Lee Dies

[sorefoot]

This:

Anyone who has tried to use a Lee locking ring to fix the adjustment on a die, so you can install, remove and re-install and get exactly the same position doesn't really "get it" . It's physically impossible for the lee ring to maintain it's position on the threaded body of the die. All it can do (and does quite well) is apply pressure to the press/turret/breach lock bushing and prevent the die from rotating and backing in or out.

All the forces acting upon the die in normal operation are linear.... None are angular and will cause rotation. No rotation...no change in adjustment.

Lee designs his dies to be used with his system, and 90% that means you adjust the die and never remove it again. Rather, you swap out the bushing or the turret.... Again, not causing the die to rotate. No rotation, no change in adjustment.

and this:

For the Lee system of presses, the rings are fine as they are mounted in some kind of tool head and rarely get removed from that tool head.

 

[fguffey]

I have Lee dies and Lee lock rings with rubber bands, I do not use them but I have them JIC. I adjust my dies every time I use them. If my die does not align with the shell holder there is something wrong with the press I am using. I understand the self aligning features with some presses, if I designed a press that required alignment while the ram is raised I would design it differently.

F. Guffey

 

[stubbicatt]

I don't know. I've had Lee dies and other of their products for as long as I have been reloading. For most cartridges they are great. For some cartridges I prefer other features. I have Whidden dies for my jacketed bullet "accuracy" rifles, and RCBS "Cowboy" dies for my old black powder type cartridges, and standard RCBS dies for use with cast bullets in yet other cartridges, because they do the job I want done better. I even have redundant Hornady dies in some military chamberings.

They all work, some have better features for some tasks than others.

 

[WestKentucky]

I load mainly with rcbs but I have absolutely no qualms with Lee. I don't particularly care for the locking ring, but I understand that and I am prepares for it. Just like I keep an extra bit here or there in case of breakage, I have a package of grade 6 nuts in a drawer. Package started out with 20, is down to 7 I think now. I set the press up, get things where I want it, and use the other nut as a jamnut. Whoopty-friggin-doo. I save 30 bucks on a set of dies and put 75 cents worth of parts into it to make it equal the more expensive product...plus Lee dies come with shell holders which ticks me off when I buy other brands and it doesnt. I actually use the scoops occasionally as well.

 

[loose noose]

The main reason I complained about the Lee dies was as RC previously stated, I have a RCBS Rock Chucker press, that I use for all my rifle casings, and due to the .30 Carbine requiring case length, as such, headspaces on the case mouth. Therefore after resizing each case and then trimming the cases to 1.290, I've found it easier to complete the reloading on my single stage Rock Chucker. My RCBS progressive press, that I've had for close to 30 years, is the type that you have to screw each die in also, when you change calibers, doesn't have that new fangled die plate. At my age I can't see going into the extra money to buy a new progressive press for such a convenience.

 

[higgite]

Why did you buy Lee dies?

 

[fguffey]

My RCBS progressive press, that I've had for close to 30 years,

I will assume you are using the Piggy Back 11 press. I use two of them, I do not secure the lock ring to the die, I secure the die to the press with the lock ring. I adjust my dies ever time I use them. I have no fear of loosing my place.

Additional plates were available for the Piggy Back presses, they were expensive and not an easy change-out.

F. Guffey

I have Lee dies, it would not be correct to assume I purchased them.

 

[higgite]

I will assume you are using........

F. Guffey

I have Lee dies, it would not be correct to assume I purchased them.

Who is assuming anything, other than you, and what does that have to do with the set of dies the OP purchased?

 

[fguffey]

Why did you buy Lee dies?

Who is assuming anything and what does that have to do with the set of dies the OP purchased?

I purchased 40 pounds, 2 boxes, of dies no one had interest in at a gun show. I did not want to haul all of that weight through the parking lot so I started separating the Lee dies in a generous offer I was going to give them back to the dealer. He made it very clear I did not purchase the Lee dies, he made it clear he gave me the dies and I was not going to leave them with him.

In one of the boxes I found a collet bullet puller with the collet installed, I paid $20.00 for both boxes.

F. Guffey

 

[mdi]

Lee sure gets a lot of press from "Lee Haters"!

Lee designs his dies to be used with his system, and 90% that means you adjust the die and never remove it again. Rather, you swap out the bushing or the turret.... Again, not causing the die to rotate. No rotation, no change in adjustment

.
Hmm, not to start another argument, but I believe Lee used the O-ring lock nuts way before they had produced either a turret or a breech-lock press...

I believe some of the anti-Lee sentiments are from "tool snobbery". I worked in machine shops and automotive and heavy construction equipment repair facilities for mebbe 50 years. I have seen a lot of tool snobs, the folks that will tell you that their particular brand of tools are, undoubtedly the best, and all others are junk. They have different reasons for purchasing their choice of tools and it's rarely because they work well (they buy the most expensive available, or what their favorite NASCAR pit crew or TV motorcycle builder uses). I've seen many puff their chests and proclaim "Snap-On (or any other tool manufacturer; MAC, Williams, Proto, etc.) is the hands down best". I've seen the same with reloading equipment; "My RCBS (insert any other tool mfg. here; Redding, Sinclair, whoever), is the best and everything else is junk".

So, I take these anti-Lee threads with a grain of Bullseye; someone had a thing against Lee's inexpensive, innovative reloading equipment and have a need to tell the world just how bad Lee is...

 

[zb338]

Buy a Redding die set and you will never buy another.
Dillon also makes excellent dies. If you want really
inexpensive stuff that does work then buy Lee and
put up with it.
Zeke

 

[Ky Larry]

I've used Lee dies (among others) since I started reloading in 1974. Just what exactly am I putting up with?

 

[Scooter22]

Lee Haters?

