The Best Portable Reloading Press for the Money — Reviews 2023

best portable reloading press,

Photo by David / CC BY

What’s the Use of Portable Reloading Presses?

So you’ve done your research and come to a harsh conclusion – you don’t have space for a static reloading press. Neither a progressive, single stage, or turret press will fit in your tiny apartment, you don’t have access to a garage, and there’s no way you’re tearing down and setting up your press just to get some good, cheap ammunition. There’s good news for you: there are reloading presses that are portable out there!

A reloading press that’s portable is essentially a hand press. A reloading hand press not the same as reloading by hand, despite the similar terminology. A hand press:

– Is a great option for gun-owners in the city
– Works well for reloading right on the range
– Can travel with you wherever you go

Most hand presses can’t do larger bullets, but handle handgun cartridges and smaller rifle cartridges without a problem. A hand press does require more manual work on the bullet than a standard press, but the mobile advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Why the Lee Precision Breech Lock Hand Press Kit is the Best Mobile Reloading Press

The Lee Precision Breech Lock Hand Press Kit is a well-built hand press that comes with almost everything you need to start reloading ASAP. It is comparable to it’s big brothers (the progressive reloader, turret reloader, and single stage reloader) in terms of the quality and accuracy of the bullet that it produces. Set the die once and you’re good to go for several hundred rounds. The size limit for this reloading press (see full specs) is from 3.650 to an inch long.

You will need to order a set of dies to get started, but you can pack everything up into the box as soon as you are done reloading. While the hand press isn’t as fast as other presses, when it’s all said and done, if you’re…

– New to reloading
– Needing to downsize
– Looking to expand your press repertoire
– Looking for a cheap reloading press

… then this hand press kit is a worthy investment for you. Happy reloading on the go!

Determine if You Need a Portable Reloading Press

A hand press is a beast of its own. It’s strength is in its manageability and mobility. With those strengths come equal and opposite weaknesses. In order to work well on the go, it simply can’t be built to last forever, and its mobile size will require you to do some extra prep to get your bullets at their peak. If you’re considering getting a hand press, consider what you’re using it for and ask yourself:

– Do you need to reload bullets on the shooting site?
– Do you truly not have the space for a standard press?
– Are you more interested in a precise press over a long-lasting press?
– Are you building a bug out bag?
– Will you need to be able to make your own bullets on the go?

If you answered yes to more than a couple of those questions, a hand press will be a good option for you. The most important question now is which one you are willing to buy, which is the Lee Precision Breech Lock Hand Press Kit.

And if you want to know more about other reloading presses, please head on over to our homepage.

  • Owner of Reloaderaddict.com, Boyd Smith is a major handgun enthusiast, and although he owns Glocks, he prefers the revolving wheel type. His go-to guns are a Smith & Wesson 642 Performance Center for carry and a Ruger GP100 in the nightstand biometric safe (he has kids). He loads both revolvers with old-school 148-grain Federal Gold Medal .38 wadcutters. It’s OK if you think he’s a wimp. Email him.

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4 responses

  1. Well… I use Lee reloading equipment “almost” exclusively… And price was never the reason… I use it, because it works. So, keep up the great work, Lee…

  2. I occasionally use the Lee hand press for loading on culling trips when I can’t legally fly enough ammo to pull it off. The cost is low enough and savings are high enough that giving the press away when I’m done is a viable option. I also use it for developing loads at the range. In this case its easier to bring sized and primed cases, which might get through the process without sizing any.

    To get a high measure of control over the amount of FL length sizing done the Redding Competition shell holders are indispensible. There’s a lot of irony in the shell-holders cost more than the press.

    The biggest advantage to the Lee is it basically doesn’t have any competition.

    • No. You’ll just switch the dies (these you have to buy, of course) for the caliber you want.

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