Hi all,
I'd like to develope a thread on thd history of the lee loader. I have found that this elegant peice of reloading gear is the basis of our shared interest in reloading.
In my case it got me into reloading. I'd read a lot of neagative presss relating to this product so was somewhat hesitant in buying it but my first batch of ammo halved my groups from my clapped out no. 4 303 and I was an instant convert.
cheers
James
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Found this thread while looking for reasons not to do some needed housework. I’ve had a little experience with four different iterations of the Lee Loader. The very first metallic cartridge loaders and the current ones are virtually identical except for packaging. AFAIK, the current Lee company (Lee Precision) has never made loader for shot shells. Late in the life of the old Lee Precision (which became the short-lived Mequon) they came out with an improved version of the basic loader called the “Unitized Loader” and the even better “Zero Error” or Target Model with some extra parts in a larger box of “wood grained” cardboard. These latter two had a hand priming tool, forebear of the current Lee Auto Prime, that eliminated the baddest complaint about the earliest (and current) sets... accidental discharge of the fresh primer! You may be able to read between the lines that these are my favorites!
Thanks to the OP for giving me an excuse to stay on the ‘net and not working.
Froggie
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My first was also the 30 carbine. They said full length size, and they meant it. Used up two plastic mallets and a nice piece of maple that was supposed to be a lamp. The lamp blank was left over after my 7th grade year ended before I could lathe it.
Dave
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I picked up a 12g Lee Loader recently. I no particular use for it but it is too cool not to have at the price.
Cheers from New Zealand
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The only danger of the Lee Loader is people who don't read the directions, follow them or keep the loader CLEAN.
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Hello to all who have experienced the use of a Lee loader,
One of the posts in this thread mentioned the bad press that Lee loaders received and how dangerous they were. When I purchased mine, everybody just knew that I was going to blow myself up and if I was lucky, I would only maim myself .However, I do know some people, who use modern loading equipment, who should have or maybe they do have a guardian angel who protects them from harm.
Mashburn
David a. Cogburn
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I started with a .308 Win. Lee loader in 1973. In 1975 I joined the Army and bought Lee loaders in .380 & .357 while stationed at Ft. Hood. I still have and occasionally use the .308 & .357. Great tools for starting out and for special jobs.
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Cut my reloading teeth on a Lee 12 gauge loader. Loaded hundreds of shells with it. Brings back some great old memories of my first hunting days. Squid Boy
"Squid Pro Quo"
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These are easy to come up with. Here is the first page from the Lee Loader and the Lee case trimmer patents. The target Loader and the hand primer come right up on a search.
https://i.imgur.com/GaVSUHi.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/wqb7lv2.jpg
Slim
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It was '62 when I got a 30-30 Lee loader. They had just come out and it was the 1st one in the LGS. That got me started down this long winding road......
Got a 30 carbine Lee Loader in '67 and a 44 magnum in '68. The lid on it still has the store price sticker....$6.95......
I have 8 standard Lee Loaders and 4 Lee target Loaders. I have given several Lee loaders to the grandsons to get them started.......223, 30-30 and 8x57...
From the Lee site;
LMG
Concealment is not cover.........
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Hello William,
Enjoyed your post tremendously.
I have the little pan luber and cookie cutter and hand sizer that you wrote of. Man, haven't reloading tools evolved by leaps and bounds. I bought my little brother-in-law a Lee 20 gauge loader when he was 13. He now says what in the world did you mean by buying me that Lee loader when I was just 13. I said because I wanted one at a young age and never had one.
Mashburn
David a. Cogburn
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The Patents for the Lee Loader, Target Loader, hand priming tool - screw type and case trimmer are fun to look at. It wont let me upload them. The Lee Shooter program was 
good stuff back in the 286 desktop days. The little inventory program load table were easy to use.
Slim
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I dont know if you will be able to read any of this or not. I had to make it small to attach. If you cannot see it I could put it up on imagur.
