Anybody use this press yet? I like it, but after the first 500 loads I put through it, the action got so tough to work, it was unusable. I kept it oiled (as lee recommends) with standard motor oil, and after it got all gummed up, tried several other lubricants to loosen her up -- to no avail.

I'm having my dad take it to work tomorow to disassemble, de-gunk, and perhaps open up the bore that the ram slides in a couple thousandths. (Lee told me to send the unit back so they could have a look at, but I don't feel like waiting and will probably buy a new single-stage if this doesn't work).

My questions are:
1.) Anybody seen this with this press or any press (I'm new)?
2.) What did I do wrong / how do I prevent it in the future?

TIA,

Bob

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I have used this press for the last 10 years or so. I keep it very clean using solvent and a light grade gun oil on the ram.
I think your press will work fine after a good cleaning,
Hab

The classic cast press? I thought it just came out this year?

You didn't mention if this was a new press. Might not be broken in yet so it could be nice and tight. Also, if you decapped a lot of cases before reloading, primer residue (the black powdery stuff) may have gotten into the ram shaft and dried things up. I think disassembly followed by a good lube should put things right again. I wouldn't try opening up the ram hole early on. I would suggest using the press and watching to see if this happens again before taking more drastic measures. I can't see where you did anything wrong. Once you've put more reloads through it, it will probably never bind again.

I have one of the Clasic Cast presses. I contacted Lee a while back and asked them what oil to use and they said to use a light oil like 3 to 1. I use Liquid Wrench Super Oil. Part of the problem with lubricants is they not only lubricate but they also collect dust and and all kinds of grit. I have three Lee presses and what I do every now and then is take them and flush them with IPA real good and blow them down with compressed air. The IPA acts as a degresser and also flushes the gunk away once it is loose. We use a lot of IPA at work just for this purpose. It also has good drying properties and will not cause rust. I will flush the press several times and work the ram back and forth to remove all the gunk. After it is good and dry then I will add the Super oil to the ram and work it back and forth to work it in. Once this is done the ram will move back and forth very smoothly. I think the motor oil it a bit too thick and will collect grit quite fast. Remember the longer that grit is left in there the more wear it will cause as you use the press. I just use the cheap IPA you can find in most grocery stores or Walgreens. I think this will do the job for you.

I'll give it a shot, thanks!

I most definitely would *not* have your dad open it up a couple of thousandths! Why would you want *more* slop and play in the ram of your reloading press?!?

I normally lube my Redding M25 turret w/ something like RemOil w/ teflon, and periodically, since it collects primer grit pretty handily (that particular press isn't very good about primer grit containment) I hose it down w/ either Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber or just plain brake cleaner... wipe it off, let it dry, then re-lube w/ some sort of light gun oil.

Works for me.

Monte

I did have my dad take it in and disassemble the press. He lapped out the bore a bit, and it's been working flawlessly ever since -- and I haven't noticed any slop. I've probably put 2000 rounds thru it since he did it and haven't had a single problem with grime collection or the press tightening up.

Another bonus is that press isn't meant to be disassembled -- its all riveted together. My dad fabricated some new bushings and hardware and I can now adjust the tension of the arm, as well as take it completely apart whenever I want, with nothing more than two hex keys. I'll post pics if someone wants.

I did have my dad take it in and disassemble the press. He lapped out the bore a bit, and it's been working flawlessly ever since -- and I haven't noticed any slop. I've probably put 2000 rounds thru it since he did it and haven't had a single problem with grime collection or the press tightening up.

Another bonus is that press isn't meant to be disassembled -- its all riveted together. My dad fabricated some new bushings and hardware and I can now adjust the tension of the arm, as well as take it completely apart whenever I want, with nothing more than two hex keys. I'll post pics if someone wants.

Please post the pics if you can. I have been considering one of the LEE Classic presses but I'm not a rivet fan. I have two Redding Ultramag presses, can't say enough good things about them, and have decided to add a third press to the bench. I was considering the classic "O" frame and the front runners are the LEE Classic and the Redding Big Boss. Recently did a tune up on the two Ultramags, I keep hoping for a family member to take an interest in handloading so I'll have someone to will the outfit to (not that I'm short time for this earth but it's good stuff and its usefulness will out live me by a wide margin). So far the only one person who has shown a genuine interest is my 7 year old (oops) daughter. My other kids are 25 & 27. Neither have an interest in Dad's hobbies.

Please post the pics if you can. I have been considering one of the LEE Classic presses but I'm not a rivet fan. I have two Redding Ultramag presses, can't say enough good things about them, and have decided to add a third press to the bench. I was considering the classic "O" frame and the front runners are the LEE Classic and the Redding Big Boss. Recently did a tune up on the two Ultramags, I keep hoping for a family member to take an interest in handloading so I'll have someone to will the outfit to (not that I'm short time for this earth but it's good stuff and its usefulness will out live me by a wide margin). So far the only one person who has shown a genuine interest is my 7 year old (oops) daughter. My other kids are 25 & 27. Neither have an interest in Dad's hobbies.

Sorry it's taking so long flashole, been pretty busy. I'll hopefully have those pictures up tomorrow for you.

Heres a few pics of my classic cast press. Flashhole, I'm not 100% on this, but I just saw an article in Rifle magazine on this press and the picture of it looked like Lee has fixed the disassembly problem, and started integrating the feature that my dad fabricated for me (the black hex bolt connecting the angled arms to the arms connecting to the ram -- visible in the bottom right picture).

