The Lee locking breach lock stay put just fine.
There are Lee 4 die sets that come with the breach lock bushings to save a little.

I might suggest getting a lee single stage press and one of thier metal tripod stands that fold up instead of the hand press.

 

For portability I would go with a Lee Classic reloader die set. You use a hammer with it no problem is needed. Just a decent table will work. The set vines with everything including a powder dipper. Just choose a propellant on their list and your in business. Some case lube help a lot too. Primers, propellant, bullets and your all set to reload the spent cases.

 

I have one of those Lee hand presses.

I'm not gonna dissuade anyone from adding one as it can always serve a purpose of some kind.


It's slower, tedious and the constant dumping of the primers & overall awkwardness will have your rhythm worse than a fat kid playing dodgeball. I'd hate to try it with fully charged cases.....be spilling it like Otis The Drunk...dribbling powder everywhere.....


Again.....not trying to rain on any parades or pee on any cornflakes.



For my own "portability" use, I added a Lee APP & stand for the garage use. Got the tubes & collator bowl for faster case loading.
My main use for it will be decapping, budge busting, resizing, swaging and boolit resizing.

If I needed to get mobile with it, I'd slide it all into the backseat or truck bed and head on.

Verdict is out on how useful this option is.....I haven't assembled and run it yet. Soon....as all my projects seem to be categorized....soon.

 

The sizing die in your sets will contain a de-priming assembly, so you will technically not need the Universal unit. I also favor a single-stage press over the hand press. I load a lot of Berry's 240gr FN bullets for my .44s, just make sure you get the bullets with a crimp groove, they make them with or without the groove, and you'll need the groove to roll crimp. There are several ways of clamping a press to a table, a bench, or even a step-ladder, just make sure it is sturdy and stable.

My $0.02
Grumpy

 

The lee multi tool is a good buy.
Can use the tools with the handle or get / make a hex to 8/32 or is it 6/32 adapter and use a cordless drill.
It has pocket cleaners in it allready so you can scrap the individual tool.

You can scrap the powder scoop kit the lee die sets include them for each caliber.
Each Lee die set comes with a reloading sheet for that die and Hodgdon has online information for all thier powders.

Two things I didn't see on your list.
A caliper of some type, I like digital does not have to be expensive.
A case gauge for each caliber aka plunk checker.

Those two tools help keep you out of trouble.

 

These are two good additions to your kit. Almost required.

 

Add a bullet puller, because, you're going to make mistakes. I would replace the digital scale with a good balance beam.
I say this because I paid cash for my house with the money I made replacing circuit boards in various types of equipment. Gravity never fails or needs to be recalibrated.

 

I couldn’t agree more! Ditch the budget digital scale.

You need some calipers to measure overall length, etc.

I‘m sure that you can find a used Rockchucker or Hornady LNL single stage press. The Lee hand tool is neat but not for long…

 

If you do buy an electronic scale buy some check weights also. Electronic scales can do mysterious things. I prefer beam scales.

 

Check weights for ANY scale. Lyman makes a set that’s not too expensive. We all make mistakes and powder charges is one place you just don’t want one. I use check weights as close to my target weight every time I set up to weigh powder.

 

After your input and hours of research I think it will be best if I just get a proper single stage press from the start. I reduced my choice to two presses: Lee Classic Cast and Hornady Classic. Does anyone have experience with both of them? Any pros and cons? I am leaning towards the Lee Classic press because the Lee reloading stand will come in handy - It does not take much space and I can put it away when I don't need it. Also the dies will be Lee.

I already have calipers. A bullet puller is a good call.

 

 

I have the Lee single stage press (50.00) that I use for all my revolver reloads and decapping everything. Have it mounted to a board that allows me to clamp it to my work bench.
The breech spline sets stay with the dies once you get them set. You'll need them for each caliber. Get 3 four piece sets) Use them for all dies. The extras won't hurt.
+1 for the beam scale. Get a good one.
I would and do use a RCBS precision powder measure. The Lee "dippers" are ok but the powder measure will allow more freedom and adjustment.
You won't need the trickler if you have the powder measure. The trickler is really for rifle shooters to dial in their rounds.
I didn't see a tumbler for cleaning brass. Get a wet tumbler.
Hornady "One Shot" case lube. These are long cases and they will get stuck without it.
Hand held primer seating tool is fine. Lets you buy and use the cheaper press.
Great reloading manual. Use mine all the time.

