Gossip and rumors from another board

[The Double D]

Rumor has it, totally unsubstantiated, and may becompletely untrue...Lee is in reorganization?


Anybody got a facts?

[mtgrs737]

Callem!

[buck1]

If LEES simple solutions mindset were built to RCBS quality standards, I think I would find true bliss i think! ...Buck

[Jim]

And this would affect me, the consumer, how?

[9.3X62AL]

Such a condition could explain some of the quality issues seen with the Group Buys recently. That might be a bit of a reach, but the whole subject is conjectural at this point.

[44man]

If it is true, I think the quality issues and the returns are what hurts them. I never seen how they made money when over half the stuuf we buy has to go back.

[jonk]

I dunno; I've probably bought over $5k worth of stuff from Lee over the years and have had to send one thing back- and it wasn't bad, just wrong- a .243 Win die in a 7.35 Carcano box. I have broken a few parts, but the replacements were always spot on, even if cheap.

I'd rather break a few $4 parts and replace them than pay 3X as much up front. The loaded ammo shoots just as well either way.

[44man]

I have a lot of their stuff but had to send a lot of molds back that were way off. If they just improved quality control so would profits improve. I would hate to see them go away. There is a difference between good enough and perfect after all. Making 100 molds in a hurry and having 25 come back is worse then making 75 and getting none back.

[The Double D]

I'd rather break a few $4 parts and replace them than pay 3X as much up front. The loaded ammo shoots just as well either way.

I never understood that logic. I would rather spend the $12 bucks and not worry about it breaking when you need it. It never breaks unless your using it and you never use it unless you need it. $4 dollar part that break all the time cost $4 to replace and if they keep breaking they cost more than $12 parts that don't break.

[454PB]

I guess I've been really lucky. I have 16 Lee moulds, and none of them have required return for repair or replacement. The only mould I've ever had to return was a Lyman.

[Pat I.]

What I find funny is that a guy pays 17 bucks for a mould and expects perfection. The few Lee moulds I have seem alright for what they cost and their dies and priming tool are pretty good for the dough.

[44man]

My .475 mold was .004" out of round. I would have prefered to pay $25 for a good one to start with. Cheap doesn't work if the mold doesn't work.

[Pat I.]

Let's be realistic. Even at 25 bucks a mould with handles included is pretty darned cheap. If you want something with an 80 or 90% chance of being right from the start expect to cough up the $75 to $100 for a Saeco, RCBS, or Lyman with handles or the $100 and up for a custom mould by itself.

[RugerFan]

I never understood that logic. I would rather spend the $12 bucks and not worry about it breaking when you need it. It never breaks unless your using it and you never use it unless you need it. $4 dollar part that break all the time cost $4 to replace and if they keep breaking they cost more than $12 parts that don't break.

My thoughts exactly. I would prefer to pay a little more and buy something ONCE and have it work when I need it to work. I'm not a Lee basher though. Lee does fill a useful niche. I just no longer buy much of their stuff.

[Jim]

The only problem I've ever had w/ Lee products were w/ moving parts. I've had a turret press, a progressive press, an auto disc powder dispenser and something else, but can't remember what it was now. All these products w/ moving parts failed.
As for their dies, molds and "non-moving parts" stuff, never had a bit of problem.

[Swagerman]

Lee makes a good press in the Classic and the turret Classic. The other gumball machines not so good unless you like to tinker.

Dies are outstanding as far I'm concerned.

I'm really nuts about their Lee Classic press, does swaging and reloading for me.

Lee is on the right track with those two new presses, give them time and they will keep up grading...I hope.


Jim

[454PB]

One thing you've got to admit.....Lee has gotten more handloaders and casters into the hobby than any other company, due to the "affordability" My very first handloading tool was a Lee Loader for $8, and at the time, $35 for a press and dies was out of my budget. At the very least, Lee opened the door for my interest and many other companies can thank them for that! I now own casting/loading equipment by every manufacturer in the business.

[klw]

Rumor has it, totally unsubstantiated, and may becompletely untrue...Lee is in reorganization?


Anybody got a facts?

Do we have any reason to believe that this is anything more than an internet rumor? Where did you see this, incidentally?

[Lloyd Smale]

if they go broke its surely there own fault. Ive never seen a company that is so closed minded when it comes to change. Theyve been making the same junk presses and molds for years and have heard countless thousands ******** about them and giving them good advice as to how to do things better but its there way or the highway. Well i guess its welcome to he highway!!

[snowtigger]

The only mold I hsd to send back so far was a saeco. The gas check shank was cut too short on one cavity. The NEW machinist laughed said that was why there was a new machinist.
BTW The replacement is the best mold I own, except maybe the Mountain Mold.

[The Double D]

Do we have any reason to believe that this is anything more than an internet rumor? Where did you see this, incidentally?

There is no reason to believe this is anything more that an internet rumor. It surfaced over on British Militaria Mould Group buy post.

I have no love for anything Lee, but I would hate to see them fold.

[No_1]

I have no lee stuff besides my pot and the group buy moulds. I cannot say I like or dis-like their products but I would hate to see them fold. They offer all products the other vendors offer and most of the time the price is much less.

*******This post is not to start a dispute on if their stuff is better or worse******

It is just my view that their stuff offered at the lower price may help keep the cost of the same products from other vendors in check.....


R.


There is no reason to believe this is anything more that an internet rumor. It surfaced over on British Militaria Mould Group buy post.

I have no love for anything Lee, but I would hate to see them fold.

[Marc2]

I agree NO 1. Healthy competition. Maybe the other board misunderstood a comment. Could be something as simple as they are "reorganizing" the way they process custom molds. I hope so.

