I got my load all in the late 70's when I was a kid, and I can see that they haven't changed much. My friends had Mec brand loaders and they were no doubt far superior in precision and overall quality. That being said, I loaded thousands of shells with my Load all...served me very well. It's still in my parents house mounted on the same table in very good shape. bagged many ducks, happy memories.

Watching this nine years later and the information remains extremely useful. Thank you for tasking the time to create and upload this video for us!

A friend of mine moved into a rental house in the late seventies. The previous tenants had left a bunch of junk in the basement which included a fair amount of reloading gear. My friend wasn’t into reloading but knew that I would probably be interested. He offered me the stuff in exchange for reloading some 38 special rounds. I had no idea what I was doing but fixed up a box of rounds with a tiny amount of powder. We went down to a field nearby and I volunteered to be the fool to test out the loads. They were anemic but didn’t blow up in my face. Now fast-forward to today with thousands of brass rounds under my belt and Amazon just delivered my Lee Shot-Shell reloader. And the experiments begin again. Wish me luck and thanks for the tour of the gear.

to get a better deeper crimp, put a 3/4" washer under the shell in the crimp finisher station, you can use thicker/thinner washers to adjust depth

By far the best review I have seen on this machine. Thanks for the detail

Ordered one of these today to reload shells for trap shooting. Thanks for the video.

I have the LEE Load All II machine and like it very much. I have to agree with all of your pros and cons on the machine. But for the cost of a MEC I can live with these small cons. I have seen a mod that a guy did to make it easy to empty each hopper without having to take it off the bench. Your video was VERY informative and I have shared it on my FB page.

Love the pros and cons....great job on the video. I have a lee single stage press to load my 303 and I love it in the winter months. Now this video sold me on reloading again with lee. From a Canadian!

yep !! I been reloading all my 3006 and 556's and 338 lapua I know i would not had 2 much range time with out the use of a reloading press .. now im getting in2 casting .its so easy wish i done it lot sooner .. 255 grs RNFP out of a 45 acp 800fps is so fun .. now slugs & OO buck is next . :) thanks again 4 the useful info from u'r video .

very very informational a lot of great info thank you for your times very well thought out and executed.

Good job with the video. I'm just getting back into shotgunning after a long layoff. I used to have an MEC, but it's long gone. I liked your video enough that I'm going to get a LEE. Thanks.

Very good and interesting review! I'm sold for it

Very thorough review, thanks a lot.

Excellent overview, this was helpful to me in making my purchase decision. BTW, I have several Lee presses (for pistol and rifle) and find that the "auto" priming systems are improved by polishing the feed ramp with some car wax or Nu-Finish. Still not ideal, but for the price I think it's a pretty good method for efficient reloading. Keep them clean, dry and waxed and they provide acceptable service (for $10 :))

Great Job! I've been looking at the Lee Load-All and your video is a good complete review of this product. I found this video very helpful.. Thanks again!

I just got my grandfather's lee load all 2, 16 gauge, 12 and 20 gauge conversion kits are 19 bucks. and new black base 10 bucks. lee is amazing

Amazing review!

Good video! I used to load my 12 ga with the lee loader that came in a small box. I used to shoot trap and loaded many hundreds of shells,annoying my sisters with all of my banging. That was back in 68

Just bought one from Graf & Sons, thanks for the great review.

Good review, thanks for the practical information sir!

Excellent review.

I'm reloading using the Lee Loadall2 in 12 and 20 ga , Drilled 2 inch hole and used PVC pipe and Coupling and cap . When full take cap off and dump in Can . Love my reloaders and save a lot of Cash

Great video. To empty the hoppers easily you can drill a hole in one corner of the lid. Put the hole on the side you want to empty out and hold it on securely while you pour out the contents. Flip the hole on the lid to the other side of the hopper and repeat. If you have your press bolted down you can pop the charging handle off and lift the hopper off the base.

great job bud !! I been loading brass ammo 4 long time & after watching ur video I'm thinking about buying one the cheap lee 12ga loaders for buck shot home defense rds .thanks again .. I'm sold ..

thanks man very fast response.

I love my LEE load all 2. Once I get into a groove I am able to load a box of 25 in 15 minutes. Great little machine.

I just bored a 1 1/16" hole in my bench and used 3/4" PVC Water Pipe for a shute below the primer removal hole. Then cut 1/4" off a coupling and glued it to end sticking above the bench to hold shute in place and so I could remove the shute when I remove the Press. Works great! Also, got a second Hopper Cover ($2.00 from Lee website) and cut a hole at the very edge of one corner (leaving the lip). Empty one hopper, rotate empty the other - easy. Exellent informative video - good job!

