I enjoy reloading for a lot of reasons: Saving money, accuracy, and the theraputic / relaxing enjoyment of it. But one drawback is that it takes me out of the house into my workshop, away from family and interior comforts. So how can you reload in the house?



The Lee Loader is a system for reloading you can use anywhere. All you need is the Lee Loader kit, a plastic hammer, a hard surface, and then your regular reloading compontents (brass, bullets, powder, primers, etc).



Some differences with the Lee Loader:



1. It is for use on ONE CALIBER ONLY, so unlike your reloading press you can't get different dies. You buy a kit for each caliber you want to load.



2. It resizes the NECK ONLY, not the entire case. This means that rounds you load on your Lee Loader should only be used in the rifle they were fired in. The body of the cartridge expanded in firing to the exact size of THAT chamber. And since we are only resizing the neck, the body remains exactly the same size as the chamber it was last fired in. For me I only have one .30-.30 rifle and one .270 so this is not an issue. But I do have a couple of 7.62x54R rifles, and since I have a Lee Loader in this caliber I have to be careful only to use those rounds in the rifle they were fired in. They actually won't chamber in the other one.



Here is my Lee Loader kit in .30-.30. I bought it off Gunbroker for under $20. The guy also sent me a bag of fired brass with it, but it won't fit my rifle (see above) so I'll have to hold that back until I get some regular dies in .30-.30 and resize them.










In keeping with the "indoor use" theme, I charge my Lee Loader rounds using a powder dipper. I thought about going into detail about this but I've decided against it––I don't want to give advice on loads and amounts of charge. Suffice it to say that I've weighed my dipped charges repeatedly and I'm satisfied with the consistency I'm getting. Also I'm using a charge small enough that I'm sure it's safe and large enough that a double-charge is not possible––won't fit in the case. I'm using a 2.5cc dipper for these rounds today.










The first step is to set the fired brass in the decapping chamber and tap out the primer using the decapper rod. It has a little point at the end and drives the spent primers out easily.










And here they sit. I'm only reloading 10 rounds today. I'm working on a flat rock, covered in a rag, on the kitchen table. Rock protects the table from dents and also adds mass to hold everything still (less bounce).










Then the case is inserted neck-down into the body of the loader itself. Then use the plastic hammer to drive it in flush. This is how the neck sizing occurs. No lube necessary.










...and here we see the case driven in flush. It's been resized.










Next thing we have to do is insert a primer. The primer is placed face-up in the priming chamber. Then you place the round––still flush in the loader body––over the priming chamber.










Then insert the priming rod, through the loader body and through the neck of the case, until it is resting on the bottom of the case. Hold it all in your weak hand and GENTLY tap the priming rod to push the case out of the loader body and into the priming chamber, which inserts the new primer into the round. This is really the only scary part and I did pop one primer today. When that happens, you hear a *pop* and smell smoke. The priming rod does not go flying. It'll make you jump but no harm. They probably recommend glasses.










If you do it right, the primer will be inserted flush in the case. See that it is. (note I removed the round to show this but you really don't want to remove the round from the body yet––see next step)








Next you want to gently push the case so that it comes free of the loader body, but don't remove it. Transfer the whole assembly off the priming chamber and seat it instead in the decapping chamber. Then add your powder charge by pouring it in the top. The key to dipping powder is consistency of action. Do the same motions each time for consistent loads: in how you scoop, how you let excess fall off, etc. After dumping I usually tap the loader body with the priming rod 2-3 times. This knocks any loose powder into the case.










Next drop the bullet in, tail-down of course.










The stop collar and locking nut on the top of the loader body need to be adjusted to the proper overall length of the finished round. It takes some trial and error but once it's set, lock the nut tight and don't change it. To seat the bullet, set the priming chamber so that the rod is pusing down on the bullet nose and tap it with the hammer until the priming chamber contacts the stop collar. It's a safety feature that the bullet seating rod is connected to the priming chamber: you want to make sure the now-live round is seated in the DECAPPING CHAMBER (which has a hole in the bottom) and of course not in the priming chamber here. With the priming chamber actually connected to the bullet seating rod, you can't screw it up.










For some rifles we could stop here, but since I'm loading rounds for a rifle with a tubular magazine, we'll go ahead and apply a crimp so that the bullets don't get pushed deeper into the case.










To apply the crimp, place the live round point-down in the loader body with the STOP COLLAR UP. Then set the DECAPPING chamber on the base of the round so that nothing is hitting the primer.










I used four light, firm whacks with the hammer to achieve this crimp:










Acknowledgements and kudos to Old_Painless for this type of tutorial. I hope you've enjoyed it. If you're not afraid to whack on bullets with a hammer, the Lee Loader is fun, relaxing, and educational.

That's really cool!

and caveman simple.

Started reloading 45 that way back in the early 80's.  After getting a batch of sensitive primers went with a hand primer.

Very well done tutorial.  Good job!

I need that kit....

Excellent job, great pics!  I learned how to reload from my Grandfather using the Lee Loader and I still use them to this day for my lesser shot calibers... It's simple and very enjoyable... sort of like knitting for men!  I've 'progressed' to the Lee Handpress for some of my reloading but swear by the powder dippers.  Hopefully people will see how simple and inexpensive reloading equipment can be and join in on the fun...

Thats what I started with

i still have a couple laying around

Really cool writeup.
We use a Lee hand press for processing brass while sitting around in the evenings.

Copy it or leave it in GD a while first? Fine, thank you.

Nice. I didn't know those existed. I want one!

A Lee Hand Press should make life much easier and only upgrade you to maybe a shoebox to keep it in.

Sounds good, thanks.

