Lee App mini review

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  • Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Or it could be my lee just proves to be stickier. I’ve tried Hornady one shot lube as well as lanolin spray with similar results. Lanolin seemed to work a little better.

    Known to many people as One Stuck. :D
     

    erwos

    The Hebrew Hammer
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 25, 2009
    13,866
    Rockville, MD
    Known to many people as One Stuck. :D
    One Shot is terrible in my experience. Dillon lube has been infinitely more reliable for me, even with a much less aggressive application (stick cases in bag, spritz, shake, spritz, shake, and then start sizing).
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    I would dip my hand ever 2-4 cases into hornady unique case lube for rifle cases when sizing and rub the case a tad and that has done me well.
    Rub inside of case mouth with q tip dipped in unique case lube every 10 cases. I generally polish all neck expander/decapping inserts on new dies.
    I'm rethinking what I will have to do if I use the APP for sizing.
    My APP came in this weekend and I put the wood handle on it is all and started watching some setup videos.
    I have a bench quick change mount on order.
    I plan to clamp to table and play with the adjustments on 223 cases this week
     

    85MikeTPI

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 19, 2014
    2,699
    Ceciltucky
    I would dip my hand ever 2-4 cases into hornady unique case lube for rifle cases when sizing and rub the case a tad and that has done me well.
    Rub inside of case mouth with q tip dipped in unique case lube every 10 cases. I generally polish all neck expander/decapping inserts on new dies.
    I'm rethinking what I will have to do if I use the APP for sizing.
    My APP came in this weekend and I put the wood handle on it is all and started watching some setup videos.
    I have a bench quick change mount on order.
    I plan to clamp to table and play with the adjustments on 223 cases this week

    This finger lube was/is my lubing method for single-stage. I use a lanolin spray into a gallon baggie for the APP. As mentioned, my bench is in the cool basement so I have to give the spray a good amount of time to dry, but then dump about 40-50 cases at a time into the ebay collator and give it a few shakes to fill the tubes.

    The feed tubes get coated with lanolin and need cleaned every few 1000 rounds, but otherwise there's been no stuck cartridges so far.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    This finger lube was/is my lubing method for single-stage. I use a lanolin spray into a gallon baggie for the APP. As mentioned, my bench is in the cool basement so I have to give the spray a good amount of time to dry, but then dump about 40-50 cases at a time into the ebay collator and give it a few shakes to fill the tubes.

    The feed tubes get coated with lanolin and need cleaned every few 1000 rounds, but otherwise there's been no stuck cartridges so far.

    For 308/7.62 I am going to be more generous with the lanolin and let them dry even longer. At least now I’ve got a stuck case removed so it if proves to have problems on the App…

    One perk with the app is if it rips the case head off, it only yanks part of it off. So sticking it in a single stage has a chance to still get it out.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Design...e-PRO-1000-and-Loadmaster-Press-/324331921262

    That is supposed to work better for rifle cases. I'll find out in a week or so.

    OK, I missed something. The holes are too big for fitting the 223 size tube in the bottom of this thing. Also, there are 4 holes in the bottom and the lee App has just 1 tube.

    Excuse me for not doing enough research. Not sure If I purchased the right thing or enough "things" to do that right.

    On a brighter notes, I got the swager working and set the APP up clamping to my table. I adjusted the tube height and position with a gap of about a quarter thickness. I adjusted the red screw per a video I watched. It ran like a charm w/o any die so I then put in the Lee Swager die. That thing worked SOOOO much better than my RCBS with its plastic spacer thing up top centering the mouth for the pin to come down. I tested about 20 cases before and after seeing how far the RCBS swager pin would fit or not fit into the primer pocket and after running the Lee swager, you really can tell the difference. Fits right in after swaging with the Lee. I'm actually going to take several hundred prepped but not yet primed 223 cases that I already swaged and run them through again just for added measure.
     

    mtlcafan79

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 11, 2008
    1,279
    PG
    https://leeprecision.com/universal-case-feeder.html

    Automatic Processing Press (APP) owners: This case feeder is compatible, use the risers that ship with your APP.

    Automatic Case Prrimer (ACP) ownders: This case feeder is compatible, use the risers that ship with your ACP.

