reloading: craigslist sale

what I thought it was

I have a search saved on the El Paso craigslist for reloading equipment. Yesterday it picked up a listing that said Reloading tools and accessories - Lee brand - $200. I couldn’t tell exactly what was in the pic but there were a few things that I’d already thinking about but was unwilling to pay retail for:

• top shelf - the wooden knobs for the Lee shell trimmers, .45 Colt dies, some kind of RCBS Mauser dies, 9mm dies and 3[hidden] dies which I assumed were .38 special.
• bottom shelf - RCBS powder measure, Lee hand press, Lee single stage press

communicating with the seller

The location was on the way to my hydrotherapy appointment today so why not take a look. Talked and texted with the seller, a pleasant fellow who had recently lost a family member and was disposing of the estate.

what it actually was

When I got there it turned out that the listing was for much more than what was in the pic; that pic covered maybe 1/3rd of the items in the safe. It was clear to me that there was enough I wanted to be worth the $200 asking price, plus a good amount of stuff I could donate to a reloading friend who was just getting started. Worst case I could eBay the stuff I couldn’t use.

upsell

He had some other stuff but it was too bulky (like a nice reloading bench) and lead casting equipment/materials (no interest) so I didn’t bite on those. There was a rotary case tumbler he’d throw in for another $20. I bit on that one.

We completed the sale and he helped me box up and carry the items to the van.

the haul

• dies and bushings
  • Lee .38 special / .357 mag die set (part 90510, already own)
  • Lee .45 Colt die set (part 90514, might use)
  • Lee .45 ACP / 45 Auto Rim deluxe¹ die set (part 90968, no interest)
  • Lee .44 special .44 mag deluxe die set (part 90966, no interest)
  • Lee 9mm deluxe die set (part 90963, already own)
  • Lee 500 S&W die set (part 90288, no interest)
  • Lee 500 S&W factory crimp die (part 90931, no interest)
  • RCBS 8x57mm Mauser die set (part 15901, already own the Lee dies for this)
  • RCBS #3 shell holder (part 09203, can use) tucked inside the die case above
  • Hornady blank cartridge dies (part 544591, almost certainly will not use).
  • Lee breech lock bushing 2-pack (part 90063) x2
  • Lee breech lock bushing 4-pack (part 90095) x3
• presses
  • Lee hand press (part 90180, actively wanted one of these)
  • vintage Lee Loader (no part number on the box, might use). I think it is for loading 12ga shotgun shells.
  • Lee breech lock classic cast² press (2011-2019³ model, part 90999). Wanted one but could not justify the price); this will become my main press.
• priming
  • Lee safety primer feed (part 90997)
  • Hornady handheld priming tool (part 0500021), may use for priming away from bench
  • box of Remington 209 shotgun primers; he thought they were all sold but one was hiding
• powder handling
  • MTM DS-750 digital scale
  • RCBS trickler 2 (part 09089). Very heavy with adjustable height. This will become my main trickler.
  • RCBS Uniflow powder measure (part 09010).
  • Lee powder scoops set (part 90100). With fun slide-card thingy. I like Lee’s low-tech approaches to things that are amenable to it.
  • Lee safety scale (part
  • Lee powder funnel (part 90190) x2
  • Hornady Auto Charge powder dispenser (part 050068). Not the Pro version with Bluetooth (!) but appears to be unused. I’ve heard varying reports of the scale’s stability, but if it works Good Enough this will be the best part of the buy.
• case prep
  • Lee cutter with ball grip (part 90275) x2. Absolutely wanted one of these.
  • Lee 8x57mm Mauser case length gauge and shell holder (part 90148)
  • Hornady Cam-Lock trimmer (part 050140) with a set of Hornady shell holders (part 390540) hiding in the box. Probably won’t use this.
  • Frankford Arsenal rotary tumbler (part 909544). Media must be somewhere else because it wasn’t in the box.
  • Frankford Arsenal magnetic media separator (part 909271)
• books
  • Lyman’s 49th (paperback) - this is a spare
  • Lyman’s 50th (hardcover) - will keep
• misc
  • Frankford Arsenal hammer puller (part 836017)
  • small double-headed brass/polymer hammer

that’s all for now

Took longer to document than to buy the stuff and get back home. Will update with reviews and corrections in the future.

1. in a Lee pistol die set context deluxe means comes with a factory crimp die. ↩

2. ie, cast iron ↩

3. After 2019 it was updated and given part number 90998. This 2011-2019 version is not listed on the site but it is referenced on this parts page. Here’s a YT overview of the press. ↩