At least Lee still believes in America

[maxreloader]

I have had not good interactions with Lee. I have had really good interactions with RCBS. I own and use all kinds of reloading equipment. My $.02 I would have used other words besides "not good" but this site has issues with that type of lingo.

[elmacgyver0]

If you want your heating elements to last keep your pot full.
Same as don't let a tea pot boil dry.
At least this is my theory, so far it has worked for me.
But then I probably haven't made near the boolits you fellows have.

[dimaprok]

I also think Hornady makes good products. I always thought RCBS products, especially their dies were odd. I don't like them at all, but that's a personal preference thing. I don't think much of new Lyman products.

I like Lee the best, Hornady is good too. It just happens Lee is the least expensive, but that's not why I buy their products.

RCBS dies - I have their 45 ACP that I got in the trade and they are great, loaded 11 boxes of ammo no issues. Purchased 308 dies and noticed how much harder it was to size, I though for sure will get case stuck even though I was using imperial wax but if I just pushed it harder it went through, ok brushed it off as this must be the norm after 223. Than a depriming rod came loose (threaded piece) and decapping pin broke after maybe 30 cases, than I broke another one pin, borrowed one from Hornady die it fits! Contacted RCBS they sent me 5 free decapping pins and whole new decapping rod, great customer service. Returned RCBS dies after Lee 4 die set came from Amazon. Noticed sizing was surprisingly easier, 4 dies instead of 2 for about same price. BUT.. the quality how dies are machined is day and night difference! RCBS is top notch, lee is meh.. but it seems to work better in this instance.

I really like RCBS powder measures, I have 3 of them and if you are patient you can find them pretty cheap on ebay. I also love my RCBS Lite chargemaster, also their die wrench is a must have and powder pan and crimp remover and primer pocket uniformer, their shell holders are nice but overpriced, Hornady is better than Lee but almost half price.

[megasupermagnum]

There's nothing wrong with the RCBS powder measure. I had one. I broke it, but it was my fault. The Lee powder measure is just as good. They all work. The Lyman #55 is just ridiculously overcomplicated though. No idea what people see in them at all.

I haven't notice a huge problem of quality in RCBS dies, it's just the features they offer I don't like. Set screw lock rings, crimping seating dies, odd threaded depth adjusters, etc. Just preference stuff. I own a few die sets of Hornady, one or two RCBS, else I must have 30 sets of Lee. Lee is the only dies I buy anymore. I have yet to have a problem with any die set. Nothing wrong with Hornady dies, just not my favorite.

[Kenstone]

Lee replacement heating element at Titan:
https://www.titanreloading.com/lee-p...coil-700w-120v

$9

[GregLaROCHE]

Where are other Lyman and RCBS products made? I bet a lot come from China too.

[ReloaderFred]

Where are other Lyman and RCBS products made? I bet a lot come from China too.

I didn't ask Lyman at the SHOT Show last week, but I did ask RCBS, and only their electronics are made in China. Everything else is made in the U.S.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[GregLaROCHE]

[QUOTE=ReloaderFred;4815976]I didn't ask Lyman at the SHOT Show last week, but I did ask RCBS, and only their electronics are made in China. Everything else is made in the U.S.

Hope this helps.

That’s good to know, because I buy a lot of RCBS stuff.

[PhatForrest]

Hopefully after this latest fiasco runs its course, people will realize that 3rd world countries should be less relied upon for manufacturing, including everything up to and including PPE and medication. MBA bean counters have ruined this country.

That being said, I applaud Lee for keeping their production line here, staffed by hard working Americans, and will spend my money accordingly.

[EDG]

Your patriotism is misplaced. As soon as Lee figures out they can reduce costs by 30% they will be buying stuff made in China too. Lee is just late to the game and will eventually copy the other manufacturers to remain competitive.

I bet you guys did not know large companies that source billions of dollars in components regard parts of the US as high cost regions. Those regions include the New England area and California. When they can they avoid doing business in those regions since they can get equivalent products in lower cost regions of the country. Basically they avoid doing business in states dominated by labor unions.

[dragon813gt]

Your patriotism is misplaced. As soon as Lee figures out they can reduce costs by 30% they will be buying stuff made in China too. Lee is just late to the game and will eventually copy the other manufacturers to remain competitive.

I see you’ve never spoke to anyone at Lee. They will not do this as long as the family is still in charge. They could have done this at any point but haven’t.

[Outer Rondacker]

Don’t get me wrong I love lee reloading but....... no QC. 50%of the Lee molds i have bought represent the quality of a product produced in Chinese prisons. If you call them and choose to speak with them you get a very nice lady. She has to talk over her shoulder to a pissy grumpy man that thinks his crap doesn’t stink. So they don’t give 2 shakes for America’s if they did you might get some appreciation for being a customer.

