This brings back memories, 1977, I was a senior in college reloading my 6mm Rem, for my M700 ADL, with my Lee Loader, in my dorm room…that wouldn’t fly nowadays!
Yeah, I use to keep my 22 pistol in my dorm room in a locked drawer for pistol club. There was never a hassle and in those days, and it was the early 90s.
Possibly, but to be honest, it's often harder to find consistent reloading components than it is completed ammo in many regards. At least in common calibers, and if the lights do go out, no one is going to be worrying about using their boutique caliber. Either way, you need to have stuff stacked deep, and if you're stacking reloading components deep, then you aren't going to just have one of these kits, you have a full reloading setup.
I have several of these. Started reloading with 8mm Mauser. Lots of 50 rounds. They actually work great. My wife thought I was going to blow myself up. Such fun !!!
Let's not forget about the Lee Hand press. Perfect for loading for a semi auto, can be used anywhere, perfect for a bug out bag or range bag and it's cheap. I love mine!
Why would you carry that in a bug out bag? It makes more sense to just carry more ammo.. you need all the components to put the cartridge together. Less bulky and less weight(no press or dies) to just. Carry ammo… or more tools that could actually help you survive. Avoiding conflict is the best way to survive.
@@roryemms7484 when this came out many reloaders may have only had a box or two of rifle brass, or one box of pistol brass. In those times it made more sense to pack around a set up like this.
You can still get Lee loaders in most of the popular calibers. Inexpensive way to find out if you want to get into loading your own ammunition. They’re around $40 now, still a bargain.
@@adamsowers8957you can find them all over the place, they make them for everything from 9mm, .45 acp, .45 colt, .38 short/long/spl, .357 mag, .44 mag, .223, 5.56, .30-30, .30-06, .308, .303 and on and on.
The Lee Loader was my gateway into reloading last spring. It was enough to help me get over the mental blocks and related challenges associated with starting out. I was able to load my first set of OCW loads, and start testing and shooting my own ammo, all during the Covid ammo drought. Bought a press kit a couple months later, when I knew this was something I was actually interested in...no regrets. 30-06
The Lee Classic Reloader in 308 was used to teach Army Special Forces Snipers(in SOTIC) to reload, some students used the 300 WM version also. They stopped teaching reloading in the course in 2008.
Too bad, I think if more people specifically young people learn more about fire arms then they would have more respect and they would show that they can take responsibility off guns and there will be less gun violence
G'day from Australia. I have a Lithgow "LA102" in .243. I re-load all my ammunition because I like to. I also have and I highly recommend a "Lee Loader" for everyone. I believe you should not re-load on a press with all the fancy doodads until you have mastered how to re-load with a "lee Loader", for the pure and simple reason of "knowing what you are doing" and the steps involved. Might only take one or two goes, but at least you will know "how and why". The use of a impact "bullet puller" is also recommended, I call it "character building".
Handloader Magazine states in a recent article that the Lee Loader produces accurate rounds because it keeps the case necks centered and concentric. Better than many reloading presses.
My first reloading experience was with my dad and his Lee Loader for 30-06. It produced an accurate load. We loaded everything from groundhog loads to deer cartridges. I still have dad’s and several more including shotgun gauges too. I use them now and then. I do own several presses. But there’s something about nostalgia reloading sometimes.
You guy's just crack me up. I have a Lee Loader I also bought in 1974 at 17 years old. I was shooting in the NRA Postal Matches and I inherited a M700 Remington in 30/06. I remember seeing the loader in a shop and minutes later I was headed out the door with it, 100 CCI primers, a pound of IMR4350 and 100 Sierra 220gr. round nose bullets. Those rounds accounted for 3 deer in as many years and attested to the strength of the Remington action. That rifle kicked like a mule and I found out the reason why, the cartridges were severely overloaded. I should have been using 150's instead of 220's and they were being seated to deep too, oops. I lucked out, finally bought a RCBS Master Kit and the rest is history. It's been almost 50 years now and I still have the rifle, Lee Loader and the RCBS kit along with a MEC and a few Dillon progressives, you know how it goes. FYI I also dug up some CCI primers of the same vintage, Speer bullets (30 cal. 150's), some IMR 3031 powder in the red can ($1.65/lb) and 100 357 Magnum cases with the S&W headstamp. The shelves are pretty deep under my bench and the primers and powder still worked fine.