 

[StrutStopper]

I'll scrap my Lee dies and purchase some real dies as soon as I have a problem with the Lees. I expect to be using the Lees for a long time.

 

[Dentite]

There's nothing wrong with multiple levels of quality and price.

The Lee die storage cases alone are enough reason for me to not buy their dies. That doesn't mean other people are bothered by it.

I prefer a lock ring that actually locks on the die body for any die that's going into a single stage press, so the rubber gasket type doesn't interest me.

I prefer Redding, I use some RCBS, but all lock rings are replaced with Hornady.

On my 550B toolheads I do use Dillon dies.

 

[Reloadron]

I see the Lee Haters crawling out of the woodwork. I use primarily RCBS but over the years have accumulated others such as Lee, Hornady and lord knows what else. The beauty of Lee Dies is this is in fact America. We have choice. If you dislike Lee Dies or products then don't use them but don't tell others what they should like or dislike. Sort of like when I tell people if you don't like guns then don't own a gun but please don't tell me what I should or should not own. It doesn't get any simpler.

Ron

 

[ojh]

I use Lee dies as instructed by Lee, always tightening and loosening them by turning the ring, not the die body, and they keep their adjustments just fine. All my reloading equipment (14 calibers, 2 presses) are Lee. There have been a few quirks but not enough to justify the higher cost of other brands.

 

[higgite]

I use Lee dies as instructed by Lee.......

That seems to be the secret to success. You see a lot of detractors of Lee products who simply failed to read the directions after they bought it or the descriptive info before they bought it. And then there are the parrots who don't own any Lee equipment but read how bad it is on the internet. I'd hazard a guess that a small percentage of actual Lee users have bad things to say about it IF they read the directions.

 

[Bush Pilot]

I use Lee dies as instructed by Lee, always tightening and loosening them by turning the ring, not the die body, and they keep their adjustments just fine. All my reloading equipment (14 calibers, 2 presses) are Lee. There have been a few quirks but not enough to justify the higher cost of other brands.

This^ I've got almost every brand of dies on my bench. As long as you hold them by the lock ring they work fine.

 

[loose noose]

Wow I didn't mean to start a wild fire here, I just simply implied that I was wondering why Lee doesn't use a locking ring on their dies. Yes I've got the Piggy Back II by RCBS, and well over a dozen shell plates, from everything from .32 acp-.45 acp and everything in between. There is no die plate available as far as I'm aware, however you have to change the shell plate, when you change certain calibers. Which I haven't found to be too difficult, as well as the primer feeder (when switching from small to large primers), again not that difficult.

The problem I had, as I've only got 200 recently fired .30 Carbine cases, was when I went and screwed the die back in the press (RCBS RC) it came out of adjustment, that was even after reading their instructions, and using the adjusting ring with the that rubber washer to remove it. Believe me it was in very tight btw. The problem was resolved when I found an old set of RCBS 9mm dies with the lock ring still on them, and used those after readjusting them all over again. Haven't had a problem since.

Further why did I buy them? Cause I did, there is a first for every thing. Not to mention I use the Lee case length gauge cutter and shell plate, for all my rifle cases and have been for at least 20 years, and find that to be a very reliable accessory as well as their plastic multiple primer seater. Before that I used a Forester brand manually operated lathe to get my cases to length.

Now you know the rest of the story, Incidentally I used to buy my dies at the LGS, however none of them had the .30 Carbine, so I went to Midway and checked out those as well as some 110 grain Sierra Pro Hunter bullets. I recently found out that Extreme Bullets in Carson City Nevada sell them also.

 

[cfullgraf]

I use Lee dies as instructed by Lee, always tightening and loosening them by turning the ring, not the die body, and they keep their adjustments just fine.

I have followed Lee's instruction and it has been my experience that it is difficult to have the o-ring lock nut hold its adjustment with the die regardless of how the die and nut are turned to remove them.

Obviously, I do not have the patience to carefully remove/install a die with the Lee o-ring lock nut. I guess years of using positive locking dies and rapidly spinning them in and out have spoiled my sensitivity.

I am glad that folks like Lee dies and do well with the lock rings. Lee does have some interesting innovations with his equipment and attractive prices.

The OP asked for others' experience with the lock rings which in my first post I explained my experience and reasons for not purchasing any more Lee dies. I feel that most of the posts cover the posters experiences and cover individual preferences.

 

[shootniron]

Never had problems with mine.

 

[Ironicaintit]

Ive had no problems with Lees o-ring system. Adjust the die, hold it steady with a 3/4 wrench while ya snug down the nut with a 1 1/8 wrench. Verify your die setup and away ya go! To remove it, loosen the nut, not the die. Once the o-ring has been properly compressed into its recess and against the threads, its unlikely to move. (Unless you purposefully knock it loose) I have yet to have one lose its setting.

That being said; i still prefer a clamp style of adjustment nut.

 

[X-Ring]

Everyone has the right to post their opinion and recommendation, that is what these forums are for. If we all thought the same I would have to ask, what are we doing here?
I have and use several Lee dies and I have no problem with the loc rings. I adjust them every time I use them, its not that hard to set a die. I just wish the darn dies didn’t rust/tarnish overnight.
Some of the stuff Lee makes is great, and some is just crap.
If anyone has a different opinion I would like to hear your thoughts.

 

[oldreloader]

I see the Lee Haters crawling out of the woodwork. I use primarily RCBS but over the years have accumulated others such as Lee, Hornady and lord knows what else. The beauty of Lee Dies is this is in fact America. We have choice. If you dislike Lee Dies or products then don't use them but don't tell others what they should like or dislike. Sort of like when I tell people if you don't like guns then don't own a gun but please don't tell me what I should or should not own. It doesn't get any simpler.

Ron

Same here.