I have a load all from the late 70s what I did was to drill a 1/2 inch hole under the primer hole an a 1/2 inch hole in a jar lid an mounted it under my loader an it does a job catching my primers.

Excellent job of giving a 'look-see' of the Lee shot loader. Been kicking up the idea of doing some shotshell loading, mainly for slugs, and this may just fit the bill. Thanks for taking the time to do the presentation!

Great review! Best on the net

I bought one of these a year ago, then a 20ga, why I didn't get one years ago? They are AWESOME! Bolted both to piece of plywood back to back, c clamp top. Speed things up use bushing box to hold wads, box top velcro to plywood to hold primers &os cards speeds thing up so much. Use magnetic to clean up primers works great, thanks for video.

This is cool, just order one of those shot shell reloader kits for 12 and 16 gauge. Never thought about reloading shotgun shells but here I am. Been reloading centerfire metallic cartridges for close to 2 decades now and brand new to this. This video cleared up the muddy water, appreciate it.

Great video

if you take foam ear plugs pushed into holes you drilled into the powder and shot hoppers you can get them pretty well drained. You can use a little tray out of a common shop asst of hardware like at harbor freight to collect primers too.

Great machine. I've loaded thousands of rounds with it. My only gripe is that it is optimized for 7.5 shot. So when using different size shot it does not throw the correct weight as it throws by volume. No biggie, I hand load my heavier loads (hunting rounds) with a scale anyway to have more consistency. I have mine mounted to wood which is capable of clamping to a work bench. Then, it's easier to remove for cleaning, emptying and changing bushings with full hoppers.

Good info; thanks for sharing.

I just got one ordered off of Amazon. and I can't wait when it gets here 😁

I have one of these mounted right next to my MEC jr for powder and shot handling. I ended up screwing them both to a board so I can store them up on the shelf to get it out of the way of all the other junk on my reloading bench! lol that set of powder and shot bushes rocks! :-)

thanks again, please do more vids on the load all2

thank you.. nice review!

Excellent, thank you.

Good show . Thanks

They do leak powder, about 10-20 times more than a MEC or a rotary powder measure like the Lee Perfect. I'd say I lose 1/2% of my powder over the course of loading shotshells. I would not use a shop vac or any type of vacuum cleaner around equipment that LEAKS POWDER. While the shot and powder bushings are great for 12 gauge, for 20 gauge there's a need for smaller powder bushings for some powders. And some want lighter shot loads. For those that do, check out Elite 3D Design. As several have commented below, the top does come off for emptying the shot and powder. Pull the steel bars off the side. And some of use bolt this to plywood or a section of 2 by 12 and C-Clamp it to a table.

Thanks for the video I think you had a productive storm day. I'd like one for crimps the hand loader isn't great at crimps unless I have paper hulls. I think I will pick one up.

Just to let you all know. you can actually empty this machines hoppers without un-bolting it from the bench (Con at 17:30 in this video). All you do is pop off the handle from the two pivot points either side that hold the top section on. Be careful to slide the upper section off the column, it is spring loaded but not too strong a spring. (Just make sure you do the correct pivot points with NO e clip retainers on them, they just literally pop off by bending the handle outwards slightly.) You can then just cover one side and tip the particular hopper out. Then just slide it back on the column and pop the pivots back on. No tools required and takes about 2-3 minutes.

you can easily empty the shot and powder hoppers by removing the top part. this is done by pushing out (left and right) on the handle. this will take the hoppers and dies off the base and handle because there are 2 pins about the size of a 209 primer and holes on the handle which lock them in place. i recently discovered the "hack" persay. no need to cycle continually or unbolt the machine. hope this helps

outstand show I will be watching you a lot thanks

Couldn't you drill a hole in the bench where the primers drop, and catch them in a coffee can placed below it?

Very good!!!! Thanks!!!

I use a small magnetic screw driver to remove the spent primers. Works great.

Great and informative video!

Nice presentation, thanks. I have one and to unload if needed, I pull the handles one at a time from sides of the unit and the powder shot units will slide right up and off. Don't manhandle it and do one side at a time until free. Still a pain to empty as you need to cover one side while emptying the other. The Lee does a good job once you figure out your loads and spacings. Thanks again. Dan

I have my Lee Load-All 2 mounted on a board. I clamp the board to my table with "C" clamps when I want to use it. I have no problem emptying my hoppers. I tape a cover over the powder hopper (since that is the light material) and remove the press from the clamps and dump my shot back into the container. I remove the cover over the powder hopper and then dump my powder back into my container, do it slowly and you don't need a funnel.

