So today my order from Mid-south Finally arrived. I had watched numerous videos and decided to throw down for a LEE APP Deluxe along with APP Primer Pocket Swage kit. Well to start off when I pulled it out of the box and saw it. My first thought was "You don't look like much to me" The little press repeated the famous words of James Dalton and said "Opinions Vary"
So after reading through the instructions that are typical Lee and a bit on the short side. I got it setup along with a Lee Universal Case Feeder and Collator. First impressions its not that big even with automation stuff added to it. I started off with some 223 and it took a bit of tinkering to get it to run right. Part of it was some confusion on setting up the case feeder. Once I got that sorted out. It pretty much eats what you throw at it. It does have the occasional hickup where it drops an extra case.
So first task depriming brass. The swage kit comes with its own depriming die. Its a universal deprimer die but has a special depriming pin. It puts a small flare on the top of the case so the depriming push rod goes in easier. You have to make sure you have it adjusted correctly or it can add more flare than you want. Here is the swage kit depriming pin next to a Lee Universal Depriming pin. Also I noticed now they are selling specialized depriming pins for different calibers.
So first step was to run a few hundred pieces through the swage deprimer. After getting it setup and fine tuned it ran really good. I ran through 40 cases which is what the case feed holds I believe in about a minute depriming. You do have an occasional case that double feeds and flys out. If you shake the coallator it will feed the cases in correctly 98% of the time amazingly. The only thing is it takes a while and is noisey as heck. I found it was easier just to drop cases in the correct way. Even thought it dosen't run flawless its so quick the occasional hickup is okay in my book.
After depriming I set it up to swage. The instructions are kind of a joke. They tell you to apply approximately 25 pounds of pressure. The little press looks like that would snap it but I put the man arm to it. I do most of my reloading sitting down. I found it was easier to swage standing up. The only thing is you can't see the alignment when it has an occasional misalignment. With my Dillon swager I know its swaged and I know its consistent this one from case to case I was really wondering is this thing swaging them. Below are the parts of the swage kit. The bottom is spring loaded and flexes down as you apply pressure. Then spings it back off the swaging pin. Only loading some primers would really tell if it swaged worth a crap. I did 100 or so to check.
The manual says you can resize on the press but recommends not using the express shell holder that lets you use the automation. I said to heck with it. I am gonna try it. I ran 20 or so 223 cases through it no problems with a LEE resizing die.
I ran the others through my 550 to resize. Tossed them in tumbler to clean off lube. Then installed primers with my 550 which can be a B#tch to install primers with that short stroke forward. Results they all went in like butter. I couldn't believe it.
So overall consensus. I am very impressed with this little press. It punched above its weight for sure. The one thing I really don't like is the handle sucks and will rub on your hand. Gonna have to figure out and upgrade on that. Also the quality is no were near Dillon but it costs what a set of Dillon dies costs. I am sure some things will end up breaking the automation part is all plastic. There is no way this tiny plastic hook isn't going to break in time. That little hook is what makes the whole automation happen. Its really a pretty neatly made machine. I just can't see it lasting for years without needing spare parts. Okay thats my long winded review. If you have questions let me know. Tomorrow the boy wants to deprime some 9mm so we shall see how it runs that.
So after reading through the instructions that are typical Lee and a bit on the short side. I got it setup along with a Lee Universal Case Feeder and Collator. First impressions its not that big even with automation stuff added to it. I started off with some 223 and it took a bit of tinkering to get it to run right. Part of it was some confusion on setting up the case feeder. Once I got that sorted out. It pretty much eats what you throw at it. It does have the occasional hickup where it drops an extra case.
So first task depriming brass. The swage kit comes with its own depriming die. Its a universal deprimer die but has a special depriming pin. It puts a small flare on the top of the case so the depriming push rod goes in easier. You have to make sure you have it adjusted correctly or it can add more flare than you want. Here is the swage kit depriming pin next to a Lee Universal Depriming pin. Also I noticed now they are selling specialized depriming pins for different calibers.
So first step was to run a few hundred pieces through the swage deprimer. After getting it setup and fine tuned it ran really good. I ran through 40 cases which is what the case feed holds I believe in about a minute depriming. You do have an occasional case that double feeds and flys out. If you shake the coallator it will feed the cases in correctly 98% of the time amazingly. The only thing is it takes a while and is noisey as heck. I found it was easier just to drop cases in the correct way. Even thought it dosen't run flawless its so quick the occasional hickup is okay in my book.
After depriming I set it up to swage. The instructions are kind of a joke. They tell you to apply approximately 25 pounds of pressure. The little press looks like that would snap it but I put the man arm to it. I do most of my reloading sitting down. I found it was easier to swage standing up. The only thing is you can't see the alignment when it has an occasional misalignment. With my Dillon swager I know its swaged and I know its consistent this one from case to case I was really wondering is this thing swaging them. Below are the parts of the swage kit. The bottom is spring loaded and flexes down as you apply pressure. Then spings it back off the swaging pin. Only loading some primers would really tell if it swaged worth a crap. I did 100 or so to check.
The manual says you can resize on the press but recommends not using the express shell holder that lets you use the automation. I said to heck with it. I am gonna try it. I ran 20 or so 223 cases through it no problems with a LEE resizing die.
I ran the others through my 550 to resize. Tossed them in tumbler to clean off lube. Then installed primers with my 550 which can be a B#tch to install primers with that short stroke forward. Results they all went in like butter. I couldn't believe it.
So overall consensus. I am very impressed with this little press. It punched above its weight for sure. The one thing I really don't like is the handle sucks and will rub on your hand. Gonna have to figure out and upgrade on that. Also the quality is no were near Dillon but it costs what a set of Dillon dies costs. I am sure some things will end up breaking the automation part is all plastic. There is no way this tiny plastic hook isn't going to break in time. That little hook is what makes the whole automation happen. Its really a pretty neatly made machine. I just can't see it lasting for years without needing spare parts. Okay thats my long winded review. If you have questions let me know. Tomorrow the boy wants to deprime some 9mm so we shall see how it runs that.
