I was using an old Lee Reloader C frame press which my friend used for many years. Well I personally loaded over 3000 rounds of 9mm para, yes single stage loading so many rounds is not a joke. Well finally the darn thing broke! The part where the die screws in cracked along the sides. I could not believe it! I still think it is a fantastic press for loading rifle cartriges one at a time. Has this happened to other members? I will be buying one for myself as I really like it and just want another press.
I wish Lee would make the Classic Lee Loader, {you know the one that you use a mallet with}in 7x57. Always like the simple stuff and always will.

i use my lee c-press to size trim with my dillon powered trimmer.
i couldn't even guess at how many cases have been run through it.
get the lee classic cast you won't be sorry..

i have 4 O-frames and the c-press and a couple of 550's and would have no shame with the lee o frame in the middle of the pile.
i know a couple of guy's that even do light swaging with the classic cast.

I pulled a lee press in half too - the one that comes with the anniversary kit.

Buy a "insert any other brand here" and never look back

Never had trouble with my RCBS presses(or Hornady) and they have done many 10,000 rounds. IF I had trouble with one all I have to do is call them and it will be replaced at no charge.

Wouldn't this be the ideal time to move up to a little better press? You don't need to go to a progressive unit,just a simple O frame press.Relatively inexpensive and availible from just about every manufacturer of loading equipment.

quote:

Originally posted by lal:
I was using an old Lee Reloader C frame press which my friend used for many years. Well I personally loaded over 3000 rounds of 9mm para, yes single stage loading so many rounds is not a joke. Well finally the darn thing broke! The part where the die screws in cracked along the sides. I could not believe it! I still think it is a fantastic press for loading rifle cartriges one at a time. Has this happened to other members? I will be buying one for myself as I really like it and just want another press.
I wish Lee would make the Classic Lee Loader, {you know the one that you use a mallet with}in 7x57. Always like the simple stuff and always will.

The Lee Classic hand tool was made in 7X57.
I have one that was recent enough that it came in the red plastic box. Shop on ebay and you will find one.

Thanks SR4759, never thought of that. Regards

PS If I cant find one can I have yours, Xmas is around the corner you know....

The Lee press in question is made of cast aluminum and is a very serviceable tool for the price. However, aluminum is much more subject to work-hardening, which is what happens each time you push or pull a cartridge case into or out of a die. Thus, a lightweight aluminum press simply has a finite life, and your press finally hit its number.

If you are a high volume loader, then you certainly would do well to buy a heavier cast steel press which will, if not abused, last several lifetimes. But realistically, 90% of reloaders don't load enough rounds to ever wear out a Lee aluminum press, so such a press does just as well for them.

Besides, if you do bust one (or otherwise wear it out) you can just throw it away and buy a new one identical to it and still be money ahead of the price of a more expensive press. By acknowledging that some of the purposefully inexpensive Lee products do have a limited lifetime, you can utilize them effectively and economically depending on your personal demands.

I'm on my 2nd Lee "C" challenger press. I only reload rifle ammo and use the Lee aluminum "O" press for resizing rifle brass. I use the "C" press for installing primers and bullets. However, one day I had a few pieces of brass to resize and decided to use the "C" press on some brass that probably needed annealing. On about my 4th piece of rifle brass, the "C" frame broke about an inch below the bottom of the die hole. Mind you, the "C" press had been my first press to buy when I got back into reloading about 6 yrs ago and I had used it a short time for resizing, before buying the Lee "O" press. I was more upset with myself for using the "C" press for resizing than the fact that it broke.

That Lee "C" press is their "Reloader". It's a tiny thing costing about $30. While I've loaded .30-06 on one with no problems - and actually less measureed spring than my RC - it obviously has limits. Those who look down it it becauser it's not equal to a cast iron press costing 5-10 times more are being silly, it's clearly not meant to do that level of work.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim C. <><:
That Lee "C" press is their "Reloader". It's a tiny thing costing about $30. While I've loaded .30-06 on one with no problems - and actually less measureed spring than my RC - it obviously has limits. Those who look down it it becauser it's not equal to a cast iron press costing 5-10 times more are being silly, it's clearly not meant to do that level of work.

I disagree based on Lee's marketing.
I have one of the little presses along with the original instruction sheet dated 1989.
Nowhere in the instruction sheet is there any limitation of the press. The press linkage is designed with a stop to prevent the linkage from breaking over center and possibly damaging the press. This press could have been made much, much stronger for an extra gussest or two and $.50 more aluminum.
This is a die cast press meaning it was cast in a die casting machine. The cycle times for the castings are under 30 seconds yielding a casting cost of less than $3.00. There is no excuse for marketing a press that is not engineered to last. That is unless it did not get engineered and tested .
These presses do not last unless used for pistol ammo or depriming and bullet seating.

In today's world this press could be designed in 2 or 3 days with a solid modeling program.
Finite element analysis could predict the stress levels and concentrations at the weak points. That would permit a reliable estimate of the fatigue life of the press. Perhaps Lee will find time to revisit this useful little press and update it in the future. It would probably cost less than $1000 to fix the problems that cause the press to break.

Years and years and years ago I bought a Lyman All-American turret press as my first reloader. Simply was not up to that strain of magnum rifle cases.

Happened to see an ad in the paper for a sale on an RCBS A2 at Atlas Sporting Goods so went down to buy one. If I remember correctly the A2 was being phased out of production but was the Rock Chucker's heavy duty brother. Unfortunately, the last one was sold just before I got there ... so I bought a plain-jane Rock Chucker.

The Rock Chucker is now 42+ years old and is still mounted on a bench and in use. I suspect one of my sons will give it to one of his sons ... and it will still be working.

Im taking a guess but the press I broke was a very old model. The new models are fitted with those quick change breech lock bushings and maybe Lee has sorted the problem out....

quote:

Originally posted by lal:
Im taking a guess but the press I broke was a very old model. The new models are fitted with those quick change breech lock bushings and maybe Lee has sorted the problem out....

You say "maybe lee has sorted the problem out".
Why take a second chance? Spend the money & get an RCBS "O" press & don't look back ever again.
Bear in Fairbanks

I have two of the little Lee reloader C frame presses set up and have had no problems out of them. I got them to take with me on trips. They are light and easy to pack. They take up very little space and work well. I don't full length resize on them. I use them to neck size, seat primers, seat bullets and crimp cases. It has worked out well for me. If one brakes it is easy and cheap to replace. At home I have two O presses set up.

I have a Lyman acculine press that cracked one day when I exerted excessive pressure on it. It is cast aluminum, very servicable for a budget press and it can double as a "use anywhere" press without being mounted. But its not the strongest press. That is the only one Ive ever really broken.

I still have an old cast iron Pacific "C" press and it is still going strong. Those can be had nowadays for the price of a new cast aluminum budget press and will virtualy last forever if used and cared for properly. I highly reccomend some of the older used presses for someone looking for a good press at a low cost.