I used the lee hand press to load a few thousand rounds while I was living in the baracks. It was great showing some of the guys how to de-cap and resize and prime brass. It was like free labor, and they thought it was a hoot when I'd give them a hand full of loaded .38's or .45's.
And I could easily hide the kit in my room, for those surprise health and welfare inspections. Not that any of my direct NCO's really cared though.

I  bought one of those as my first reloading project back in the 70s.  The guy who sold it to me told me they used it at Camp Perry for reloading on the line.  I don't know if he was bullshitting me or not, but it does produce a very accurate reload.  
If you get yourself a small arbor press, you can do away with the hammer.

Good Job Sir,








But please be careful. I see you are reloading 30-30 and you are not crimping the neck. I have never use a Lee hand re-loader. But if you plan on using these 30-30 bullets in a lever gun where the noses touch the base of the bullets in front. Please be aware that the bullet COULD be forced into the neck of the brass and reduce case volume, there but increasing pressure.

Oh, wow. I hadn't even considered that. I guess I'll get the instructions back out and see about adding that crimp. Thank you.

The little Lee dippers can be a quick way to drop powder. I got a set to fool around with and for backup and they're quicker than a 505 scale or a PACT electronic setup.

Sometimes you have to be content with +/- a tenth of a grain, but that happens with a lot of measures.

ADDENDUM:



Chas8008 was right, rounds intended for use in a tubular magazine need to have the crimp applied to prevent the bullet from being forced deeper.





To apply the crimp, place the live round point-down in the loader body with the STOP COLLAR UP. Then set the DECAPPING chamber on the base of the round so that nothing is hitting the primer.










I used four light, firm whacks with the hammer to achieve this crimp:










I've edited the OP as well to include this addendum.

I want one. Do they still make them??

Still use my 20 year old Lee hand press to crank out 100 rounds every so often...slow as hell but it works.

I used a heavier hammer with my kit. Don't have to wack it as much.

http://www.midwayusa.com/Search/Default.aspx#lee%20loader____-_1-2-4_8-16-32

Yup MidwayUSA has a whole bunch of them (backordered)

To the OP
Thank you, very cool post

I purchased a loader in 9mm. a couple years ago just for the hell of it. I went and got myself 100 primers and a box of bullets and a pound of powder and loaded them up over the course of a weekend following to enclosed directions. It was relaxing and kinda fun. The rounds were used at the range with no problems. This thread make me was to expand to other calibers and do it some more.

Wow, that brings back memories!  I used to set in the living room and load on the Lee-Load-All with my Dad.  We would watch one of three channels of black and white TV and load bullets.  That would have been about '74 or '75.  When he got his first single stage press, we thought we were in heaven!

Good stuff right there. All you guys should get into reloading!

I save lots of money on 44 magnums and the shits more accurate too.

Good thing to keep in an expanded BOB too

Wow, I would definantly get into reloading if something like that is available in .223.

Fuckin' A awsome dude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The manual says that auto-loaders might have trouble with neck-sized cartridges. I've never tried it in anything but a bolt gun or a lever gun.

Just have a full length die in a small press and your good to go.

I picked one up in 9mm, and spent a night knocking out primers and trying to get a feel for the kit.   I am very impressed with it, and the cost (Under $20 at Cabelas).

While it may take a little longer than a progressive kit, $20 verses a few hundred, not to mention that I have plenty of time between shooting trips to load up a good amount of rounds.  

Really bought it for my BHO-SHTF kit, though I may get a .303 one for my SMLE.

Goot post!

Holy shit thats primitive!

You should reload your ammo well away from anything civil, ie in the garage, outside etc. There is lead compounds in the primers, and it can be dangerous to your health

I just reloaded my first bullets today, and had a good time doing it. I must have measured and remeasured about 5 times before I shot my first reload, but it shot without a hiccup and ejected with no problems. I'm looking forward to finding out what works best for my rifle

Primitive beats not having any ammunition at all.  It's definitely not my first choice in reloading gear, but if you had to make do in primitive conditions, this would be an option.

Im not saying there is anything wrong with it, I just didnt realize people actually used those kits.
I have one for a 12 gauge, but havent played with it since I was 12.

Very nicely done.

HH

Nice tutorial.

Cabelas has them also

Cabela's Link


or you can order straght from LEE

LEE

I just re-read them again and there is no mention of lube, for or against. Since we're only neck-sizing, they really go in quite easy. When I use lube I'm paranoid about getting it removed afterwards (even though I've seen your study of how much oil it takes to "kill" a primer
).  



But given the choice, I'd just as soon not lube.

I snagged one in .223 a few years ago, and now that I finally got my hands on a .223 Bolt Action, I will have to give it a a try!

Ten rounds?





That takes me 20 seconds on my XL5650.  






It's not worth taking the cover off the press if I'm not going to load up a thousand rounds, which is about half an hour's work if

I've got all my preparations done in advance.





Still, the Lee tool is a neat gadget that's well worth having, at the very least as part of your BOB.   Take a pound of powder, a few trays

of primers, and a couple hundred bullets with you and if you can go to ground you can reload while hiding.    But better yet...just bring enough ammo.






CJ

That's how I started out reloading in 1969, with a set in .30 carbine and one in .256 Winchester Magnum.    

I have one for my .44mag in the basement somewhere.




I never did pop a primer with mine

Thats real cool.
Hmmm, might have to take a trip to Cabellas.

Cool, have been wanting one for a couple calibers for awhile now.

I used to work up new loads with a Lee Loader right at the shooting bench, load a few, shoot them across the chrony, load a few more with a slightly different charge, wash, rinse and repeat.

That's how I started reloading...in 1981. Lee loader in .223.

Do not use in your ar!!!!!!   They will jam bad and are a SOB to get out. I know from doing it. You need to have a full sizing die.