anyone use the Lee Precision 3-Jaw chuck??

hillman

hillman

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For years I used the Forester case trimmer, but I started using the Lee trimmers with a cordless drill and they do a good job with the basic shell holders.

I bought a Lee 3-jaw chuck to replace the shell holders, but I can't get it to work properly. Can anyone share their experience and enlighten me how they use the Lee 3-jaw chuck??

Thanks for any info.:confused:
 
Its main use is with the Lee Zip trimmer and even then it's a fiddle to use.

To use it the ring needs to be rotated so the jaws are open and then rotated back closing the jaws tight. The problem is that you have to prevent the Zip trimmer spindle moving while you lock the ring while simultaneously holding the case in alignment as it all locks up.

I have no idea how you would manage to do this with only 2 hands with it connected to a cordless drill unless it had a chuck that had a locking button to prevent it rotating while you locked up the 3 jaw ring.
 
Should have added that I use the Lee trimmer the other way round now. Put the cutter with guide in a drill press and hold the case in the standard shellholder setup to which I have attached a simple wooden handle. Really quick and easy as you don't need to stop the drill each time.
 
Ozziedoc said:
Should have added that I use the Lee trimmer the other way round now. Put the cutter with guide in a drill press and hold the case in the standard shellholder setup to which I have attached a simple wooden handle. Really quick and easy as you don't need to stop the drill each time.
Click to expand...

This is how I do it too. It works great and is very fast.
 
Thanks for the information.

I will try Ozziedoc's method at some point. I have the cutter mounted on the wooden ball, so I have used the drill to spin the case and not the cutter.

Seems like no one is happy using the 3-Jaw chuck. FYI - I did email Lee and Pat sent me the response below, but it still doesn't work for me.

"Try putting a drop of oil on the o-ring. This will make it easier to spin the three jaw chuck on and off. The purpose of the three jaws are not to hold the case tightly enough to prevent it from spinning, only to center the case
in the chuck. You must turn the chuck down onto the case spinner
stud until the case head is clamped between the spinner stud and chuck."
 
I switched to the 3-jaw chuck after my .223 shellholder repeatedly lost its grip on the case. I have the chuck in the drill and the pilot screwed into the ball handle and I have little trouble with it. Flakes of brass sometimes get into it and make one of the jaws reluctant to close, that's about it. I did screw it all the way on and off a few times with a drop of oil when new to break it in. Now, the only trick is to screw it out about 1/2 turn farther than you think you need to before putting a case in. The extra distance helps to make sure everything gets the backlash worked out before contacting the case.
 
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