Used one to load for my Rem 700 in 30-06 when I was in the Marines in the 2000's. I had no room for a press or any were to mount one so this worked for me fine.
The Lee classic loader is how I got started reloading. I still believe it’s the best way to start out. Doing anything bye hand really gives you a great understanding about reloading. I’d love to see you do a video where you reload using the classic loader vs modern reloading presses then check the size of your groups.
When I decided to start handloading last year all I could find in stock were the lee loaders, started reloading 45ACP with some very old stock primers I found for sale that surprisingly all fired. I use it regularly and have since acquired more.
I have a number of Lee Loaders and just picked up a couple more. They’re very handy for small tasks and small batches because they require no setup. An arbor press eliminates the hammering, and also probably the chance of priming whoopsies. My late brother once bounced the priming rod off the ceiling while seating primers in a .45 ACP cases. The Lee tool also crimps by reversing the die over the loaded round and tapping it until the desired crimp is achieved. Lee also made a very precise Target Loader that inside-reamed cases and the set included a thumb-operated priming tool. I used a pair of those to load .223 and 7x57, long ago and far away…..
Off the ceiling! 🤣 Reloading .410 I was actually removing a good shotshell magnum primer from a hull and after breaking down a couple the magnum primed hull went off and my depriming rod is probly in orbit still to thios day,,,,! deod
I was considering an arbor press for my Lee Loaders but went with the hand press instead so I could use my existing dies. I will, however, ask which arbor press you chose.
I purchased one clear back in the mid-seventies when I was in High school. A .410 3" set and I loaded many Winchester=Super X shoo shells. I shot many rabbits, doves and even ducks with it when we could shoot lead shot. My two boys when then got old enough also shot those reloads. After High school I got a Texan Shotshell reloader but I still have my old Lee Hand loader press. I will never get rid of it and its been a great tool to have in the loading room. Its good to go back from time to time. Thanks guys!
I started loading 45-70, 44 mag and 45 colt with these. Sence then I have added 45 acp, 223, 308, and 357 to the collection. They work as good as you are patient.
I saw a reloader from the 1800s at the Marquis De More’s house in Medora, ND. I visit there every few years as I learn a little more about life in those days. Medora was also a town Teddy Roosevelt visited regularly when he lived at his ranch near there. Well worth a visit if you’re near Western North Dakota.
I started with a Lee Loader in 9mm for $25 -$30 off Amazon. I figured it was a good way to find out if I would even like reloading before committing to a press. Turns out I like it. I frequently suggest this tool for the same reason to people that ask about reloading. It really helped me to understand what needed to happen in each step. I still use the deprime tools for especially troublesome crimped primers.
I did the same thing, bought my Rem 700 in 1982 in 25-06, and bought the Lee Loader for the same. Love the ease of reloading and as it is a rifle for hunting big game, brass does not get recycled often for full resizing needs BUT the Lee Loader was outstanding for me as I was in the military, and handloading without need for a press was the way to go. For that reason I still only buy Lee Die sets for my Rock Chucker, unless there is a really good deal (OR better availability) on something else.
I have the target version of the Lee Loader in 270 Win. The target version comes with an internal neck reamer. I also have a couple other sets. I use my arbor press instead of a mallet. I also like the Lyman 310 sets. As well as the Lyman Tru Line Jr turret press. The 310 sets are compact and easily portable. You might find the 310 tools interesting, get a set and try it.
I began loading in the early 70s on one of these Lee loaders. They work, but a simple set of balance scales helps a lot. For hunting loads, they work fine.
