mljdeckard
Member
I'm still a bit of a rookie myself, but I have been very pleased with the quality of lee products in general. Mine seem to stay where I need them, but I will look at some of the Hornady lock rings.
1st set of Lee dies
- Thread starter thomis
- Start date
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One thing of note. The charge-thru-expander is a bit rough on most all my Lee pistol dies. You might wanna unscrew it and examine the expander. It could probably use a bit of polishing. A rough expander can start galling, sticking, and scratching the inside of your case mouths.
cleanview
Member
lee gets bashed a lot. Thats all I have used and have never had any problems. Everthing from casting to loading. just sayin.
James2
Member
Lee dies work fine for me. As others have said, I don't like their lock rings. Yes, the O-ring holds the die fine after you get it adjusted. However I load single stage and every time I take the die out then put it back in, it has to be adjusted again. Never has their been an exception to this. With real lock rings, you set the screw and you can take them out and when returned, they are still in adjustment. Ya, the Hornady lock rings is the way I went too. However, if you add the cost of the lock rings to the dies, then the price of the Lee dies doesn't look so appealing any more. I have never felt the need to tighten the dies into the press with any more than finger pressure. That holds them securely for me.
Kp321
Member
Lee dies have worked well for me but I agree with the lock ring statements. I have also found the dies too short to mount properly in some presses, only a thread or two showing above the press top when adjusted. Replacement lock rings are a necessity in this case. I have removed the o-ring from the Lee lock rings and drilled and tapped for set screws. The lock rings can then be installed upside down as mentioned and still lock. A little work but cheaper than new locks.
jaguarxk120
Member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2011
- Messages
- 1,374
If it's the lock rings, why didn't you just buy the Hornady die set?
lee dies 38.50 plus 17.50 for hornady lock rings.
Hornady die set 43.00
lee dies 38.50 plus 17.50 for hornady lock rings.
Hornady die set 43.00
jcwit
member
Thats MSRP. From FS Reloading they're alot less expensive.
$22.48 for Lee Pacesetter and $24.98 for Pistol 3 die sets.
Check it out https://fsreloading.com/
HOWARD J
Member
I don't worry about locking rings anymore--I use a Lee 4 hole turret press.
The dies are tight on the turret--the only thing I might have to change is the bullet seating depth--no more moving dies. I have a 4 hole turret for each caliber. I did have a turret for each caliber on my Dillon's but I am not in a hurry anymore.------------------------
The dies are tight on the turret--the only thing I might have to change is the bullet seating depth--no more moving dies. I have a 4 hole turret for each caliber. I did have a turret for each caliber on my Dillon's but I am not in a hurry anymore.------------------------
zxcvbob
Member
Buy a small package of Forster lock rings. Use them on your seating/crimping dies. The Lee rings are fine for sizing and flaring because those dies are so easy to adjust.
Some people like the o-ring in the Lee dies because it holds the die less rigidly and it can find its center on the case.
Some people like the o-ring in the Lee dies because it holds the die less rigidly and it can find its center on the case.
The reason I stopped buying Lee dies is I wanted different lock rings and a different storage box.
While buying Lee dies, different lock rings, and a new storage box is still a bit less than the other manufacturer dies, I frequently would find one of the component out of stock at my vendor of choice. By the time I spent time looking for an alternate source and paid the additional shipping, or worse buy some more stuff that I really did not need, I spent more than buying the other dies in the first place.
Or, sometimes multi packs of the die lock rings are not available. The individual cost of the rings then gets lots more expensive.
I have not purchased any Lee dies since the early nineties because of this. And, money was tighter for me then. The one stop shopping was worth the extra expense.
Also, I really do not need to add to my pile of shell holders or powder scoops.
But, for the fellow just beginning to get into reloading, the Lee dies can be a great start. With the knowledge from others, he can form his own opinion.
scythefwd
Member
I love how people state that the lee dies cannot hold their settings.
All I use are lee dies, some have lyman lock rings on them, some hornady, and some kept the lee lock rings.
To keep your settings, tighten and loosen the dies by the lock ring, not the die of the body, just like it says in the instructions that came with my dies. I've never had a die drift.
