Classic Lee Loader 44 RemMag experience

Well, I have slowly (and limited) wanting to do some reloading since hearing about trail boss.

As Posted prior, My first rounds were 458 WinMag and was able to whack out 20 with no problems and fairly quick.

For the last couple days I was hoping to repeat whacking out a few 44 WinMag, BUT my experience was horrific!
The brass took repeat hard hits to drive in to resize. Normally I then seat a primer, but the cases were locked in, thus had to go back to deprimer base and needed several hard whacks to get them out. Problems didn't end as I crumpled case mouths when seating bullets.

So planning on loading up just 12 rounds for testing, I only managed to get 6 done.

My question would be, Is the Lee Loader for the 44 RemMag just that hard to use? Or has my patience and dexterity worn to the point I don't need to be attempting such task.

I have several Lee Loaders and my second was a 44 Magnum kit. I've been reloading the 44 Mag. since '88 and have found the 44 Mag to be one of the hardest handgun cases to F/L size with any die; Lee Loader, Lee sizing dies, and RCBS sizing dies. When I use my Lee Loader I often use case lube on them (I use Mink Oil Boot Dressing Cream, but any good case lube works). I can't remember what the Lee instructions say, but after I size the case I punch the case back out into the decap chamber then use the priming base and insert primers (FWIW; I had a few surprises with primer pops until I started chamfering the primer pockets lightly, the same as is done with removing military primer crimps). Case lube should fix the sticking problem.

For crushing case mouths when seating, a chamfer on the case mouth will help, and also flaring the mouth a bit (the amount of flare is limited by the die body's ID, so experimenting with a flare is needed). The bullet needs an "entry way" or taper to start into the case. What bullets are you using? Cast bullets will pose a bit of a problem when seating, like mine are sized to .432" and that's a bit tight in the die body ID.

Are you using some type of case lube?


jd

I had "washed" the cases prior.

I used a dab of case lube, then turn the case when inserting to smear it around, which was a lot compared to just oily fingers for the 458WM. I wonder is it due to the 44RM cases being true straight, where the 458 has a very slight tapper.

In my "kit", there is a mouth expander (looks like a bullet) that I tap to full contact with its shoulder.
The bullets are Hornady 200 gr JHPs.

I do get aggravated and fustrated easily lately. I don't have a set of dies so that is not an option if I want to continue with a few reduced energy 44s

I visited the Lee website to read the instructions. they have ** next to the 44 with a note "...considerable force for sizing."

so all that effort is needed!

Hi,

Good case lube and a "bigger" hammer! Years ago I got started with the classic Lee Loader, and had a double faced plastic mallet. It weighed next to nothing, around 4-6 oz. It was fine for all the operations except sizing, even on .38 Spl. Estwing makes one that's 12 oz, with one hard plastic and one softer rubber face. The hard plastic side works quite well. Tekton has one that might be even better, a 16 oz brass model. Both are shown on this Home Depot page: https://www.homedepot.com/s/hammer?NCNI-5 Both companies make a 24 oz head version, too (click on the individual hammer on that page.)

I made the mistake of trying a steel head hammer one time. Chipped the depriming rod when I didn't hit it square. So be careful how one approaches "bigger!"

Rick C

I think a single stage press might be in order.

Are you using carbide dies? I use the Dillon 550B and no problems with sizing or loading the .44 Mag.
Only cases I lube are .45-70

Mus408 said:

Are you using carbide dies? I use the Dillon 550B and no problems with sizing or loading the .44 Mag.
Only cases I lube are .45-70

Click to expand...

Let me see, the title of the thread is 'Classic Lee Loader 44 RemMag experience,' so I'm guessing that the die (singular) is NOT carbide.

IIRC
I drilled a hole in an oak block as a "die holder" when using the LEE Classic to load certain rounds. This allowed hammer strikes harder than I could use if just holding the sizer in my hand.

