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View Full Version : Monumental Screw-Up!!



swampsavage
10-01-2007, 05:50 PM
Was tryin' out my new Lee hand loader the other night. Using a universal de-capping die. Had a bunch of .45 ACP that needed de-capping and was really goin' to town. All of a sudden I had one stuck in the shellholder. Shellholder stuck in the loader as well. Seems the primers were buildin' up in the ram column and blocked both. A lot of tweakin', bangin' and finessin' whilst working the lever to compress the fodder (fearful of breaking the decapping pin) and I finally got the case to exit. From now on I dump said primers every dozen or so strokes.

Other than operator error the loader works every bit as slick as portrayed.

John

PatMarlin
10-01-2007, 06:05 PM
Those pesky lee products.. :Fire:

armoredman
10-01-2007, 06:29 PM
Am I the only guy who likes Lee?

imashooter2
10-01-2007, 07:08 PM
Depends on what Lee product we're talking bout. They make some really good tools. They also make a few things that are, shall we say, somewhat less than adequate.

PatMarlin
10-01-2007, 08:19 PM
No- I like LEE alot. Just not the pesky ones.. :mrgreen:

Catshooter
10-06-2007, 01:20 PM
I like some of what they make. I'll tell you though, their new steel cast O & turret presses look pretty darn good. Some very nice features.


Cat

hollow-point
10-06-2007, 10:50 PM
lee hand press works well for me. ican do most mechanical sides of reloading while watching tv or talking to friends. neverdo powder- charging whilst attention can be diverted!

JIMinPHX
01-08-2008, 01:22 AM
Am I the only guy who likes Lee?

No you are not

Lee
01-08-2008, 02:12 AM
I like Lee........Lee:wink:

Lloyd Smale
01-08-2008, 06:02 AM
just count to 30 and dump it. those are very handly little tools and ive actually wore a couple out but thats the one design flaw with them. Ive thought of drilling a hole in the ram but then when im loading in front of the tv the ones that fell on the floor would be quickly picked up by the old lady and id hate to tell you what she would do with them!!

bullshot
01-08-2008, 09:18 AM
Ouch...

wiljen
01-08-2008, 09:52 AM
Good luck breaking the pin on that universal decapper. I "decapped" a berdan primed case with one once and didn't hurt the die. - was kinda fun getting the case out of the shellholder though.

NVcurmudgeon
01-08-2008, 12:32 PM
It isn't only Lee that can exhibit the dreaded bridged primer syndrome. My RCBS RS3 about once a year does that. I have learned to keep my incipient head separation detecting wire handy. As soon as a primer fails to emerge from the outlet hole in the ram, I clear the jam. If you let primers build up until they fill the entire ram cavity, it becomes a cast iron SOB to clear.

KYCaster
01-08-2008, 06:53 PM
Same with the Lee Load Master, let the ram fill up and you can actually put the spent primer back into the case! I have about a hunert .38 WC's I need to pull...need to pay attention to what's goin on.:roll:

That tube that Lee and Hornady put on the bottom of the ram to guide the primers into the trash can is the best thing since Al Gore invented the internet...why didn't they think of that thirty years ago?

Jerry

GP100man
01-08-2008, 09:28 PM
truth be told if it wernt for lee i probably wouldnt be a reloader!!!
but i do own different tools ,upgrading from a lee or adding to the bench!!!

GP100man :cbpour:

Wicky
01-09-2008, 02:31 AM
I don't like some of there stuff but I have two 1000 progresive loaders and they are nearly as good as my Dillon!

:-D

BABore
01-09-2008, 01:08 PM
I don't like some of there stuff but I have two 1000 progresive loaders and they are nearly as good as my Dillon!

:-D

And Kalifornia is nearly in Maine.............. If'in your standing in India.:roll:

RugerFan
01-09-2008, 02:18 PM
truth be told if it wernt for lee i probably wouldnt be a reloader!!!
but i do own different tools ,upgrading from a lee or adding to the bench!!!

