Sorry for your loss, it appears that you got the good out of it. I've used on in the past for depriming and sizing at the range and still have mine. The new ones with the quick change however would be better than my older model.
broke my lee hand press.
- Thread starter troy fairweather
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Sorry for your loss, it appears that you got the good out of it. I've used on in the past for depriming and sizing at the range and still have mine. The new ones with the quick change however would be better than my older model.
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troy fairweather
Member
wow lee responded quick to my email. they asked for a photo of the press to see i it can be repaired .
Typing the part number into the search window has worked for me.
That part number should be in the manual that's online at the Lee sight.
Other than that I cannot think of any other way.
When corresponding about such matters I usually put my driver's license in the image of the broken part.
That way it does not appear to be an image I found on the 'net, and they usually replace the part without me sending back the broken item, which would be at my expense.
just sayin'
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troy fairweather
Member
ok lee email me again, they are replacing the part that broke. they sent me the link to the right page. i see it's the breech lock so i have to pick up a bushing. i only have to pay shipping.
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troy fairweather
Member
shipping comes to $7.37
Whiterook808
Member
That is outstanding!
maxxhavoc
Member
Glad you got it sorted!
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troy fairweather
Member
ya maybe because it was a uncommon brake.
Patocazador
Member
I bought the cheap Lee bench press about 20 years ago. I used it sparingly as I had my heavy-duty Lyman Orange Crusher too. After about 18 months, the handle broke off. I threw it away and have not bought another Lee press since.
I stick with RCBS and Redding mainly. Lyman's customer service stinks or I would buy from them again.
adcoch1
Member
I am a self proclaimed cheapskate, and I admit to owning a LOT of lee reloading stuff. Not all of it is great, but it all works more or less as it should. If the press you are referring to is the lee C press, I agree, that is a sub par press. The one I had as a decapper I gave to a beginner who wanted to load 38 special. The caveat on giving it to him was to upgrade to a better press once he broke it.
While being someone who doesn't like to let go of money needlessly, I do appreciate quality, and for my dollar I think rcbs is the nicest equipment within reason for cost. But Lee stuff just works. I do plan on picking up a rcbs rockchucker though when I find a deal, don't want to prematurely wear out my Lee turret press!
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troy fairweather
Member
i have a lee cheap c press and have used the crap out of it, only thing is one's a month or so a primer gets stuck behind the ram. takes 10 seconds to clear. it is true some stuff they make is not great, but guys can't judge something just because it broke. all these companies have had items brake. im cheap to. i would love the new mec single stage tho.
dh1633pm
Contributing Member
Sweet. Glad Lee supported your loss. Even though they had every right to say sorry but out of warranty.
Whiterook808
Member
I remember a while back someone posted on here about his Rockchucker breaking the frame. RCBS replaced the whole press, so yes, it does happen even to cast iron presses. I am really glad this worked out for you, Troy.
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troy fairweather
Member
thanks. ya they brake, seen my dad snape 2. down side of being a wildcatter.
Dudedog
Contributing Member
Glad to hear Lee made it right.
If you car broke a part after 10 years do you think whoever made it would replace it for shipping?
All Lee stuff is not perfect but most of it seems to get the job done and some of it is pretty darn good and a good value for the price.
I have about 50000 rounds on a Lee 3 hole turret I paid about $50 for.
Still working fine, so current press cost per round is about .001, 1/10 of a penny per round not bad IMO.
I would have to figure out my gun oil and cleaning supply cost per round to see how it compares.....
If you car broke a part after 10 years do you think whoever made it would replace it for shipping?
All Lee stuff is not perfect but most of it seems to get the job done and some of it is pretty darn good and a good value for the price.
I have about 50000 rounds on a Lee 3 hole turret I paid about $50 for.
Still working fine, so current press cost per round is about .001, 1/10 of a penny per round not bad IMO.
I would have to figure out my gun oil and cleaning supply cost per round to see how it compares.....
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FWIW; I started using Lee products in 1969. I've owned 3 Lee Presses (along with 2 Redding, 2, C-H, one Pacific, one Herter's, one Forster Co-Ax, and one or two ???, plus 7 Lee Loaders, and one Lymn 310) and never broke one. But I used my tools (by all reloading tool manufacturers) like they were designed to be used, never tried to swage bullet on my Pacific cast aluminum "C" press, but I have size thousands of bullets on it. I have had one problem with Lee dies and that was the expander stem on my 4 ACP powder through die was a bit short not giving me enough flare for my cast bullets. Lee's biggest "problem" is user error (lack of reading instructions and general tool use).
IMO; Lee is the most innovative reloading tool manufacturer today. Most others manufacture the same product line for decades, with very little or no new products. Anybody remember the flack Bill Ruger got when he used investment casting for his revolver frames? Well, Lee uses modern manufacturing techniques with modern materials that some just cannot accept, just like Ruger's "pot metal" guns...
IMO; Lee is the most innovative reloading tool manufacturer today. Most others manufacture the same product line for decades, with very little or no new products. Anybody remember the flack Bill Ruger got when he used investment casting for his revolver frames? Well, Lee uses modern manufacturing techniques with modern materials that some just cannot accept, just like Ruger's "pot metal" guns...
cornbelt
Member
I broke 2 of those LEE "C" presses. Only paid $15 back then. After the second one broke, I had them apply the compensation to a cast iron "O" press. It works much better to swadge .360 Makarov bullets down to .356 bullets for a .380. So I really had abused it for a light weight item.
denton
Member
I'm not so sure that the lightweight Lee presses are aluminum. I assumed for a long time that they are, but had an incident several years ago that indicated that they are actually zinc. It's not a big deal, since zinc is very nearly as strong as aluminum.
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troy fairweather
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the hand press feels to light to be %100 zinc. could be a zinc/ aluminum alloy. i could do a acid test, but have done that on other things and they still turn black. i don't have a torch to test melting point.
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