Marc In VA

[Junior1942]

Lee probably sells their Classic Cast Press as fast as they can make them. I can't see Lee going under.

[9.3X62AL]

I have and use Lee products, mostly their boolit molds. I tend toward the designs of proven accuracy and usefulness--Lee Soup Can, .312/185, 8mm/175, and the 3 TC autopistol designs in 9mm/40/45. I use them carefully and delicately, and view them as "consumables".

Only one of these was unusable out of the box, and when returned it was replaced with another undersized mold (.458/500). I wrote it off as the same communicable disease affecting Ruger revolver throats, and fed the thing to corvina in the Salton Sea. It got a few hits, but eventually the mold floated back to shore with toothmarks in the handles. I was hoping that exposure to that toxic saltwater might open the cavity a bit, but the metal was impervious to those effects after 3 days' submersion. I would have tried another return, but toxic waste-exposed materials in the mail is way bad karma.

Total loss, but $14 didn't break the bank. If you go into a Lee purchase with that outlook, you'll be all right. As my decrepitude advances, I find myself less willing to fark around with cheap, half-a##ed tooling. Not many Lee molds will be added to the collection.

[klw]

Just got off the phone with Lee Precision. NO truth to it whatsoever. Coming up on their 50th year.

[Marc2]

KLW,

Thanks for making that call.

Marc In VA.

[TAWILDCATT]

I am amazed at the constant crabing about LEE products I have2)1000 presses
3 turret presses/dies from 25 acp to 45/70 and where would get 43 cal mauser and 41 swiss for the price(under $25)and 6 cavity for $34.I also have RCBS rockchucker a bonanza and 4)truline jr plus ideal tongs and 20 LEE molds.never had problem with any tool.must be because I treat them as they deserve.I'V loaded since 1934 with all kinds of tools some I made myself.IF YOU DONT LIKE IT DONT BUY.pay the high price and be happy.
not every one can afford the high priced tooling.at least this starts reloaders and you better pray there aare a lot or in the future you wont be able to buy any thing
--------------:coffee: -----:Fire: -----:coffee: -----[smilie=1:

[snowman]

The general quote was, why would someone pay $18 and expect a perfect mould?

If they advertise them as an economy, sometimes not good quality mould...then fine, but if they advertise it as a boolit mould, it dang well better cast quality bullets that can be fired.

As to rather replace a $4 part three times. Depends on the starter cost...if you pay $4 for something and have to replace it three times, and the competitor costs $12...then you are dumb. If you pay $4 to replace a part on a press that costs $50 vs a press that costs $150 and never breaks....then your total investment is $62 vs that guy that just spent $150...but his press will never break. (and when you've got a machine shop, things rarely break to a non-fixable point anyway).

[Lloyd Smale]

I would have to guess that even if it were true there lawyers wouldnt want them advertising it and theyd deny it right up to the hour it happened. I just wonder what this would mean to all of our money wrapped up in group buy molds that they allready have if it happened.

[imashooter2]

I just wonder what this would mean to all of our money wrapped up in group buy molds that they allready have if it happened.


We'd get in line behind all the others they owe money to, and when the money available ran out, the rest of the folks in line get screwed.

[Sundogg1911]

Lee was a great way to see if you really like reloading or casting without going broke. They're in inexpensive way to get your foot in the door without losing your shirt. I have a Lee "C" press that I use for case prep. I like the bullet hardness tester for the money (I got it to leave at camp) It was a lot cheaper than my cabintree, but nowhere near as easy to use. I've had good luck with their reloading dies especially the factory crimp die. I bought a lee casting setup in the beginning. I decided i like doing it so i've upgraded with Magma, Lyman, RCBS, Etc., but if I hated it I wouldn't have lost my shirt with the Lee stuff. The only thing that amazes me is someone that buys a complete Lee progressive press for $100 and then complains that it doesn't work as well as a Dillon. Sometime you just have to spend the Benji's If you want quality durable equipment.

[nicky4968]

I drifted away from Lee molds some time ago, but I use them from time to time.
OTOH, all my presses are lee. I have one Anniversary, one handheld, and one Turret. If there is anything to do with metallic reloading these won't handle, I'm probably not interested.
I do have several of their pan lubing kits. Neat.

[klw]

Years ago I stopped using Lee equipment for reasons I can not now remember. The reason I started buying their moulds and reloading dies was because they were unique. Gred Edington's very unusual Civil War self-cleaning moulds were made by Lee. Wanted these moulds you had to buy Lee blocks. And several of the dies for very old military rifles are only made, I think, by Lee. Any way I bought both these moulds and several of these dies. They were ok. Not absolutely wonderful but they were ok, particularly for the price.

[Old Ironsights]

I have a Lee (Classic) Loader in each of the calibers I intend to reload for serious work - .357, .410, .45/70, & 30-30. I don't have one for .223 or .40 because those are not my "real" guns and I only reload for them in bulk for dinking around, not for serious work (where Factory/Lake City is your best (legal/liability) bet)

But even there I have a Lee 1000. It has its quirks, but it does what I want it to. If I want 150% consistincy I'll use my "C" Press or my Lee Loaders.

[BruceB]

Speaking of rumors about corporate take-overs, have y'all heard the one about Victoria's Secret buying out Smith and Wesson?

They're gonna call it "Titty-Titty-Bang-Bang".....

Works for me!

[wills]

Everyone should have a brace of 38's

[klw]

Speaking of rumors about corporate take-overs, have y'all heard the one about Victoria's Secret buying out Smith and Wesson?

They're gonna call it "Titty-Titty-Bang-Bang".....

Works for me!

I like that.

Incidentally anyone else noted the somewhat odd recommendations you get on amazon.com if you've bought a couple gun books there.