DocWagon
07-25-2003, 13:08
I've used my Lee 4-hole turret to load right at 600 rounds now, so I figured I'd do a review as I was asked to do in a different post. I reload two calibers, .40S&W and .45ACP. I have the 3 die set with the .40 and the 4 die set with the .45.
I used my Lee without the auto-indexing until I got used to it, figured out the dies, verified everything was set right, etc. I was loading a bunch of .40S&W brass that I'd already sized and primed, so I was only using two of the stations. Everything seemed fine until I swapped in my 4 die set for the .45ACP and started using the auto index feature.
My press was faulty in that the turret progressed too far with each pull. It took 3 pulls to get around once, instead of 4, and no amount of adjusting would change it. I got to test Lee's warranty and customer service. I was not impressed.
First, Lee doesn't have a toll free customer service number on their web site. That's a solid strike against them. I e-mailed them a total of three times before I convinced them that 1) I wasn't crazy/stupid and did read the instructions 2) I wasn't going through the hassle of sending the thing to them to repair 3) The press could not be adjusted enough to make it work. They finally sent me a rod and the plastic part that grabs onto the rod. I bolted them on in less than 2 minutes, and the auto indexing worked from that point on. It would have been so much better if they'd just sent me the part in the first place, like I asked them to do in the first e-mail. I had to threaten to take the press back to the store and get a different brand before they took me seriously, which is unfortunate.
I used it manually advancing the turret until I got the replacement parts in the mail, which did arrive quickly in fairness to Lee.
The press has some pros and cons, but I feel it was worth the $60. I don't think I would be happy if I'd paid as much as some of the big brands cost and had this level of performance, but I didn't and I'm happy with the value of the Lee. The biggest pro is it does what it's supposed to. It loads consistent ammunition reasonably quickly, and its extremely simple to use.
What would make this press 100% better is an improvement in getting rid of the used primers. The primers fall down through the ram, into a slot and onto the floor IN THEORY. Small pistol primers do like they're supposed to, although sometimes they miss the little chute and bounce on the table instead. Large pistol primers often form a "log jam" in the chute, though, as they don't want to fall out if they don't go in just right. This is annoying, since when the little channel is jammed, you can't swing the primer holder under the shell like you're supposed to. If a primer gets under the primer holder, you can't finish the cycle, since it no longer sits low enough. While loading .45s I've had to take a screwdriver and pound the "log jams" quite a few times. My average speed for loading .45s from start to finish is 50 in 45 minutes, not nearly as quick as the .40s, mostly due to the jamming previously mentioned. To resolve this I've used some spray lube in the chute, and that's helped. My next step will be to hog it out a little with a round file.
The only other thing to be careful of is don't bring the handle back down too quickly, or you'll make the turret turn so quickly it will go slightly past it's mark and you'll have to manually bump it back. That's more operator error on my part, though.
The biggest plusses are you can change calibers in about 20 seconds, since you just swap the whole die plate and flip the primer arm around. I load powder by volume, and the Lee expander die is great for that, since it has a tunnel through it allowing you to pour the powder through the die. The Lee funnel also fits right in the tunnel, so its easy to get the charge in their quickly and neatly. I just leave the funnel on the die, no problems there.
So, is it just as good as the premium presses? No. Will it work for the vast majority of shooters? Yes. Is it worth the money? I think so. Will it stand the test of time? Again, I think so. The press itself should last through anything I'm doing with it. The only part that might wear out is the plastic thing that rides on the autoindexing rod, and that's less than $2 to replace. Would I still buy it, knowing then what I know now? Yes. It isn't the best, but it doesn't have the price tag of the best, either, and it does everything that I need it to do at a good price.
I used my Lee without the auto-indexing until I got used to it, figured out the dies, verified everything was set right, etc. I was loading a bunch of .40S&W brass that I'd already sized and primed, so I was only using two of the stations. Everything seemed fine until I swapped in my 4 die set for the .45ACP and started using the auto index feature.
My press was faulty in that the turret progressed too far with each pull. It took 3 pulls to get around once, instead of 4, and no amount of adjusting would change it. I got to test Lee's warranty and customer service. I was not impressed.
First, Lee doesn't have a toll free customer service number on their web site. That's a solid strike against them. I e-mailed them a total of three times before I convinced them that 1) I wasn't crazy/stupid and did read the instructions 2) I wasn't going through the hassle of sending the thing to them to repair 3) The press could not be adjusted enough to make it work. They finally sent me a rod and the plastic part that grabs onto the rod. I bolted them on in less than 2 minutes, and the auto indexing worked from that point on. It would have been so much better if they'd just sent me the part in the first place, like I asked them to do in the first e-mail. I had to threaten to take the press back to the store and get a different brand before they took me seriously, which is unfortunate.
I used it manually advancing the turret until I got the replacement parts in the mail, which did arrive quickly in fairness to Lee.
The press has some pros and cons, but I feel it was worth the $60. I don't think I would be happy if I'd paid as much as some of the big brands cost and had this level of performance, but I didn't and I'm happy with the value of the Lee. The biggest pro is it does what it's supposed to. It loads consistent ammunition reasonably quickly, and its extremely simple to use.
What would make this press 100% better is an improvement in getting rid of the used primers. The primers fall down through the ram, into a slot and onto the floor IN THEORY. Small pistol primers do like they're supposed to, although sometimes they miss the little chute and bounce on the table instead. Large pistol primers often form a "log jam" in the chute, though, as they don't want to fall out if they don't go in just right. This is annoying, since when the little channel is jammed, you can't swing the primer holder under the shell like you're supposed to. If a primer gets under the primer holder, you can't finish the cycle, since it no longer sits low enough. While loading .45s I've had to take a screwdriver and pound the "log jams" quite a few times. My average speed for loading .45s from start to finish is 50 in 45 minutes, not nearly as quick as the .40s, mostly due to the jamming previously mentioned. To resolve this I've used some spray lube in the chute, and that's helped. My next step will be to hog it out a little with a round file.
The only other thing to be careful of is don't bring the handle back down too quickly, or you'll make the turret turn so quickly it will go slightly past it's mark and you'll have to manually bump it back. That's more operator error on my part, though.
The biggest plusses are you can change calibers in about 20 seconds, since you just swap the whole die plate and flip the primer arm around. I load powder by volume, and the Lee expander die is great for that, since it has a tunnel through it allowing you to pour the powder through the die. The Lee funnel also fits right in the tunnel, so its easy to get the charge in their quickly and neatly. I just leave the funnel on the die, no problems there.
So, is it just as good as the premium presses? No. Will it work for the vast majority of shooters? Yes. Is it worth the money? I think so. Will it stand the test of time? Again, I think so. The press itself should last through anything I'm doing with it. The only part that might wear out is the plastic thing that rides on the autoindexing rod, and that's less than $2 to replace. Would I still buy it, knowing then what I know now? Yes. It isn't the best, but it doesn't have the price tag of the best, either, and it does everything that I need it to do at a good price.