Lee Challenger - OK or...?

raindog · 01-17-2013, 12:08 PM

I bought a Lee Challenger single stage press a few years ago when I was going to get into reloading...and then I never got into it.

Now I'm gearing up once again (price of ammo!) and am wondering if it's a good press to start out on or if there is something better? I don't need "best" just "solid".

I plan to reload mainly .308 Winchester, 7.5x55 Swiss, and 7.62x54R (yes, I have boxer-primed brass). Also perhaps .223, though that is not as big a priority. I don't think I need a big progressive setup at this point and have no plans to reload handgun.

M67 · 01-19-2013, 12:11 PM

Your Lee Challenger will work very well. I have a single stage Lee press that i use for anything i can not load on my Lee Pro 1000's. I also use the Lee single stage press for the Lee factory crimp dies.

ThunderStruck · 07-05-2013, 08:26 PM

M-67 is right on the money. The Lee challenger will do the job just fine. I use one of the breech lock on my bench plus a classic cast breech lock for heavy work.

I use a single stage presses as they provide therapy for me...

I load 9mm, 38/357, 40S&W, 223, 22-250, 243, 7mm-08, 308 all with Lee SS press.
Ed

noylj · 07-31-2013, 09:45 AM

I can not imagine loading for rifles on a progressive. I know some shoot enough, but I just need two dies for all my rifles, so don't see the progressive as being faster and prefer batch loading.
Also, never understood the interest in turret presses--seem like all they give one is a place to store some dies. Unless you use the Lee "semi-progressive" indexing presses, I see no advantage.
The only thing you might want is to convert, if possible, to the die bushing style so you can maintain die position (or use the lock ring more to lock position then to lock the die to the press).

01-17-2013, 12:08 PM	#1
raindog Gunslinger Joined: Jan 2013 From: Portland, OR Posts: 12	Lee Challenger - OK or...? I bought a Lee Challenger single stage press a few years ago when I was going to get into reloading...and then I never got into it. Now I'm gearing up once again (price of ammo!) and am wondering if it's a good press to start out on or if there is something better? I don't need "best" just "solid". I plan to reload mainly .308 Winchester, 7.5x55 Swiss, and 7.62x54R (yes, I have boxer-primed brass). Also perhaps .223, though that is not as big a priority. I don't think I need a big progressive setup at this point and have no plans to reload handgun.

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01-19-2013, 12:11 PM	#2
M67 Gunslinger Joined: Jan 2012 From: NW Oregon Posts: 14	Your Lee Challenger will work very well. I have a single stage Lee press that i use for anything i can not load on my Lee Pro 1000's. I also use the Lee single stage press for the Lee factory crimp dies.

07-05-2013, 08:26 PM	#3
ThunderStruck Gunslinger Joined: Jul 2013 From: Grants Pass, OR Posts: 10	M-67 is right on the money. The Lee challenger will do the job just fine. I use one of the breech lock on my bench plus a classic cast breech lock for heavy work. I use a single stage presses as they provide therapy for me... I load 9mm, 38/357, 40S&W, 223, 22-250, 243, 7mm-08, 308 all with Lee SS press. Ed

07-31-2013, 09:45 AM	#4
noylj Peashooter Joined: Apr 2013 From: AZ Posts: 9	I can not imagine loading for rifles on a progressive. I know some shoot enough, but I just need two dies for all my rifles, so don't see the progressive as being faster and prefer batch loading. Also, never understood the interest in turret presses--seem like all they give one is a place to store some dies. Unless you use the Lee "semi-progressive" indexing presses, I see no advantage. The only thing you might want is to convert, if possible, to the die bushing style so you can maintain die position (or use the lock ring more to lock position then to lock the die to the press).