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Add a set of dies to this kit and you'll have all the equipment needed to reload virtually any cartridge. This convenient package is built around the sturdy Lee Challenger Single Stage Press. With its compound leverage, rugged cast aluminum "O" frame design and 4-1/4" of clearance, it is more than able to reload even the largest cartridges.
Kit includes Press, Auto-Prime, 11 Auto-Prime Shellholders, chamfer tool, primer pocket cleaner, 2 oz case lube, Cutter and Lock Stud (Case Length Gage and Shellholder sold separately), powder scale, powder measure and powder funnel. This kit also includes the popular "Modern Reloading" manual.
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Lee Challenger Single Stage Press Anniversary Kit with "Modern Reloading" Manual
Product #: 820810
| Manufacturer #: 90962
Status: Discontinued by Manufacturer
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Technical Information
Material: Cast Steel Press
Press Features:
Priming Feature: Yes
Accessories:
Notes:
Kit Also Includes:
Used this Product?Steven Krepp of Connersville, IN
Date posted: 1/13/2006
I'm new to the world of reloading & did a lot of research before buying the Lee Anniversary Set W/ manual. I was amazed how tight my 100 yd groups were from reloading my own ammo. This kit has exceeded my expectations. I don't think you'll find a better investment for your money. I also bought the Frankford Arsenal brass tumbler & loading trays.
Andrew Kowalczyk of Seattle, WA
Date posted: 10/14/2005
I have produced several boxes of 8x57 mauser ammo. I found the book to be easy to read and informative. The press with this kit does not seem to have any plastic linkages on the press, as some other reviews indicate. The only problem I have had is that the wood handle did come off the arm, but a dab of glue and that was fixed. The press has worked well, and so has everything provided with the kit. If you are looking to try reloading (on a budget), this is a great starter kit.
al rojales of moreno valley, ca
Date posted: 10/1/2005
I bought this kit 4 years ago and use it for everything from .22 hornet to .30-06 rifle and .44 mag and .45 acp pistol. It is a very good buy, the scale is not that great so I bought a Hornady. The people at LEE are VERY helpful and I believe there is a 1 yr warranty on parts. All of their dies are great, innovative products, simple to use. And produces ACCURATE ammunition. You can't beat their primer tool. My only additon was another single stage press.
kris lowmiller of udall, ks
Date posted: 7/9/2006
Lee makes the best reloading equipment period. I've had this set for 4 years and nothing has broke or worn out. Lee dies make the most accurate ammo available. I get 10 shot groups out of my tactical 308 that measure .125 ctc with the collet dies. Best products on the market, at any price. If we tell everyone the other companies might just go out of business.
Jim Schwab of Tewksbury, MA
Date posted: 3/21/2006
Basic, Basic, Basic. It's not the big blue but it does turn out solid, consistent ammo. I bought it because it was a cheap way to find out if I liked reloading. I've got about 400 rounds on it now and have no complaints. If I start shooting more I'll move to a progressive but for now, you just can't beat this kit for a beginner.
Drew C of Sumter, SC
Date posted: 10/22/2002
Just what it says. Everything you need to get started other than dies and components. The only thing I would also recommend buying is a good caliper. I bought this kit 6 months ago and have used it to load many 44 magnum,445 super magnum and 444 marlin rounds. All of the included tools do their jobs perfectly. I recommend Lee Dies also. I have a Hornady die set for the 444 and I am not as pleased with it as the Lee's. I use the Lee Deluxe 44mag/44special dies to load 445 and 44 mags and I have been much more impressed with their performance. If you are looking for a cheap start in reloading that works right, look no further.
a brown of pratt, ks
Date posted: 7/5/2004
I have used my LEE reloader for 5 years now and have reloaded everything from .223 to .45acp and have never had a problem
Linn Wiley of Cedar Rapids, IA
Date posted: 4/9/2004
If you are new at reloading, this is the way to get started. The price was right and the equipment works. I have loaded well over a thousand rounds of .45 colt on this press and kit with no problems at all. The powder measure is accurate, consistent and easy to use. The powder scale was easy to set up and use. The auto prime is fast and easy to use also. All tools have held up under heavy use and been far better than my expectations. A big thanks to Lee for a quality product at a low price, and kudos for MidwayUSA for carrying it.