A few thoughts; I often use a lead ingot or puck as an anvil, rarely hold the die in my hand. The lead will deaden the noise, but won't effect the sizing. I have on occasion used a dead blow hammer, 18 oz. (?) which also is quieter and will make sizing easier without having to"bang" on the case head to size it. If you have or have access to a small arbor press (1 to 2 ton) it will make an excellent combination when used with a Lee Loader...

I started reloading with a Lee Loader in '69 and while I have acquired a ton and a half of tools and presses (4) I still use a Lee Loader when I feel "retro" and I have figgered out some simpler ways to produce ammo. The last time I used my Lee Loader I reloaded a box of 38 Specials. I sized with a mallet on a lead ingot, primed on my arbor press, charged with a dipper and scale, seated bullets (125 gr cast) on the arbor press and crimped with the loader. Yep it took longer than my Co-Ax or turret presses would have, but it was fun! I love my Lee Loaders...

I don't have an Arbor, YET! that sounds like a nice addition just to have around.

way back when, I did have a wood blank I could use in my lap. On one job, I reloaded a LOT of skeet loads while in a motel room and no one complained.

I am working on a new wood board. Here is the work in progress while I figure out where to put the little assists.

I started with a Lee Loader 38 Special kit. I loaded 500 rounds over the course of a week. That Saturday, my brother and I shot them up. When I next looked at the pile of brass and the Lee Loader, I went out and bought a press, loading block, dies, powder measure and scale.
You don't have to get all the gear at once. You can pick up an inexpensive Lee "O" frame press and a set of Lee Carbide 44 Special dies for about $110. The dies come with a shell holder and a dipper. Even without the scale and powder measure, you will much better off.

Hi,

A thought occurred to me relative to the case lube being used. Someone who has his books can check this for me, but I'm pretty sure "Ol' Elmer" advocated oil on cases when resizing them, somewhere in Six Guns. Dunno if that was because it works better or just happened to be what was available when he was loading (remember, a fair number of decades have passed with all kinds of new products showing up which were undreamed of in his day!)

Out of curiosity, I tried a bit of motor oil--just a thin film on my thumb and forefinger--on two cases which take more effort than others in my experience, 9mm and .44 Mag. Now, this was using carbide dies, but they really did seem to slide thru easier than trying the same test with a couple of commercial lubes I've tried.

Has anybody here tried oil with regular (non-carbide) dies, particularly in pistol calibers, and if so, did you notice any worthwhile difference? By "worthwhile" I'm thinking "This makes things easy enough I won't mind washing the oil off the cases before proceeding any further."

Rick C

Can you still get STP. The racers edge?

woodperson said:

Can you still get STP. The racers edge?

Click to expand...

Hi,

I don't recall having seen any of Andy's secret sauce in years, but there were still other "motor honey" type products on the shelves of the auto parts store not too long ago. I'd guess most of 'em are pretty similar formulations.

Rick C

STP will make your brass reallllly slick, but it's really a bear getting it off. There are many other lubes that will work just as well (I use mink oil boot dressing cream), and the cases will be reloadable after sizing... :roll:

Yep, I just run the brass through my hair like we did diaper pins. A single stage press and dies makes a big difference! Good luck!
gramps

I wasn't planning on posting "update" yet, but since this post has been bumped up today....

Tonight I did venture back out to the shed.

mikld said:

...I use Mink Oil Boot Dressing Cream....

Click to expand...

It must be some common charector trait as I have a jar of SnowSeal boot dressing and wanted to get that a try. that stuff did work better than commercial sizing lube!

the Lee Loader is still more trouble to use than I remembered. Besides still requiring several good hard hits to size and remove, using the mouth expander takes a lot of time.

I managed to whack out 4 rounds before calling quits tonight

at the rate I don't shoot, and the stockpile of factory I have, I can't consider getting dies for the press

When I started reloading 40+ years ago I thought about a Lee classic loader then I laughed about it forgot about it and bought a single stage RCBS and never look back.

Sell the factory shells. Use the money to buy reloading equipment. Problem solved. Shooting reloads is much more fun than shooting factory shells.