Figure it would be cheaper to reload .357 MAG, so tell me more of this magical hand press I keep hearing about.

It's affordable and good enough to make shootable ammo.  It's portable so you could do loading at the range.  I just finished up a little load development for my 5.56 with my lee hand press, powder throw, and bullet seater die.  It made it easy as to not waste unnecessary loaded ammo that did not perform well, and/or the necessity of breaking them down if not used.  Cuts down on wasted bullets, powder, and time. 

Just needed to have primed cases ready to go, and an established charge weights for the meter on the throw.

It's affordable and good enough to make shootable ammo.  It's portable so you could do loading at the range.  I just finished up a little load development for my 5.56 with my lee hand press, powder throw, and bullet seater die.  It made it easy as to not waste unnecessary loaded ammo that did not perform well, and/or the necessity of breaking them down if not used.  Cuts down on wasted bullets, powder, and time. 

Just needed to have primed cases ready to go, and an established charge weights for the meter on the throw.

Did you prime in the press or using the manual prime punch?

Lots of guys said they perform this method, but others said that there is the potential for the primer to go off if you don't have the right amount of finesse.

Thinking of picking up a digital powder scale to weigh charges and manually loading casings with a powder funnel...but that's just because I watched the video and that's what they were doing 

Easy,portable.especially with reloading straight wall cartridge's out of a my revolvers.i barely clean the brass & no full length resizing. For priming I use the rcbs universal primer tool

I don't have one but can see where it could be useful to have a portable reloading kit with either the Lee breech lock hand press or Lee reloader press.  Either one looks  easy to store in a portable setup.

Great to finally meet you yesterday.
...
I played with one when jonjon dropped by my house some time ago.
He was doing 308 and it seemed to work fine.
To complete the job, you would still need a pile of paraphernalia.
I suggest the lee auto prime for repriming.
.....
Using a hand tool is slow, but you're not confined to a workbench either... Until it's time to drop powder and seat bullet.
Then you need to have a small table to hold a tray of shells.
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Minimalist list of paraphernalia for 357mag:

Press
3 die carbide die set
#1 press shell holder, lee die set includes this
Lee autoprime or similar
#1 autoprime shell holder
loading tray
Powder funnel
Scoop set
Powder
Appropriate primers, depends on the powder
Bullets ...projectiles
Brass
...
If you get the tools and drop by my house, I'll give you whatever components you need to load up your first box of ammo.

+1 on what OF said.   I don't know about the newer Lee Hand presses, but the one I have does not have provisions for priming cases.  I have a Lee hand primer (auto prime).  That makes it easy to sit in front of the TV and prime a bunch of cases so they are ready to go.  Also helps to have a good consistent powder throw.  I have a Harrel's, but I never had any problems with the Lee expect with long powders like Varget, but that isn't what you where talking about anyway, and most throws have trouble with that powder no matter the price.

My method is to break up the various case prep into separate operations, then when the complete primed cases are done I store them sealed in ziplock bags until I am ready to complete loading them.  All these steps may be done when I have time to do it.  Sometime could be months between steps. LOL

1.  done shooting at the range, come home and tumble clean.
2.  when time allows size/bell case mouth/deprime
3.  prime and store
4.  finish loading, store sealed ready for the next range time.

i really like the Lee Hand Press.  It's pretty good for lighter sizing/decapping.  I've tried doing 308 sizing/decapping and it definitely requires a lot more effort.

My method is to break up the various case prep into separate operations, then when the complete primed cases are done I store them sealed in ziplock bags until I am ready to complete loading them.  All these steps may be done when I have time to do it.  Sometime could be months between steps. LOL

1.  done shooting at the range, come home and tumble clean.
2.  when time allows size/bell case mouth/deprime
3.  prime and store
4.  finish loading, store sealed ready for the next range time.

I have a similar method except that I size/decap and flare the mouth on my pistol brass before cleaning.  Since i use stainless media in a wet tumbler, I prefer decapping prior to cleaning so the pockets will get cleaned too.

I bought the Lee hand press kit. It came with the press, priming kit, powder funnel and case lube. It's a good item to have and fairly inexpensive. I rarely use it but it does come in handy.