I started with one of those for a Remington 600 in 6mm when I popped my second primer at the kitchen table my mom asked what I could do to be safe I told her a rockchucker press would be the safest way and I got one for Christmas. That was in 1982 and I am still using my rockchucker. I shot many coyotes and deer with loads from the Lee loader and haven’t shot a single factory load since.
I started off with these loaders back in the 80's and I still have them. The ones I still have are as follows...243 Winchester, 30-30 Winchester, 30-06 Springfield, and as well as the 303 British. A great little tool for getting into reloading. Happy shooting!
I have a Lee Loader for .38/.357 that I purchased in the late 70's as well. They teach the fundamentals of reloading and are a very affordable way to get into reloading. I'm glad they still make them. My Lee Loader came with a different method of seating the new primer, but it otherwise very similar to the one shown here. And I still had some 45 year old primers and bullets as well. Sadly I lost the powder I used back then.
I bought a Lee Loader in 1970 to reload for my new 700ADL in 7mm rem mag. I had 5 boxes of ammo that I reloaded about 5 or 6 times. I, too, never heard of case stretch and wondered why I had to force the bolt closed! What fun, and I’m still alive!
I love hearing stories of how people learned reloading lessons the hard way. I learned some myself. It seems every loader pays their dues that way. When you pass the knowledge on you share those lessons.
Studying a Lyman 45 by gaslight at my hunting camp and giving it a shot. No mentor just doing it. Lee got quite a few of us started with reasonably priced gear. I still load on Lee stuff and get rounds just as good as from my Lyman or RCBS if I take my time.
I paused the video just 37 seconds in to say WOW. This brings back some awesome memories. This is how I reloaded shells for my Model 94, my Springfield 30-06 and my 300 H&H Mag. Level scoop was good. Want a little more knock down power? Just slightly mound the scoop of powder. Was taking big chances back then and just didn't know it. "If I only knew then what I know now".
At age 15 in 1979 I bought my first rifle a Remington 700 BDL in .222 Rem, factory new brass, and the rest of the components and the LEE Target Model Zero Error Loader. It is similar to the one you review but with a finely adjustable die, neck reamer, case trimmer, and squeeze type priming tool. My paperwork is marked 1975. I made several hundred rounds of exceptionally accurate rounds with it over the next several years. I never shot factory ammo in that rifle. Still have the gun and loading tools but haven’t loaded for it in years. I now have a couple of Dillon presses and reload other calibers but I wouldn’t hesitate to use the old LEE tools if I wanted to shoot the .222 again. Very fond memories of sitting in my bedroom meticulously loading with those tools for targets and prairie dogs and most of the deer I shot in my teens and twenties.
Wow! Talk about memory lane. I remember reloading using a lee handloader back in the late 70's. You could buy the boxed kit for $6.95 and it did a nice job as long as you used the reloaded ammo in the gun the brass was fired in. It only neck sized the brass. Ammo was perfect. I loaded mainly 22.250 for coyote and fox hunting in NW Iowa. The ammo always worked perfectly and very accurate
I have a 38/357 and usually load on a lee ABLP, but have occasionally found uses for my classic loader as a supplement for some of the crazy things I've loaded from time to time.
I recently saw an antique reloading tool from Winchester? It was designed for cowboys of the 1800s to reload in the evening at the fire side. It looked like a pair of pliers and different parts of it will punch out the used primer, size the case, and press a new one in. The last step is to crimp the bullet in. These are great tools for someone that did not shoot much.
I have memories of the lee loader. Neck sizing spares you of the real experience of coating a .44 mag case with paraffin and driving it in and out of the full length sizer. 30 or 40 whacks. A box was an ordeal that not only made you appreciate each and every shot, but started you saving for a press. 20 rounds for your deer gun every year was one thing, bulk reloading was no fun.
