Another disappointing die purchase

[slowr1der]

I have a bunch of Hornady dies and never had a problem with them.
Atleast Hornady has a good customer service team and will take care of any issues that might arise just like RCBS customer service department.

Lee I've never been satisfied with their customer service.

I do agree with the part about Lee's customer service. It's a bit lacking imo. However, I do really like their dies. Lee dies with a Hornady lock ring on the seating die is a great setup imo.

With Lee, you do have to be picky about what you buy. Some of their stuff is junk, while other things are great. I don't buy much from them anymore other than their dies and case trimmers.

 

[Highland Lofts]

I do agree with the part about Lee's customer service. It's a bit lacking imo. However, I do really like their dies. Lee dies with a Hornady lock ring on the seating die is a great setup imo.

With Lee, you do have to be picky about what you buy. Some of their stuff is junk, while other things are great. I don't buy much from them anymore other than their dies and case trimmers.

 

[Highland Lofts]

I like the cam lock Lyman trimmers, I switched MI e over to be able to use a cordless screw driver instead of the hand crank.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I do agree with the part about Lee's customer service. It's a bit lacking imo. However, I do really like their dies. Lee dies with a Hornady lock ring on the seating die is a great setup imo.

With Lee, you do have to be picky about what you buy. Some of their stuff is junk, while other things are great. I don't buy much from them anymore other than their dies and case trimmers.

Lee was once cheap and decent, heck 1/2 my dies are Lee, especially odd cartridges like .450 BM or .50 BW or 38 S&W or 7.62x25. but production stuff like 9mm. RCBS, Dillion, and Hornedy for me

Lee dies are now $40+. A few dollars more and you can buy Green or Blue

 

[slowr1der]

I like the cam lock Lyman trimmers, I switched MI e over to be able to use a cordless screw driver instead of the hand crank.

Are you talking about their lathe style trimmer? I also have one of those. It was my first trimmer, although I don't use it a ton anymore, it's trimmed a lot of brass for me.

 

[BRatigan]

If you have no other choice you can use a 1500 grit wet dry sandpaper wetted with oil around a dowel or drill bit, appropriately sized, its important, and just rotate by hand and check after several turns. keep doing it until you see a vast improvement. The real good answer though is to have it replaced and always clean your dies before use. Those scratches are nasty.

 

[usaral63]

you know what dies are really good? Dillion, surprise the heck out of me

Top Notch, but high dollar as well...................If money was no object I'd replace my mongrel collection entirely!

 

[Soonerpesek]

Top Notch, but high dollar as well...................If money was no object I'd replace my mongrel collection entirely!

True….
But most carbide sets have been OOS for quite some time now…

 

[Highland Lofts]

Are you talking about their lathe style trimmer? I also have one of those. It was my first trimmer, although I don't use it a ton anymore, it's trimmed a lot of brass for me.

Yest the lathe trimmer, I have several of them mounted on a piece of 2x6 and converted to use my cordless screw driver instead of the hand crank.
Once I get one set up for a specific caliber I leave it set up and I have one that I use to readjust for odd ball stuff I don't use much or if someone comes over to reload we can adjust it for their caliber.
Then I have two more extra Lyman trimmers just incase I get more into another caliber I will have an extra trimmer to set up.

 

[johnjohn]

I have only one set of Hornady dies (.40 S&W) no problems so far.

 

[lightman]

Thats pretty bad! Hopefully their customer service will take care of you.

 

[Dane R. Marley]

My Lee crimp die was scratching my brass so I contacted Lee and they had me send it back to them. The CC carbide ring needed polishing. Send your's back.

 

[LV Gun]

Have a 357 on the way. Sheels is having a sale on reloading stuff so I picked up everything to reload 357 including some Hornady “custom grade dies”. Deep scratches on one side of my brand new Starline brass after running through the FL sizer. Between this and Whidden having a similar issue, I’m very disappointed. Lee seems to give me zero problems! Tried different lubes with the same result.
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As some others have mentioned contact Hornady if they are like Lee they will take care of you . I had this happen with a set of Lee 357 dies once they asked for the die back and sent me a new one. Unfortunately it can happen with any brand as I have found out over the years.

