Reloader762
Active Member
Evidently Lee has come out with a new cast bullet sizing system for 2020 but it does many other things as well. https://leeprecision.com/app-automatic-processing-press/
Lee NEW bullet sizing system
- Thread starter Reloader762
- Start date
Reloader762
Active Member
I agree, will be interesting to see how the other functions work as well. It's a good selling point if your in the market for all those other features in one package and the price isnt bad either.
Ian
Notorious member
I'm trying to visualize it shuffling 30-caliber spitzers nose-first across all the little gaps between parts. Not seeing it. Maybe for other stuff. It's a clever design but I wonder how much it flexes and how true the top/bottom die bodies remain under load from sizing cases or bullets. I had to switch my push-through sizing operation to a special press because most of my Lee presses had too much misalignment under stress for true bullets. The bases were literally getting swaged out of square.
Mitty38
Well-Known Member
Hi, new here. Ben loading a couple years, but...
Just starting casting. If you want to call pouring range lead with a ladle, into a lee 358 148 wc mold. Then checking size with calibers and keeping only the .357 to .358's for 680 fps loads, casting. Any how been saving range lead, lead wheel wt, and got hold of a bunch of old pewter. Also just bought a lee electric pot.
Came here to read and learn upon fivers suggestion, before jumping down the rabbit hole any further.
Was hoping for an affordable system to come along . Need equipment for sizing bullets and , and prepping crimped primer pockets , plus a better way to de- prime then having my lee budget turret press throw primers all over the house.
My local gun shop is a lee dealer.This system could be right up the alley for a newbie like me. May just be what I need to get up and running.Or it could be my downfall.
Just starting casting. If you want to call pouring range lead with a ladle, into a lee 358 148 wc mold. Then checking size with calibers and keeping only the .357 to .358's for 680 fps loads, casting. Any how been saving range lead, lead wheel wt, and got hold of a bunch of old pewter. Also just bought a lee electric pot.
Came here to read and learn upon fivers suggestion, before jumping down the rabbit hole any further.
Was hoping for an affordable system to come along . Need equipment for sizing bullets and , and prepping crimped primer pockets , plus a better way to de- prime then having my lee budget turret press throw primers all over the house.
My local gun shop is a lee dealer.This system could be right up the alley for a newbie like me. May just be what I need to get up and running.Or it could be my downfall.
Last edited:
Ian
Notorious member
Welcome, Mitty. If Fiver sent you here you're probably a lot further down the rabbit hole than you realize already, but that's ok, you're in good company 
I'd take a look at all the accessories you think you'd need and how much all that is going to add up to in cost versus buying standard tooling in the principle calibers you load for.
Some options: For mass de-priming, Frankford Arsenal makes an inexpensive universal hand de-primer that works great and you can use it while watching TV or sitting on the porch. The Standard Lee push-through sizing die kit is $20 or so and you can buy an extra turret head just for your bullet sizing dies to save time. Swaging primer pockets can be tiring and expensive if you buy the RCBS kit, and the handy cup that pops the case off the mandrel on the press ram's downstroke won't work well with the turret...or at all if the auto-index ratchet housing is attached to the ram. Lots to think about.
I'd take a look at all the accessories you think you'd need and how much all that is going to add up to in cost versus buying standard tooling in the principle calibers you load for.
Some options: For mass de-priming, Frankford Arsenal makes an inexpensive universal hand de-primer that works great and you can use it while watching TV or sitting on the porch. The Standard Lee push-through sizing die kit is $20 or so and you can buy an extra turret head just for your bullet sizing dies to save time. Swaging primer pockets can be tiring and expensive if you buy the RCBS kit, and the handy cup that pops the case off the mandrel on the press ram's downstroke won't work well with the turret...or at all if the auto-index ratchet housing is attached to the ram. Lots to think about.
Mitty38
Well-Known Member
Thank you for the warm welcome.Welcome, Mitty. If Fiver sent you here you're probably a lot further down the rabbit hole than you realize already, but that's ok, you're in good company
I'd take a look at all the accessories you think you'd need and how much all that is going to add up to in cost versus buying standard tooling in the principle calibers you load for.
Some options: For mass de-priming, Frankford Arsenal makes an inexpensive universal hand de-primer that works great and you can use it while watching TV or sitting on the porch. The Standard Lee push-through sizing die kit is $20 or so and you can buy an extra turret head just for your bullet sizing dies to save time. Swaging primer pockets can be tiring and expensive if you buy the RCBS kit, and the handy cup that pops the case off the mandrel on the press ram's downstroke won't work well with the turret...or at all if the auto-index ratchet housing is attached to the ram. Lots to think about.
Was actually thinking about getting an older O type single stage press just for case prep, bullet lube and sizing. But saw this press from Lee.
Thought maybe this might be a one off that will take care of all of my equipment short comings in one press.However it is new and untested, and I am getting into some new territory for me, like low velocity short range,30-06 cast practice rounds. This new press looks like the cats meow, but tried and true may be better for me, Especial since I am going beyond where I have ever gone before. But if it ends up being the best thing since sliced bread I am going to kick myself for not getting one.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Mitty, I'd advise avoiding anything remotely progressive until you get further along. IMO it's far better to have 2 or 3 single stage presses ( used aren't usually too expensive) than one do it all machine that is temperamental and not real good at anything. Benn there, done that, got the tee shirt. One step at a time!