If you were the sort who commonly loaded a variety of different shot and powder charges (e.g. small shot for skeet, larger shot for vermin, larger still for deer if you're the buckshot-using type), I guess you could always measure the charges with dippers, scales, etc, and use the press for the purely mechanical aspects (deprime, size, reprime, wad-start, crimp). Yes? If you got a dirt-cheap one secondhand, it then might not matter so much if some of the bushings had gone a-wander...

Thank you, again.

Just ordered one, I'm loading Winchester super x xpert hv steel shot 3", 1-1/8, 2 shot 12 gauge. Does anyone know what kind of wads and bbs I should get

The primer feed isn't designed to just drop in the station like that. It has a tiny screw in the bottom of the post that fits through a small hole in the base to securely attach it to the machine, but it still has to be lifted to feed each primer. Also the hoppers are designed to come off the machine by pulling the handles out away from it and it will spring off the machine for easy emptying. I find it quicker than unscrewing the bottles from my mecs.

If you pull the handle apart from the sides you can pull the press apart so you don't have to unbolt it to empty it.

Thanks for going thru the trouble to make this video. Just learning about these things. I've a question about storing the machine - is it dangerous to store it with powder in the hopper? I have a secure place - no kids - but I don't know how dangerous gunpowder is to store. Also, I live in a damp climate. Will high humidity damage the powder?

Very good.

I cit 2 pcs of ply wood and glued them together one a little smaller than the other. I drilled 1 hole for the shot to come out of and 1 for the powder to come out of the down side is every time I want to empty it I have to unbolt it from the bench.

Love my lee loader but... the other day the center post popped out and yep, the hoppers dumped over backwards and emptied all the powder and shot onto the reloading table. I JB welded the center post back in. ok now. Saved all the shot and powder with a screen strainer, the powder went thru and the shot stayed in the strainer.

great video - thx :-)

Great video! I'll definitely have to pick one of these up. I assume that without the primer feeder you just use a bushing-type thing that drops in where the feeder would otherwise go (similar to the Load-All 1)?

I have seen on the Lee website that Lee have permanently discontinued the primer feed for reasons of the mould wearing out and lack of demand making it not worth the cost of constructing another. It makes me wonder if the Load-All II is itself not eventually due for obsolescence. I hope not, because it has almost certainly got people into shotshell reloading who would not otherwise have done so. My experience with it is that it is not a 200 round per hour machine. 100 an hour, however, is easily achievable if you have ingredients easily to hand & well laid out, an established recipe that you know will give you no surprises at the crimp stations, and are content to throw the loaded shells into a receptacle and deal with them as you see fit later. This is more than enough for any casual shooter (three or four rounds of trap once a weekend, say) or young reloader, and the all-inclusive nature of the kit straight out of the box is a DEFINITE bonus, as is the simplicity. I've retired mine now and moved up in the world, but it served me well for a year and upon it I learned the art of shotshell reloading. It will be a sad and sorry day when/if Lee finally retire it as a product.

I don't mind mine. I load buck and slug rounds. I do all the case prep on the press, and load shot or slug by hand and roll crimp on drill press. I did load some bird shot and noticed the crimps liked to lift on some hulls, especially federal hulls

WOW VERY NICE 👌

5:50 (using Mec Machines) - The universal charge-bar for the Mec 600 Jr. made that all go away.

This is a really helpfull video. I'm on the fence about reloading my own shells. Was considering this machine and a sizemaster, a huge difference i price between the two. Knew how the mec worked, but nothing about the finer details of the Lee. Again, thanks for the great vid!

You were talking about crimping being satisfactory, what do you mean? Like how far it will squish the crimp down? Well, let's suppose I wanted to load 1oz #7.5 or #8 at about 1200fps, or like #1 Buck loads, I mean I would think it would all work pretty fine, right? I'll probably be using Federal or Fiocchi hulls from their target loads, or loose hulls, I suppose. I'm sure it would be fine stock, wouldn't it?

Thanks for your video instructions - a good machine that works well I had a couple of these and traded off the 1 I used most. I had a spare and set it up for Unique powder. I used a scale and chose a bushing. but it has been a few years and I lost the spare powder bushings. *can anyone tell me where I can get replacement bushings?

Where can I find loading data for 12g, 1-1 1/8oz, #8 or #9 for shooting skeet? Does the Lee come with accurate loading data or are there good sites for that?

