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Re: Lee Dies are the Poorest
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Here's a suggestion. Buy a Dillon RL550B progressive loader with the interchangeable toolheads. Then you install the Lee die set using your Snap-on tools only once. No need for the silly round storage case or a lifetime supply of Band-aids. Problem solved.
 
Posts: 4799 | Location: Lehigh county, PA | Registered: 17 October 2002Reply With Quote
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Ah! Eleven dollar tool heads for twenty-five sets of dies...
I could buy another gun.
Cheers from Darkest California,
Ross
 
Posts: 159 | Location: Oroville,California,U.S.A. | Registered: 14 May 2001Reply With Quote
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The factory crimp in all cases tightened up the groups, even on bullets without the cannalure.



I concur. That's been my experience too.
 
Posts: 5883 | Location: People's Republic of Maryland | Registered: 11 March 2001Reply With Quote
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I'll chime in on the merits of the Lee Factory Crimp Die. I have one in most every caliber I reload for. You cannot buckle a case with them, and I especially like the carbide sizer ring that final sizes the straight wall pistol calibers. The best die on the market for the price. Bill T.
 
Posts: 1540 | Location: Glendale, Arizona | Registered: 27 December 2003Reply With Quote
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Lee may have some tools that don't measure up against more expensive stuff, but they have a place. Why buy the expensive stuff if you've got an old clunker gun that you just have to put a few rounds through. Some of these guns you can't buy a factory round for, but it doesn't matter if you use gold plated dies, the gun isn't going to shoot less than 2".

Another place Lee really shines is in innovation. They make some tools that the old blue blood companies can't match, they would never try something a little different. The Lee autoprime is bar none the best innovation for primer seating to ever come along. RCBS copied it, and I bought one, because it uses standard shell holders, you don't have to have a special one, but it is not near the tool that the Lee is, it is a pain to convert calibers, and it is not near as ergonomic, your hand get tired after only a few rounds.

Other Lee stuff I like are their 6 hole bullet mold. I wish other mfgs would figure out how to make as good a sprue cutter as the chiepo Lee. Their factory crimp die. Their lead pots work just as well as the high end pots. The auto disk powder measure, doesn't replace a std measure, but it has a place that the blue blood mfgs don't fill.

Don't knock a company just because they don't charge you as much for their stuff, I would tend to knock the others because they are probably making too much money selling their names.
 
Posts: 247 | Location: Wyoming | Registered: 20 March 2004Reply With Quote
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There are several brands of dies in my reloading room...LEE, RCBS, Redding, Hornady, Pacific. If LEE made their collet die sets in all the calibers I shoot, there would only be LEE dies in the reloading room! I beleive that the Lee dies load the most concentric ammo of all my dies! At least that's what the runout guage shows me! And I have loaded test rounds from same lot of brass, powder, bullets using RCBS and LEE and the ammo loaded with the LEE dies actually shot smaller groups also!! A "cheapo" LEE fan here!!! GHD
 
Posts: 2495 | Location: SW. VA | Registered: 29 July 2002Reply With Quote
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Lee products will work fine if people would just read the instructions first.
 
Posts: 88 | Registered: 22 March 2004Reply With Quote
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I dont have a problem here either.

picked up a lee deluxe set (every you need except dies) and a set of carbide dies for my .45

read the directions and followed the steps in the reloading manuals and have been putting out good consistent .45 ammo since the first shell.
later I picked up the factory crimp die and the 4 hole conversion for my press and have been using that with the autodisk loader. 5.0 grains of bullseye behind a ranier 200g FPJ shoots great in my Sig.
I am about to start loading 30-06. I WILL be buying lee dies for it.
 
Posts: 201 | Location: NJ, USA | Registered: 22 August 2003Reply With Quote
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There are several brands of dies in my reloading room...LEE, RCBS, Redding, Hornady, Pacific. If LEE made their collet die sets in all the calibers I shoot, there would only be LEE dies in the reloading room! I beleive that the Lee dies load the most concentric ammo of all my dies! At least that's what the runout guage shows me! And I have loaded test rounds from same lot of brass, powder, bullets using RCBS and LEE and the ammo loaded with the LEE dies actually shot smaller groups also!! A "cheapo" LEE fan here!!! GHD




I have to agree with what groundhog D said! I prefer the Lee collet dies to even Redding bushing neck dies.

Many Lee items (like their collet dies) need a few minutes loving care with some 400x paper and a bit of oil, as well as a little work with a rag to clean out chips left by the factory. Admittedly, the final finishing by Lee often leaves something to be desired. However, I have to admit that many Lee items are very cleverly designed.

If we omit Lee collet dies and Redding bushing dies, I have found no difference in ammo concentricity among 7/8 inch dies made by RCBS, Redding, Foster, Lee or Lyman.

Finally, you do have to read Lee's instructions (you can pop the aluminum top off a collet die if it is misadjusted and used in a powerful press).

jpb
 
Posts: 1006 | Location: northern Sweden | Registered: 22 May 2002Reply With Quote
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I'm not a big fan of Lee products in general but I love the collet neck dies. I've got Redding S type neck dies sitting unused in the box because the collet dies just do a better job. As jpb said, though, they may require a little polishing first, but that's a one time deal.
 
Posts: 407 | Location: Olive Branch, MS | Registered: 31 December 2003Reply With Quote
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Another place Lee really shines is in innovation.




I agee. Actually, I think it's the only place he shines. Too bad he insist on using inferior materials.

Eddie
 
Posts: 158 | Registered: 28 January 2002Reply With Quote
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I have used several different brands of dies and find little difference in die bodies.
 
Posts: 281 | Location: MN | Registered: 27 May 2001Reply With Quote
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