The Guns & Ammo look is pretty in-depth considering the patent for the Lee Loader was about a year old.
From about this time in 1964 to 1968 or -69 everyone was talking about and lusting after a Lee Loader. We all could afford this and our Dads could keep an eye on us.
My father had a Pacific press and when we needed to full length re-size we we used it. We all loaded the same thing,: .30-30. .308 or .30-06.
I have several more but these are my most currently used sets. I have a .308 with the red plastic priming tool. I wish I could have purchased more of the Lee Pan lube trays with hand sizer. I have many hours invested
in lubing and sizing .38 and .44 caliber wadcutters.
Slim
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I had a 12 gauge LL also early 70's. I was never happy with the results with plastic hulls. Truth be told, I'm not much of a shot gunner either.
Dave
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Hello to all,
I started loading shotgun shells with a neighbors Texan loader when I was about 19 yrs. old. Then I got rich when I was about 25 and managed to buy a 12 gauge Lee loader. I used a set of bathroom scales to measure the wad pressure and loaded every kind of shell imaginable. Paper shells were so much easier to load. Plastic hulls were just hitting the marked that was in 1973.
A friend of mine took his Lee loader set and made a press for it with all of the lee accessories mounted like a shot shell press. He used the hood latch spring off of a 1950 model Ford car for pressure spring. It was adjustable. It's amazing what people do when their funds are limited. It worked great. I still have mine, although it has been idle for about 50 years or so, It is priceless, Memories, memories and more memories.
Let us not forget Richard Lee's load book.
Mashburn
David a. Cogburn
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Old Lee Loader 38Spec is what I started with a hair over 55 years ago now.
Sure wish I had another 38spec kit. I did find & buy an almost pristine .357 kit.
Sure brings back memories.
There is a lot of loading history in the Lee Loader.
Things started as Lee Engineering, things did not end well there, & Richard Lee
Started Lee Precision who are still in business today. Info's out there, just gotta dig.
A day late & a dollar short, story of my life ???
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Old thread, I know. But I have a 38 LL. With all the ammo shortages, I've tried to give it to family or friends and no one wants it. I'd even help them out with some components. I'm not trying to get rid of it; I'm just trying to help someone out. It seems sad that people don't care to reload.
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Almost forgot. I also shot my first deer and first elk with ammo hammered out on that 30-06 loader on the kitchen table.
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I love the LL. Got my first, in 16 gauge, for Christmas in 1969. That was soon followed by 38Special (also used for 357), 45 Colt, 12 gauge, 30-06, 303 Brit, 6.5 Jap, 7x57, and 45-70. I have seen bench rest competitors use them in matches reloading the same case while on the firing line. I have produced very accurate match ammo with these tools, and have used them to teach my son to reload. I mostly use my presses today because of speed or to full length resize, but I will never get rid of them. They are just too useful and too portable.
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I think my first Lee Loader was for 30-30. Made in 1963. Still have it, the box is a little rough, but still works fine.
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My first reloading was around 1970 with the help of a shooter's bible article from around 1962 that showed how to use a nail to deprime, cut off 30-30 cases for powder measures & a pair of pliers to dent the case mouth enough to hold the bullet. In 1974 when I was old enough to deer hunt my dad told me I could hunt with him if I could get myself set up. The local gunshop had had a mosin M-44 for $39 & a box of new norma shells for $22. The gunshop owner could see I was limited on funds & he said he had a used Lee Loader for $7 & he threw in a box of Norma empty cases for free. I got my deer that year & we needed the meat so I was happy & hooked on loading with that “fancy” loader. I've now got the LL's in 38 spec, 357 mag, 44 mag, 30-30, 308win, 30-06 & 7.62x54R. also in 20ga & 12 ga.
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Aaron
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jeff houck
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Tom Acheson
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Wilderness
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John Carlson
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sghart3578
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MarkinEllensburg
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Spindrift
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alphabrass
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SkinnerD
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