Lee Dies

[Oldman1151]

I'm always befuddled by how emotional some folks can get over Lee products. I started with Lee equipment 30+ years ago and since then have purchased a lot of Lee equipment. If I don't like a particular aspect, or can't live with a Lee tool, I'll just get another maker's tool. No need to tell 1,000 readers I'm not satisfied.

Lee's lock ring (yes, it's a lock ring not an adjusting ring if you're talking about the 7/8-14 aluminum nut with an O-ring insert) works as it was designed. Since lock rings have no need to be torqued down extra tight, an aluminum nut is good, and I've seen good quality dies ruined by a ham fisted "reloader" that uses an 18" crescent wrench with a 24" extension/cheater bar to tighten the lock ring.. "Snug"/finger tight is all that's needed (I've used Lee dies on Lee presses, Redding Boss, C-H behemoth single stage and a Pacific single stage press, and a Lee turret) and none have loosened during loading. The O-ring is a locking device much the same as a Ny-Lok nut and exerts a bit of pressure/friction between the die body threads and the locking nut. So, if thine eye (lock ring) offends thee, pluck (toss) it out...

As a life long machinist/mechanic that first encountered "lock nuts" some 55 years ago I have never seen it necessary to over torque a lock nut of any kind in any situation, mebbe I'm just "blissfully ignorant"...

I guess I am an ignorant machinist too as I have no trouble making them work either and I have made no modifications to them either.

 

[mjsdwash]

they need to be tightened with a wrench. Most reloaders have a crescent wrench. Once tightened they will not work loose. even hand tight they rarely to if you really work at it. I prefer them to the screw in the ring type. They do not need a lot of force. I tighten mine to about 2 ft lb. all of them could be removed by hand using the die body if needed, and none have moved even slightly over many rounds loaded. I hand tighten the ones that get adjustments frequently, and wrench snug those that dont.

 

[Lee S. Forsberg]

I use Lee dies and they work. The rings on them are not lock rings and they do stay in place till the die is removed from the press. They really stay in place when I remove the "O" ring turn them over and snug them into place in the die plate with a wrench. They hold their adjustment just fine as long as they are in the plate just like any other die.

 

[ljnowell]

I am completely befuddled why Lee can't put a locking ring on their die set. That little cheaper rubber ring that fits in their metal adjusting ring is a piece of garbage as far as I'm concerned.



I recently purchased a 3 die set of Lee for a that 30 carbine I recently purchased. (The first set of Lee dies btw) all my other dies are RCBS or a couple of older Hornady. Needless to say they don't hold their adjustment, and constantly need re-adjusting. Thank God, I had some locking rings left over from my RCBS dies and was able to affix them properly.



Anybody else have this problem with the Lee Die sets?

All of my dies except one are Lee, have never had one cone loose.

 

[evan price]

The only thing Lee makes that's worth having is their universal decapping die. For anything else spend a few extra bucks for pride of ownership if for no other reason. Their loading dies may work, I wouldn't know, but they look like...err.. junk. Dies will last several lifetimes; don't cheap out. Is that snobbery? Yeah, so what.

Friends don't let friends buy Lee.

"Pride of ownership"?
I'll let my targets at the range speak for themselves.
I'm quite proud of my Lee equipment.
As a matter of fact I sold off my RCBS dies and kept the Lees.
I guess we won't be friends, then, because I'd supply friends with Lee presses and dies. Heck, I have done that.

 

[melbr00ks]

The Lee die storage cases alone are enough reason for me to not buy their dies.

Do you dislike the round cases with the slot for a powder measure, or the square box "RGB" type boxes?

 

[evan price]

I love the round cases because loaded turrets fit right in.

 

[cfullgraf]

I love the round cases because loaded turrets fit right in.

That is definitely a benefit if you use a Lee turret press.

This is an issue I have with storage of die plates for the Dillon and RCBS progressive presses that I have. Storage of Dillon and RCBS die plates loaded with dies is just not convenient or efficient. I can load for about 30 different cartridges on one press or another so storage becomes an issue for me in my reloading room.

