Am I expecting too much from Lee

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daniel craig

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60723DA7-0666-49CB-9A1B-6A3E1D78562C.jpeg My original bullet seating stem. The lines on the inside work carving gouges into my bullets. I asked Lee to send me a new one.
BB4C464B-EDB7-4C0B-9C06-22B548680E9E.jpeg The new one they sent me while an improvement doesn’t look all that much better. I was able to get the old one smoother on the inside with a Dremel some Q-tips and some polishing compound. Am I expecting too much?
 
View attachment 1040001 My original bullet seating stem. The lines on the inside work carving gouges into my bullets. I asked Lee to send me a new one ... The new one they sent me while an improvement doesn’t look all that much better. I was able to get the old one smoother on the inside with a Dremel some Q-tips and some polishing compound. Am I expecting too much?
I guess the proof will be on OAL variance where the stem contacts the bullet's ogive.

When I was conducting myth busting for OAL variance, I was surprised to see the rough finish of bullet seating stem - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/9mm-oal-not-consistent.873260/page-2#post-11604629

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But when pre-resized mixed brass produced .001" OAL variance with consistent ogive bullets like RMR FMJ/JHP, who was I to argue? - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...progressive-press.833604/page-2#post-10779806

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This is totally my opinion, but Lee's chief attraction is that their equipment will produce serviceable ammunition and cost less than anyone else's. Some shortcuts must be taken to bring down the cost. Personally, I'd rather pay a little extra for better machined dies.

I did not intend to offend anyone, sorry if I did.
 
Lee stuff works. Some requires more work to make it work. Surface finish on things like neck expander on the "powder through" dies regularly need polished. A few products I won't use. Perfect is a loosely used adjective.
 
Lee has some products I like very much, other products not so much. Lee is the price point tool. They are great for getting started on not much money. They seem to have some QC issues from time to time. Lyman & RCBS aren't really that much more expensive.
 
You get what you pay for. If I want to make an operational reload for hunting and plinking for a good price. Lee works. I mostly use RCBS dies and they look better. I own a Forster die set and - wow - it looks better than my RCBS dies. For very accurate reloads, my RCBS is fine. If I want long-range shooting and target, I'd consider Redding and Forster dies. You get what you pay for.
 
Lee's customer service has been good. They have responded to all my problems promptly. They are innovators. I started out with a whackamole 20 GA loader about 1978. I've had some of just about everything they make. Hits: most dies, moulds, single stage presses, dippers, push through sizer. Misses: pro1000, Load master (both because of priming issues-and don't tell me I don't know how to tinker,) scale.
I have quite a few Lee die sets, moulds, sizers, and presses. I long for the Star progressives dad and I had and my late brother's Dillon 550.
American Handgunner, back when they were fun and ran deep articles rather than "McNews" clips once ran a series debate between Mike Dillon and Richard Lee. What a hoot.
I use a single stage Lee, A classic turret for small batches but for strength and precision my 50s All American Turret, my Rockchucker, and my RCBS junior are the go-to tools, along with either a #55 or RCBS powder measures and beam scales. I like the new Lee trimmer.
Lee reminds me of the old Herters. Same hyperbolic descriptions of products. In both cases either some tinkering might be required or, your mileage may vary. I have a place for all and choose wisely for the intended purpose.
As the most interesting man in the world would say, "I don't always pick Lee for my reloading needs but when I'm near broke, they'll do."
 
This is totally my opinion, but Lee's chief attraction is that their equipment will produce serviceable ammunition and cost less than anyone else's. Some shortcuts must be taken to bring down the cost. Personally, I'd rather pay a little extra for better machined dies.

I did not intend to offend anyone, sorry if I did.


My opinion exactly.
 

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I have Lee dies and I have Redding dies. There is a world of difference in the appearance of the machined surfaces. I gradually replaced the Lee dies with Redding dies for the calibers I mostly load. Buying them used from eBay and how ever I could do it. It cost a lot to change. I enjoy using the very expensive new dies a lot more. Is it "worth it"? I think so for me. Nobody sees my reloading room. Nobody knows what I use. So I use what I think suits me the best.
 
So I use what I think suits me the best.
Lee 9mm resizing die has nice tapered carbide sizer that is radiused at the mouth (For no scrape sizing) and reaches further down towards the base to smaller OD than many other brand dies.

I use whatever that produces smaller groups on target, regardless of brand/cost as I have a wife that kept telling me for 28 years whenever I drooled over more expensive reloading equipment/tools, "But honey, will it produce more accurate rounds?"

And of course, "Will your pistol/barrel know the difference?" if the finished dimensions are same? ;)
 
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... Am I expecting too much?
Yeeeeeeah, probably ... :)

O'course I am one that does not mind something like that which I consider to be easily correctable. One thing that I always closely inspect in my new reloading components is such bullet & case contact surfaces. If I can reasonably and quickly correct it, I do, if not, I contact the company for resolution.
 
The Lee Sizing dies are top notch. I have multiple that I use as back ups or set short to just neck size. Not sure why but they are usually 2.5 thousandths under bullet diameter or thereabouts which gives great neck tension. To get the same with most other foes I have to use mandrels.
 
I’ve been using Lee dies for various handgun cartridges. No issues loading cast,coated.plated a FMG. I see no reason to change .
 
That part is made by the millions, probably on an auto screw machine, with a generous tolerence, and that particul part's finish isn't a critical factor. Bullet marking has never had any effect on any aspect of my reloading (accuracy, function, feeding, etc.) except my ego. A variation in reloading is when something is not exactly the same from round to round and a rough seating stem ID doesn't change from round to round. I have kept very good tolerences with my Lee dies, just as close as my Hornady and RCBS dies. No one witnesses my reloading so how good my dies look is only for my benefit, my ego...
 
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