Planning a hunting trip for driven boar in either Eastern Europe or Turkey, either way it involves flying and our domestic airlines only allow 50 rounds per gun, which isn't a lot for a week long hunt.
So I started looking for one of these hand presses and if any were in stock here in the UK. Don't know what prompted me but I looked on guntrader UK and literally a couple of minutes before I logged in a guy had advertised a brand new in box one for a third of the cheapest shop price I could find, ordered it then and there on saturday got it SD and it arrived monday am.
I'm absolutely delighted with it,it was brand new in box not a scratch on it.
Since I've gotten it a week ago I've reloaded 120 308s, 200 357 mags and 100 30/30, all cast boolits.
The only downside is I've spent more than I gave for the press for those dang breech lock adaptors, I now have 8 of them, so I can enjoy the convenience of using them in my 3 main calibers, for which I have either been gifted or paid low for additional die sets, I know have to buy another 4 so I can also reload 223.
I use the 10% lanolin/denatured alcohol as case lube and so far it'snot been an issue. I wouldn't like to resize to a different caliber though as my 80 year old wrists aren't as strong as they once were.
All in all it's a great bit of kit and when the stock levels in my supplier's warehouse get replenished later this month and they send the final 4 adaptors to me I'll transfer my 223 dies over and sell my classic turret.
Just got a one.
- mr surveyor
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- My Press Choice: Hand Press
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Re: Just got a one.
I bought a Breech Lock Hand Press in January of 2012 and used it exclusively for .38 spl, .357 mag, 9mm, .45 auto, 44 mag, 44 spl and 30-30 Win. I bought Breech Lock "adapters" for each and every die, including a Lee Universal De-Capping die and a ram press priming die .... a real worth while investment. I had only intended to use it "exclusively" for a year or so but after 7-8 years I bought another Hand Press kit to keep as a back-up. It wasn't until spring of 2023 that I finally decided to concentrate more on using a RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme for most reloading chores, but I still de-prime and prime everything with that first old hand press. I do miss the simplicity and speed of using the quick lock bushings on my re-loading dies, but it some types of brass it's a lot easier on my abused body to "mash it" on the single stage bench mounted press.
I still ain't giving up my Lee Hand Press (s) though (or the bushings )
jd
I still ain't giving up my Lee Hand Press (s) though (or the bushings )
jd
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There's just some things best left unsaid on the internetsuperhighway.
There's just some things best left unsaid on the internetsuperhighway.
- drone
- Posts: 34
- Joined: 11 Dec 2022 16:47
- My Press Choice: Hand Press
- Location: Dover, UK
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Re: Just got a one.
I hear what you're saying, I wish I had gotten mine in 2012,
Do you ever walk in a room and wonder why you're there?
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Welcome to my world
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- 250 Shots
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- Location: Utah
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Re: Just got a one.
I have 2 of them. I managed to snag about a dozen of those bushings but then I found...... Lee Speed dies. Looking for the 9mm and the 38spl.
- Fyodor
- Founding Member & Supporter
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Re: Just got a one.
You only really need one adaptor, when you use locking rings on the dies, and screw them in as in the olden days.
My first press was a have press, too. Old model without bushings. It was a great tool to learn reloading, because you are very close to the action, need to watch it closely, and have great feel in the lever. I like mine, and still occasionally use it to finish rounds on the range, when doing chronographs on new loads or so.
My first press was a have press, too. Old model without bushings. It was a great tool to learn reloading, because you are very close to the action, need to watch it closely, and have great feel in the lever. I like mine, and still occasionally use it to finish rounds on the range, when doing chronographs on new loads or so.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
- Evelyn Beatrice Hall, often misattributed to Voltaire
I think I'm thinking, therefore I may possibly be.
- Evelyn Beatrice Hall, often misattributed to Voltaire
I think I'm thinking, therefore I may possibly be.