GP100man :cbpour:

Same here. Econimical Lee products enabled me to get started when funds were scarce. I still have a few handy Lee items, but more have been replaced by other brands.

timkelley
01-09-2008, 04:20 PM
Discovered Lee products about 25 yeard ago, haven't bought any thing from another manufacturer since, if Lee made it.

spurgon
01-11-2008, 11:40 AM
I like Lee.
spurgon

Ricochet
01-11-2008, 11:54 AM
I buy Lee stuff for everything. Only piece of reloading gear I've bought in recent years I was unhappy with was an RCBS hand primer. Took it back and got a Lee that's worked great.

Salmon-boy
01-12-2008, 10:36 AM
Ok, so before I got into reloading, I read about the process, equipment, read some more, and read it all again. Reviews, features, most anything I could get my beady eyes on..

Lee products have a varied reputation. Some like them, some dispize them.

I thought about my decision in terms of cars. Dillion would be analagous to a Mercedes. People who have them love them, but paid upfront in $$$. Not a bad thing, but if you're driving 1000's of miles each week, why not be comfortable?

I USED to like VW's. Had lots of them, but now the company is getting greedy and charging more for less. The old Rabbits never died, they just rusted away.... Unless they hit an immovable object, but that's another story.. They weren't extremely comfortable rides, but once you know the feel, getting around a corner on three wheels starts to be lots of fun!

Extending the analogy, Lee is Old School VW. A good product at a decent price. Take the Lee Pro 1000. Sure, It's got its' quirks. I've got 3 of them. Tighten everything up out of the box and set it up well to begin with. You can't really rush them, but they've got a good natural speed. They don't feed primers reliably below a stack of 10 or so. Cleaning out the powder at the end of a session is kind of a pain. But once you get to know them, it almost takes effort to double charge a case (for me at least) and the disk measures are spot on after the second or third charge. I've never timed myself, but I can usually crank out 4 or 500 rounds in an afternoon, feeding boolits by hand.

For me, the decision came down to it being MUCH cheaper to buy a new press for each caliber I'm reloading, and I can keep them set up and ready to go.

PatMarlin
01-12-2008, 01:03 PM
I bought my 550B back when they were $259 and that was a good move. Now they are expensive.

Crash_Corrigan
01-12-2008, 08:20 PM
I had a Lee Loadmaster that drove me nuts! After about a year of frustration a buddy of mine with more money than brains gave up reloading and gave me his Dillon 550 and all the goodies. He only asked me to reload for him when he needed some boolits.

So for the last 12 years or so I have been using the danged thing and I love it. Any problems are solved easily with the help of Dillons people on the phone. I have made maybe 1K rounds for my buddy from 38s to 454 Casull.

DLCTEX
01-13-2008, 12:10 AM
I love my cast iron turret Lee press with the safety prime, also my lee auto prime hand helds. The loadmaster has a learning curve, but works well. The lee dies work well with no complaints, including the FC die. I really like the case trimmers. I am a Lee fan, but wish their warrenty was as good as RCBS, but then they would cost like RCBS. Dale

MtGun44
01-14-2008, 01:42 AM
A Rabbit is "old school VW"??????? :confused:

I'm getting old. My old VW is a '53 oval window with cable brakes on all
four wheels, semaphore turn signals and a 4 speed crashbox connected
to the 25 hp AIRCOOLED motor. (Actually, it's my wife's)

Now THAT'S "old school VW" ! :-D

Bill

MtGun44
01-14-2008, 01:46 AM
Back on topic . . . . . . [smilie=1:

My Redding turret has a hollow ram with a plastic fitting (about 1/4NPT x
3/8" hose barb) screwed into the lower end at a 45 deg angle and a piece
of clear vinyl hose about 24" long attached, with a plug in the end. You
unplug the end and shake out the primers every few hundred. Would
this work for the presses that get jammed up with primers?

