New Lee Equipment on the Market

Speaking with XbonesX the other night, he had informed me that the original Lee Auto Hand Prime has been discontinued. Midwayusa no longer sells that older one. Instead, Lee has improved the design. Now, there is no restriction of Primer Brand that can be used with the tool. The tool has a special pin that seperates the other primers from the primer being seated. This is to keep the other primers from detonating if the one primer was to go off.

The tool also has a much improved primer tray. The older one was round. It was a bit difficult to open the tray and dump the primers into it. Now, the primer tray is bigger and square to hold all brands of primers and their trays. You can now simply slide the tray of primers out, lay the Lee primer tray on top and flip over no problem.

Another upgrade is the lever in which you press to seat the primer. It is curved for more of a natrual feel.


Lee Precision has also added a semi new press to their lineup. Everyone who has used the Lee Challenger Breechlock press really enjoyed the feature of the quick change bushing. You just screw this onto the die and then press it into the top of the press and give a twist.

Lee has added that feature to their Classic Cast press. They have named it the Classic Cast Breech lock press. The price for the press is 104.00

The price of the new Lee Hand Auto Prime is about the same as the other. A little over 12 bucks. It sill uses the shell holders that the old Lee Hand Prime used.

I will have to see if they have the new ones at Cabelas next time I go.

Ah please do. I will be making a cabelas run hopefully in a month. I would like to get a new lee auto hand prime..

Dillon has done something similar with their 550B, they removed the auto-prime and powder system and geared it more towards rifle. they are calling it the 550BL.

i think we'll see more manufacturers updating or tweaking their current products. cheaper than spending for new R&D, new machines, advertising, etc.

XbonesX wrote:Dillon has done something similar with their 550B, they removed the auto-prime and powder system and geared it more towards rifle. they are calling it the 550BL.

i think we'll see more manufacturers updating or tweaking their current products. cheaper than spending for new R&D, new machines, advertising, etc.

I guess sometimes it just makes a bit more sense to upgrade older parts rather than put alot of money into a new part. Or even doing R&D as you said. The less money you can spend, the closer to the lower price you can keep and make back quicker...

I was just talking to a friend of mine that is at Dillon and he was saying the 550BL was a set-up that enabled everyone to get into reloading at an affordable price but yet it is still fully upgradeable to the 550 style with the auto prime and powder system... the 550BL will still do all 160 calibers the reg 550 will do but it cost about $250.00.... there is also a new floor plate they are working on to make the 550 a progressive index not manual.... this would be interesting....

most people start out with lee's because of the price but tend to move up into hornady LNL and dillons etc...... Dillon is trying to get more people in the beginning of their loading hobby....

I start with Lee presses. First the single press, then a Loadmaster I can not stand, a Lee Pro 1000 (works with lot of problems but works) and a Lee Classic Turret I loved most. Now I go with a Hornady LNL AP and I'm happy.

Lee is low priced and unbeatable for beginners but it don't take much time most of the reloaders want something bigger. If you have to choose a progressive press go with Dillon or Hornady...my oppinion.

have y'all checked out the rcbs hand priming tool. its great. i have 2 of them. origionally i had planned on getting the lee but you had to get their shell holders. so i went with rcbs because I could use the shell holders I already had. So now the new rcbs hand priming tool dosent even use shell holders Its a fantastic tool a little pricey at almost 60. but a very good tool now i keep my old hand priming tool set up for small primers and use my new one for large.

Reload3006 wrote:have y'all checked out the rcbs hand priming tool. its great. i have 2 of them. origionally i had planned on getting the lee but you had to get their shell holders. so i went with rcbs because I could use the shell holders I already had. So now the new rcbs hand priming tool dosent even use shell holders Its a fantastic tool a little pricey at almost 60. but a very good tool now i keep my old hand priming tool set up for small primers and use my new one for large.

I have the RCBA hand priming tool and it is worth the money.

RemMan700 wrote:

Reload3006 wrote:have y'all checked out the rcbs hand priming tool. its great. i have 2 of them. origionally i had planned on getting the lee but you had to get their shell holders. so i went with rcbs because I could use the shell holders I already had. So now the new rcbs hand priming tool dosent even use shell holders Its a fantastic tool a little pricey at almost 60. but a very good tool now i keep my old hand priming tool set up for small primers and use my new one for large.

I have the RCBA hand priming tool and it is worth the money.

RCBA? This a new reloading company??

Seems like i'm the old geezer here. And like most of y'all I started to save money. But then I found that I could Hand Load better ammo than i could buy. this was shotgun. or at least I could hand load very good shotgun shells for the same price that i could buy that cheep stuff, and since i liked to pheasant hunt i load shells that i could kill birds with. now that im turkey hunting the same thing and if you have priced 10 ga turkey shells OMG. but metallic are the same way. and now after doing this for like 30+ years im swagging my own bullets because I can get higher quality than i can buy for the same money. Will I ever recoup my investment in tooling probably not. I also think that you can be penny wise and pound foolish buying cheep. if the tool dosent do what you bought it for or breaks or you wear it out in no time was it really cheaper? I love Hornady dies and I have some of them mostly RCBS because they will repair or replace their equipment for any reason. and I mean any reason even if you lose a part they will replace it. You cant argue with that. LEE makes ok stuff and I have some of it but in the long run Hornady Dillon RCBS ETC are much much better.. My 2 cents

Reload3006 wrote:Seems like i'm the old geezer here. And like most of y'all I started to save money. But then I found that I could Hand Load better ammo than i could buy. this was shotgun. or at least I could hand load very good shotgun shells for the same price that i could buy that cheep stuff, and since i liked to pheasant hunt i load shells that i could kill birds with. now that im turkey hunting the same thing and if you have priced 10 ga turkey shells OMG. but metallic are the same way. and now after doing this for like 30+ years im swagging my own bullets because I can get higher quality than i can buy for the same money. Will I ever recoup my investment in tooling probably not. I also think that you can be penny wise and pound foolish buying cheep. if the tool dosent do what you bought it for or breaks or you wear it out in no time was it really cheaper? I love Hornady dies and I have some of them mostly RCBS because they will repair or replace their equipment for any reason. and I mean any reason even if you lose a part they will replace it. You cant argue with that. LEE makes ok stuff and I have some of it but in the long run Hornady Dillon RCBS ETC are much much better.. My 2 cents

To recoup the tooling costs.... never but the experience is the journey.... besides if I was not buying loading tools etc.... it would be something really foolish like a bass boat, when my 1969 16 ft aluminum starcraft fishes just fine, and the tag is still just $24.00 for three years....

A+ on Dillon.... they replace everything no questions asked ever....

Did yall notice that Lee is "Breachlocking" all their presses? The classic cast now has the breachlock bushings and also the Lee hand press as well.

Yep check out the first post. Well the hand press isn't up there. Sweet, when I get ready to get the hand press, that will be awsome. I like Lee, they are doint a great job...

I am getting ready to order their new style hand primer. I have the old style and just can't see myself without it...

yea i saw an advertisment for it!