I took the dive and bought a lee loader

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  • CopperheadL

    Plinker
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    Sep 9, 2017
    48
    8
    Seymour
    I have had a lee loader for a month or so now, played with it loading dud rounds ( no primer or powder ). Now i have it dialed in so to speak as for setting the bullet. tomorrow i start with my first 100 rounds with bullseye, 230grain copper jacketed and Winchester pistol primers. I have my calipers and a lee powder scale. I figure 5 grains of bullseye should work well. Here's to the start of a new hobby.
     

    BGDave

    Master
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    Sep 15, 2011
    2,659
    119
    Beech Grove
    Welcome to the brass scrounger club. When I started reloading is when my pants started wearing out in the knees again. I have loaded lots of Bullseye (5.0 grs) behind a 230 FMJ bullet.
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
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    May 12, 2013
    31,688
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    Camby area
    Congrats. Broke out my Lee last night. FINALLY discovered that my sizing die wasnt as low as I thought it was, so now my prior sizing problems of 3 years appear to be over.
     

    Cameramonkey

    www.thechosen.tv
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    May 12, 2013
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    Slow learner, I see.
    I quadruple checked and thought the die was bottoming out on the shell plate, but apparently it wasnt quite. (its a Pro 1000 so its not easy to see past other parts) Like a mm or two short, so even after switching to an undersize die it still would leave a slight bulge in the bottom of the case that would jam the pistol unless I ran it back through a bulge buster.

    But yes, sometimes I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but then I go on the internet and realize I'm still pretty damned smart comparatively speaking. :):

    EDIT: and I only reload maybe 1,000 rounds a year, so not very active.
     
    Last edited:

    1775usmarine

    Sleeper
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    81   0   0
    Feb 15, 2013
    11,264
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    You should also buy a reloading manual that shows loads. Just figuring can lead to dangerous situations.
     

    amafrank

    Marksman
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    Jan 18, 2012
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    Hagerstown
    I started with Lee loaders in 9mm parabellum and 7mm Mauser in the mid 70s and worked my way into a couple Dillon progressives over the years. Its a good way to start and to learn the basics before going into higher production. Take your time and pay attention. Its possible to screw things up one at a time too.

    One other detail....terms mean specific things and if you intend to be understood you need to use the right terms. Dud rounds mean those that didn't go off. They were loaded and considered live but on firing they failed. Dummy rounds are those loaded with the intent of not having them fire. You loaded dummy rounds to start off, not duds.
    Maybe it seems silly or just nitpicky but as you go through life you'll find that using the right term for the right thing makes life easier. We all have to learn them as well.

    Frank
     

    CopperheadL

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Sep 9, 2017
    48
    8
    Seymour
    I have read a lot online, and i have a friend of mine that reloads who is teaching me the ropes. i also have a lee manual that i bought, plus reading the load data from bulls eye that i downloaded from their site. this being a lee loader i am not really worried about it much. i have to scope and will be backing that up with my beam scale. my only real worry was using a rod and hammer to set the primer, but after numerous videos of people doing it i am confident it wont be too bad ( i just listen to the pings for a change). I even took a month just playing with it occasionally to set the depth of my bullets and have it locked in on the loader. even learned the hard way how to hold it while i tapped the bullet down ( object lessons learned the hard way, you never forget. lol).
     

    Fullmag

    Master
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    15   0   0
    Sep 4, 2011
    1,956
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    Your using a rod and hammer to set you primers? You are patient! More than I am. Lee makes a auto-prime much, much easier while increasing productivity and quite a bit safer.
     

    CopperheadL

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Sep 9, 2017
    48
    8
    Seymour
    yep, i am doing it the old fashioned way for now, one round at a time, nice an slow. in the near future i will get a decent reloading kit. but this way i get the basics down.
     

    EyeCarry

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    9   0   0
    May 10, 2014
    1,532
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    Bloomington
    I started out that way for a short time. Nothing wrong with it and you are handling everything multiple times so you should get a real feel for inspecting everything as you go, over and over again. Cases, primer seating, powder, OAL, etc. It's really not too bad to knock out fifty to a hundred rounds. Once you are beyond that it is time to move on.
     
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