Lee dies

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BNAllen

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I have numerous die sets. All are RCBS or Hornady. I am trying to find an RCBS carbide die set for M1 .30 Carbine, but, I've had no luck (all out of stock). I did find Lee carbide dies and noticed they are cheaper than RCBS. I am interested in knowing the difference, quality, etc in the Lee product and whether they will fit my RCBS press. Or, is there a site that might offer a review that I should read?

Thanks!

Brad
 
They don't measure up to RCBS in fit and finish (IMHO), but they will load good ammo. I have some Lee dies, as well as RCBS, Redding, Forster, Lyman, C&H, Hornady....
 
I'm not a fan of Lee Dies. I purchased a Lee Carbide 30 Carbine die set and cracked the carbide sizer die in the first 100 cases sized w/lube. Lee replaced it and it too cracked after 200 cases. Lee did replace it the second time and I finally dumped the whole set on Ebay for two dollars more than I paid for the set. Bought a set of Dillon carbide dies and never looked back. Originally bought the Lee dies because they were cheap but learned that is no such thing as a free lunch! You get what you pay for! :cuss:
 
no such thing as a free lunch! You get what you pay for!

So you're trying to tell us all there is no such thing as value. Its very obvious you have never been in a purchasing position for a large company where a 1/4 of a penney makes the difference whether the vendor gets the business or not.

Did you lube the cases before resizing? I've loaded in the last 2 years somewhere between 10 to 20 thousand rounds of 30 carbine with Lee carbide dies with no problem.

Lee's biggest problem IMO is they have no bragging rights to your other shooting pals.
 
The 1st set of dies I ever bought were Lee carbide 45LC. Still got them and use them for 3000-4500 cases a year. I do own other brands such as RCBS and Lyman. I have had no problems with any of them. The only reason I bought the higher priced dies is that they were out of Lee dies and I ain't very patient.
I never lube my straight walled cases. If I was gonna I would not have bought a crabide set. jmo Bob
 
I agree with you about not having to lube straight walled cases but in the case of the 30 cal. carbine it sure makes resizing much easier. I lube with a spray of teflon, much easier than doing them one at a time.

BTW 30 cal. carbine is not straight walled but tapered.

If you check their catalog the Slap Chop Lee Loader in this caliber is listed as being more difficult to resize.
 
I went nuts and have bought 10+ sets of lee dies over the last year when I started into reloading. I'm thinking of trying out the other vendors for my more critcal calibers.
I have problems with two sets (out of 10!):
8mm Mauser FL sizing die was finished too deep, not bumping the shoulder back far enough and none of the brass would chamber in 3 rifles. I milled the top of the shell holder thinner to compensate.
7.62x54R bullet seating die, HUGE sharp burr in the narrowest section of the die neck. Severely mangling the bullet & brass. I'm using my 8x56R Hungarian die for the moment.
I haven't sent them back to fix as I didn't want to spend $8 shipping for repairs on two $8 parts.
 
I have several sets of Lee dies and find them to be an innovative design and an excellent product for the money, with never a problem.
I also have some Pacific, RCBS, Lyman, and Herter's, and they do need a decapping pin once in a while.


NCsmitty
 
I use lee, rcbs, redding, and forster dies. I use the lee dies probably 90% of the time, with the others for relatively specialized purposes. They aren't always as pretty as some other manufacturers, but they produce just as, and in some cases, more accurate ammunition.

And yes, all dies will fit all presses.
 
"I am interested in knowing the difference, quality, etc in the Lee product and whether they will fit my RCBS press."

Mr. Essayons is correct in my experience as well. I have dies from Bonanza, Herters, Lyman, Hornady, Pacific, Eagle, Ruhr-American, Redding, RCBS, Foster, CH, Savage (yeah, they once sold dies too), Lachmiller, LEE and a couple of others I can't remember off hand. The ONLY ones that were out of SAAMI specs are the Savage and they didn't stay in the market long.

Externals vary quite a bit but it's the insides that do the job and my tests of several dimensions from all those brands, including duplicates in some cartridges, showed no average advantage to ANY brand of conventional dies. Meaning Lee's make as good ammo as any on average, and sometimes better. If you gage "quality" by the external eye candy others do look nicer. ??

Two brands of "BR/Competion" dies, Foster and Redding, are (slightly) superior to convientional types. Few facory rifles are good enough to see the difference tho.