Joe Bartoli of Ft. Benning, GA
Date posted: 2/18/2003
This is a really great buy for the beginer. I have always loaded on my fathers equipment but I had to get my own now that I am on my own. Its not the finest made kit but, for the cost its a heck of a deal. My only complaint is the powder measure and scale are primarily made of plastic. I question how long it will last as opposed to steel. All in all with the purchase of some dies and maybe a case tumbler, this kit will get you making precision ammo quicker and cheaper than any other.
Scott Samuels of Newport News, VA
Date posted: 1/17/2003
I had never reloaded and like most, wanted less expensive, more accurate ammo. Before purchasing my Lee equipment, I did a trendous amount of research. Was the much greater price tag carried by other brands worth the difference? After reading several reviews on different websites, I figured that I would give Lee a try. I am very happy with that choice. I ordered the anniversary kit, the Frankford calipers, and the appropriate length gauges. I also ordered the 4-hole turret press. I liked the idea of not having to adjust dies and found that by buying the anniversary kit, I ended up with an 'extra' single stage press (that could be used for special applications) for the same as buying individual pieces. So far, I have only loaded .308 on the deluxe dies, though I will be loading .22-250 soon also. The .308 results were incredible-.4" four shot groups at 100 yards measured with calipers! I found that the Speer and Nosler bullets do not like the factory crimp die. Crimped rounds accounted for fliers.
For my reloading process, I used cases that were once fired in my rifle and neck sized them. Repriming is very easy with the hand primer and if you're careful, you don't have to flip the primers right side up. I only used the powder measure to throw 'light' charges and trickle them up to weight, so I don't know how consistent it is, though I can imagine it does well measuring by volume. The Lee scale is sensitive enough to show a difference of one granule of powder, so though getting .1 accuracy takes time, you are more than capable. The tenths adjustment on the scale moves very easy so keep an eye on it. Lee's book is informative, though they are understandibly very biased toward their product. I did not use the loading data in the book or the dies. I found their data to be more limited than I would like. The finish work on their equipment is rough so it might look cheap to you, and the paint on the press base will chip when you mount it. The look in no way affects its ability to perform though, rest assured. As well, Lee uses a good deal of plastic but uses metal where strength is really needed. Don't let that bother you. All in all, I have no complaints with my purchase and wouldn't change anything. Give them a try.
William Downs of PORTLAND, OR
Date posted: 6/30/2004
A great kit for those like me who are just starting out. Everything you need to get started is included in the box. The reloading manual is very helpful, includes what to do and more importantly why. A friend came over to help me mount it (due to a arm injury I can only use one useable arm right now). He was very surprised about the workmanship of such a affordable product. This came from a man who has reloaded for 25 years and averages over 10,000 rounds a year. Just a couple of things, get a good micrometer and read the book first. It contains lots of helpful tips. The primer catcher is a great addition and catches 99% of all used primers. There is enough space to reload the largest round. I'm very happy with this product, and strongly suggest it to any looking for thier first press or to replace a old worn out one.
thx
Will
Portland, OR
Terry Fujitani of Palo alto, CA
Date posted: 6/26/2004
Excellent starter set. Lets you try out reloading without breaking the bank. Don't be mislead by the low price, you can make some very accurate ammo with this equipment.
Owen P. of Laytonville, CA
Date posted: 5/11/2004
This is a great product for the price. I purchased the kit several months ago when costs of ammunition were starting to take a toll on me. Before buying the kit, I did lots of research and decided to buy the Lee kit because of its low price. I was not disappointed by its performance. All of the tools work as advertised and in less than a hour I was loading great ammunition. The auto priming tool is the best for the job and the Modern Reloading book is packed full of info. I do have several minor complaints.1- the ball handle on the press will eventually come loose.2- the powder measure is hard to adjust.3- the instructions are confusing and hard to follow. Otherwise, the product works great. So far, I have loaded about 500 rnds. of 44 spl. for cowboy shooting with few problems. Good product.
