Danged cheap Lee press died.

[gun toting monkeyboy]

After 15 years and around 100,000 loadings, the danged thing up and died. What a rip off. I paid almost $70 for the whole kit back then, and the press just keels over. Sheesh, what is this world coming too? Now I have to see if Lee even carries parts for this one anymore. I hope so. Aside from the one part that finally cracked, the rest of it looks like it will give me another 100k. Alas, I don't think they still make this model. I still have an RCBS press, but it just isn't the same. (sniff) I have only really used the RCBS for forming cases and other things that required more leverage than the poor little Lee press could do. Ah, well. If I can't fix it, I'll have to come up with some suitable way of recycling it. I spent many a pleasant evening hiding out in the garage and cranking out hand loads. Anybody have any suggestions?

-Mb

[iareConfusE]

Buy another $70 press lol

[gun toting monkeyboy]

Buy another $70 press lol

lol, I would, but it won't be the same. They don't make them that cheap anymore. Besides, for that $70, I got the whole reloading set up. Most of which I still use. Not as primarys, mind you. But it is always good to have back-ups. In case something dies in the middle of reloading...

[jimmykan]

$70 bucks over 100,000 rounds? That's $0.0007 per round. Just the primer costs about 30 times that per round.

That's actually a better deal than the Dillon 1050, which has a life expectancy of 2 million rounds, but that press costs about $1500.

[moulton]

Pics or didn't happen

[monk]

...I can't tell if the OP is being funny or if he's really serious lol.

[gun toting monkeyboy]

It was an attempt at humor. People are always saying that Lee stuff is junk. That little press held up to all kinds of abuse far longer than I expected it to. I was actually shocked when the piece that the lever fits into cracked and crumbled into several chunks. I was beginning to think that it would go on forever. I will try to post pictures tomorrow. I will also try to figure out a better round count. 100k is close though. I did a lot of cowboy action shooting way back when, and blowing through a thousand rounds in a weekend wasn't unheard of. Plus practicing. And everything else all these years. I'll have to count up bullet boxes. I use the ones that come with 500 cast bullets for storage and such after they get emptied.

-Mb

[monk]

Awesome. I wonder if they still make them like they used to.

[SnWnMe]

My first Lee is pushing 20K after 8 years so it's a youngster. CGNer ballistic put that much through his in a year.

[Donny1]

...I can't tell if the OP is being funny or if he's really serious lol.

And I can't tell if you are.

[monk]

And I can't tell if you are.

Touche....

[r3dn3ck]

mine is approaching 15 years old. I prefer the RCBS but my ol' lee has been worth every penny spent and more.

what part broke?

[Chaparral]

You should try and JB Weld it back together and see how long it lasts just for chits and giggles.

Got my 50+ year old RCBS Rockchucker still going strong...and I bought it used when I was in high school...Gawd only knows how many rounds it's squished together..

[ETD1010]

I love my Lee!

[Fjold]

I loaded on a Lee three hole, turret press for all my rifle and pistol loading for about 5 years. And I used to buy 200 grain SWCs for IPSC shooting 50,000 at a time (once a year).

I still have the turret press in a box here somewhere.