I couldn't resist watching this! I LOVE these sets and recommend every reloader to have one; for the diversion of doing the work in that fashion. I think my last action was with my .22-250 but I have them in: .308; .223 and maybe one other. Like y'all mentioned, they've tried the list of calibers available. I too have had a primer go off while I loaded a .223 round; demonstrating the process to my brother. As it detonated, he said, "What was that?" I told him, casually, "It was a primer being hit too hard!" We had fun reloading twenty rounds.
I loaded .357 mag with my little Lee loader, never had an accident with it...50 YEARS AGO!! I still have it but when I started reloading again after a 40 year hiatus, this time with an actual press, I found bullets and CCI primers in my 50 year old stash. I seated these primers, I think about 200 of them, and had zero duds. Always had a little anxiety about smacking primers with a hammer....
I've got one in 12 Gauge and a few years ago I found one in 20 Gauge at a Gun Show for my Little Brother. The 7mm Mauser is also the Parent Cartridge of the .30-06, .308 Win. and around a dozen other cartridges.
Wow! I have been shooting for several years now, and this is the first time I have seen such an inexpensive way to reload! After talking about doing so for all those years, but inhibited by the cost of equipment, it finally seems possible. Thanks so much for posting this informative video!
Haha arcane hell. This how my dad taught me to load all of our 223 and 243 rounds through the winter!! Love it! What memories!! I can’t imagine keeping up with the volume I shoot now using this.
Bought my first rifle, a Rem 700 ADL in 30-06 about 74. Bought the Lee Loader shortly afterward. Moved up to a RCBS RockChucker. I have about 3 boxes left of Nosler Solid Base bullets left in .270 130 grain. Somebody had a close out on them, as Guy said about 15 years ago.
I started in 1973 loading 25-06 on a RCBS Rock Chucker mounted to a 2x10 that I c-clamped between two kitchen chairs. Nice to see the old ways again. I still have and use that Rock Chucker from 1973.
Lee loaders are awesome. Easy to stuff into a pack and the neck only resizing leads to some very accurate reloads and longer brass life. I try to keep one for each caliber tucked away, just in case I ever want to reload while on the move or out in the field. I just wish they would make the one for 12 Gauge again.
Started with one of these in .222 about 1967. Few years later, Lee came out with a target version. Still have both, just missing a couple of pieces. Worked well.
The Lee Loader Kit works great for my old Ruger M-77 in 7x57. Ruger cut the throat on those rifles exceedingly long so factory ammo prints groups the size of a cowboy hat. But with Hornady 175 gr. bullets seated to 3.20" oal over 43 grains of IMR 4350 I'm getting ~2" groups @ 100 yds. With some load tinkering, and glass bedding I bet I can get that group size down.
I have this in 45-70, 30-06, 44 mag, 308, and 45 Colt. They work. Of course I have presses but I still enjoy this especially in my 45-70 Single shot. It is much easier to load the big 535 grain Postel bullets with this than my press. They also allow me to reload at my cabin while my presses are back home. They work and even though a hammer is involved, I find it very peaceful.
Wow. Haven't seen a Lee Loader for decades. Prepper necessity, some say. Always preferred the 6mm Rem over .243 Win because of the longer case neck which made seating bullets easier. One of the most accurate hunting rifles I have seen was a model 788 Remington in 6mm Rem. Absolutely consistent 1/2 MOA at max velocity. Good journey down memory lane. Thanks. Jess
I've never used anything but a Lee Loader for my Remington 270 BDL. Started in the mid-70s with it. Works great! Nice to see that I'm not the only one in this world that knows about them.
My family and I recently did a road trip from Northern Washington to Southern Arizona, I took my 9mm Lee loader along with all the fixins. I had a great time doing it. By the end my 7 year old girl was doing with/for me, in so proud of her lol
I picked up a Lee Loader in 357 Mag in the late 80's at a local sporting goods store for less than $20. I used it to reload several hundred rounds. That encouraged me to pick up a Hornady Projector which I still have. I gave the Lee Loader away to a friend shortly thereafter, to hopefully get him interested in reloading. It was a handy little tool.