These are based on what I use and have found to be good value.
Good luck, you'll enjoy reloading.

 

After your input and hours of research I think it will be best if I just get a proper single stage press from the start. I reduced my choice to two presses: Lee Classic Cast and Hornady Classic. Does anyone have experience with both of them?

Smart move- a decent press and a stand will allow you to enjoy reloading... I'm afraid learing on the hand thing would have made this a short venture.

I bought a Classic Cast for a utility press was pleasantly surprised with it. It's a little tank, and runs great. I specifically bought that one for the drilled out ram for handling spent primers. I wish I would have bought it years earlier- it would have saved me from 2 cheap-o's that wore out and a lot of sweeping primers & dust.

I also prefer a balance over a digital scale and I wet tumble vs dry.

 

when i was still a real man and spent extended time well away from supplies, i carried a lyman tong tool, primers, bullets, powder and lee powder measures. a couple boxes of loaded ammo for brass. good oil for keeping things from rusting, a couple pair of clean sox and a bottle of jim beam. i know they still make jim beam, not sure about the rest.

 

I use a few Hornady tools.
Ocassionally I end up with some of thier bullets (gifts).
I have thier reloading book because of the bullets.

But dear God stay away from thier dies especially rifle dies.

I threw away the last Hornady die I had in the house and replaced it with Lee.
I also have people tell me RCBS dies are very good. I have a Dillon and some dillon dies they are good to go as well.

I have had problems with four dies, they were all Hornady and that is how my opinion was formed.

I have had problems getting some rifle bullets to preform well, they were Hornady bullets.

Maybe just bad luck on me about Hornady products.

IMHO

 

I too have a Lyman 310 tool, and I also have a few Lee Loaders. They are OK as long as you stick with neck sizing - but the .45 auto and .30 Carbine need to be full length sized - those were a "bear"!

I've not tried one of those lee "hand presses" so I cannot say how much strength it takes - but I did by a Lee Turret press once that came in a wooden box that you could open up and load on a desk or even the floor with - it worked OK.

I like the Lyman 310 for its compactness - you can put everything, including components, in a small tackle box or even a tool roll.

I keep a search for them but the tools and dies can sometimes get expensive.

Riposte

 

Man, you could load for .38/.357 and .44 mag/special with a pound of powder and two Lee Loaders in the caliber. I’ve got a cheap digital scale from Amazon for jewelry, it was like $20 and it’s never been off (I’ve got a calibration weight). I loaded full house .45 SUPER for a long time that way.

I dont clean my primer pockets on pistol brass, and I don’t trim, so I don’t need the de-burr tool either. I also don’t use a trickler, most of my pistol loads are really forgiving, so I don’t need the precision a trickler offers. I do use all of that for precision rifle loads, but you may not need all that to start.

 

there is a recent post in the sig section about a member who discovered that not cleaning the primer pockets for 380 in a sig 365 resulted in 'light primer strikes'. that said, i don't clean mine either.

 

I may clean some primer pockets after 4 or 5 loadings, when they start getting pretty bad. If I was going to shoot something for group, I would do it all, otherwise just load it.

 

I have a primer pocket uniformer large and small. I use them instead of a cleaning tool because they clean better quicker I think .

I run them with a cordless screwdriver and an adapter. I don't run them real hard if the primers are fitting just enough to knock the high spots down and any thick crud.

I have primer pocket gauge tools I can check go / no go with on any new batch of brass .

Having a primer not seat properly messes up work flow bad on a progressive. I hit the pockets with a pocket reamer even if not crimped.
Normally very quickly (2 count on non crimped and 5 count on crimped ) just to get a little extra champher .

The uniformer is ran about the same 2 count for a quick clean and 5 + for actual short pockets.

May never have to do any of this twice.

 

I prime with my press as I bell the case mouths, it's simple easy step to combine.

 

For anybody looking for a portable reloading bench this is worthy of looking at. I have had one for a couple of years and it has worked well for me. I was a little concerned about the stability of the bench but after mounting the press and getting everything set up it has been very stable. I reload 9mm, 45 acp and 223 and never had any issues with the stability of the bench.
The height of the bench is adjustable up and down so you can reload standing up or setting down.

Presses & Tools For Reloading |Convert Spent Ammo | Frankford Arsenal

 

Not a fan of priming under my powder dispenser.

I set up my lee expanding die and use the powder drop assembly on top of it.

I figure eventually a primer will get set off during seating.
But yes that would save a step.