Since i started reloading in the early 1980s, most of my dies have been RCBS or Redding and their storage boxes stacked well in the drawer or shelf that I was using at the time. Mixing in the Lee storage boxes, either round or rectangular, was an inefficient addition to my system.

Just to show that I am not solely biased against buying Lee dies, I do not buy Hornady or Forster die sets for similar reasons, plus the Forster micrometer seater die is too big to fit in an RCBS storage box. And I have examples of all three manufacturers on hand so I can speak from experience.

This is not a statement on the quality of the dies, all the dies have similar features, similar qualities, and do their job equally as well. But, those little differences between the die sets such as lock rings or storage boxes is what determines what I buy.

Other folks have different needs, wants and desires on their die and reloading equipment purchases.

 

[HOWARD J]

I have purchased lock rings from Dillion--I like them
In some areas I have tossed the rubber lock on the lee & just tighten the lock ring--works

 

[Schwing]

All of my dies except one are Lee, have never had one cone loose.

I have to jump on board with this post. I have never had a Lee die move at all. In fact, I have turrets for each of the calibers I reload for and have not adjusted them since they were originally purchased and set up. I am so lazy that I even purchased multiple .38/357 dies because I reload for different bullet styles and don't want to even adjust for that.

For me, this is the #1 selling point of the lee dies. They are so inexpensive that I can afford to own a full turret for every bullet I reload for and never have to adjust a thing.

 

[warhwkbb]

17 of my 27 dies are LEE. I liked their O-ring locking rings so much I replaced all my locking rings with Lee.

I always had to re-adjust dies no matter what type of locking rings were supplied. With LEE, I can adjust the first round quickly without tools, then load that particular batch. I've never had a problem with the dies backing out with just finger tightening.

 

[mdi]

Well, loose noose, there you have it. Any time anyone mentions Lee equipment the "nay-sayers" come forth and deride everything Lee, and then the defenders of the faith retaliate. Not your fault, you didn't start anything. Been that way since I started viewing reloading forums several years ago (and it ain't just THR forum, it's truly universal).

I have been a machinist/mechanic most of my life, so I'm pretty mechanically inclined (did my first engine swap by myself at 14 yrs. old on a '49 Chevy Business Coupe). I have made my living with hand tools and have used (and know how to use) nearly every tool from a Stilson (sp?) wrench to a 1,000 lb torque wrench and a whole lot of speciality, one use tools. So, there's nothing about Lee tools/equipment designs that are totally foreign or "mysterious" to me. Perhaps this is why I have never had a problem, in 30+ years of reloading, with any Lee stuff...

 

[Dentite]

Do you dislike the round cases with the slot for a powder measure, or the square box "RGB" type boxes?

I just prefer the shape, material and storage properties of the boxes that Redding, RCBS, etc uses. I know it's a simple thing that wouldn't probably bother most people but it bothers me. I'd rather spend a bit more and get something nicer. Not everyone feels that way, no problem.

They store nicely for me.



I keep my Dillon dies mounted to the toolhead in a quick-change setup:





I have bought a couple Lee products: A cheapo press and universal decapper that I use to deprime brass before wet tumbling (just thought I'd throw in another controversial subject haha). Super cheap in monetary cost and construction. I wouldn't use this to resize brass, but I expect it to hold up to depriming just fine.

Note the Hornady lock ring...I guess you know how I feel about the Lee lock rings haha.

 

[readyeddy]

Hand tightening the Lee locking ring keeps it in place for me. The most force is used resizing and I have never needed to re-adjust the resizing die. The other dies use minimal force and I can't imagine them working loose. I must be missing something in this discussion.

 

[Dentite]

Hand tightening the Lee locking ring keeps it in place for me. The most force is used resizing and I have never needed to re-adjust the resizing die. The other dies use minimal force and I can't imagine them working loose. I must be missing something in this discussion.

I think the point of confusion is this.

The Lee lock ring works fine to lock a die into a press/toolhead/etc. Meaning if I put a die into the press and snug down the lock ring, I can get it tight enough that it won't move during resizing/seating/etc operations. If you are setting up a toolhead and then not removing the dies, no big deal.

