Lee Loaders collectible?

[Pete Lester]

I am kind of surprised to see an old 2 3/4" 12ga Lee Loader sell for this much money, $100 with shipping. 26 bids, apparently they became collectible when I was not paying attention. I can't imagine people actually using them to load shells anymore.

[CraigThompson]

Actually I’ve had some folks come in the shop looking for those things and seen several people looking for them on a couple forums . Might be something to do with having them in their “Bug Out Bag” :whistle:

[Pete Lester]

Actually I’ve had some folks come in the shop looking for those things and seen several people looking for them on a couple forums . Might be something to do with having them in their “Bug Out Bag” :whistle:

Those bug out bags must weigh a lot if they are taking components with them for the old hand loader lol.

[CraigThompson]

Those bug out bags must weigh a lot if they are taking components with them for the old hand loader lol.

Very true ! One bag of shot would be more weight than I’d care for !

[Gary Laudermilch]

That is what I started loading with. What a chore to load a box of shells but they went bang.

[todd allen]

Just curious. Would a vintage .410 Lee Loader have any value?

[CraigThompson]

Just curious. Would a vintage .410 Lee Loader have any value?

Based on the price above I’d say yes . About 18 months ago Ida said $10-15 $20 tops .

[Pete Lester]

Just curious. Would a vintage .410 Lee Loader have any value?

If you look at the completed auctions on Ebay you will see the 410 3" "vintage" Lee Loaders sell for over $100 plus shipping with many if not most falling into the $150 to $200 range. If it's complete with instructions and charge table it brings the most money. I don't understand it myself but there is a clearly a hot market for them at this time.

[Paul Harm]

I've got one for 12, 10, and 45/70. They sure ain't worth over a hundred each to me. People have got rocks in their heads. [ Did my dad use to say that ? ]

[Timothy Tietz]

JB, first post. I'm amazed too, luckily I have like all variations short thr 3 inch shell versions. Loaded my first 410 loads with one. Bugout stuff, but why not just load shells before hand. Collectors?...for this. Better hammer reloaders available, check YouTube. A guy sells a "survival" type reloader that looks a step up from the lee. I dont get it either.

[Mike Koneski]

I have two of these. They were free. If it's free it's for me! I use them for some black powder shells and also for certain non-tox loads where I don't want to change my presses around. They are fine for a few shells. Maybe a box max, but I wouldn't want to load more than that.

[Bob Brown]

I've got several in shotgun and rifle cartridges. Sometimes I'd pick a quiet day at the range and take one out to do some load development for a new rifle. A few different powders and bullets, a scale, primer seating tool, and a chrono and you can get a rifle pretty well dialed in. They can produce some very accurate loads that transfer well to the home press. Very slow though. If someone brought out new ones for shotgun in 2 1/2" 12, 16, 20, and short 10 I might be a buyer.

[Pete Lester]

I've got several in shotgun and rifle cartridges. Sometimes I'd pick a quiet day at the range and take one out to do some load development for a new rifle. A few different powders and bullets, a scale, primer seating tool, and a chrono and you can get a rifle pretty well dialed in. They can produce some very accurate loads that transfer well to the home press. Very slow though. If someone brought out new ones for shotgun in 2 1/2" 12, 16, 20, and short 10 I might be a buyer.

Here's the short 10 Lee Loader at the bargain price of $239 and free shipping.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-FIND-Vintage-LEE-LOADER-10-Ga-2-7-8-Shells-Complete-Reloading-Tools-1963/184688516788?hash=item2b004b1eb4:g:LYUAAOSwT8FdDPB 5

[Phil Yearout]

I've got two; both were given to me as well. I believe I have all the dies etc. for each to load 20, 16 and 12 but not, I think .410 - I'll have to check. I've never used either but have always been glad to have them in the "just in case" category. But considering what I'm seeing here I may have to check out the market.

Oh: I was thinking of the Load-all which is what I have.

[Bob Brown]

Here's the short 10 Lee Loader at the bargain price of $239 and free shipping.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-FIND-Vintage-LEE-LOADER-10-Ga-2-7-8-Shells-Complete-Reloading-Tools-1963/184688516788?hash=item2b004b1eb4:g:LYUAAOSwT8FdDPB 5

:shock:

[Cory Rams]

They have been going for $169 to $240 for 10 gauge 3.5” and 2 7/8” for the last two years. I’ve been trying to find one reasonable. I had two people offer them to me for around $75 plus shipping last year and did not have extra funds at the time. I just traded a .336 cast bullet mold that was free to me and two pounds of pewter that I had about $10 invested in for a 3.5” 10 gauge lee loader. I sold 30 pounds of lead (I got the lead free) for $110 to pay $115 for a 2 7/8” 10 gauge lee loader with some wads and shot cards thrown in. Glad I grabbed them when I did. I believe they will keep going up in price. I had a lee target loader model in 30-30 that was thrown with a bunch of reloading supplies and 45 pounds of smokeless and black powder I picked up at a sale for $40. I sold the lee 30-30 target loader on eBay for $130 a few weeks back. I also just traded 15 pounds of lead for 13 pounds of #5 chilled shot and sold 15 more pounds of lead to buy 11 pounds of nickel plated #6’s. I’m keeping the rest of my lead.