Setting OAL with lee loader
 

I have a lee loader in .270 win, im having a hell of a time measuring my OAL cant seem to figure out how to set it. Can anybody help a dumb hillbilly?

is it a pretty standard single stage type press? die screws onto the top of the press??


i dont know if what i do is RIGHT...just what i do...

i screw my seating die on a couple full turns and put a bullet on a loaded case and work the press...if it doesnt start seating, i'll go a few more turns on the die...once i get it to start seating, i start measuring the length with my calipers...then turn the die, crank the press, measure and keep going down with the die till i get the measurement i want..then i'll lock the ring on the die inplace...

thats what ive been doing...but im about as new as they get...but it works for me...

No its a classic reloader, you have to use a mallet to seat the bullet, it only neck-sizes the instructions say absolutely nothing about setting the OAL.

Even though the press is a hand press, the die is still the same setup. On lees, you you just adjust out the knurled hand screw on top of the seating die for desired depth and OAL(which I hate). I highly recommend you read any of the reloading guides from speer, to nosler to lymans. All dies generally adjust the same, and these manuals cover this. RCBS and redding and others have a locking nut, but same concept. In fact, I wouldn't load at all until you read one. Reloading can be dangerous. Not preaching to you, and nothing wrong with asking questions.

Ive read three manuals there is just no way i can figure to measure the length, it makes changing lengths a pain in the neck

You use a set of calibers to measure your OAL from your rim to the tip of your bullet. Do you have calibers?

You move the seater die finger adjustment to adjust the seating position of the bullet. You seat the bullet out starting high and measure with calibers. You start out your seater die with finger screw screwed out several turns(this means your OAL is going to be really long at first). And you seat your bullet. Take your loaded round out of the die, and you then measure with calibers. If you need to adjust, you turn the finger screw in more or less. You can't setup the seater die to hit exact OAL right from the getgo.

Big country is right on, it's an experimental set up until you get it right and then lock it down. After you lock it down, measure the next one too in case anything moved while tightening.

When setting the OAL on a die I will use a factory bullet to get it in the ballpark and make minute adjustments from there.

....Good practice. A little thing I've learned to do after having too many "OOps's" is to tighten the locking ring when you are satisfied with the setting, tighten the locking screw and then verrrry carefully unscrew the die body from the press a turn, being careful NOT to move the locking ring, and re-tighten the lock-down screw. You will be surprised at how little it takes to move a locking ring that has been screw tightened in the press once it has had the locking tension removed. Sure saves a whole lot of wasted time and chronic cursing....:bash::bash:....

Thanks guys i did experiment i was just wondering if there was a dead nuts way to set it, I do have all the tools necessary and have read reloading books though none mention if there is an exact way to set them the first time.