Bill

redneckdan
01-14-2008, 10:28 AM
reminds me of last week working on the plow truck when I used an air ratchet to remove the bolts holding the transmission to the tansfer case and wedge the ratchet up against one of the transmission gussets while running a bolt out.:roll:

oscar
05-29-2008, 07:36 AM
They have more stuff to like than not to like, but so have the others!

Dale53
05-29-2008, 11:20 AM
I use reloading products from all of the major producers. When I add a new caliber, Lee is the first one I go to.

I have a new Lee Classic Turret (cast iron) on order, now).

Lee's business is 75% up over last year, straight from John Lee's desk. I am really glad to see reloading taking off again.

Dale53

jcwit
05-29-2008, 11:21 AM
Been using LEE for years, more than I like to think about. Like everything Ive got from them. The Key word here is VALUE-VALUE-VALUE. Just my 2 cents.

NSP64
05-29-2008, 12:43 PM
I will use Lee products until I get one that says 'made in china'

quasi
05-29-2008, 01:36 PM
I would call the Dillon 1050 and their primer pocket swager "Mercedes" quality. I had a 550b it was a very good press but the RCBS2000 that I replaced it with is even better, more "Mercedes" than the 550.

Lee stuff is good value for the money, it ain't Hollywood or Redding or H&G, but it usually gets the job done. Sort of like Chinese machine tools. Lee has made it much, much cheaper to get into reloading and casting.

Bill*
05-30-2008, 12:47 PM
I started with a Lee Pro 1000 3 years ago and other than remembering to "dust-off" the primer insertion pin every thousand rounds or so, I've got zero complaints...it's been great. The only time I needed "service" was when I lost the powder drop spring while I was changing from .45 to 9mm. One email to Lee and a whole new chain assy was in my mailbox @ N/C shortly. If I need more reloading stuff I'll go to Lee first!!! just my opinion....Bill

Echo
06-01-2008, 01:58 AM
KYCaster, I led the group that tested out the ARPANET, a coast-to-coast high speed computer-controlled communication network, that grew into the Internet, and be advised, Al Gore had NOTHING to do with it!

EasyEd
USAF Ret
NRA Patron
O&U

bandit7.5
06-01-2008, 10:00 PM
A Rabbit is "old school VW"??????? :confused:

I'm getting old. My old VW is a '53 oval window with cable brakes on all
four wheels, semaphore turn signals and a 4 speed crashbox connected
to the 25 hp AIRCOOLED motor. (Actually, it's my wife's)

Now THAT'S "old school VW" ! :-D

Bill

Try not to hit anything modern with that you might takeout a city blocks worth of this new stuff on the road
Dan in DeFuniak

Angus
06-01-2008, 10:50 PM
I started with a Lee Breech-Lock Challenger kit last year, and haven't had a complaint yet. The bushings are really great. I got a set of RCBS dies when I stared playing with 30-06, and that was my first stuck case. I doubt it was the RCBS dies' fault though, probably just not enough lube. I don't like Lee's chamfer tool, RCBS makes a much nicer one...

Ken 45LC
06-14-2008, 01:29 AM
I first started reloading on a Lee turret press. After a few years, and a better job I jumped up to a 550B and am quite pleased with it for reloading pistol ammo. I ended up selling most of the Lee stuff because I didn't like how the dies fit in the 550. But I did end up buying the Lee cast O frame press for single stage rifle reloading. That thing is very strong and built like a tank. I installed the Hornady lock and load bushing in it, and changing dies is very easy and fast. My friend often makes fun of me for using dies in it that cost twice the price of the press (Redding competition).

I try to keep an open mind about any brand of press, and I currently have 4 different colors on my bench. Too bad there wasn't some kind of work shop or something you could attend to try a press or reloading tool before you made the purchase. Nothing worse than paying big money for something to find out later that it's not what you were expecting.

trooperdan
06-14-2008, 09:54 AM
KYCaster, I led the group that tested out the ARPANET, a coast-to-coast high speed computer-controlled communication network, that grew into the Internet, and be advised, Al Gore had NOTHING to do with it!

