Just putting the crimp on some 223 and th ehandle comes off in my hand. What the hell? Hmm....maybe it's time for a new press.....
Sent lee off an email but they don't make this model any more so we'll see if I can even get a part for it lol
Well I guess I'm done for today :(
- Thread starter mwjones
- Start date
Just putting the crimp on some 223 and th ehandle comes off in my hand. What the hell? Hmm....maybe it's time for a new press.....
Sent lee off an email but they don't make this model any more so we'll see if I can even get a part for it lol
G-Man_Quagmire
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- North Delta B.C.
Time for a big glass of the blue coolaid!
That picture explains why I - and many others here - don't care for LEE products.
The LEE lovers will be around shortly to explain how good LEE's warranty is but that will do the OP a fat lot of good while his press is out of action for several weeks.
The LEE lovers will be around shortly to explain how good LEE's warranty is but that will do the OP a fat lot of good while his press is out of action for several weeks.
-_-
I fi had thousands to spend on a nice Dillon setup, for the amount that I shoot, I would probably just buy ammo
The pain is still too real!
We'll see how good their warranty is. I have had lee moulds that were buggered up replaced 100% for free, after taking pics and emailing. But you're right, I was going to load some 38 special for tomorrow, and now I can't :S
- Location
- Central AB
If you Google " broken reloading press handle" you can find pictures of broken ones in pretty well any color, even blue. And even Rockchuckers, which amazed me. But to be sure the entry level lee presses that have the cast aluminum linkage can break exactly like yours. Of course they have heavier built presses as well.
Buy the Rock Chucker and you will be good to go for a very long time.
Even the less expensive RCBS will eventually fail , but the RC will last a looong time.
The Lee obviously had reached its allotted lever functions and gave up the ghost.
Tiss unfortunate, but it is what it is, pay more today for dependability tomorrow and beyond.
Even the Hornady single stage press would work, but Green looked good to me .
Zuke, the RCBS has a primer catcher when running the brass through the deprime/resize steps...
Am I missing something here guys??
Rob
Some questions/requests?
What model was it?
Was that part steel or aluminum?
Can you show us a picture of the whole press to put things in persepective?
And as requested by another poster, a clear picture of the fracture surfaces, especially around the edges of the break.
I'm a retired mechanical engineer and take great morbid pleasure in analyzing the mistakes of other engineers!!
I would ask for a very big credit on a Lee Classic Cast. It is built like a brick outhouse to handle 50 BMG cartridges. You ain't going to break it... It is a superior press to the RCBS Rockchucker.
What model was it?
Was that part steel or aluminum?
Can you show us a picture of the whole press to put things in persepective?
And as requested by another poster, a clear picture of the fracture surfaces, especially around the edges of the break.
I'm a retired mechanical engineer and take great morbid pleasure in analyzing the mistakes of other engineers!!
I would ask for a very big credit on a Lee Classic Cast. It is built like a brick outhouse to handle 50 BMG cartridges. You ain't going to break it... It is a superior press to the RCBS Rockchucker.
- Location
- West Quebec
+1 yup
Richard Lee always bragged that his products were engineered to an "acceptable" failure rate. While that rate may be OK for LEE it can provide hardship for the owners of their product.
I am not stating products from other manufacturers don't break-the do - but rather that LEE products seem to break more often than products from other makers. They use a lot of aluminum in parts where others use steel or cast iron. While this may be accebtible to casual hand-loaders it isn't to me.
I am not stating products from other manufacturers don't break-the do - but rather that LEE products seem to break more often than products from other makers. They use a lot of aluminum in parts where others use steel or cast iron. While this may be accebtible to casual hand-loaders it isn't to me.
- Location
- Central AB
Lee hasn't used that cast part in many many years. That particular press probably cost $29.95 twenty odd years ago. If it has been cranking out ammo that whole time, I think it probably paid for itself. Regardless, comparing it to their current line of products would be misleading IMHO.
...and a backup for the backup. Life is too short to waste waiting for part.
