i just bought a lee loader off of ebay for my .444 Marlin. Does anybody know much about these loaders? Are they a good way to reload. or should i get a press?

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or should i get a press?

Now you're talking!!!!!

haha, thanks

One good thing about a lee loader, you will find out if you like reloading or not without spending a lot of hard earned money. I bought a lee loader for ten bucks back in 1974, a can of powder and 100 large rifle primers and my dad and I had a good time.

We had the most trouble with installing the primers. Give it a try see if you like it, you can always sell the lee loader.

Burgie

Burgie,
i had a few spent brass that i had shot so i kinda played around with it a little bit. i took the old primers out. and resized the brass. then i got one of the spent primers and reprimed one of the spent brass. works well so far. i'm sure i will love reloading. i'll prolly lose track of time and end up getting to bed pretty late the firt time i reload. haha thanks for the reply

I just got started in reloading myself.I have asked a few questions on this site.And everytime these guys wanted to help.I wish I would have started a long time ago.Good luck and enjoy.

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Originally posted by bkmastr:
i just bought a lee loader off of ebay for my .444 Marlin. Does anybody know much about these loaders? Are they a good way to reload. or should i get a press?

They're a good way to begin reloading. I used them in .308 and 30/06, and in 12 and 20 gauge, before I got a press and dies.

The only problem with the Lee Loaders for rifle and pistol calibers is using the powder dippers as powder measuring devices. (1) You are limited to using only the loads that the powder dippers give. (2) They are not very accurate; I think the loads may vary by a grain or so from one dipping to the next.

If you buy and use a powder scale, instead of the dippers, along with the Lee Loader, this will solve those problems of using the dippers. If you go on to getting a press and dies, you will already have the scale, which you will definitely need if you become serious about loading.

Back in the 60's my Dad's buddy gave me an 1894 Winchester in 32 Special. I could barely afford to buy ammo in those days. I saved up and bought a Lee Loader, 8 or 9 bucks I think it was, and started my my handloading career. I've still got the rifle and the loader, and I still use both now and then.

Just don't bet on the accuracy of Lee powder dippers using hot powders.

Weigh them on a good accurate scale instead. Or at least do so to prove you can do it, I'll bet you can't be within 10%. That's more than enough to blow up a gun.

Reloading with a hammer, to me is much like building an engine, or having sex using a hammer.

An old buddy was dying and gave me his loading stuff, several of these loaders and 500 rnds each of .357's, 06 and .243's. All loaded.

I pulled a few of each to make sure of the powder charges'. They were so far off I pulled them all down. Found ten grains difference's in .357 loads. The man was a real particular engineer too. Shocked me to find these loads to be so far off.

Just a warning is all this is meant to be.

George

Bkmastr: That little Lee Loader is an excellent way to start off. A boatload of folks, myself included, began that way. I would, however, second the thought about the dipper. There is a used Lee powder scale right now on e-bay that you can probably pick up for about $15. They are pretty good little scales, but limited only to 100 grains, so all you can measure is the load. I would also highly recommend a reloading manual. The Lyman is an excellent place to begin there as well. Of course, if you are on a very limited budget, you have to save your recess money to get these things. If you find you like reloading, you can move up and buy a kit including the press and most everything you will need. Good luck ... Tom Purdom

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Originally posted by 7x57mm:

There is a used Lee powder scale right now on e-bay that you can probably pick up for about $15. They are pretty good little scales, but limited only to 100 grains, so all you can measure is the load.

Personally, I'd recommend getting a better scale, even if you have to sacrifice for it. The RCBS 505 weighs up to 500 grains, is accurate to a tenth of a grain (0.1 grain), and is an excellent investment. I have one that I bought about 20 years ago and I've used it a lot since then, for all kinds of reloading plus other uses. (My daughter even used it to weigh things for her science project, and she got second place in the county for that project!)

I started loading my own with a lee loader about 15 years ago. One warning you will probably spend alot of money on other equipment once you catch the bug of rolling your own ammo.

hey lee in my a real good press to get started with thats what i have and i also have a RCBS and still like Lee as Lee puts it you dont need all that preasure hey man good luck

You will either give up reloading or out grow the Lee Loader in the first 10 boxws of ammo. Use some sort of hearing protection when you pound the primer in. Lee used to recomend candle wax for case lube. Do yourself a big big favor and buy some Imperial Die Wax.
Good luck!

Actually, the dippers can be quite accurate. With practice. They are basically what the bench rest crowd used for years and years. They are limiting however. Lee also makes a complete set of dippers that gives you much more flexability on charges and powders. I think I would trust the dippers more than I would trust a cheap scale whose accuracy was suspect.

With the lee set-up you will pop a few primers (no harm done but it does give your nerves a jolt the first couple of times it happens) When I'm using my Lee Loader, after I tap the cartridge loose, I take it out and use my Lee auto primer and then drop it back in and go on.

I differ a little with some of the above.
If I had only one loading tool, it would be a scale. If I had a Lee Loader, the next thing I would buy would be a primer seating tool, then the two scoop sets that Lee has now and did have in the past (the old cubic inch style). With a little practice and a little care good repeatability is easy with the scoops.
Then get a scale, but try to find one that measures over 300 or so grains, so that you can measure bullets too. The scale might well be used too, if you buy carefully.
If you are patient, it is no great feat to find a used loading press for under $10.00.
I have more than 50 of the Lee, Mequon and Herter loaders, including a couple of the target models. I use other stuff more now.
Cheers from Darkest California,
Ross

For $15-$25 you could have bought a used C press on ebay, for $20 a used 505 and same for the dies.

I think Ewin has got the sequence about right. I'm not suggesting that a fellow shouldn't upgrade his operation. But accumulating "stuff" can become an obsession in and of itself.
I have three different O presses that I use but every so often I like to take a Lee Loader out, load up some ammo, shoot some little holes, and remind myself that most of the "stuff" and "thingys" I've got on the shelf are indulgences rather than necessities.

buy a press. Lee Loader ammo in rifles only neck sizes the brass(243 308win types). Full length sizing will be needed later so ammo will fit gun. Pistol loaders full length resize (38.357.44m types) but there is no expander for the case. This means you have to hammer the bullet into the case to seat the bullet. Some brass is thicker than others, so use a big hammer. lol If you must use Lee loaders, buy a primer seater.

In my short 10 yr. of reloding i have noice that it is not like the old lady says its not the size the wond that matters its the magic that you work with it , if you guys cant apper. that lee is as good as Dillion RCBS , maybe stupid is as stupid does hey later

Keep the lee loader. It can do one thing that a press cannot. When working up a new load, use once fired primed brass, pre-weight your charges at home and put them in HD poly plastic vials.

Knock em together at the range as needed. You can load faster than the barrel cools. Bring your calipers with you and/or watch for other signs of pressure.

No bullets to pull when you get home!!!