Anybody else noting super poor quality of Lee moulds lately?

[dragon813gt]

That brings up an interesting question. Is that all there is? Price? And NOTHING else matters?

Rick

Every person will have a different answer. Mine is quality over price w/in reason. I buy quality tools to perform my duties at work. It's no different w/ reloading. Except my time is limited and I don't have time to tinker. Tools need to work out of the box. At work if it takes longer the customer just pays more

[dkf]

That brings up an interesting question. Is that all there is? Price? And NOTHING else matters?

Rick

For some people price is what matters the most. I will pay for and appreciate quality. I do like to tinker and make stuff myself however. Honestly what keeps me away from buying more Lee molds is the unknown, I don't know what size they are going to drop when I get it. Sure I can lap them out as I have done with molds already but it is time consuming. If I buy an MP, NOE, LBT, Accurate and etc I know darn near exactly what that bullet is going to drop when I get it and have a mold made with better materials, fit, finish and etc.

[JimmyTheDentist]

price isn't the only factor that goes into my purchases. but neither is casting the only aspect of the shooting sports that i'm trying to enjoy.

i'm in this to shoot a lot and to shoot well and to shoot a lot more and to learn to shoot better.

casting is just a means to that end.

just like saving a few bucks on Lee is a means to allow me to try my hand at casting.

granted, i'm relatively new to all this and maybe i don't yet know any better . . . but the handful of Lee molds i own - all bought within the last six months - all seem to do the trick.

like a lot of other folks here, Lee has allowed me to get into casting without costing so much as to take away from my primary focus of this hobby . . . SHOOTING!

Jimmy the Dentist

[1bluehorse]

If price isn't the "deciding" factor in buying Lee products, how many would buy them if ALL other reloading products were the exact same price......no cheating now...


I can tell you that's the reason for every Lee product I have purchased......the ones I still have aren't because they're the "best" in their class, it's because they work well enough for their given task.....

[jonp]

I have a number of new and old style lee molds. No problems with any and ill buy more. Seems to me that if you eant to try a style or weight boolit spending $20 before $100 makes sense to me

[dragon813gt]

If price isn't the "deciding" factor in buying Lee products, how many would buy them if ALL other reloading products were the exact same price......no cheating now...

If we're talking dies I might buy Redding first. I would still buy Lee before Lyman and RCBS. Lyman has poor customer service. And RCBS dies rust to quickly. I have to leave them dripping wet otherwise my fingerprints are permanently rusted into them. I prefer Lee's decapping rod slip fit. Price to performance is always part of the equation. Why pay more when Lee dies load accurate ammunition?

[cbrick]

If we're talking dies I might buy Redding first. I would still buy Lee before Lyman and RCBS. Lyman has poor customer service. And RCBS dies rust to quickly. I have to leave them dripping wet otherwise my fingerprints are permanently rusted into them. I prefer Lee's decapping rod slip fit. Price to performance is always part of the equation. Why pay more when Lee dies load accurate ammunition?

Isn't anyone here talking about LEE reloading tools, the entire thread is about LEE molds.

RCBS rusts too quickly? I have RCBS dies that I've had 35 years or more, & some Pacific before that. None of them are rusty.

Rick

[dragon813gt]

Read what I quoted before responding. He asked about Lee products. Yes my reply was off topic. But it was in response to what I quoted.

My skin reacts w/ RCBS dies in a bad way. I'm glad yours aren't rusty. The few that I have have my fingerprints on them permanently. I was talking about my experience w/ them, not yours.

[Love Life]

I like Lee. It's bottom dollar stuff so I take the fact that I am the final QC/assembly step in stride.

My RCBS dies rusted when I hit the 90% humidity of the south east.

[tazman]

I can't say I have noticed any problems with the Lee molds I have purchased in the last year. With the exception on a single mold where the locating pins needed to be staked in place, I have no issues with the 9 I have purchased. I wouldn't call that excessive.
They all drop boolits round within .001 and the boolits come out of the molds easily. Perhaps I have just been lucky.

[dkf]

Read what I quoted before responding. He asked about Lee products. Yes my reply was off topic. But it was in response to what I quoted.

My skin reacts w/ RCBS dies in a bad way. I'm glad yours aren't rusty. The few that I have have my fingerprints on them permanently. I was talking about my experience w/ them, not yours.

You have the "rusty touch". I don't care for RCBS dies for other reasons other than rust.

[1bluehorse]

Isn't anyone here talking about LEE reloading tools, the entire thread is about LEE molds.
Rick

You are correct sir...my bad.....so let me rephrase....if price isn't the deciding factor in purchasing Lee MOLDS, how many would still buy them if all other manufacturers MOLDS were the same price as.....?

[melloairman]

You are correct sir...my bad.....so let me rephrase....if price isn't the deciding factor in purchasing Lee MOLDS, how many would still buy them if all other manufacturers MOLDS were the same price as.....?

I would with out a second thought.Marvin

[Frank V]

Lee makes a mould that is great in the .45 Colt, it's hard to beat it's the 452-255-RF. It comes out right at .454 & weighs 257 out of wheel weights, & has a meplate you can almost dance on. I like it a lot.

[countryroads]

I've only bought two molds over the past six months (for a total of 17), and I have not noticed any deterioration in the quality of Lee molds.

[Rizzo]

The last Lee mold I bought (2 months ago) had burrs on the 6 cavity edges.
They were very obvious and in my mind should have been caught by a quality control person at Lee.....if there is such a person.
Overall I am happy with all the Lee products I own.

[Tackleberry41]

I started out w Lee molds, alot of us probably did. Only had to send one back, a REAL mold, it cast way undersize, as just drop em down the barrel. Yes they said wasnt anything wrong with it, maybe they swapped em, should have marked it. Cast fine now, using the exact same procedure as before.

I dont like paying for Lyman etc molds, but do like them better. Not sure why they think a set of handles are so valuable. Maybe Lee should consider, forgoing the built in handles, and put a little more effort into the molds. I would prefer it if the handles were easier to remove. Also make them take up a bit less space on the shelf. Box for one lee 2 bullet mold is the same as a dozen or more Lyman molds (2 to a box).

I like Lees price when it comes to experimenting, yea I know you can always sell them, but paying $70 or more for a mold you dont like vs $20. Will have to shell out the cash for a mold for the mosin, I want heavy, and Lee only goes to 185gr. Might try opening up my lee mold to get em to size .314, hate to do it to my new Lyman mold.

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Three of the four molds I purchased have given me problems. One a total nightmare. With Before I become a "LEE basher" by Lee fans I love my Load Master, Lee loading dies, and Lee sizing dies. Never have I put more time into care and fixing issues into a product than I actually used it including the Lee Load Master! All molds are 6 month's old or less. Currently looking for a new Mold maker without shelling out $200.

if price isn't the deciding factor in purchasing Lee MOLDS, how many would still buy them if all other manufacturers MOLDS were the same price as.....?

Not me.

[cbrick]

Currently looking for a new Mold maker without shelling out $200.

Have you looked at NOE or Accurate? You can get a high quality mold for half or less than that and they are molds that the makers stand behind 115%.

Rick

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Have you looked at NOE or Accurate? You can get a high quality mold for half or less than that and they are molds that the makers stand behind 115%.

Rick

Thanks. I have accurate but not NOE. I started a thread as to not hijack or take this thread of course. Just felt it would be rude of me to do so...lol but if you have some experience with them and a minute stop in and drop me a line. Again thanks...really appreciate it.