 

[codytrucker]

I had a set of Lee 25-20 dies that had a burr cutting down the side of the neck . called them and they said send them back. Got a new set in a few days , like they had crossed paths in the mail.

 

[RockRat64]

Got a reply back saying I could send it in to see if they can repair or replace it. Maybe I should just return the set to Scheels and grab another set?

 

[RockRat64]

Got a reply back saying I could send it in to see if they can repair or replace it. Maybe I should just return the set to Scheels and grab another set?

Looks like they are actually just going to ship a new one out which is good.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

With Lee, you do have to be picky about what you buy. Some of their stuff is junk, while other things are great.

Agreed.
I like most of their stuff. However I cannot bring myself to use their priming tools or powder measures. They just feel like cheap plastic toys.
But dies, trimmers, molds, and even presses work great.

For the OP, that is surprising. I have 2 sets of Hornady dies (.44 Spcl/.44 mag and .243 Win) and they've served me well.
I would definitely be sending that back.

 

[Dane R. Marley]

My Lee crimp die was scratching my brass so I contacted Lee and they had me send it back to them. The CC carbide ring needed polishing. Send your's back.

My Replacement Lee Crimp Die showed up last Saturday. At first, they told me they were going to polish the carbide ring, but their packing slip said replaced the die.

I put the Lee Crimp Die right to work de-bulging over 2800 cases of 10mm. It took me 3 days to do all of the de-bulging.

 

[Show Me]

Have a 357 on the way. Sheels is having a sale on reloading stuff so I picked up everything to reload 357 including some Hornady “custom grade dies”. Deep scratches on one side of my brand new Starline brass after running through the FL sizer. Between this and Whidden having a similar issue, I’m very disappointed. Lee seems to give me zero problems! Tried different lubes with the same result.
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Good lord, Scheels has a money back guarantee. No really. I even returned a rifle one time. A used one.

 

[BRatigan]

My Replacement Lee Crimp Die showed up last Saturday. At first, they told me they were going to polish the carbide ring, but their packing slip said replaced the die.

I put the Lee Crimp Die right to work de-bulging over 2800 cases of 10mm. It took me 3 days to do all of the de-bulging.

What am I looking at? I have pushed lead bullets through a Lee bullet sizing die but never 10mm brass or any brass for that matter. The Lee factory crimp die removes the bulges after seating and returns a perfect plunk test result. This is new to me. I haven't been drinking either. I actually don't drink. And so, after researching I realized that this thing actually exists, my bad. Had no idea, back to my cave.

 

[jmorris]

you know what dies are really good? Dillion, surprise the heck out of me

Curious as to why that is a surprise to you?

 

[Litetrigger]

I've come to the opinion that Hornady dies suck.

I stopped buying Hornady dies years ago.

 

[Kaldor]

I see everyone kinda piling on Hornady here, but everyone seems to forget that every company has an occasional QC issue slips thru the cracks. That includes the almighty Redding and Forster, and even the lowly Lee.
The real question everyone should be asking here is did Hornady stand behind their product? Yes, its a PITA when it happens, but it does happen. And it appears the issue was resolved.
My dies are a mix of Hornady, Redding, Lee, RCBS, Sinclair, Mighty Armory, Lyman,and Ive never had an issue with any of them, but I know for a fact if I called any one of those companies they would replace/repair anything at anytime for just about any reason.

 

[lightman]

I see everyone kinda piling on Hornady here, but everyone seems to forget that every company has an occasional QC issue slips thru the cracks.

Yes, this is true. The real test is or will be how well their CS deals with this. I have friends that have Hornady dies that really like them.

Personally I probably would have tried polishing them myself. Depending on how fast I planned to use them after they arrived.

 

[sparkyv]

Goodnight! What are you shooting that 10mm brass in?

I put the Lee Crimp Die right to work de-bulging over 2800 cases of 10mm. It took me 3 days to do all of the de-bulging.