I'm just getting into reloading. The thing is I am planning a move soon, so I don't want to invest a lot /set up a bench for the time being.
Wandering what opinions may be out there on a box set up, particularly the Lee hand press kit?

i dont have any personal experience with one, but i would go ahead and buy a good single stage press. I have used a C clamp to set mine up many places, including my moms dining room table, which needless to say she was pissed about. Anyway, i would suggest buying a kit, like RCBSs RC supreme master kit. If you decide reloading is not for you, they hardly lose any resale value, as i have seen ten year old kits on ebay in the 250-300 price range, about what they are new. Or put it for sale in the classified section of this website, someone will gobble it up. good luck

I will only be loading/shooting around 40/50 rds a week untill i move. Can a hand press satisfy me for a few months or should I just pony up and get a more permanant set up?

GET the lee hand press, you will load very good ammo with it and you can bring it to the range. they are worth twice what they cost.

When I started handloading I had only two nickels to rub together and was in an efficiency appt. so had no room whatsoever to setup a press.

I started with rifle center fire reloading and used a lee loader kit for about $25.00. They are sold by lee on their web site and all you really need to get going is the brass,primer,powder and bullet and a block of wood and a rubber mallot. I was surprised at the quality of the rounds produced.

They provide a powder scoop but I never used it, I bought a RCBS scale for 50.00 and was then fully in business.

I used the lee loader for 22-250 and 30-06 and still use it on occasion.

As for the lee hand press, I agree with others here that it does work well, but my hands got tired. good exercise though!

regards!

45 to 50 rounds per week of what? 38 special or 378 Weatherby magnum?

Also, what is a box setup? I've never heard that term before.

quote:

Originally posted by bluemtn:
I will only be loading/shooting around 40/50 rds a week until I move. Can a hand press satisfy me for a few months, or should I just pony up and get a more permanant set up?

From your other thread, I gather that you are obtaining reloading gear for your .243. I don't see any point in using a hand press. If your new press can't be set up temporarily (board & clamp), then perhaps something smaller like the Lee Reloader would be practical. Later, it can be used for de-capping. Sizing rifle brass on the hand press would not be my choice.

A WorkMate portable bench may serve now and be useful later.

Your other choice would be shooting factory ammo and saving the brass.
.

When I was in graduate school, I lived in apartments, so I didn't have a place to set up a permanent reloading bench.

I bought a Black&Decker folding sawhorse.
The top surface of the sawhorse splits apart, and clamps together to hold things.
I mounted my RCBS Rockchucker on a 4X4 board, with a 2X4 mated perpendicular to the board..this part clamped onto the surface of the sawhorse.

Worked great until I was finally able to make something bigger.

Garrett

quote:

Originally posted by delloro:
GET the lee hand press, you will load very good ammo with it and you can bring it to the range. they are worth twice what they cost.

Sorry, I'll disagree w/ that. The Lee hand press is probably the slowest possible way to handload ammo, sorry, I'ld pass. You can mount a single stage to a chunk of 2x12 & then clamp that to a workmate or even kitchen table. I built a reloading setup in a 2'x3' coat closet in my apt. when I was in college. It's all the space you really need, and you can put a lock on the door to keep the roomies or landlord out.

im glad im not the only one with a bench set up in my college apartment. All my roommates think im a crazy man who makes bombs

quote:

Originally posted by fredj338:

quote:

Originally posted by delloro:
GET the lee hand press, you will load very good ammo with it and you can bring it to the range. they are worth twice what they cost.

Sorry, I'll disagree w/ that. The Lee hand press is probably the slowest possible way to handload ammo, sorry, I'ld pass. You can mount a single stage to a chunk of 2x12 & then clamp that to a workmate or even kitchen table. I built a reloading setup in a 2'x3' coat closet in my apt. when I was in college. It's all the space you really need, and you can put a lock on the door to keep the roomies or landlord out.

Well Hot Dog Wienies!!! I was a closet loader at one time also!!! Truth roger

Thanks for everyone's advice.
I think I'm going to go with the Lee handpress for now.
I'm building a new house right now (doing it my self, with some help from friends and girlfriend,) but only working on it evenings after work and on weekends. So most of my stuff is in storage and I'm shackin up at my gf's small apartment.
The handpress kit seems to make the most sence for me, as it packs down to not much bigger than a shoe box and if I decide that reloading isn't for me, Im only out about $50 in press, dies, etc...
It may even be a foolish pursuit for me for the time being as time is at a premium and most of my guns are plenty accurate for the hunting I do.
thanks again to everyone, and I'm always open to suggestions or ideas.

you will not regret it. it is very handy.

Yeah, the hand press is more work than a bench setup, but it works well and is portable. I got mine for loading at the range for load workup.

The Lee Loader won't be a good choice if you live in an apartment with neighbors below you.

The hand tools date from the post civil war days when cases were pure copper and did not stand alot of pressure or take alot of effort to resize, reload. Lyman (Ideal) 310 set up is best current available I know of. Came with Winchester single shots at one time, not to mention Sharps, Ballard, etc.

Brass is a bit harder and takes a bit more to "work" / "rework." For 50 rounds a week of anything, a Lee hand press is o.k. If you are doing hot magnum cases, you will build your shoulders. .38 Special target loads... less effort. Lyman had a hand press I liked better (but did not discard my Lee) but not made now I guess. At the same time the LEE "0" aluminum presses are in the same price/weight range.

You need to study some manuals and see how far and how fast you want to go with the hobby.

I think it is Huntingtons.com has the Wilder(sp?), a two handed hand press that takes ordinary dies and has some real leverage. Dozens of presses available. Dillion seems to out do Lee for progressives that load 100s an hour. Corbins has the Rolls Royces with roller bearings and strength. But you can get it all done with a hand press or a light al press in front of the boob tube, anything short of case forming. Now if you want to swage a belt on an '06 case, that will take your weight on the handle of a Rockchucker or equivelent and be working the press near its limits. luck.

The Huntington Compac is the W shaped, two handled hand press you're thinking of. I started out with a Lee hand press, but did not like the springiness, nor the significant misalignment of ram to die, at least on mine. I was lucky that the spring in the press tended to partially correct for the misalignment on my unit, but others I've checked were different, so it looks like it was just dumb luck.

The Compac is a much nicer hand press. It is more powerful, rigid and accurate than the Lee. I bolted it to a small circular wood base about 4" in diameter, so it would stand up on its own if I needed both hands for something else for a minute (the lee won't do this). The shellholder retention is by set screw, which is a bit of a pain though. I also replaced the pivot bolts with clevis pins since some of the bolt threads looked like they'd eventually start cutting the aluminum.

Alas, my wife bought be a co-ax press a few Christmases ago, and I've not used it much since. Some hand presses are better than others, but a good bench press beats any hand press unless you absolutely need maximum portability.

Andy

Use a collet neck sizing die and you won't build up your muscles much with the Lee Hand Press.

I rarely full length size rifle brass.