Lee Loader

If you are just starting reloading, why buy 2 presses? K.I.S.S. An "O" frame press will do everything you need to do starting out. Most "C" frame presses will do much the same (I personally have never seen a broken Lee "C" press and I really don't pay much attention to what "they" say. You don't know what "they" did to break their press, a too small die and a 24" cheater bar?). I have a dedicated "Depriming/Bullet sizing Press" and often just deprime on my regular old Lee Turret...

I like that idea. thanks

I bought the C press for depriming, but I now use it to size and chamfer using the EZ Trim. But since it's mounted to my bench, I ended up doing most of my depriming and sizing with a Lee Hand Press. Of all the Lee gear I use, I believe that this tool is one of the most ingenious things to come out of Lee. It has greatly sped up my rifle brass conditioning.

That Lee hand press is a very convenient tool. I really started using it a lot more once I upgraded to the newer style with bushings. At home it's used for depriming. At the range I use it for bullet seating on load work ups.

I need to add this comment about using the Lee Hand Press as a decapper; keep a trash can nearby as it fills fast and can be a bit messy if not shaken out rather frequently.

daboone wrote:I need to add this comment about using the Lee Hand Press as a decapper; keep a trash can nearby as it fills fast and can be a bit messy if not shaken out rather frequently.

yep, about 35 spp's or 30 lpp's

been there, done that a few hundred times

jd

I use my C press for everything. I vacuum the spent primers out takes about two seconds
Once I lubed the reciprocating parts with Lucas oil stabilzer it smoothed out perfect.
I have reloaded thousands of rounds with my little c press and it has never failed me
I usually load .45 colt or .38/.357 straight walled pistol cases so I dont have to reef on it a whole lot.
If I was doing long rifle cases a O press might be worth it but I will cross that bridge when I get there.

Kind of an old topic but it was near the top of the single stage section...

I have a cast c-press I use for oopsies. I can fix an issue in the midst of a run and get that case back in line instead of setting it aside and making a note what needs done....then having to finish it all by itself at the end of the session. It was actually the first single I got. I got it after my turret. I liked the single enough I added a older (large) O-shaped offset Lee.

Plus....if I have my O set up for a run of something and I wanna try an experiment or make a few of a different caliber I'll jump over to it to keep the set up safe on the O.

I think I got it for $15 shipped with the original (old looking) box. I mounted it close to the edge of my bench and wallered out the edge of the table top just a little to let the primers fall. I've since moved it to another bench and have to dismount it every few months to clear out the primers. I may try to mod (or something similar) shown.

The o-press scatters primers everywhere....haven't tried to invent a solution for that yet.

The original post sounds like you want to use a C press for decapping only, as you might already have a "regular" press. If so, no it isn't necessary and for a new reloader the extra cost of a second press isn't worth it. Your single stage or turret press can very easily deprime brass and is a bit less trouble than moving presses (unless you have a lot of room and can set up a few presses on the bench. I once read of a reloader that used a separate press for each step; one for sizing/decapping, one tool/press for priming, one press to seat bullets...).

I have a C press set up as a dedicated deprimer. I raised it off the bench with some spacers and drilled a whole under it, and the dead primers fall into a catch container underneath the press. some bounce out onto the floor, but not many. I also have one set up to ram prime, and I have another I use for crimping. They are good little presses, and work for me.

barracudadave67