Lee Dies

I never liked the seater dies, they work fine for volume loading however, or hunting loads. Rest of the dies in the case are fine, but I've gotten away from the collet neck dies in favor of Forster and Redding neck dies for target loads.
For seating I like Forster, and even the Hornady seater is pretty decent.
 
So Thanks for all your comments ! I have being reloading for 57 years plus and still have my First Lee 30-30 Die set . Other than that I have NEVER USED lee dies ever ! I have in excess of 80 die sets OF Redding -RCBS -Bonanza -Forester- Hornady and a couple of Lee die sets which I have never used. I recently acquired A 7 MM PRC. Rifle build and thought I would try them so I have a set coming to me ! Price is certainly GREAT !
I will report on my findings after I run a few brass thru them But If BCBrad says they’re good they PROB are ! Thxs RJ

By the way I have being using the Lee CRIMP dies for years and I LIKE them ! :rockOn:
 
I will add that since we have some discussion on Lee presses my assessment. I started on a Lee Challenger press and then got a second one in a box of stuff from auction

I gave both away, one I broke the cast linkage on and got a new set sent for free. The newer ones have a better linkage. As a starter press they are OK.

I prefer the RCBS presses, I have an RS-2 and RS-5 set up on the bench and a JR-2 that I started with sitting under the bench, I guess it will find a home when I rebuild my bench so I will have 3 presses set up.


I also needed to modify a lee crimp die, could not find a 325WSM die so took a 300WSM and modified it, easy to do in the lathe
 
woodchopper said:
I will add that since we have some discussion on Lee presses my assessment. I started on a Lee Challenger press and then got a second one in a box of stuff from auction

I gave both away, one I broke the cast linkage on and got a new set sent for free. The newer ones have a better linkage. As a starter press they are OK.

I prefer the RCBS presses, I have an RS-2 and RS-5 set up on the bench and a JR-2 that I started with sitting under the bench, I guess it will find a home when I rebuild my bench so I will have 3 presses set up.
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My Lee 3-hole turret press broke something in the linkage (I don't remember what, it was like 30 years ago) and Lee sent me a replacement for free. The press has reliably chugged along ever since. If Lee is willing to send out free replacement parts, I don't see how the odd part breaking is a big deal?

A few years ago I got a Dillon 550. The Lee turret is now used for lower volume stuff and for load development as it is easier to swap calibers on.
 
Loading .35 Whelen (2-die set) and 7mm Rem Mag (4-die set) on Lee dies. Not a fan of the "lock" rings, mine wear Hornady lock rings and I'm pleased with that set up. They work great, I'm getting good consistency out of my handloads on the Whelen and I much prefer reloading belted magnums by neck sizing the first couple of firings before a light shoulder bump and trim.
 
I replaced my RCBS 6.5 x 55 with Lee Collet Dies; I have all Lee Pistol dies, but running RCBS on a couple of rifle calibers. I have 4 presses, two lee Pro1000s, an old Lyman Turret, and a very new RCBS rock-chucker Supreme. They all have their place.. Lee Perfect Powder measure is the most accurate for rod shape powder.
 
I use Lee for pistol ammo. Works great.
For rifle I like Lee universal de capping die, Redding body die, Lee collet die, Forster or Redding mic seating dies. I use Hornady split locking rings on all but the de capping die.
 
In Mexico, we recommend the Lee 4-die set in .380 for reloading the .380 Cal round, a 9mm 140 grain SWC Saeco cast bullet in a .380 case fired out of a locked breech semi-auto with a .380 chamber and a 9mm lead-in. Almost any auto pistol can be converted to .380 Cal, and the magazines work perfectly without modification. The best guns are the Beretta 92fs, the Sig P-226, the Cz-75 guns and the S&W 3rd Generation Models. Also, 1911's with Clark-Para ramp barrels work marvelously, and with fully-supported chambers the the 140 grain bullet can be driven up to 1,150 fps out of a 5-inch barrel and 1,200 fps out of 6-inches.

The Factory Taper Crimp die seems to prevent "pregnant brass" caused by firing the still loads out of Glock 25/19's or other chambers that don't fully support the back end of the cases causing swelling on the backside. Thumbs up for Lee dies in the pistol and revolver calibers.
 
I've reloaded a very large amount of ammunition (to me, anyway) on Lee Dies (and presses). My first press was a Lee 3 hole Turret, bought in 1989, which I subsequently converted to 4 hole. It has loaded at least 50,000 rounds of both pistol and rifle ammunition. I still use the original 38/357 dies that came with it, along with a crimp die. I bought a 1000, and have loaded in excess of 75,000 rounds between 9mm and 45 Auto with it. I also use the neck dies for 303 Brit and the factory crimp die and segregate the brass between several 303's by rifle. I've probably only loaded 5,000 rounds of 303. I seem to be blessed with stuff that doesn't cost much and just works for what I do with it - which is primarily replace factory ammo. I'm not a long range precision shooter, or a competitive pistol shooter, but Lee has definitely saved me a bundle on ammo over the years. I will also note that I've had more issues with factory ammo over the years than I have with ammo produced on Lee equipment.
 
I have used LEE dies, but I have never purchased any. I cursed having to use a LEE sizing die, when the decapping rod kept slipping in the collet. It was a friends press and dies, and I was demonstrating loading to him, using his gear.
 
stubblejumper said:
I have used LEE dies, but I have never purchased any. I cursed having to use a LEE sizing die, when the decapping rod kept slipping in the collet. It was a friends press and dies, and I was demonstrating loading to him, using his gear.
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Fixing that takes about 5 seconds, you simply tighten it. It's a superior design for volume loading since sooner or later a stuck case will show up and you can just pound them out with that thicc rod.
 
B said:
Fixing that takes about 5 seconds, you simply tighten it. It's a superior design for volume loading since sooner or later a stuck case will show up and you can just pound them out with that thicc rod.
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THIS. It just takes tightening the top nut. It needs to be pretty tight.
 
I like the Lee factory crimp die but have no use for the O-ring locks. I make new lock rings and drill and tap for a set screw. I make the lock rings from 3/4" nuts bored and taped for 7/8" and then part them on my lathe. May seem like a lot of work but I enjoy it.

Bill
 
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