Popsbengo Posted January 20, 2022 Report Share Posted January 20, 2022 Does anyone on here have experience of using a Lee Loader set for .303 Brit? To those that don't know it's a press-less system utilising a hammer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMLE Posted January 20, 2022 Report Share Posted January 20, 2022 Seek out Logcabinlooms on YouTube. He’s put a couple of videos out there over the years on these bits of kit. Can’t recall if he’s covered 303 but the principals will remain valid. Interesting character too with a real mix of content. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMLE Posted January 20, 2022 Report Share Posted January 20, 2022 Just had a quick check, he’s published a recent one on 30-30, so not too dissimilar to 303, but there are others with specific Lee Loader videos on the 303 cartridge. A quick search will be all you’ll need. These are good tools, never going to produce competition winning ammo, but good enough for government work as the saying goes 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popsbengo Posted January 20, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2022 36 minutes ago, SMLE said: Just had a quick check, he’s published a recent one on 30-30, so not too dissimilar to 303, but there are others with specific Lee Loader videos on the 303 cartridge. A quick search will be all you’ll need. These are good tools, never going to produce competition winning ammo, but good enough for government work as the saying goes 😀 Cheers Ian, I'm interested to see if anyone here has 1st hand experience, I recall watching someone demonstrate this along time ago, set my teeth on edge a bit with all that hammering around live rounds 😧. There's a chap in our club that's been bought a set for Xmas and he was asking around for guidance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMLE Posted January 20, 2022 Report Share Posted January 20, 2022 I used a set years ago for 45/70 I think with a bloke I used to shoot with at wedgnock but only because I was fascinated watching him do it and he let me have a go for a few rounds. It looks counter intuitive but nothing to worry about if you follow the instructions and pay attention. I suspect millions of rounds have been made that way before we all became victims of marketing strategies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted January 20, 2022 Report Share Posted January 20, 2022 I have a 303 Lee and have used it a lot. Safe and easy. Good results especially as it only neck sizes and that is perfect for my old Enfields. I think that 303 has been discontinued tho, along with many, many others. Lee made over 70 models at one time. I try to keep one for every chambering I load for. ~Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popsbengo Posted January 20, 2022 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2022 Thanks chaps, There's .303 kits still available over here and Lee still list on their web-page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1066 Posted January 20, 2022 Report Share Posted January 20, 2022 I've used them (30-40 years ago) for .243, .308, .357 .45ACP and 9mm - They work absolutely fine and make good quality ammo if you take your time. It's not quick and you wouldn't want to do a lot of them but if you're on a real tight budget or had a cabin in the wilderness somewhere they do the job. There's not a whole world of difference (apart from quality and price) between a Lee Loader and a set of Wilson hand dies. Here's a set of .303 for less that £40.Buy Lee Loader 303 British Online. Only £38.50 - The Sportsman Gun Centre | SGC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted January 21, 2022 Report Share Posted January 21, 2022 I didn't even check to see if they were still made. Lee has been slowly trimming their lineup. I ran a test of bench loaded 223 and that made with the Lee. Total time to complete 40 cartridges was about the same. With practice I was producing a loaded round in the trimmed case every 90 seconds. The average group size from a Hart-barreled Howa was within a few thou of identical. I have a few of the more odd-ball ones like 25-20 WCF that I still use. 30-40 is one of my favorites. I am told that when Lee first shipped the 30-40 units they came with a flaring tool to facilitate loading cast bullets. My old set had one in it. I always wondered if that was true. ~Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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