Die Setup question

Status
Not open for further replies.

JSmith

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2009
Messages
305
Location
Ohio
After you get your dies adjusted the way you want them, do any of you put Loc-Tite or anything similar on the threads to keep them in place? I'm considering giving that a try to keep my bullet seating die from drifting. (I use a Lee Classic turret press, loading .357 and .44 mag.)
 
Ah, the magic Lee o-ring lock rings. When I bought Lee dies, I would replace them with lock rings that had a locking feature. I preferred split rings like the ones sold by Hornady.

Do not loc-tite your rings.

If you are going to have a separate turret for each cartridge, just snug the lock ring down and it will stay put.

If you are going the low cost route and use just one turret, i would replace the rings or buy another turret.

I do not care what other folks say, you will lose your adjustment at some point in time when screwing your dies in and out using the Lee o-ring lock rings.
 
Last edited:
"...Loc-Tite or anything similar on the threads to keep them in place?"

I certainly don't. Handled properly, the Lee rings are plenty seccure and they won't 'drift' a bit if you keep them in the Lee turret. If I mess up a preset die I've never found reseting a lock ring very complex or time consuming.

Striving to maintain handgun ammo OAL to the last thousant is an exercise in futility, no hand held pistol is ever going to such precise seating anyway. Nor many target rifles for that matter. There's always a range of seating depth that makes no difference, perhaps especially greatest in large revolvers.
 
If you are going to have a separate turret for each cartridge, just snug the lock ring down and it will stay put.

I do use a separate turret for each load, but I've noticed that the bullet seater is especially likely to move a little bit.
 
if you keep them in the Lee turret.
And therein lays the problem.

If you change dies on a single-stage press 2 - 3 times in a loading session, or even a Lee turret once a blue moon?

They Suck!

rc
 
Buy some Hornady Lock Rings for your dies. While there are others you can get, I think Hornady is best.
 
The real lee "lock rings" are actually quite handy.

The rubber washer rings ????

About the only thing I found you could do with them is put two on at a time, and turn them into fake lock rings :)
 
OK - do the lock rings go on in addition to, or instead of, the rubber washer rings?
 
No, buy some split lock rings, or the RCBS lock ring, and use alone.

The Lee O ring works if you are going to screw the die into a turret etc and never, or rarely, move it.
 
I may not have a problem any more. I set the press up with the O-ring lock rings, tightened finger-tight like it says in the instructions, then I got a wrench and tightened them a little tighter. I just loaded 100 .44s without adjusting my seating die. First time!
 
I may not have a problem any more. I set the press up with the O-ring lock rings, tightened finger-tight like it says in the instructions, then I got a wrench and tightened them a little tighter. I just loaded 100 .44s without adjusting my seating die. First time!
yep,, I have never had to do anything with my Lee dies, they just work ! with others or with lee , mark them with tape or a marker and keep an eye on them then if they do move you will see it ,
 
I do both, I use the Lee rings and I have replaced them too. For handgun ammo i use the Lee rings as is because I'm using a Lee Turret press but for rifle ammo I have replaced all the Lee rings with RCBS rings for use on a Rockchucker.
 
If you are using Lee turret press or similar, keep factory lock rings, install in turret, adjust to suit, tighten securely and never fool with again. Just use another turret for each other caliber. Some calibers I have three sets of dies, some even four. Will set up one set for turret press, one for progressive press and never change. Third set is for when I want to use a single stage press building a specific load in low volume for a special task. Then on like .38/.357 and .44spl/.44mag I have one turret in special, one in mag, one set for progressive in whichever of the two I volume load for and then the spare set for single state press. Know it sounds goofy but every once in a while find a die set.on sale, someone selling all their equipment and and so on so over the years they pile up. I actually have double sets in some calibers I have never owned just from buying out quitters of estates.
 
I got a great big bag of Lee lock rings :barf:

Ya, it cost a couple of bucks to buy replacements, but my time & sanity are worth it.
 
When I setup my Lee dies, I tighten them with a wrench. When everything is set where I want it, I use a fine tip dry erase marker and make a line down my bullet seating and crimp dies. Across the top adjuster, and the lock nut onto the turret itself. While you use the dies you will see immediately if anything moves out of adjustment. But honestly, after you use a wrench to tighten it just a little past finger tight, you won't have anything move.

Mac
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top