Lee Service

[dickttx]

Sunday I somehow crunched a case and broke the decaping pin in my Lee 38 Super sizing die. E-mailed them asking how to get a replacement. Early Monday morning I had an e-mail from them stating that I should take a photo of the broken pin and e-mail it to them. I did, and received a replacement in the mail Wednesday at no cost.
Appreciate the service.

 

[Mike 27]

I have a ton of Lee stuff and have never broken anything. My only experience was I bought a kit several years ago and it was missing the primer catch deflector (a small piece of metal I made in a few minutes). I called them and they promptly took my info and by the end of the week(not bad for AK), I had the part no questions . Great service!

 

[hentown]

I just received three such replacement pins from Lee. Have another, from my .223 Collet die, that's also broken.

 

[RandyP]

IMHO Lee are good folks - American made products right up there North of the Cheddar curtain. I have nothing but positive dealing with their customer service staff.

 

[splattergun]

Before I bought any reloading gear at all, I spent weeks researching fact and opinion. I learned that all loading equipment companies have fans and detractors. They all have faults and they all have benefits.

I came to the opinion that Lee's reputation for poor quality was mostly due to failure to follow instructions, and the resulting bad-mouthing is used to cover up for a defective operator.

I would love to drive a Porsche, but I just can't justify it. I'd like to run a Dillon, but I just can't justify it. I bought Lee reloading gear. I like it. I like that it is all American made. It meets my needs and keeps my costs low. I have had 1 reason to call on their customer service and I was impressed. They spent $2.50 to mail a $.25 part, which I broke (actually, they sent 2 and an associated part that I didn't ask for) .

Yeah, I just ordered some more Lee dies a couple days ago.

 

[Steve2md]

I've got nothing but good to say about lee. Always great customer service, and everything is made here in the US. I think many people equate low price to low quality, and with Lee, that just isn't the case.

 

[spleify]

I have also never had anything but good luck and great service from Lee. One of very few places that you can call and English speaking Americans actually ANSWER the phone and assist you. I will continue to support them until these things change.

 

[oldreloader]

I bought a Lee Classic Turret. When I was setting it up I dropped the priming arm on the concrete floor and bent the cup. I called them and told them whathappened and I wanted to order another. They wouldn't sell me one but shipped me one for free. I made it plain it was my fault and did not expect them to send me a freebee but they did anyway. I've had simular service from RCBS also.

 

[StretchNM]

Lee is a Great American company. Whenever I read of fellows posting comments such as "you get what you pay for" and "don;t go cheap, get the good stuff", invariably in the same post the fellow mentions he's been reloading for "40 years". With my experience with Lee dating to about 1978, I then have some doubts about the fellow's experience and ability to be objective.

I can;t speak for Lee's progressive presses, but their dies and Classic Cast series are as good or better than anyone elses out there. And....at up to 1/3 the price. No hidden "extended warranty" fees that you don;t need. Even though Lee only promises a 2 year warranty, I've had them send me parts well beyond that warranty period, and I bet many others have too.

 

[hentown]

I love my Lee dies. Actually like the Lee case trimming system. However, count me as one of those who is mechanically inclined, but who, being such mechanically inclined, detest Lee's progressive presses. In my humble opinion, their Toadmaster must have been designed by a dropout from the 4th grade. Surely, no real, university-educated engineer had anything to do with designing that p.o.s. press!!!!

 

[blarby]

I finally broke the "U" spring in my safety prime yesterday.

Thankfully, I had another one from the other one to use until........


I emailed them right when it happened, and I received notification they were sending a new one out, and that it should be here by tuesday.

As, they don't sell them as a replacement part.

 

[C5rider]

Always a good experience with Lee!

 

[Mac Sidewinder]

The return spring on my Pro Auto Disk snapped one day hitting me in the chest (another good reason to wear safety glasses while reloading). When I emailed Lee they sent me 2 replacements no charge. Great company!

Mac

 

[1SOW]

Even though Lee only promises a 2 year warranty, I've had them send me parts well beyond that warranty period, and I bet many others have too.

]
Yes, way over two years. I've broken that U-spring in the primer feeder, and they didn't ask for anything but my address, so they could send it..

I'm still using the original 9mm carbide sizer-deprimer "and pin" that came with the press at least 55K sized cases ago.

The "plastic accessories" and the "incremental powder drops of the powder disc system" draw some critcisms, but (with a little tinkering) they are still working well for my uses.

 

[1911 guy]

Most of my reloading equipment is Lee. They market their stuff to be serviceable, reliable and cost effective. My experience is that is satisfies all those requirements. Is it the flashiest around? No. Is it always the "best". Maybe not. But is is always serviceable and cheaper than the competition.

Same deal as the rest of you. I have dealt with their customer service exactly one time. They did me right and I keep buying their stuff when I need it.

 

[A Pause for the Coz]

I have broke or misused a few of their parts. And am very sure they would have replaced them.

Usually though I have just purchased a replacement part the next time I ordered some stuff from Titan.

I think the most expensive part I ever replaced was like a buck and a half.

I use other brand stuff too, but I sure feel we are fortunate to have a company like LEE around.