I ended up ditching the hand press and just went with a basic single stage press, as it wasn't much different in price. Here is what I ended up getting:

- Lee single stage press
- RCBS primer tool
- 4 piece .38 special carbide die set (can be adjusted for .357)
- Lee .358 bullet sizer
- Frankford Arsenal digital reloading scale
- digital calipers
- Lee Perfect Powder Measure
- Lee .358 125 gr Round Nose Flat double mold

Also picked up a Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, since I'm gonna try out powder coating and don't want to deal with gas checks and lubing.



Now all I need to do is get primers and powder, and I should be good when everything arrives.

Should be good to go!  That's about the same stuff I started with, sans the cast boolit stuff.    Did me well for a while, then I started on the precision rifle stuff, after that things got out of hand....  

Should be good to go!  That's about the same stuff I started with, sans the cast boolit stuff.    Did me well for a while, then I started on the precision rifle stuff, after that things got out of hand....

I don't think I'll ever get into casting rifle, as finding the brass and molds for the stuff I like seems to not be worth it when prices are still decent for the steel stuff.

If they introduce more embargos, then it may be a different story. But by then, the prices are going to explode on everything in those calibers.


Just picked up 500 .357 and 500 .38 once fired brass off etsy for a total of about $145. Not sure if I got ripped off, but I cant seem to find cheap brass anywhere, only that stuff midway sells, which I have read does not have a very long life.

I ended up ditching the hand press and just went with a basic single stage press, as it wasn't much different in price. Here is what I ended up getting:

- Lee single stage press
- RCBS primer tool
- 4 piece .38 special carbide die set (can be adjusted for .357)
- Lee .358 bullet sizer
- Frankford Arsenal digital reloading scale
- digital calipers
- Lee Perfect Powder Measure
- Lee .358 125 gr Round Nose Flat double mold

Also picked up a Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, since I'm gonna try out powder coating and don't want to deal with gas checks and lubing.



Now all I need to do is get primers and powder, and I should be good when everything arrives.

Sounds like you are just about there. Don't forget the reloading trays and a notepad to take notes on your reloads. 

   I've used the Lee Hand Press for many thousands of rounds of reloading in a bunch of calibers. I like them a lot. I wore out my first one. The earlier ones were threaded for your dies in the aluminum the thing is made from. The threads finally gave out after maybe 8000 rounds of use. The new ones have a replaceable (I believe it is a part you cane order from Lee) steel insert that the dies thread into.
    I used an RCBS primer tool, and a small compact powder measure with replaceable bushings that control the amount of powder. I didn't trust the printed powder amounts that came with that, so took my powder scale, threw charges and weighed them and wrote it all down.
    I reloaded for .38 special, .357 magnum, .357 maximum, 30-30, .243, .45 acp, 32-20, 45-70, .32 H&R magnum, .32 S&W long, 9mm, .380, Maybe a few i'm forgetting. I shot in 100 meter NRA hunter pistol, 200 meter IHMSA matches, and bowling pin shoots. These all in Washington State.
    I won't use a progressive press, and I find the little Lee unit works just fine. I find reloading to be a relaxing experience, and do not get in a big hurry. I also reloaded for friends who didn't have the equipment.  They supplied powder, primers, brass and bullets, and I supplied my time. My friend had Contenders in 32-20 and .357 maximum.
    So, yeah, I suggest this little press. Carbide dies are great for straight walled pistol calibers too, and then you don't have to lube the brass. For cleaning, I have a set of "bits" that chuck into an electric drill. The case slips onto the bits and holds there, then I use like dish scrubber pads and pinch them onto each case while they spin. They come off clean and shiny. I also have a little hand powered case trimmer, and a chamfering tool. If I chose one caliber, I could probably fit all my stuff into a small suitcase, 1-2 pounds of powder and all.

Good post bird.

its cheap, it works, portable
makes a good back up press

The Lee C Press is about the same price and much easier to use if at home. It's very small so it doesn't take up much room. I have both the hand press and C press. I use the C press far more mostly to crimp pistol rounds.


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The Lee hand press is very good for sizing pistol brass using a carbide die. Almost no effort and you can just watch TV and size a whole bucket of brass. I would not use it for large rifle but for small short cases it's a winner.

    I neck sized 30-30 brass with it over and over again for IHMSA matches for years. Worked great. I have a little hand trimmer and chamfering tools just in case.  Seldome had to use them.