EasyEd
USAF Ret
NRA Patron
O&U

Yup, I was using ARPANET back in the early '80 in the 82D Airborne.
Didn't see ol Al anywhere around!

Bill*
06-14-2008, 06:00 PM
WAIT A MINUTE!!!.......That would imply that a politician is capable of lying???

MtGun44
06-15-2008, 12:22 AM
Actually, the shocker would be a politician capable of telling
the TRUTH !

Bill

Bret4207
06-15-2008, 08:14 AM
KYCaster, I led the group that tested out the ARPANET, a coast-to-coast high speed computer-controlled communication network, that grew into the Internet, and be advised, Al Gore had NOTHING to do with it!

EasyEd
USAF Ret
NRA Patron
O&U

Oh man! I'm crushed. My faith in Saint Albert has waned! Now I'm starting to question "Global Warming is man made". Woe is me!!!:violin:

MtGun44
06-16-2008, 01:59 AM
Bret-

Have you been skipping your Kool-Aid!? Father Gore has told us the
truth about the great religion of Global Warming and how we all can
help him get rich and powerful --- ERR, how he can help himself to our
money, NO, NO - Actually I meant, how he can make the world a much
better place for rich communists to rule. WAIT, that's not supposed
to be what it's about, I just get confused sometimes. Let Father Al
clear it up for you.

I get so confused when I miss my Kool Aid. :(

/sarcasm off [smilie=1:

Bill

docone31
06-16-2008, 09:51 AM
Hehehe. Brings me back.
I have used Lee exclusively for years. Good service, good dies. I never broke a primer pin untill recently. Then I broke two. I had a 30-06 die set that once in a while I would deprime a Berdan case! The primer pin could be straightened out with pliers. I had a stuck case once when I did not lube the inside of the case. Ruined the case, but, got back to reloading. I actually snapped the case rim off trying to pull the case out.
I then went to a Lyman reloading kit for my then new Combat Commander. I snapped primer pins like popping bubbles in bubble wrap. All my loads jammed the action. Even the press locked up. I went back to Lee and have been reloading since.
I could sit down, put on a movie, deprime, size, prime, charge, and reload in one sitting. They shot without issue.
I just like Lee Products.
Stuck case, primer well full, it is learn as we go. My new progressive press throws spent primers everywhere, no matter what I do. I put a garbage can under the ram where the primers go, and they go some where else. So, now when I am done, I vaccum the floor. Needed it anyway.
I like the feature where if the primer pin gets stuck, the mandrel slides up instead of breaking the pin.

largecaliberman
06-16-2008, 07:04 PM
I have a Loadmaster and a 4hole turrent press. The only weakness in the Lees is the priming system.

copdills
07-06-2008, 08:32 AM
I belong to the Lee red TEAM

azrednek
07-08-2008, 12:23 AM
The best thing Lee did for all reloaders was shake up the competition and brought carbide dies to the market at a reasonable price. In the 70's carbide die sets were costing apx 60.00, thats 1970's dollars. When Lee got into making standard reloading dies their carbide sets cost about the same and in many cases less than the competitor's steel sets. Lee also shook up the biggies by including a shell holder in every die set, a additional 4-5 dollar investment from the others. One could buy a set of shell holders from Lee for less cost than any two from the others. All the competitors, RCBS, Redding, C-H and Pacific (before it was Hornady) were forced to lower their prices on anything Lee was making.

dukenukum
08-31-2008, 09:45 PM
I got my first lee challenger press in the early 80's. since then I have purchased three other challenger presses , they never broke down or anything but they tend to grow legs and walk off of my bench even when bolted down ( seems my family thinks my reloading bench has a help yourself sign over it . ) :violin:[smilie=b: now I have a lee load all 2 shot shell press a lee hand press a lee hand primer a lot of lee dies lee case trimmers and have had zero problems . :-D