Dillon lock rings work the same way, the lock ring just binds the die against the toolhead.

What the Lee and Dillon lock rings DO NOT do, is lock against the die and allow removal and replacement of the die from the press or toolhead in the exact same position as it was.

For example, when I am loading rifle ammo on my single stage Rockchucker, I want to be able to place a die into the press and have it set up the exact same way it was the last time I used it. I don't want to have to reset the the depth of the die every time I use it by measuring, adjusting, and then locking down at a certain seating depth, etc.

I don't like the RCBS style lock rings that use a brass screw that engages the threads of the die. Even with a lead shot under the screw, there is some risk of damage to the threads (I've seen it happen).

That's why I prefer the Hornady lock rings that pinch the body of the die. Very secure to maintain a reference point allowing removal and replacement into the press with no change while also avoiding thread damage. Two nice flats on the lock ring work nicely to just slightly snug the die into the press with a wrench if you like.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[ljnowell]

I just prefer the shape, material and storage properties of the boxes that Redding, RCBS, etc uses. I know it's a simple thing that wouldn't probably bother most people but it bothers me. I'd rather spend a bit more and get something nicer. Not everyone feels that way, no problem.



They store nicely for me.







I keep my Dillon dies mounted to the toolhead in a quick-change setup:











I have bought a couple Lee products: A cheapo press and universal decapper that I use to deprime brass before wet tumbling (just thought I'd throw in another controversial subject haha). Super cheap in monetary cost and construction. I wouldn't use this to resize brass, but I expect it to hold up to depriming just fine.



Note the Hornady lock ring...I guess you know how I feel about the Lee lock rings haha.

That same little Lee press was my first press. I loaded many thousands of 45 Colt, 38/357, and 45ACP on it.

 

[cfullgraf]

The Lee lock ring works fine to lock a die into a press/toolhead/etc. Meaning if I put a die into the press and snug down the lock ring, I can get it tight enough that it won't move during resizing/seating/etc operations. If you are setting up a toolhead and then not removing the dies, no big deal.

Dillon lock rings work the same way, the lock ring just binds the die against the toolhead.

What the Lee and Dillon lock rings DO NOT do, is lock against the die and allow removal and replacement of the die from the press or toolhead in the exact same position as it was.

Exactly!

 

[loose noose]

BTW, with my progressive press (RCBS Piggy Back II) for my .357, and .44 Magnum I simply use the steel spacers that RCBS provided with the carbide die sets. For instance when I go from .44 Special to .44 Magnum, or .38 Special to .357 Magnum. The only time I have to change the adjustment is when I change the configuration of the bullet for what ever reason. Further the boxes that Lee dies come in don't bother me, as I keep all my dies in a large metal locker.

Incidentally, not to knock a dead horse, but I've been reloading for over 50 years, and have always had the locking ring on all my dies, the older RCBS locking rings were what I preferred, but they were replaced with that little black steel ring with the brass set screw. I noticed they worked much better on my Piggy Back as they took up much less room, and were easier to remove. I've yet to mess up the threads on any of my dies using them. Believe me I'm not knocking Lee, as I've used a lot of their other products over the years, but I just couldn't get that little rubber band to keep the adjustment after re-inserting it into the press, no matter how hard I tried.

 

[readyeddy]

Ok, I think I get it now. I guess it's never really bothered me to always back off a bit and readjust the bullet seater for a particular OAL. Now I have a reason to buy a new piece of equipment!

 

[GT1]

To each their own.
I buy Lee rings to replace the rings on my other brands of dies. Works fine on the LCT and 650, I prefer them.

 

[fguffey]

I do not hate Lee dies, I have lee dies, I do not use them but I have them JIC. I do not secure the lock ring to the die, I secure the die to the press with the lock ring. I am a fan of thread engagement. I want all the thread engagement I can get. I am stuck with 14 threads per inch, for the most part my presses and dies have 7/8"x14 tpi. that is the reason I use the feeler gage. I do not convert degree to inches or fractional turns to inches, I go straight for the feeler gage.

F. Guffey

 

[Walkalong]

Well that settles it.