I loaded my first handloads on one of these for a Blackhawk. I still have one for every caliber I own at my hunting camp and they all work fine. Lyman Book, plastic mallet and some Unique. combo still works
I have yet to reload a single round, but have recently bought three Lee Loaders chambered in 45 Colt, 45 ACP, and 45-70 Government. I have been buying up all the tools to go with them, such as a Caldwell Ballistic Precision Chronograph Premium Kit, rubber mallet, Hornady G3 1500 digital powder scale, Husky digital caliper, kinetic bullet puller, set of Lee auto prime hand priming tool shell holders, Frankford Arsenal perfect seat hand primer tool, Lee resizing lube, Lyman brass smith powder trickler, Lee powder dipper set, a dedicated Satern Custom 45 cal “No Static” powder funnel, and several hand case cleaning/prep tools. And yes I read the instructions that came with the Lee reloader tools just to be on the safe side. I also have gotten Richard Lee's Modern Reloading First and Second Edition manuals , Lyman' s reloading handbook 48th edition, Western Powders Handloading Guide edition 8.0, Western Powders Handloading Guide edition 7.0, and Winchester's 15th Edition Reloader’s Manual to help gain knowledge of the reloading process as well. Plus I have acquired a plethora of Powder Manufacture's manuals, yet among all these publications there is not one load data offering specific for the Lehigh Defense .452 220 grain Xtreme Defender bullets for the 45 Colt chambering [not even on Lehigh Defense's web-site] that I wish to load. Oy Vey! But not to be deterred, I have went right ahead on and bought a box of 50 Lehigh Defense .452 220 grain Xtreme Defender bullets. And all I got left to get are the Winchester Large Pistol Primers #7 or Winchester USA Ready Large Pistol Primers, and some good old Aliant No.5 powder, plus a pair of safety glasses. I plan on using Lehigh Defense's load data for their subsonic 45 Colt .452 250GR. XTREME PENETRATOR being it is safe to substitute a lighter bullet in the place of a heavier bullet with its load data. Both the reloading manuals and Lehigh Defense have said that this is safe so long as I start low and work my way up in .1 increments, being sure to keep a lookout for over pressure signs. I am gonna shoot 'em out a Judge Magnum with a 3" cylinder so the C.O.L. will not matter one way or the other. I had been happy with buying all my rounds from Underwood Ammo (45 COLT 250GR. XTREME PENETRATOR and the 45 COLT 220GR. MAXIMUM EXPANSION rounds), but they, nor anyone else, assemble this one specific round that I really really want, as well, so I am going to make it myself (even if it kills me! [pun intended]). Kind of a good scary feeling has come over me as its getting close to hammer time (literally speaking). Oh, and I have made me a home made combination Reloading Guide and Log Book specific for this round, to help smooth out the process and keep notes within throughout the process. If I live through all this I will share the Reloading Guide and Log Book with data notes included, in case any other caveman with a pioneering spirit wishes to tread down this path less traveled. Anywho, I think I have it all figured out, but if y'all can think of anything I'm missing please let me know.
This is how I got into reloading. Started with my 30-06, now I cast bullets for 6 different calibers and am looking to upgrade my single stage press to a turret. The Lee Classic is a gateway to reloading. Prepandemic, I got my 38spl/357mag loads down to 8-11 cents a round. Now I'm still shooting them around 20 cents per round. The Lee Classic was perfect for when my wife and I lived in an apartment with limited space.
I've loaded .45-70 Government on my RockChucker for decades. But, I bough a "caveman" Lee Loader in .45-70 just for grins. It's comparatively slow, but it works great. The accuracy is very close to the same.
Talk about a blast from the past, I started using a Lee loader in 30-40 Krag, in 1970. Never had one fail, other than scaring myself half to death when I popped a primer. I used IMR-3041 powder and loaded 150 to 220 grain bullets. Took a lot of game with it. Thanks for memories, I may get back into it now.