    And yes the black ebay collator works much better for rifle cases. I've used it for 357 and 38sp too. I leave the pex inserts in the regular red Lee collator and that is for 9mm usage.
     

    85MikeTPI

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 19, 2014
    2,699
    Ceciltucky
    OK, I missed something. The holes are too big for fitting the 223 size tube in the bottom of this thing. Also, there are 4 holes in the bottom and the lee App has just 1 tube.

    Excuse me for not doing enough research. Not sure If I purchased the right thing or enough "things" to do that right.

    On a brighter notes, I got the swager working and set the APP up clamping to my table. I adjusted the tube height and position with a gap of about a quarter thickness. I adjusted the red screw per a video I watched. It ran like a charm w/o any die so I then put in the Lee Swager die. That thing worked SOOOO much better than my RCBS with its plastic spacer thing up top centering the mouth for the pin to come down. I tested about 20 cases before and after seeing how far the RCBS swager pin would fit or not fit into the primer pocket and after running the Lee swager, you really can tell the difference. Fits right in after swaging with the Lee. I'm actually going to take several hundred prepped but not yet primed 223 cases that I already swaged and run them through again just for added measure.

    Sorry, it's been so long I forget and presume too much. The collator works with the Pro 1000 feeder that will mount right on the APP

    https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020023248?pid=868423
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    https://leeprecision.com/universal-case-feeder.html



    And yes the black ebay collator works much better for rifle cases. I've used it for 357 and 38sp too. I leave the pex inserts in the regular red Lee collator and that is for 9mm usage.

    Sorry, it's been so long I forget and presume too much. The collator works with the Pro 1000 feeder that will mount right on the APP

    https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020023248?pid=868423


    But isn't that for Pistols?

    I'm mostly looking at starting with 223 collating. Or am I stuck with loading up the stock skinny tube from the Lee App for 223?
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    But isn't that for Pistols?

    I'm mostly looking at starting with 223 collating. Or am I stuck with loading up the stock skinny tube from the Lee App for 223?

    No that works with rifle cases. Get that plus the Lee red collator or the eBay collator. eBay one works a lot better. If I am not careful I’ll end up with an upside down case, but it is maybe an upside down case in 3 full loads. If I am careful I’ll go 5-6 before one ends upside down. So like maybe 99% accurate vs 99.7%. Downside is it is usually one of the first cases down it, which jams it and means I need to pull the tubes off, dump them back in the bucket and reload. Rather than just grab out the upside down case.

    The lee red is way less good about it for 223 (what maybe 95% with 223)

    The black one for pistol is close to 100% accuracy so far for me. The red lee was maybe 98%.
     

    mtlcafan79

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 11, 2008
    1,279
    PG
    It's on a bolt and you just run the jam nut up or down to adjust for case height. Same way the single tube works. The same small case setting for 9mm works for 223 just fine. I don't change anything but the collator funnel going from pistol to rifle and back. You just need to adjudt the height up or down some to match the case being fed.

    Highly suggest reading the AR-15.com APP mega thread. You'll need to do the spring mod and figure out how to wax and/or clean the slide sooner or later. Plenty of tricks and mods in that thread. It'll save a lot of hair and frustration on your part.
     

    HoCoAR

    Ultimate Member
    Nov 15, 2012
    1,237
    OK, I missed something. The holes are too big for fitting the 223 size tube in the bottom of this thing. Also, there are 4 holes in the bottom and the lee App has just 1 tube.

    Excuse me for not doing enough research. Not sure If I purchased the right thing or enough "things" to do that right.

    There are 2 sizes for the feed plate. If you have the wide one, 223 brass will fall over.

    https://leeprecision.com/files/instruct/TR3872.pdf
    Pic for figure 1 … small hole had metal bush insert.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    Thx for info on the collator.