Dave Rasmussen of Fargo, ND
Date posted: 8/13/2006
I bought one of these kits 10 years ago just to get started in reloading. I have not needed to replace it and now load all my ammo on this kit; .243, .30/30, 6.5x55 SE, .308, 7.5x55 Swiss, .30'06, .338 WinMag, .38 Spl, .357 Mag, .44 Mag and .45 LC. I am a hunter and not a target shooter but this Lee kit fills the bill for me.
Greg Eagle of Georgetown, TX
Date posted: 5/9/2007
Almost everything you need to start reloading. Can't beat the price if you're just starting out. Read the assembly instructions carefully and get a good reloading book/manual as well. I've loaded hundreds of rounds without any problems except the occassional "operator error". I now have more accurate loads than any factory ammo at less than 1/2 the cost.
Beware of one thing. Reloading won't save you any money. You just get to shoot a lot more!
Daniel Wood of Columbia, MO
Date posted: 7/11/2007
This is a great way to get started with reloading. I bought this kit about 11 months ago when I started reloading and it has worked great! The instructions that are included are very easy to follow. I recommend this Kit to anyone who is just getting started. Also the book that is included has a lot of info for beginners. Easy 5 Stars.
Mike Kitsch of Houston, TX
Date posted: 2/20/2007
If I had known how easy and cheap reloading is, I would have done it years ago. This is a cheap way to get started in reloading and the equipment is fully capable of successfully reloading any caliber that you care to (mine is 45-70). READ THE INSTRUCTIONS A MINIMUM OF FIVE TIMES, ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS(every piece of paper) AND DO EXACTLY AS THEY SAY. Also read the book that comes with the set.
When you trim the cartridges, do so after you have necked it and it will be much easier.
This is the best deal on the planet, bar none. I highly recommend it for beginning reloaders!
Michael Liberatore of Clifton, NJ
Date posted: 4/16/2007
This was one great deal. You get everything you need to start reloading with the exception of dies and supplies (powder, bullets, brass). The press works well, the auto prime is great and its also great they include 11 shell holders for the primer. The powder thrower works very well, dont be thrown by the price this is quality stuff. The scale also works well but its pretty hard to set the 1/10 grain so i went out and bought a rcbs rangemaster 750 digital scale, a great upgrade. I wanted to be safe with handgun ammo i am loading but the lee scale will work if you have good eyes. Make sure you check out the lee turret press before you buy though, i am probably going to upgrade to it after only a week with this, still this is a great deal. Lee Dies are amazing deal too.
Tom Tingle of Raphine, VA
Date posted: 4/10/2007
For a beginning reloader, the Lee Anniversary Reloading Kit is a great way to get started. The scale works flawlessly and easy to read and calibrate. The press is more than adequate for the reloading I do, mainly .223 and .308. The autoprimer works great and the primer pocket tool is a great little gadget. The only problem I have had is with the accuracy of the powder measure, which seldom matches when I test it on the weigh scale. But overall for the price, this is a great starter kit.
Albert Aymar of Mooresville, NC
Date posted: 12/29/2007
Great way to get into reloading, it has all you will need to start. I bought .45 ACP dies and a Frankfort tumbler and I've loaded 2k rounds of ammo already. Very easy to use and durable.
Dean Eckert of Dade city, FL
Date posted: 9/26/2006
This should be considered a "Best Buy". It has everything you need, minus dies and case length gauges (which are really inexpensive) and a set of calipers. Has to be the most bang for your buck on the market. My only complaint would be that the powder measure can be a little time consuming to calibrate, but when you do get it set, it seems very consistent.
Oh yeah, like everyone else, my knob came off of the handle, but a dab of epoxy fixed that in seconds.
