My Lee #2 shell holder has quite a bit of play in it after I snap it into my Redding press, Is this normal? or should I spend more money on shell holders?

What kind of play does it have, up and down or back and forth, or both? I'm not sure that it will hurt you any, the case will try to center it's self in the die when you run the ram up anyway. As long as the shell holder seats squarely on the ram when you put prerssure on it and pulls down squarely with withdrawal it should work fine. I have several Lee shell holders, and haven't had any significant problems with them. I think they are made form a powdered sintered powdered metal and as such don't take the racket on withdrawal as well as the machined ones rom the likes of Hornady, RCBS, Redding and Lyman. I have broken one or two of mine in the past and they don't seem to be quite as good that way, but normally they work ok. The priming hole is a different size, they won't work with all press's primer arm, but then again, who primes in a press anymore? Go ahead and use them, but keep your eyes open for trouble. The Lee shell holders don't have quite as much material in the lip that fits into the extractor cut and that's why, I think, I have broken a couple during radical case forming operations. I no longer use them for that purpose. For general sizing and seating operations, should be just fine!

BP

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Speak softly, but carry a big stick!

See - Saw/side to side type of play..like its riding on a high point in the middle. I just put some downward pressure on the holder and it firms up. Thanks BP When I order some 300 WSM dies here shortly I'll buy a Redding holder and see if it has the play in it as well.

I have some Redding holders, and a full set of Lee's. Reddings always hold a little tighter and straighter....

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Razorbacker