 

[chris in va]

Interesting. Lee had me send in the last pin I broke. Nice that a picture will suffice now.

Now if they'd just make their molds more durable. 3000 boolits and the molds are kaput. Lee said to send them in and they'd replace for half cost, but hardly worh the effort after shipping.

 

[HEAVY METAL 1]

Nice to hear positives about Lee. The "Go blue or Go home" mantra is wearisome. Why do people think if it's plastic on a Glock it's a "hi tech polymer", but if it's on a Lee then it's "cheap plastic"? Lee makes great stuff and CS is great too.

 

[Ken70]

"Nice to hear positives about Lee. The "Go blue or Go home" mantra is wearisome. Why do people think if it's plastic on a Glock it's a "hi tech polymer", but if it's on a Lee then it's "cheap plastic"? Lee makes great stuff and CS is great too."

I've been using Lee since '94, have 4 or their presses, including the Loadmaster. Real eye opener when I found out that a lot of people didn't know how to adjust/operate a LM. Seemed pretty obvious to me how it worked and how you adjusted things.

Got 15 Lee die sets, 6 FCD, 7 molds, Production Pot, hardness tester,just about every accessory they sell for the presses.

And Lee provides CS about equal to the "Windex Drinkers" favored brand, and does it without anywhere near the profit margin the "WD" pay for their stuff. You can get a LM with all the accessories for about $325. 650 press is $450 and you have to buy everything extra. And looking at they are both aluminum castings, similar tool heads, rams and shell plates, priming is the only real difference. Hard to justify, unless you've drunk the windex....and a couple of the refills too.

Never had any reason to contact Lee CS, never broke anything. Wait, I did mangle a primer slider trying to prime crimped brass, that was after priming about 6,000 cases with the slider that came in the press...
___

 

[Tackelberry11258]

Lee's Customer service has sold me. I've also called them to order replacement parts for things that I broke (completly my fault) and they sent the parts for free. Their equipment has never failed me so why drink the blue or green kool aid... Customer service goes along way with me.

 

[StretchNM]

The thing about the "blue" or "green" hype isn;t that their products or customer service is better or worse than Lee, it's just that they cost so much more. I've either "played with" (at Cabelas and Sportsman's) or used (at friend's homes) almost every press and accessory brand out there, including Dillon. The others all make perfectly fine tools. These reloading tools aren;t marvels of science - no, they're basic, mechanical tools. The difference is in the price. (With an exception or three, here and there, with the Dillon progressives being one of the exceptions. They really do make a fine progressive reloading system).

Lee's prices suggest to most people that a two year warranty is perfectly acceptable. Yet, still they honor their products well beyond that. Now, I have read of guys saying they had to send a part in, or Lee told them they would send a certain part out for a nominal charge, but I'm fine with that. In fact, I've told the young lady before in a call that the item is beyond warranty and I'll be happy to pay. But they've never charged me yet.

The other brands prices are such that they can afford to ship out a new press or scale if even the slightest thing goes wrong with it. That impresses alot of people, and understandably so. But what reloaders forget is that they paid up front for that service, whether they were aware of it at the time or not. It's like going to buy a stereo or a new TV. What's the first thing they ask at the counter: "Would you like the extended warranty for only $XXX dollars more?" My answer is always no. My answer is: "I'll take the Lee stuff".

 

[jcwit]

The other brands prices are such that they can afford to ship out a new press or scale if even the slightest thing goes wrong with it. That impresses alot of people, and understandably so. But what reloaders forget is that they paid up front for that service, whether they were aware of it at the time or not. It's like going to buy a stereo or a new TV. What's the first thing they ask at the counter: "Would you like the extended warranty for only $XXX dollars more?" My answer is always no. My answer is: "I'll take the Lee stuff".

Bingo, there is somebody that figured this out. This holds true for everything that gives a lifetime replacement warrenty.

 

[shootr]

Another Lee fan here. Started out with Lee about 20 yrs ago when I researched , found it does what it's supposed to - and was what I could afford. Now I have three of their presses, about a dozen sets of Lee dies and numerous accessories. I also have a set of RCBS dies, Dillon scale and other misc. non-Lee stuff.

Overall, Lee provides the best value for the money by a good margin, their equipment works as well as any and their CS is fantastic. Friendly answers to questions and helped me greatly on a "customized" die set I came up with. Really nice people, good American company.

 

[GLOOB]

The only Lee stuff I've broken, I did so on purpose. And to get replacements, I ordered them online. Seems like every part of their dies is listed and orderable, down to the O rings.

I dunno how/why my Hornady decapping pin broke on my first try. But if they had all their spare parts easy to order, like Lee does, I would have just ordered two or three. Hornady service was great, though. They sent me two rods and a new expander ball.

I prefer being able to order stuff that I may want to modify or have extras of, rather than only get a replacement when something breaks.

 

[JohnM]

No experience with Lee CS or replacement policies.

I do have a chamfering/deburring tool that's getting a little dull.But since I've used it for about 50 years and it probably cost 95 cents anyway, I ain't too worried.

I don't know where that comment about a Lee mold being shot after 3000 bullets came from. With a modicum of care, those molds could keep casting good bullets for generations.