I bought a Lee Loader in 12 gauge and an MEC(?) Loader in 20 gauge that uses the same principal. The Lee Loader kit has some of the MEC(?) parts, but with the MEC markings ground out. I bought both of mine, NIB, New Old Stock, from Skeet Hill's gunstore as a teen in the 80's. He was the gunsmith's gunsmith for Lee county, MS until he died in the early 90's. Years later, I bought a Lee Loader kit for .45 Colt and .223, naively thinking my reloading could keep up with my young, trigger happy butt. :)
This takes me back to 1970 when a buddy taught me how to load with this die set. We would have a loading party eating fresh grilled deer steak and loading the old 222 Remington. We later moved on to the very fancy hand press which was like having a nice progressive press compared back then. We were so accurate with seating depth and neck sizing was perfect for repeat loads. If we had the money back then for a weighted beam for powder measure it would have been just as perfect as our fancy stuff today. Gee it was so fun back then and cheap! Thanks so much guys!
I bought a Remington 788, in 22-250 Rem, back 1966 and bought a Lee Loader to reload my rounds. Spent many evenings at the kitchen table talking to my parents while reloading about 20 rounds in half an hour. Still have both of them!
Used for 40 years with 257 Roberts. Very accurate loads with addition of a scale. Just bought one for 30/06. Great for light loads for harvesting livestock or varmints.
This video is great, I started in 1967 with Lee's .222 Rem. and the 30-06 Sprgfld. cave man reloading tools. They did did the job for me. Later I got two more of this tools for my 30-30 Win. & 38 spl.
I bought a Parker Hale 22-250 35 years ago and I use to reload using one of those Lee reloading kits. I gave it to a guy in my gun club a couple of years ago.
Absolutely still use them. I buy them as gifts as we’ll perfect way to get people into reloading. I have everything from 9mm to 45/70 perfect for a lazy day after all you’re brass has been totally prepped and ready to go. And you can sit down and load away.
I'm a member of the cave man club . Love my Lee Loaders 270 3030 9mm 44 mag 38 special. Years ago a guy set a 1000yd world record with a Lee Loader . That record stood for 7 years. Watched a video of Me Lee loading with one of these took about 40 seconds. Great video.
Yes yes yes!!! New to reloading and I have one, also the Lee hand press and also the Sinclair Arbor hand press. Reloading .308 for both a savage scout and Howa APC 1500. I like the old school way and .308 is all that I reload.
Brings back some sweet memories of early '81-'82, living in a basement apartment with my wife and 2 kids and reloading 357's on the floor with my very first "reloading tool"!!! In fact, I still have some of the Green Dot in the original cardboard cannister! Must've loaded over a thousand rounds with that Lee Loader! I later bought a 223 and 9mm loader but I don't remember what I did with them. I'm sure there's a bunch of "seasoned" gentlemen that got their start exactly the same way!!! I think of the Lee Loader as the gateway drug of reloading!!!
HELL YESSS!! my daddy and I would use his lee loader to reload his .270, man I still have the kit today!! I can also tell you that I have reloaded the same brass for 50 + years!! Not one problem with any of the cartridges!! Also, Hornady bullets are the best for this loading system!! So many good times with my dad, RIP.
Yes 45 Colt, 45 ACP, 44 Mag / Specials, 357 Mag / Special. Now I use a little Lyman digital scale and load 6 or 12 rounds just to work loads at the range. For my rifle I use a regular set of dies along with a Lee hand press to do the same thing work loads at the range. I use the Lee Lee Dippers to get the powder charge close and then a powder trickler to get it exact. For rifle this works very well because it gives your Barrel time cool between 5 shots test groups.
I started my reloading on the Lee Loader in 30 06 back in the late 70s. I loaded an unbelievable amount of rounds with it. I still have my first and also several others. They just work. My first rifle I loaded for and had was and still have is a Winchester 1917 Enfield all original.