It's been a pretty good press, after those changes were made. My only other gripe is the decapping phase. The ram has a very simple priming arm to prime on the bottom of the stroke. Consequently, there is a big lateral slit down the ram that the primer arm slips into. If the arm is out (which is for me because I dont use the press to prime), then about every 3rd spent primer likes to bounce out of the ram instead of being directed through the ram into the provided spent primer hose.

Lemme know if you have any questions about it.

Heres a few pics of my classic cast press. Flashhole, I'm not 100% on this, but I just saw an article in Rifle magazine on this press and the picture of it looked like Lee has fixed the disassembly problem, and started integrating the feature that my dad fabricated for me (the black hex bolt connecting the angled arms to the arms connecting to the ram -- visible in the bottom right picture).

It's been a pretty good press, after those changes were made. My only other gripe is the decapping phase. The ram has a very simple priming arm to prime on the bottom of the stroke. Consequently, there is a big lateral slit down the ram that the primer arm slips into. If the arm is out (which is for me because I dont use the press to prime), then about every 3rd spent primer likes to bounce out of the ram instead of being directed through the ram into the provided spent primer hose.

Lemme know if you have any questions about it.

RC,

What loads do you make on this press? Also, about how many is it cranking out per hour would you guess-timate? Incidentally, the photos I see on Lee's website and other online distributors show the arms with nuts, not rivets. When did you buy yours?

Only thing they could do for this press is to move the front mounting holes back a bit so they are not so close to the front edge of a wooden bench. Can be problematic at times. Otherwise it's and exceptionally good press for the money.

I agree on a lighter oil for lubricant. 3in1 or any light machine oil is sufficient.

Regards

Contender,

Might a fella use a steel plate extended between 1/2 to 1" beyond the edge of the bench for mounting?

Hi, say, you're Lee Classic is interesting to me. I've never been able to take my linkage apart and remove it from te red press body.

The two side pins holding the link arms are like they welded in, won't come apart for me.

So, how did your dad do it...what did he use.

I guess at this point you don't need another guy telling you to keep your press's ram clean and lite oil it.

The Classic is Lee's final great step to making a terrific press.


Jim

Contender,

Might a fella use a steel plate extended between 1/2 to 1" beyond the edge of the bench for mounting?

You could use a steel plate at top or top and bottom to beef the edge of the table. You wouldn't need to hang it past the table edge.

Regards

gringo, I load 9para, .30-30win, .270, 7x57, and .223 in that press. Loading 9para (where I'm not as concerned about perfection of the charge as I am with rifle rounds), I use that throw that I mounted to the top of the press. I can probably crank out 100 - 150 9para rounds an hour from resize to crimp. I don't use the priming arm, I use the Lee autoprime for priming.

gunguy, yea, I saw the latest pictures of the classic cast press, and it looks like lee has fixed that problem. My dad had to cut the press apart, custom make a bushing for inbetween the linkage arms and tap them to use those hex bolts. I got that press as soon as it came out, and it was riveted like yours.

Contender, I didn't like those front holes either, particularly because the front of the bench that I made has a pine rim around the MDF top, so I've been worried about its strenght. But the holes I drilled went in fine, and I've put thousands of rounds through the press with no problems with the bench.

I was, and am using Rem-oil on the ram now. Thats what I started using, but when I called Lee about the problem I was initially having with the press, one of their tech's told me to use "standard motor oil".

Thanks for the answer, but its the top two rivits in the red base of the press that are attached to the two linkage arms that won't come apart.

The middle one has bolts and can be unassembled, the darn top ones have got me stumped.

Did your dad drill them out or what?


Jim

Thanks for the answer, but its the top two rivits in the red base of the press that are attached to the two linkage arms that won't come apart.

The middle one has bolts and can be unassembled, the darn top ones have got me stumped.

Did your dad drill them out or what?


Jim

Oh THOSE. THey're a pain, but you don't have to drill them. If you unscrew the top half of the ram (the part that can be changed out for a 50BMG shellholder)and lower it, you'll be able to take a punch and a hammer and punch those pins INTO the ram shaft. They're just the right size that they'll drop down, once freed of the press base (they take quite a bit of force to get moving too.) I don't know if Lee condone's doing that, but I've had them out twice now and they've gone back in just fine.

Thanks rcbarrett, for the how to method to dismattle the linkage top pins in the press's red body.

I must to admit to trying to push the darn pins out...instead of inward to the ram shaft hole...as that's how they work on a Dillon.

I tried last night to take the middle linkage bolt out of the two arms and it apparently has to have the two top ones removed first and then lower the assembly and pull the two ends out of the middle section.

I may want to remove this linkage some day and place a one piece bolt through the bottom connection where the ram piston is. This would only be done if the two cones there ever fail me from swaging pressures. So far, everything is working well for me.

Jim

So with all the stuff you guys are screwing around with.....would you recommend the press or not?

So with all the stuff you guys are screwing around with.....would you recommend the press or not?

I guess I would, particularly considering Lee has fixed the only real gripe I had about it. Of course, this is my first press, so I have no basis for comparison to any other single-stage press.

Bob

So with all the stuff you guys are screwing around with.....would you recommend the press or not?
flashhole
I've had mine since last Christmas and love it. If this press is bolted down solid on a good solid bench you wil have a very strong unit that should do anything you want it to. For the money I don't think you can find a better press.
Cary

I've had the press a little less than a year, mounted on a combination bench & vise I got for $10 at Harbor Freight Tools (along with a $16 digital calipers). I've had no problems at all with it, and overall find it very consistent. I definitely recommend it. :)