I think LEE DIES ARE GREAT. Sound off on your experiences.
- Thread starter sgt.rock
- Start date
I have several Lee die sets that work as good as all the others i have, RCBS, Lyman and many others. A 30-06 Lee die set is not so good, won't size the neck enough to hold the bullets. And yes i know how to set the dies properly. I would still buy another set along with any other brand thats available when i'm in need for reloading gear.
I have 9 Lee out of a total of 14 die sets. The Lee dies all work great, although I ended up having to rig up my own bevelled plunger for seating+crimping wadcutters. The Lee seating plungers are all for RN or pointy bullets. My *only* beef is that I don't like the round Lee plastic cases. When you have a lot of them it takes up precious shelf space.
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Barnes_270
Regular
- Location
- Langley, BC
I've always been an "RCBS guy" for most of my reloading gear - presses, powder measures, scales - but I prefer Lee dies and hand primers by a country mile. I tried to like RCBS dies, and I do use one (small base die for 308, paired with a Lee seating die) - but I keep coming back to Lee. I'll also completely sacrifice my credibility by saying that I prefer the Lee lock rings - my one and only RCBS die has one on it (*ducks to avoid rotten fruit*).
From my point of view, we should be thankful that we have options - we have several companies that produce good gear and need to compete with each other. That's a win - win for reloaders.
From my point of view, we should be thankful that we have options - we have several companies that produce good gear and need to compete with each other. That's a win - win for reloaders.
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..for what they are, they're great! I reload for competition plinking 
and hunting. I use Lee case trimmers and hand primers...they are very good. I never had any use for any load though that you just measured without weighing (can't figure the logic out of not having an absolutely consistent charge and trying to measure it for accuracy??!!??) I have ordered several custom sizing dies from them...these have all been great. And they have terrific customer service! Check out their overstock/sale items some time on their website...you can find great deals especially in quantity. With the prices for other dies going higher I will be going with all LEE equipment for anything new in the future...
and hunting. I use Lee case trimmers and hand primers...they are very good. I never had any use for any load though that you just measured without weighing (can't figure the logic out of not having an absolutely consistent charge and trying to measure it for accuracy??!!??) I have ordered several custom sizing dies from them...these have all been great. And they have terrific customer service! Check out their overstock/sale items some time on their website...you can find great deals especially in quantity. With the prices for other dies going higher I will be going with all LEE equipment for anything new in the future...
- Location
- Sudbury, On
For the price of a basic rock chucker kit, I got the deluxe anniversary kit, and lids of other goodies.
The gun and Lee gear can far outshoot my capabilities. I just do reload to relax.
The gun and Lee gear can far outshoot my capabilities. I just do reload to relax.
I've got almost all Lee dies (I voted 'seen better'), and to be honest I've only ever had one problem with them; I've learned the hard way how finicky 9mm ammo can be, the cases weren't going deep enough into the sizer die and consequently they bulged a bit at the base and jammed the action time and time again.
So I adjusted the sizer down and they worked well after that - realized later that I put the decapper pin a long way down because the press doesn't always push the empties far enough into the die to decap - which jams the press (Hornady LnL) and is a royal pain, you have to dismantle the shellplate, remove all the casings with powder in them, etc etc ad nauseam - so the problem was almost certainly caused by me not setting the dies right in the first place, and I can hardly blame that on Lee.
- And on the plus-side, even with the decapper locknut winched-down hard, when a Berdan-primed round finds its way into my range-brass bag, the pin always pushes up; I've never broken a Lee decapper pin.
So my only real complaint about Lee dies would be that yes, on a Hornady LnL you need a very long threaded portion to reach through the head; and the Lee dies are just barely long enough, usually the lock nuts are almost off the top - and even with them set that high, the dies work just fine for me.
So I adjusted the sizer down and they worked well after that - realized later that I put the decapper pin a long way down because the press doesn't always push the empties far enough into the die to decap - which jams the press (Hornady LnL) and is a royal pain, you have to dismantle the shellplate, remove all the casings with powder in them, etc etc ad nauseam - so the problem was almost certainly caused by me not setting the dies right in the first place, and I can hardly blame that on Lee.
- And on the plus-side, even with the decapper locknut winched-down hard, when a Berdan-primed round finds its way into my range-brass bag, the pin always pushes up; I've never broken a Lee decapper pin.
So my only real complaint about Lee dies would be that yes, on a Hornady LnL you need a very long threaded portion to reach through the head; and the Lee dies are just barely long enough, usually the lock nuts are almost off the top - and even with them set that high, the dies work just fine for me.
LordEvilPepper
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Under a rusty barge in BC
honestly, so many people speak highly of lee.... but I have yet to get a set of lee dis that puts less then a 5 thou "kink" in my necks, not as bad as RCBS at 8-12 thou....
redding is <2 thou on the fl,and the competition seating dies don't cause run out either..... I can't say that for other companies seating dies.