RP
08-31-2008, 11:55 PM
A lot of people bad mouth Lee but for a product that is cheaper and for me works well I cant say that i would be reloading if it was not for Lee. I started reloading for my brothers 357 back in the 70s with a loader that used a hammer. Now i have one herters press and 3 lees and 3 mecs. And iam looking at getting another Lee press why iam not sure but I feel like I have to get one. Never had a failure and i have loaded 1000s of rounds. Something else to keep in mind I did not have someone to teach me so I have made alot of mistakes and miss used my equi. but it stills going. And I did take them apart and clean them this year.

jlchucker
09-01-2008, 09:08 AM
I like Lee products, for the most part. the Classic Cast Press is the best one I've used--and that is a first-hand comparison with the Rockchucker and the Lyman Crusher. Don't know about the other brands. Some of the Lee stuff could stand some improvement--the hand priming tool could have a better thumb lever--but all in all, it doesn't cost much, and works fine until the white metal part breaks. If it were made of steel it would cost much more. The Lee shotshell presses (back when it was cost-effective to load shotshells) would not be my first choice. I've had a few of those but prefer Mec. Again, my choice costs a lot more.

mold maker
09-01-2008, 12:16 PM
Same with the Lee Load Master, let the ram fill up and you can actually put the spent primer back into the case! I have about a hunert .38 WC's I need to pull...need to pay attention to what's goin on.:roll:

That tube that Lee and Hornady put on the bottom of the ram to guide the primers into the trash can is the best thing since Al Gore invented the internet...why didn't they think of that thirty years ago?

Jerry

Put a milk jug or such to catch the spent primers. It's free and sells same as ruined cases. Its all scrap brass and they are heavy per cubic inch.
mold maker

woodsoup
09-09-2008, 11:28 AM
Am I the only guy who likes Lee?


Nope, Me likee a lot. The ram holds between 30 and 40 primers.

Paul Tummers
10-13-2008, 04:37 PM
Am I the only guy who likes Lee?

Depends on the product; their collet dies are perfect designed, the results are outstanding, but they are cheap and so is the way they are finished.
I really would like to see/have a die of this design, made by Redding or Forster.
Regards,
Paul.

jnovotny
11-12-2008, 09:33 PM
Lee products are as good as any other and cost less.

dominicfortune00
11-12-2008, 10:57 PM
...they never broke down or anything but they tend to grow legs and walk off of my bench even when bolted down ( seems my family thinks my reloading bench has a help yourself sign over it . ) :violin:

Duke

You need to introduce them to the joys of trying to take out a bolt that has had red 271 Loctite applied to it.

271 is removable with heat, (think torch, big torch).

If you use 1/2 inch bolts and nuts and plenty of 271, I don't think that anything bolted down will grow any legs and walk away.

Though I hope you plan out pretty well where you want everything to stay, It'll be just as hard for you to remove it.

BRYAN
11-13-2008, 07:51 AM
I started reloading with a Lee Reloader (the little cast alloy C-press) and set of 270 Win dies that I bought for 29.95. I used that press for years and loaded thousands of rounds with it. I broke it forming cases for a 6.5X55, my memory is fuzzy here, but I think I started with Jap cases. I had succesfully formed about 40 when it broke. I replaced it with a Lee Challenger and it has loaded thousands. An old cst iron behemoth (I think its a pacific C Press) sits beside it on the bench, but gets little use. If not for the economy of Lee Products I would have never started reloading, at least not when I did. I have RCBS and Lee dies and I have had no problems with either.

exile
11-13-2008, 10:04 AM
Everything I have is Lee. Not only are they inexpensive tools, but much simpler to use for someone who is not mechanically inclined. I doubt I would be reloading without Lee. Just bought a Lee 90 grain SWC mold for my .32. I have been putting off trying to cast, now with my .32 I don't think I have any choice. Thinking maybe I should buy an extra Lee press for de-priming.

Exile