Lee Loader

I'm not a user of the Lee Loaders (yet?) but I get a few from time to time in trade or in reloading lots I buy.

I have three right now I'm getting ready to sell that I have questions about.

Two of them are in red plastic boxes so they're not really old but I haven't seen this kind of box yet in person. It's an opaque plastic with a hinged lid unlike the new ones with transparent plastic and lift off lid. The dippers are both yellow. One is .22-250 and the other has no instructions....can't tell what it is but it has a 0.5 yellow dipper. My guess is .357. Any clues?

The last one has papers dated 1963 and is for .308 Norma Magnum. I grabbed it because it sounded odd. It's in great shape other than the cardboard box lid has loose corners.

Tell me anything about age, value, ID...?

The hinged lid plastic box is common and the dippers should be yellow with these kits. Just the version in between the cardboard box and present.

My 357 is marked that and has a yellow .7 cc dipper.

The best way to determine value is to look at what they sold for on eBay. Use the advanced search; in your case, "sold listings" and "used". The 357 Mag has run from a high of $36 to a low of $11.50. You can look at the listings to see where your kits sit.

Maybe it's .38S then. No markings other than a patent. Lee is sending the flare piece and all the paperwork free if I pay shipping.

I often do the searches like you said but the Norma Mag is not common enough to get an idea.

The one with no instructions maybe a 9mm. Please look at the decapping base. Is the bottom of it thick or thin? The thick ones look like they are only bored out about half way. The 38 spl/357 look to be bored out most of the way down.
Another hint, the 38 spl and 357 mags usually come with a flaring tool, the 9mm does not.
Measurements of the decapping base: They are both about 7/8 of an inch tall (22.25mm)
38 spl/357 the base is about a ¼ inch thick (6mm), the hole is bored down about 3/4 of an inch (19mm)
9mm the base is about ½ inch thick (13mm), the hole is bored down about 3/8 of an inch (10mm).

According to my new version charge cards, both the 9mm and the 38 spl use the .5cc powder scoop, the 357 mag uses the .7cc scoop. In the older sets, the 38 spl and 9mm had different sized scoops. The 38 has a 020 scoop (.327cc) and the 9mm has a 039 scoop (.639cc).

All the other parts are the same, including the die body. I have loaded 357s with my 9mm die body and loaded 9mm using the 38 spl. body. They are the same.

Great info. I'll check it out later and report back.

9mm it is. Thanks.

One thing that is really important with the 9mm Lee loader is that you get the case absolutely flush with the die body. If you don't, you don't have enough neck tension to hold the bullet.

Glad I could help.

I priced the Norma kit at $44.40 and it sold in about five hours.

GasGuzzler wrote:I priced the Norma kit at $44.40 and it sold in about five hours.

That worked out for you. Where did you sell it? Not a common cartridge any more.

eBay