I tried the lee .338 lapua dies and they nearly wrecked my lapua cases, you could see the run out by eye.... I ran them through a redding competition FL sizer a few times that beat them back to about 3-4 thou run out. after another firing and re-size in my reddings they have been corrected.
all i can say is buy a concentricity gauge and it will tell you how good (or not) your dies truly are
redding is <2 thou on the fl,and the competition seating dies don't cause run out either..... I can't say that for other companies seating dies.
I tried the lee .338 lapua dies and they nearly wrecked my lapua cases, you could see the run out by eye.... I ran them through a redding competition FL sizer a few times that beat them back to about 3-4 thou run out. after another firing and re-size in my reddings they have been corrected.
all i can say is buy a concentricity gauge and it will tell you how good (or not) your dies truly are
(((Echo)))
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Old Man Land, AB
I have probably 10+ sets and three presses from Lee. In the dies mix is a set from Redding and a couple of RCBS.
The Lee dies are fantastic for the $$. Prettiest....no, but they work. I've only had one issue with with my Lee dies. A sizing die body for my 6.5 swede was too long. One quick call and it was replaced.
I'll agree, not a fan of the o'ring locks, but they do work. Most of my dies are set in turret plates, so I never fret about the locks. The few that get spun in and out on the single stage have the split lock rings installed.
(E)
The Lee dies are fantastic for the $$. Prettiest....no, but they work. I've only had one issue with with my Lee dies. A sizing die body for my 6.5 swede was too long. One quick call and it was replaced.
I'll agree, not a fan of the o'ring locks, but they do work. Most of my dies are set in turret plates, so I never fret about the locks. The few that get spun in and out on the single stage have the split lock rings installed.
(E)
I buy Redding, Forster, Dillon or Lee. Lee aren't the greatest quality, but they have some very unique dies that no one else makes. RCBS, Hornady and Lyman don't make anything special that the first three don't make far better.
Bearing in mind the poll is about dies of course, a slight deviation from the original question, dealing with Lee products in general.
I personally don't mind Lee, they work good for me. So does RCBS, Redding, C & H or Lyman (die sets anyhow).
Dad has an RCBS; seems to be OK.
Heck, my travel press is an aluminium C & H...it's not perfect; the reclined inclination will allow it to crumple the odd case, 32-20 is problematic. It's just a quirk that requires attending to if I want it to work properly. It's aluminium; if I don't respect this fact, I'll break it. Does this mean it's a POS?
Nope. It just means I'll need to be careful; which pretty much covers the whole reloading hobby IMO
But I do find it somewhat peculiar how Lee products drive some people into a frenzy of hatred.
Does not compute...it's a machine. Generally it will do a job if operated as it was designed to, if treated decently. I'd like to think I can realize a machines capabilities by examining it. Seems to be working so far anyhow
I'd think that the almost 70% approval for Lee would be testimony enough.
How come such disdain from some?
I personally don't mind Lee, they work good for me. So does RCBS, Redding, C & H or Lyman (die sets anyhow).
Dad has an RCBS; seems to be OK.
Heck, my travel press is an aluminium C & H...it's not perfect; the reclined inclination will allow it to crumple the odd case, 32-20 is problematic. It's just a quirk that requires attending to if I want it to work properly. It's aluminium; if I don't respect this fact, I'll break it. Does this mean it's a POS?
Nope. It just means I'll need to be careful; which pretty much covers the whole reloading hobby IMO
But I do find it somewhat peculiar how Lee products drive some people into a frenzy of hatred.
Does not compute...it's a machine. Generally it will do a job if operated as it was designed to, if treated decently. I'd like to think I can realize a machines capabilities by examining it. Seems to be working so far anyhow
I'd think that the almost 70% approval for Lee would be testimony enough.
How come such disdain from some?
I like my Lee reloading dies... Though i just broke the 223 EZ X EXP/DECAPPER pin, through my own stupidity however, no fault from the design, had I not overtightened things then tried to resize a berdan case... Now to find a replacement.
Call LEE,tell'em what happened and you'll most likely get a new one for free.I'd ask for 2 and pay for the second if neccassary.
I started to reload in the 60's.
My 1st dies were Lyman.
Used them mostly, AND SOME rcbs.
I tried 1 set of Lee RGB dies, [REALLY GREAT BUY], in my opinion they are JUNK.
Lately I have tried the new type 3 piece dies from Lee.
They are for 30-30 and 45-70,]AND TO MY SURPRISE THEY WORK GREAT.
The Lee crimper is also EXCELLENT
My 1st dies were Lyman.
Used them mostly, AND SOME rcbs.
I tried 1 set of Lee RGB dies, [REALLY GREAT BUY], in my opinion they are JUNK.
Lately I have tried the new type 3 piece dies from Lee.
They are for 30-30 and 45-70,]AND TO MY SURPRISE THEY WORK GREAT.
The Lee crimper is also EXCELLENT
I voted that they are crap, with the exception of the 9mm FCD, however if Redding adds a sizer to their new crimp die the Lee is gone. That 308 collet die is the worst die on the market it ruined more cases than it was worth, my Redding die has not ruined one, and we shoot out to 1200m (successfully on 1moa and smaller targets) so I can tell you the Redding bushing die works just fine.