Oh, and you can use an adjustable wrench to get a hold of the ring and be just fine. You can tighten them down as hard as your heart wants.. just stop using the die body to do it.. use the lock ring.
All I use are lee dies, some have lyman lock rings on them, some hornady, and some kept the lee lock rings.
To keep your settings, tighten and loosen the dies by the lock ring, not the die of the body, just like it says in the instructions that came with my dies. I've never had a die drift.
Oh, and you can use an adjustable wrench to get a hold of the ring and be just fine. You can tighten them down as hard as your heart wants.. just stop using the die body to do it.. use the lock ring.
dickttx
Member
As a confirmed tightwad I cannot see paying $16 for lockrings for each set of dies. That is about 50% of the cost of the dies.
Yep, they hold the setting just fine...they never move unless you turn the die body. I have Lee lock rings on many of my Lyman, RCBS, and Hornady dies as well. Internet rumors spread fast and before you know it forums all over the www will have the "Lee lock rings don't hold zero for me" myth postings all over again.
KansasSasquatch
Member
If you like the Lee rings, sure you can get by with them. For most people the Hornady, or similar, lock rings are going to work better. The price of buying a set for each caliber might seem like a good bit of money but over the lifetime of the dies it's not that big of an investment. It comes down to personal preference. I prefer to use Hornady rings on the 2 sets of Lee dies that I own.
Hondo 60
Member
Basically I agree with ranger335v.
I have 10 sets of dies.
7 of them are Lee.
The only difference I see is that the opening on the sizing die is less flared on Lee dies than any other set I own.
So once in a great while it'll crush the edge of the case.
Mostly just when I get careless.
mljdeckard
Member
Whoa guys, check the price again. It's $17.49 (From Midway,) for a pack of SIX. That's $9 for a set of dies if you put them on ALL THREE. If I used them at all, I would probably just put one on the seater die. This means it's an additional $3 per die set. Where the heck are YOU GUYS buying the things?
jcwit
member
mljdeckard, many, many folks never shop for price, they see, they buy, they pay.
I look at it differently after a career in purchasing for one of the largest RV manufacturers and owning my own business till retirement.
I look at it differently after a career in purchasing for one of the largest RV manufacturers and owning my own business till retirement.
doubleh
Member
I have a few sets of Lee dies and like them except for the lock rings. Owning a drill press and a tap and die set I just drilled and tapped each ring for a #8x32 set screw. Quick, easy, effective, and very CHEAP.
teddy52food
Member
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2009
- Messages
- 25
dies
I use Lee dies too & after getting them set I use a marker pen on the die and press and lock ring. They all should line up the next time too.
I use Lee dies too & after getting them set I use a marker pen on the die and press and lock ring. They all should line up the next time too.
Right, everyone needs to decide what is more valuable to them--time or out of pocket cash.
jcwit
member
Being as I own a lathe I make my own lock rings for next to nothing except my time, being as I'm now retired, there times its nice to have something to do at 2:00AM when I can not sleep.
dickttx
Member
"Right, everyone needs to decide what is more valuable to them--time or out of pocket cash."
I quit reloading for about 40 years because of time. Now that I am 75 years old, I try to keep what cash I can. A lock ring here and a lock ring there and I soon have enough for another Colt.
I quit reloading for about 40 years because of time. Now that I am 75 years old, I try to keep what cash I can. A lock ring here and a lock ring there and I soon have enough for another Colt.
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Same here but my shop is directly below the master bedroom. The wife frowns on midnight projects that disrupts her sleep. She still works.
Ehtereon11B
internet infantryman
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2012
- Messages
- 983
I vastly prefer the Lee Pacesetter dies when I can get them. I do not use the lock rings or bushings on my Lee dies but instead I add another step which works for me. I keep 3 or 4 rounds from a batch of loads I do that I really like. I put that cartridge in the press and set the die off that for seating depth. Works just fine for my consistency and accuracy. RCBS dies seem more crudely made compared to the Lee dies I have, and unfortunately Lee doesn't make a die for everything *cough* .35Remington
OP
OP
thomis
Member
I found the Hornady lock ring for cheap on ebay. But if I had thought about it, I could just remove the lock ring on some older Lyman sets I have. Like the 30/30. I just don't load for the 30/30 anymore so those dies are just sitting in the box.
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