In my opinion the new Lee follows a Chinese way of business. Build it just good enough and screw the customer if they get a lemon. I still will own lee molds and dies.

[frkelly74]

Not gun related ... but I was just going through the engine of My Daughters PT Cruiser and replacing some parts incidental to getting to the engine . I noticed that the brace like engine mounting parts had bad bushings. They are heavy castings that kind of resemble dog bones and there is one at the top of the engine and one at the bottom to keep the whole engine from rocking in place. Well I got to looking for replacements and discovered that Mopar parts cost about $130 each, looking further there were made in China copies of the same part for less than $40 each. I needed a bridge for the boys Violin and got one off ebay which I had to fit to the instrument. I discovered I could buy 5 for about $6 with free shipping from China. I do not know how they can make stuff so cheap, and I am not sure I want to know.

[Hawks Feather]

Back in the early 70s when I started reloading RCBS was pretty much the king of the hill and Lee was not even close. Plus whenever I had a problem I called RCBS and they sent a replacement at no cost. In the last 15 years I have purchased some Lee items and one was totally out of specs. I called Lee and they told me to send it in, which I did. They said that it looked fine and told me I would need to pay for the return postage. Needless to say I told them to just keep it. That being said, I have a friend who has mostly Lee products and loves them.

I do like buying American but I also like buying quality when I can afford it. I also like buying local and know that prices on local are usually higher than online sources. That being said, if a brick of .22 LR is double in price locally I am going to make my purchase online.

[OS OK]

I have tried to give Lee the 'benefit of the doubt' over the years...there's been a few things that haven't required me to polish them up to make them work smooth, like their sizers that can be any size around what you ordered. I haven't given that much thought because I still hone them to size what I want with my particular lead.

The rub for me is about this last abortion they put on the market almost wholely untested and tried. The 'APP' .... burns my hide.
Several of the key people, key customers that did the R&D after it was delivered never received even a thanks from that outfit as far as I know.
One of them discovered the problem with the shell holder needing that slot in the bottom.
Another reworked the slide and fingers that'd push a case out without tipping.
Another made the first handle for the goofy knob they made.
Not one of them have heard anything from Lee but 'crickets'...no thanks no nothing.

That's typical now from Lee...so if you buy because it's cheep and choose them over another quality product...well, know that there's more than a savings that comes with buying for 'cheep'....there's problems and those problems are on your nickel.

[Conditor22]

OSOK, at least Lee isn't made in China

[onelight]

osok here is a Link to Lee's sight where they thank folks for posting the videos of problems with the just released App it's at the 1-27-2020 update.
https://leeprecision.com/app-automat...cessing-press/ it's about the middle of the page.
I thought that was a nice public response .
Not real sure where the "abomination " word comes from , I haven't heard any of the people that are using them describe them that way.
Have you been unable to get yours to work?

[jonp]

Your patriotism is misplaced. As soon as Lee figures out they can reduce costs by 30% they will be buying stuff made in China too. Lee is just late to the game and will eventually copy the other manufacturers to remain competitive.

I bet you guys did not know large companies that source billions of dollars in components regard parts of the US as high cost regions. Those regions include the New England area and California. When they can they avoid doing business in those regions since they can get equivalent products in lower cost regions of the country. Basically they avoid doing business in states dominated by labor unions.

I'm surprised at your answer and the dim view you have of the intelligence of the people running Lee. The fact that they can turn out quality equipment and at a lower cost than other companies shows that they have figured out how to get it done right here in the USA.

I guess what this thread proves is that some people, myself included, like Lee products and have had no problems with them, some have had problems and gotten them promptly resolved and others think Lee is junk. To each his own.

[jonp]

Kinda wondering here how many of you hard core "Made in America" products spokespeople are driving vehicles made in Japan or vehicles whose profits are going back to Japan or how many buy from discount houses that sell cheap chinese and japanese junk.

1) Japan has about 40% of the domestic market and of that 40% approximately 75% of the vehicles are made in the USA

2) Japan is not a hostile Geo-political nation to the USA. As the most recent of the several pandemics the Communists lied about until it swept the world have demonstrated and then refusing to allow medical products including masks be exported, China is not our friend.

[OS OK]

osok here is a Link to Lee's sight where they thank folks for posting the videos of problems with the just released App it's at the 1-27-2020 update.
https://leeprecision.com/app-automat...cessing-press/ it's about the middle of the page.
I thought that was a nice public response .
Not real sure where the "abomination " word comes from , I haven't heard any of the people that are using them describe them that way.
Have you been unable to get yours to work?

I didn't order one ... I don't have one. . . I don't want one.

I built an upside down sizing press and couldn't be happier.



The APP doesn't have any advantages over any single thing my other presses do much better with no headaches involved.

Thanks for pointing this out...I would never have found this without your instructions to locate it. They really went overboard to express gratitude to their dedicated customers for their hours and hours of frustration trying to make this untried press operate.