Lee Expander die Powder Through model

Howdy

Have been using Lyman and RCBS dies since 1969. Have successfully used Lee Deluxe 4-die pistol sets on Dillon machines since about 2005.

I purchased Lee 3-die sets (AS SPARES) for my Rockchucker in .38, .44, .45 Colt and .45 acp recently.

Yesterday, I used the .45 Colt set with new resized brass. The Sliding Expander thing inside of the expander die stuck (to the shell) on each Down Stroke to the point of killing my hand and my reloading bench!!!

Stuff was falling off the shelves I built to sit on the back of the very heavy wooden bench. I had to "bang" the lever on the up-stroke so hard 2 or 3 times to release the shell from the sliding expander...............that it made my hand hurt.

Lightly lubed a few shells only on the inside of the case mouth.............no problem, very smooth! BUT, I don't have to do this with RCBS or Lyman dies.

Switched to a RCBS expander die for a dozen shells and all was smooth.

So, what is it with these Lee expanders? I tossed the .45 Colt expander in the trash and purchased a used .45 Colt RCBS expander to go with this set. Am I going to have to do this for the other 3 (spare) sets of Lee dies? This ain't going to be cheap.

Bummer, I like Lee products, but................. Anyone else have this problem?

Y'all take care, Bo in western NC

There was recently a thread on this.

solution 1 take out the expanding unit and polish it.
solution 2 don't set the die so deep.
solution 3 mail the defective unit back to Lee and get a free replacement replacement

I am having the same heart burn with a 32 H&R die. Advice to me was polish it. I am using 4/0 steel wool and it is getting better. Next is a dremel buffer if needed.

I had one in 45 colt that gave me fits. Compares it to my 45 acp and it was visibly out of round and had missed the final polish completely. Emailed Lee and they sent me a new one no charge.

I have had that issue with a set of 41 mag. and a 30 carb. I polished the expander button on both dies and the problem was solved on the 30 car. and greatly reduced on the 41. Before I could go back and work on the 41 again a friend made me an offer I couldn't refuse on the 41s so I replaced them. So, I would advise a little polishing. Shouldn't take much. Has to be a rough spot or burr.

Hey Fellers....................maybe I will dig that die out of the trash can. I enjoy using my hands and tools to solve problems, so maybe this is just another challenge. Polishing and not setting the expander so deep both make sense. Will try both. I set it to barely "bell" the mouth just enough to sit a bullet in the edge of the mouth, no more. So am not certain why setting the depth makes a difference. I guess this Lee die is just built differently from others used previously?

Thanks fellers, Y'all are the greatest. Bo in western NC, home of best Moonshine and way too many rattlers (at my place)

Hint, The Lee expander will be more sticky with super clean brass...and especially so, with New Starline brass.

You could try deburring the inside of the brass with the champhering tool. Sometimes the inside mouth of the case will hang on the expander.

I run them on a Lyman turret and have adapters turned that mate them with accumeasure "pistol" powder throwers.Adjusted,polished,tuned to produce just the right amt of hump or click so it acts as a powder clearer.Just piece of mind thing.It also "settles" the powder in hopper for consistency. All Lee equipment is a little "kit" like,meaning.....the fit and finish can be improved should the end user need a little more precision?

Once I realized the DIY 'feature' of Lee products I was a much happier person.

Now it's automatic to start checking to see where some finish work is needed, be it molds, dies or whatever.