All modern dies except one unsual line from Dillon (SDB ?) interchange in both presses and shell holders.
 
I currently own 20 sets of Lee dies, all work perfectly and have had no problems in the last 100,000 rounds loaded.:) I have other brands of dies and they also work well but at a larger price when purchased. Next time I will buy Lee dies again!:D If you treat a tool with respect and use it only for the use it was intended it usually will last a lifetime.:cool:
 
+1 to FROGO207

I own about 12 sets of Lee dies. I have loaded several thousand rounds of ammunition with them and no problems.
 
After using 5 or 6 brands of dies (new and used) I do believe Lee offers the best value in dies. I finally replaced my 9mm Lee dies earlier this year with Dillon dies, but I retained the Lee crimp die because it was simply better than the Dillon crimp die.
 
Have about 10 sets of Lee dies and one RCBS. No question, RCBS looks nicer and cost more but I've NEVER had ANY problems with Lee dies over 14 years of using them. The ammo they produce measures up to any other I've shot and Lee has great tech support.

I've called them a few times with questions and always have gotten very cordial and knowledgeable answers.

Maybe if I was a serious bulk reloader or benchrester I'd look at Dillon or Forster/RCBS, but I'm not. I've been real happy with all my Lee stuff - presses, primer and other accessories -- and haven't yet found a reason to go "upscale." JMHO, YMMV.
 
I have other brands I got that were "Pre Owned".

I like the Lee dies when I'm paying for them. I don't like their lock rings with the O-ring. There are ways around that including changing the lock ring.
 
Bottom line is, if Lee were as bad as some would have us believe they would have disappeared years ago, long before the Yugo.

Isn't it odd when a die set costing less than $20.00 has a flaw we tear into the manufacturer claiming his complete product line is crap. But we spend $15/20 thousand on a new vehicle and it has a major flaw we march down to the dealer for warrenty work and still think the manufacturer is building the greatest line of cars ever.

Lee may have had some defective products here lately but does anyone stop to think of the pressure they are under trying to just fill back orders, let alone trying to fill new orders.

Just my 2 cents
 
Jcwit: With all the changes in our current federal government since last November, I do believe we still have the right of free speech and expression. Having said that, all I have done is express my experience with Lee dies, and and at no time have I badmouthed any user of these dies. There is no possible way any person could possibly compare Lee dies with dies made by Redding...my dies of choice when not using Dillon dies for my two 550B's. Again, Mr. Jcwit, quality is in the eye of the beholder and I do not like Lee dies. BTW, I do currently own one set of Lee dies in 44-40 WCF. Lee was the only manufacturer in stock when I went to purchase dies to reload my two Colt 44-40SAA's. The dies do work well. :)
 
"There is no possible way any person could possibly compare Lee dies with dies made by Redding...my dies of choice when not using Dillon... The (Lee) dies do work well."

So, just for clarification, your comparision criteria for die quality excludes primary function, performance and durability even tho you agree Lee dies "do work well"?
 
Most cars sold will get folks from point A to point B (Home to work, right? ;)), so they all work for what is needed, but folks buy Jaguars as well as Pintos.

The big difference is some folks are willing to pay for better workmanship, even if it performs no better, although often times it does.

I do not prefer Lee dies, but I do have some because it was cheaper by far to try out a caliber in them vs say RCBS, but I have never said Lee dies don't work, and have at times complimented some Lee dies.

I have said they are not as well finished, and they are not. I have said that their expander dies are often times rough as a cob and "grab" at the case when pulling out of the case, which they do, but I have never said Lee dies do not work, because they do, and quite well most times.

One could go back and find where I have said more than once that Lee dies will load good ammo, and I mean that too. ;)

jcwit had a fine point as to how folks tear into the "budget" brands when there is a problem, and make excuses for the "top of the line" brands when they have a problem. It's human nature.
 
Jcwit: With all the changes in our current federal government since last November, I do believe we still have the right of free speech and expression

Just where did I say that one did not have this right.

Originally bought the Lee dies because they were cheap but learned that is no such thing as a free lunch! You get what you pay for!

This broad statement emplies that only the high priced product lines are acceptable, "no such thing as a free lunch". Ever buy something and realized you got more value "quality" than you paid for? This is/was the point I was/am trying to get across. I have a big problem with blanket statements covering everything. But then again thats just me expressing my right to free speach.
 
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