    Late last night I got the swager working full on.
    I have the APP mounted somewhat low that I stand up and I can crank with left hand and put another round into the tube up top. I was going 1 stroke at just under 2 seconds and had no trouble keeping the tube fed.
    Finished off swaging 2 bags of 300 in about 20 minutes. Did have one stoppage which I cleared quickly and kept going. Caught it on the down stroke to the point I did not accidentally pass an unswaged round.
    I can see the need to say dump into a small bucket close to the exit, then say empty that every 20-30 so that I don't accidently pass an un processed case into say a box of 300 and say "oh crap, which one was it?".
    At least if I say dump every 20-30, I can just go back and do those again with an average rework of say 15.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Thx for info on the collator.

    Late last night I got the swager working full on.
    I have the APP mounted somewhat low that I stand up and I can crank with left hand and put another round into the tube up top. I was going 1 stroke at just under 2 seconds and had no trouble keeping the tube fed.
    Finished off swaging 2 bags of 300 in about 20 minutes. Did have one stoppage which I cleared quickly and kept going. Caught it on the down stroke to the point I did not accidentally pass an unswaged round.
    I can see the need to say dump into a small bucket close to the exit, then say empty that every 20-30 so that I don't accidently pass an un processed case into say a box of 300 and say "oh crap, which one was it?".
    At least if I say dump every 20-30, I can just go back and do those again with an average rework of say 15.

    I’ve got a DIN rail and akroworks (sp?) small bin on it mounted right under the press. Holds about 80 cases of 223. But yeah, it is good to dump it every 30-40. Because every once in awhile you’ll kick two cases out and have to figure out which one didn’t get swaged. I usually end up grabbing half a dozen and dumping them back in the top.

    When you get really swinging and it’s running right 1000 in an hour is entirely doable. I am not quite there.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    Bench plate kit came so I can put the APP onto the bench or switch out to the single press.
    Lazarus, I do have bin rails all across the front of my bench so they will dump into a bin then I can pop cases into a bigger box below it or just another bin to the side of it.
    I have a shelf just above it to right and I think I'll put a rail for a bin up there so I can use that to load cases into the tube or collator once I have that working.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    Pic of the Lee APP mounted to the quick Change bracket and the existing rails for the plastic bins. Image cropped cause my bench is a Bit of a mess right now.
    I swaged 200 cases this morning and the return speed of the red block was slow. Then realized on the way out the door the loft was 56 degrees. Heat pump was still in cool mode. I guess the plastic is affected by cold temps
    e03be21ce50ca7485d56f875e397f45c.jpg



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    85MikeTPI

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 19, 2014
    2,699
    Ceciltucky
    Pic of the Lee APP mounted to the quick Change bracket and the existing rails for the plastic bins. Image cropped cause my bench is a Bit of a mess right now.
    I swaged 200 cases this morning and the return speed of the red block was slow. Then realized on the way out the door the loft was 56 degrees. Heat pump was still in cool mode. I guess the plastic is affected by cold temps
    e03be21ce50ca7485d56f875e397f45c.jpg



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    Light coat of gun oil on the slide and wire hanger mode to the spring.
     

    mtlcafan79

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 11, 2008
    1,279
    PG
    It's probably dirty based on how the top of the pusher looks. Needs to be wiped off. Waxing or lubing the rail helps once it's wiped clean. You'll need to do the spring mod with heat shrink, or something inside the spring if you haven't already and that helps on the return too.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    It's probably dirty based on how the top of the pusher looks. Needs to be wiped off. Waxing or lubing the rail helps once it's wiped clean. You'll need to do the spring mod with heat shrink, or something inside the spring if you haven't already and that helps on the return too.

    Link to spring mod?

    Wax like I use for crossbow rail/string?

    I did pull it off and wipe clean but was still a bit slow to return, or at least slower than when I first ran it and the loft was 70F
     

    85MikeTPI

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 19, 2014
    2,699
    Ceciltucky
    Link to spring mod?

    Wax like I use for crossbow rail/string?

    I did pull it off and wipe clean but was still a bit slow to return, or at least slower than when I first ran it and the loft was 70F

    Spring mod is in the ARFCOM link from post#2 in this thread

    https://www.ar15.com/forums/Armory/Lee-APP-tips-and-tricks/42-510869/

    Either shrinktubing, or cut a length of wire hanger to shove down the middle of the spring to stiffen it up.

    I use light gun oil on the slide, but most any lube is better than no lube..
     

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