I'm looking to possibly use one of these things to test bullet seating depth at distance. I want to avoid disassembling loads that fail given the cost and availability of components. My thoughts are that I could start at a depth longer than needed and systematically seat deeper. I'm looking to follow up on the testing done on the Precision Rifle Blog regarding longer jumps holding up as the throat wears. Has anyone used this tool to good effect?
Lee Precision hand press
- Thread starter Dirtrax
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59FLH
Well-Known Member
If I understand correctly you want to seat bullets deeper at the range?
If so, it will work fine for that.
If so, it will work fine for that.
QuietTexan
Well-Known Member
I have. The hand press works OK. It's pretty sloppy and worked fine for me early on but I outgrew it pretty quickly. Still my go to for decapping crimmped brass though, it's a solid tool. IMO not precise enough for 1000 yard bench work, but if your increments are over 0.003" will be functional.
An LE Wilson inline die and an arbor press work significatly better. Especially if you can get the LE Wilson/Sinclairs die with detents every 0.001" of seating depth, those are much more precise and repeatable.
Either could work, depending on your end precision goal.
Bang4theBuck
Well-Known Member
I bought the same tool to do that job and have used it successfully to do what you are planning to do with it.
Just a word of caution:
Do the initial set up of the die at home as there will likely be differences in seating depth from your bench press to the hand press, amd dealing with that set up at the range is a pain in the butt.
My plan was (is) to pre-seat to my current CBTO and gradually seat deeper. I will take the advice to set it up and try it out at home first. Unfortunately the range I use for long distances doesn't have any facilities to set up anything indoors. I'm curious to see if I can duplicate the results Cal at PRB reported on. It would make life easier for high round count precision rifles.
HNDLDR
Well-Known Member
It will work for course adjustments like others have stated. I also use it to work up loads with different powder charges at the range. I weigh the powder charges at home and put them in labeled pill bottles. Saves you from having to disassemble anything too hot.
I have the handpress, and it'll work for what you want to do. I inherited it, and it'll reload ammo okay, it doesn't operate the smoothest. I would use a seating die with a micrometer seating stem.
Having used the hand press this way in the past, and for what they cost to buy. I'd buy the Lee Breach Lock C frame press, mount it to some 3/4 plywood and use C-clamps to attach it to a shooting bench. If you dont want it attached to the bench a B&D Workmate is a good portable reloading bench.
I also have the Lee C press I bought used years ago and use it to decap with a universal die. It operates way smoother than the hand press. I also use a Bald Eagle mini arbor press and Wilson inline dies. This was my preferred method for seating at the range with the Wilson Micrometer die. I now just walk to my bench as I have enough acres to have a 200 yd range on my property.
Having used the hand press this way in the past, and for what they cost to buy. I'd buy the Lee Breach Lock C frame press, mount it to some 3/4 plywood and use C-clamps to attach it to a shooting bench. If you dont want it attached to the bench a B&D Workmate is a good portable reloading bench.
I also have the Lee C press I bought used years ago and use it to decap with a universal die. It operates way smoother than the hand press. I also use a Bald Eagle mini arbor press and Wilson inline dies. This was my preferred method for seating at the range with the Wilson Micrometer die. I now just walk to my bench as I have enough acres to have a 200 yd range on my property.
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