shot and powder bushings).

2) The mec is quick with light effort on the handle. the lee action is heavy (ie sluggish) due to moving the shot and powder hoppers up and down on each stroke. FUN goes to the mec.

Buy one of each (as I did) and then you will know for sure.

JerryO