I'll bet Lee would send you the little screw for free. Some people change the spring on the primer feed so that it doesn't have to be lifted manually to feed. Lee designed it to be manually lifted as a safety precaution.

i just got into loading 12ga with my lee loader II anf the run around 75-85 buck in january 2022

I'm just getting started with reloading shot shell ordered one.hope it works for me

I keep seeing theses at gun shows, but everytime I go to buy one its not 12gauge. I think I'll wait and get a mec if I ever get into shoot trap

Very advisable video, it is best to use quality once fired reclaimed hulls as your start point such as Win AA or Rem Gun club, the pleats are better formed and good crimps are of the norm as you keep loading them over and over. also, as you said, the crimping station takes a bit getting used to as you develop a "Feel" for if your load is the right Hight. However, that "feel" stays with you even if you get another machine like a MEC. On another subject, I'm surprised that you don't make your own shot. I believe you told me that you have someone at the club that does and you get it from him. - Dave

They sell aluminum foil sheets on rolld like tape with a sticky backing. Adhear a layer to the tray cut to fit and see how it goes

hey man can somebody explain to me how to mount on the wad guide on the machine do I glue it or what thanks man.

You could drill a hole under the primer discharge hole and have a bucket under your table to collect the spent primers

There's a easy fix for the leaking powder. Take the charge bar out and install the bushings that you want to use. Sit the bar with bushing installed on a flat surface get some 2" wide shipping tape, cover the top of charge bar with the bushings installed with trim the outside edge's with a razor blade or box cutter blade. Do not cut out the holes yet install in the slot and slide from side to side. If it slides stiff then cut out the bushing hole and reinstall bar and cover. If it's real easy to slide and still has up and down play put another layer or two of the tape till up and down play is removed.

what kind of 12 ga wads is best 4 the OO .330'' buck shot ? I take safety #1 priority..I would like u'r opinion after watching u'r video .u know what ur talking about. i'm new at the whole shot shell loading.

Great video thanks, what do you think of the new lee 2's with the plastic base?

and then some Bud .. like the saying goes 1 can never have 2 much fire power ...I read that it had same energy at 1000 yrds as a 44mag at the muzzle .. so that week I had one in my safe .. its nice 2 be single :)

Where would be the best place to buy or order wads for a 12 gauge from?

They still sell the unit without the primer feeder. I thought you weren't supposed to handle primers directly. How else are you supposed to prime the shells?

I just purchased a lee load all on eBay, where can I find local and affordable primers shot and powder

line a shop vac tube with a nylon stocking toe and vacuum shot and powder into stocking

Does any have any input ow where I can find out recipes and load data for Winchester shotshell wst ball powder

well i do have 500# or so of the fed low brass comes in the 100# pack at walmart if that will work and 300# 2 3/4'' fed 12 ga hulls that had the flight control wad oo buck ..like i said im new 2 the whole shot shell stuff Im more in2 the match grade brass stuff 308/338Lmag .. I was planing on buying a lee buck ball mold cast my own OO buck shot .. powder+primers not sure yet !!

Hello. i reload black powder shells in 12 gauge. im looking to get the lee load all loader, and im wondering since i use 3 drams of BP to a 1-1/4 Oz of payload as my base. what powder bushing would be closest to 1-1/4 Oz payload? Or 3 1/2 dram with 7/8 Oz Slug payload...... Short term im asking if i can set this up to run volumetric for BP. (not using smokeless)

I made a couple of mods on mine so I can empty the shot & powder in less than 30 seconds without taking the unit off the bench. I should do a vid.

What is the difference between a lee load all and a lee load all ll ? Is it the lee does 2 /34 and the lee ll does 2/34 and 3 inch? I had a lee 25 years ago, which I still had it.

would you part with the 16 gauge loader?

has anyone loaded 2 3/4 #4 lead shot with a load all2?

Would you be interested in selling one of your extra 12 gauge units? I've been looking around for used ones, and haven't had much luck finding any yet.

I totally agree that the hoppers SUCK. I solved the problem by using dippers for the powder and shot and only use the machine for priming and crimping.

Thanks for the video. Looks like you've got a lot of experience with the loader. I'm planning on purchasing one of these. How does it perform crimping new/unfired hulls? ... I hear that it "just can't" ... I'm either stubborn or enjoy punishment; but, It seems like it has to be possible.... It seems like slowing down to a 10 second hold in the pre-crimping station would ensure a good crimp. What do you think?

Did you drill & cap holes for emptying??

ive used the lee and mec single stage presses for a long time ...the lee works great but its only 100round an hour machine... and you will get tired quickly....I can only stand to do 4 boxes in one session but once you have a good load with no surprises its as quick as a 600jr.