L Ross
Well-Known Member
Welcome Mitty38. If there is anything I have learned about reloading since I started bruising my palm in 1966 loading 20 ga. shotshells with a Lee hand kit, is to have patience. I have gotten on and dropped out of a couple of Face Book groups where the Dillon kids are motorizing, auto feeding, spray lubricating in a frenzy to see who can produce the most "ammo" per hour.
A good older, single stage press, purchased inexpensively on the used market, can handle most people's reloading chores IF, they sit down and use it. We waste so much time with these darned key boards and our devices, watch TV, follow professional sports. A half hour here, and an hour there, batch processing brass or bullets is time well spent. When I contemplate the amount of time I waste on just this forum I am a bit embarrassed, and I have yet to find a better group of guys to hang out with other than my real life shooting buddies.
I could have every stick of brass prepped, polished, and primed, then stored in dust proof containers ready to load at a moments notice if only I budgeted my time better.
I really like my Lee Classic Cast Turret Press. I zip tied the plastic primer discharge tube at the top, and instead of capping the discharge end, I have the end open into a container to receive the spent primers.
The convenience of having turrets filled with pre-adjusted die sets is just too easy to ignore. That said, I still use a few single stage presses for repetitive chores like decapping a five gallon bucket of .223s or full length sizing hundreds of casings.
When it comes to bullet sizing I must confess to having fallen victim to elitist excess. I used to grab every cheap Star lubri-sizer dangled in front of my face like a bass gulping a swimming frog. I had 6 at one time and after helping a couple buddies out, have held the remaining 4 close to my bosom. If you fall this far down the rabbit hole Alice you are in for long tumultuous adventure.
A good older, single stage press, purchased inexpensively on the used market, can handle most people's reloading chores IF, they sit down and use it. We waste so much time with these darned key boards and our devices, watch TV, follow professional sports. A half hour here, and an hour there, batch processing brass or bullets is time well spent. When I contemplate the amount of time I waste on just this forum I am a bit embarrassed, and I have yet to find a better group of guys to hang out with other than my real life shooting buddies.
I could have every stick of brass prepped, polished, and primed, then stored in dust proof containers ready to load at a moments notice if only I budgeted my time better.
I really like my Lee Classic Cast Turret Press. I zip tied the plastic primer discharge tube at the top, and instead of capping the discharge end, I have the end open into a container to receive the spent primers.
The convenience of having turrets filled with pre-adjusted die sets is just too easy to ignore. That said, I still use a few single stage presses for repetitive chores like decapping a five gallon bucket of .223s or full length sizing hundreds of casings.
When it comes to bullet sizing I must confess to having fallen victim to elitist excess. I used to grab every cheap Star lubri-sizer dangled in front of my face like a bass gulping a swimming frog. I had 6 at one time and after helping a couple buddies out, have held the remaining 4 close to my bosom. If you fall this far down the rabbit hole Alice you are in for long tumultuous adventure.
JonB
Halcyon member
This new Lee press looks interesting for sure.
If I hadn't bought an 'extra' Lee classic cast single stage press (actually it was almost free with 20% coupon and Cabela's points),
...and fabricate a up-side-down mounting bracket,
...and purchasing Keith's lubesizer die adapter kit,
I'd be all over this.
If I hadn't bought an 'extra' Lee classic cast single stage press (actually it was almost free with 20% coupon and Cabela's points),
...and fabricate a up-side-down mounting bracket,
...and purchasing Keith's lubesizer die adapter kit,
I'd be all over this.
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Been looking at the mechanics of this press. Design is innovative, is inexpensive for folks that want to load "faster". But it is a long way from design to actually making a tool that works and holds up. We will see.
Rick H
Well-Known Member
Too new but is very interesting to me. I almost always deprime and size in a single stage anyway. The primer pocket swaging option is interesting too. I have the RCBS PP swager but find it to be a real pain in the butt to use. Since I am mostly a Powder Coat or tumble lube guy this is right up my alley. I would be interested to see if the current Lee push through dies will work with it or not. I have quite a few that have been lapped to the size I need and want (rather than what was stamped on them by Lee, never bought one that was "right" from the factory. Only a RD spec .460 was on the money.)
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Or buy one of the early Pacific "C" presses off eBay for less than $30. They are light, for cast iron or cast steel, and ram up on upstroke.
fiver
Well-Known Member
do they make more than like 2 sizers that a bullet caster would even use?
everything is jacketed bullet diameter or non existent.
I'm kind of thinking about getting this to use as a push through sizer and maybe for pushing some cases through.
it looks almost like I would need a custom size die and stem for everything I do.
everything is jacketed bullet diameter or non existent.
I'm kind of thinking about getting this to use as a push through sizer and maybe for pushing some cases through.
it looks almost like I would need a custom size die and stem for everything I do.