Lee Loader

Yeah, a little is enough. Family finances always first, good job.

The Speer is a good choice a couple of boxes have gone down the Marlin tube. I'll be interested to hear your feelings on the hand press. I like mine.

Make smoke,

I have been using the 200 grain pro hunter 35 cal in my 357 max because everybody was always out of the 180. I finally got some a couple of months ago. Now to work up a load for it.

Not all that small. When I started reloading I bought my tools one at a time, as I needed them (could afford them), some used. I also bought primers by the sleeve (IIRC $.98), Bullseye by the pound (a lot of loads per pound) and scrounged brass...

mikld wrote:Not all that small. When I started reloading I bought my tools one at a time, as I needed them (could afford them), some used. I also bought primers by the sleeve (IIRC $.98), Bullseye by the pound (a lot of loads per pound) and scrounged brass...

I've made $40 orders that I thought were huge at the time .
Heck I've cancelled $60 orders because the freight put me over my limit ....... Seems like it was an RCBS mould at Nacheses that was $28 to ship a $78 mould that made me buy my first NOE at 105 shipped . It was the $28 for a 12 oz item that would have shipped for $6 in a flat rate box that just blew me away .

Looks like your all set for 2-3 cartridges though and for less than 100 rounds of each at the store .

Thanks for your comments, guys. I'm really excited about ordering the breech lock hand press - from all I've researched, as well as checking them out at gun shows, I'm confident that it will suit my hobby needs perfectly.
Maybe when I "grow up" and live in a place with a garage, basement, or backyard shed I may explore the bench press lifestyle! But I like the simplicity and portability of this little guy.

Yeah, the two die sets I have ordered will fit the bill for my primary shooters in my house - .35 Rem Marlin 336-A, .35 Rem Model 8 and Model 81 Remingtons, and my .38/.357 pistols. I'm going to keep up with the .32 Rem/.300 Sav/.30 Rem stuff with my Lee Hand Loader kits until I scrape up more dough for press die kits. Looking forward to the UPS guy's arrival!

Be well all of you guys.

Adam

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Footnote for the 30&32 Rem . If you don't have the information yet , they share data directly with the 30-30 and 32 Special and in the #12 Speer the note is made in the 32 Win Special but not the 30-30 data . As a casual neck sizer kind of guy a 308 sizer can be used for the 30 and 30-30 so your 300 die is going to be the cat's meow here . The 30-30 and 32 dies will muck up the shoulders be tempted but aware . The correct dies are available from the Huntington's aka the RCBS die making division but they are custom priced because of the low volume . I have a second hand set of CH dies and if I had a 25 or 30 Rem id spend the extra $15 bucks on them fitted for the rifle and minimum sizing with the slightly as needed tapered neck fit because in the context of only being available as they are the CH is sooooo worth it . You may get by body and neck sizing with the 30-30 and 300 Savage die to bump the shoulder but ........

I'll go to my cell and await the lashes . We now return to the low life Lee forums , die snobbery free .

Adam,

I started in January 2011 about the same way you did. My late mentor convinced me to start with the Lee Classic Loaders, not just for a little money savings but to insure becoming familiar with every step in the re-loading process along the way. I set my personal "advancement" goals to stick with the Classic Loaders for one full year, then the second year would be the Lee Hand Press, third year a bench mounted single stage press, then whenever (if) the itch needed scratching I could move up to a turret press or progressive. That move to the Lee Breech Lock Hand Press was in January of 2012 and the next advancement move still hasn't come. I'm still totally content with the Hand Press and the five different die sets I'm using, and still don't feel a compelling need or desire to change.

You probably already have some or all of these things on hand, but I'll still mention a few ....

Kinetic Bullet Puller
Caliper
Electronic Scale (my preference accompanied by Lee dippers)
Chamfer/Deburr tool (for the brass)
.... and unlimited number of other "must have" gadgets.

Again, I don't know whether or not you've considered it, but since you're going the Breech Lock direction you really need a Breech Lock bushing for every single die, already installed and set. That reduces the time needed for die changes to just a few seconds and almost eliminates the normal die adjustment needs in most cases.

A bit off topic: First time I saw a Hand Press it reminded me of the "Boob Builder" (can't remember the original name) for women that was advertised on TV back in the 70's. Still in the back of my mind is the thought "I hope I won't have to start wearing a bra because of this".


jd