James Becwar of Fairbanks, AK
Date posted: 9/26/2007
Everything works great and is useful. Have reloaded 38spl, .357, 44mag, 45apc, 500s&w, 7.62x54, 30-06, 300 win mag, 300 ultra mag. The loads are much more accurate then factory. The press works for the 300 ultra mag, but it's tight with long bullets! I had to glue the wood handle on to the lever, as the factory glue came loose after about 500 rounds (no big deal). I didn't like the powder measure until I wiped it with a dryer sheet and that got rid of the static. Add a set of dies and you have everything you need!
Adam Mitchell of Tamaqua, PA
Date posted: 2/8/2007
This kit is ideal for the novice or first time handloader and it works flawlessly. Follow the directions in the reloading manual and you'll have excellent results. Buy a set of Lee dies also because they work great and are discussed in the reloading manual directions. It would be a great buy even at twice the price.
Jeff Hansman of Carmel valley, CA
Date posted: 4/30/2007
A fantastic bargain for the beginning handloader. Everything you need to get started (except dies), but not all components are of equal quality. Here's my grading of each: Press-A (strong, will likely outlast me);primer tool-B+(the only thing I would change is the handle design. The included shellholders are a nice addition);powder measure-A (consistent, easy to load/unload, handles a variety of powders well); Scale-C (accurate but difficult to set for 1-9 grains); cutter and lock stud-C (again, well made, but only if you need to trim a few shells-buy a lathe type trimmer if you plan on hundreds of rounds or more); Lee Manual-A; a classic, with good info the the starter. NOTE: Many look down on Lee as being 'cheap', but that's just elitism. Lee offers excellent quality components and dies at a price the others only wish they could sell for.
Chris Kenney of Temecula, CA
Date posted: 10/15/2007
I purchased this product to get started in reloading. For someone like me who enjoys no frills equipment that works, this is a great buy. The press was easy to set up, the measure is accurate enough for my needs, and the auto prime tool works great! I also found the book to be a great reference. The only negative that I found with this package was the scale. I do not have the patience for it. I will probably buy a good electronic scale. All in all I am very happy.
Brad Sater of Sullivan, IN
Date posted: 7/19/2004
Ordered this kit as a beginning reloader and so far it has performed as advertised. It is not the fanciest or fastest, but will teach the basic skills for reloading. I like the auto-prime included in the kit and the powder measure has worked out to be reasonably accurate. Overall a good bargain if your looking to learn to "roll your own", but you will most likely upgrade as your skills become better and your level of precision changes.
Kevin Burns of Merrimack, NH
Date posted: 2/12/2005
Very good product. Almost everything you need. I found the scale to be great, haven't experienced the trouble others reported. As for the powder measure, just break it in like the directions say. It took about a hopper and a half to start getting accurate results. I just put a glass container under it, processed 1/2 hopper, then poured that back in. Did it 2 more times and now it gives accurate loads each time. I still weigh the first, last, and a few in the middle to be safe though.
Excellent for the price.
Brian A. of Cincinnati, OH
Date posted: 7/26/2004
After reading all the reviews on this kit, I decided to go ahead and get it. The reviews helped because after reading about others whining about the handle coming off, The first thing I did was put a dab of "Gorrila glue" on it and have had no problems out of it. I think it is a very good starter kit, especially for the money. Its true, you may be able to buy a better set up, but its gonna cost alot more. This press gets the job done. "you get what you pay for", but in this case, and a whole lot more!
Steve Dauer of Ladysmith, WI
Date posted: 11/28/2006
I was so disappointed when I opened the Lee Anniversary Kit I am sending it back. The kit was not packaged well and several things were destroyed in the kit. I believe this kit would be a good value if it were packaged better. Now I have to bear the expense of shipping it back myself and waiting several more days to begin reloading for my new gun. I guess I will have to wait a while longer because the scale was broken on receipt. The rest of the package looks to be of cheap Chinese manufacturer. The primer tool sticks closed, and often jams and will not function. My friend has an older Lee kit just like this and it seems to be of a higher quality. My buddies Lee primer tool functions flawlessly. I was really expecting a lot from this kit, but was sadly disappointed. I am going to return it and purchase an RCBS unit like I should have in the first place. I guess I will have to go out and purchase some factory ammo just so I can try my new Bushmaster! I am giving the kit a 3 because of price and supposed value if you can get one in good shape. Even if I had received the kit in perfect condition I would still only rate it a 3 because of the mediocre quality of components.
Ed L of Rockaway, NJ
Date posted: 10/13/2006
I'm new to reloading so a low cost single stage starter kit made sense. The press is a quality and first rate piece of equipment. I've loaded about 1000 rounds of 38, 357 and 44 mag so far. With Lee carbide dies, the quality of my loads have been very consistent and accurate. However, the powder dispenser and scale leave a lot to be desired, if not somewhat unsafe. The powder dispenser varies charges that range up to 4 tenths of a grain between charges. It requires me to measure each and every charge. This adds a lot of time to the reloading process. I followed all of the instructions regarding the "break-in", but after 1000 rounds, it's still not accurate. Because of the problems with the powder measure the scale was soon replaced with a digital scale from RCBS. I'm loading about 50 rounds per hour. Do yourself a favor and if you want to save time and some money, buy the press and dies from Lee and some of the other components like a scale and powder measure from another company. From what friends from my gun club are telling me, RCBS and Lyman make better products. Happy and safe shooting to all.
Robert Brummond of Honeoye falls, NY
Date posted: 4/19/2006
I purchased this kit from Midway in 2005. I would rate it ok for a casual reloader. I recently started reloading 30-06, full length resizing. The toggle link in the handle broke after about 300 rounds. For pistol or neck sizing rifle brass this works fine. If you are going to fully resize your rifle brass with this press then you better get the Lee Toggle Link for Challenger Press (Replacement Part) # 281260.
Darren Preuninger of Oklahoma City, OK
Date posted: 6/19/2004
If you have the money, get the Redding or RCBS kit. Decent kit for beginners or college students on a tight budget, but you get what you pay for. Toggle links on press broke after 100 rounds of 30-06. Sent the broken links back to Lee, and got the new ones back in about a week. Another 29 rounds and the press frame broke between the two Es in LEE. I’ll send it back this next week and I’m sure Lee will quickly send me a new one. Great warranty, but the press is definitely not strong enough. The scale is finicky, but will work if you have the patience. I recommend a good set of check weights for added assurance. Haven’t had any problems with the powder measure, but I mainly do maximum loads, so I only use it to approximate charges then finish up on the scale. If you get the Lee Kit be prepared to send it back a time or two, but like I said before they have a great warranty. You’re only out the shipping to get the broken parts back to the factory. However, the warranty only lasts two years. Hopefully by then I’ll be ready to invest in a better kit.
Jacob Meadows of Joplin, MO
Date posted: 11/25/2005
The kit contents are great, but the challenger press is not nearly sturdy enough. I tried reforming one case to a similar caliber, and the linkage broke. Buy the kit, but don't expect to reform any brass with the Challenger press.
Edwin Aldredge of Sugar land, TX
Date posted: 1/27/2006
I got a total of 30 rounds loaded before the handle just plain fell out. Thanks to the design of the handle assembly, there's no way to tighten it up without engineering something on my own, so I am not at all satisfied with this press. I also found that in order to have a consistent OAL from one round to another, constant changes had to be made to the die. I assume that this is due to the inherent sloppiness of the whole press because the die itself seems pretty solid.
The powder measure was also significantly inconsistent (usually a full grain or more from charge to charge). Thankfully, I included an RCBS digital scale in the order, so I was at least able to hand trickle charges. I never even opened the scale that came with the kit, so I can't rate that part.
I don't have a problem with cutting corners sometimes, but you can go too far with that and in my opinion this kit does just that. Save yourself the time, expense, and frustration that is almost sure to follow if you are serious about wanting to turn out consistent match grade ammunition.
B. W. of Plano, TX
Date posted: 10/15/2005
I was driven by price when buying this kit. The problems I have run into are the following: the ram does not align with the shell plate. The powder measure is not consistent and the handle broke off. The scale sticks on itself and I have to move it around to free up. It just goes to reason when an entire kit can be bought for less than the competitions press only, quality has to suffer. Would not recommend this kit.
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