Lee Loaders, and flaring tools.

[GoodOlBoy]

I just wanted to stop and give a bit of applause to Lee for fixing something that has been causing my teeth to grind for YEARS. Once upon a time when buying a Lee Classic Loader rifle kit you had to call customer service and jump through hoops to get a custom flaring tool made because they were NOT included with the kits. Now these days they are STILL NOT included, BUT under custom services you can specify which custom flaring tool size you need and pay $8 plus S&H for it. Dunno how long they have been doing this but well done Lee! Well done!

GoodOlBoy

[35 shooter]

I've been using the lee universal flaring tool for a couple of years now and love the thing.
Didn't know about the custom shop deal. Lee's always coming up with something cool!

[mdi]

What folks call Lee tools is often confusing. Are you talking about the Lee Loader? I've made a few flaring tools over the years (just turn down a 1/2" bolt to a smooth taper or a 7/8-14 turned down on a lathe to a taper if I wanted to use my press). IIRC my Lee dies come with a "powder through die" that also puts a flare on the case mouth.

[jmort]

OP is referring to the Lee Loader. You can get custom flairing plugs/inserts. I have a couple. It is nice to be able to do that.

[Maven]

The Lee Loaders that came in the black cardboard box included a small flaring tool. By the early 1980's or perhaps the late '70's, the Lee Loaders (red plastic box) no longer had one.

[leadman]

There was at one time 2 Lee companies. Both made the little kits in boxes but the content was different. The one company was Lee Custom Engineering and of course the other is Lee Precision. My 7.65 Mauser kit was made by the first company.

As a side note NOE is making actual belling tools for the Lee Universal Flaring toll that are cut just like a Lyman M die. For $6 this is a great buy. I have made a few of these for my use and they work great.

[sparky45]

I replaced the "flaring" inserts that come standard in the Lee "edpanding" Die with those that Al @ NOE makes. I love them! Now I actually get an "expanded" case neck instead of the flaring/belling of the Lee.

[Forgetful]

I replaced the "flaring" inserts that come standard in the Lee "edpanding" Die with those that Al @ NOE makes. I love them! Now I actually get an "expanded" case neck instead of the flaring/belling of the Lee.

oh sweet. I've been complaining about my lee expander since I got it. So finicky! Thanks for this, I'll be buying one for each caliber.

[wonderwolf]

Could be substittuted with a punch from a hardware store as well if you're in a pinch. Or easy lathe project if you know somebody who has one or access to one.

[TomcatPC]

I have two Lee Loader Kits.
One is for centre fire rifle .303" cal., it did not come with a flaring tool.
The other is for revolver, .38 Special, it did include a flaring tool.
Not sure that helped anyone, but even if I don't use them anymore, the Lee-Loader Kits are a neat thing to have.
Mark

[mdi]

I've used a lot of different things to put some flare in case mouths. Punches, home made tools (cut the head off a bolt, chuck it in a drill press, or hand drill, run drill, file a taper on bolt, polish with emery cloth), punch/chisel heads, and I even used a bottle necked case to flare the mouth of .38 cases. Anything that's tapered can be inserted in the case mouth and pushed/turned will flare the relatively thin brass. I used a taper/flare tool from my .38 Special Lee Loader to flare 303 British brass...

[HiVelocity]

Swede Nelson, aka NOE, is making aftermarket "caliber specific" mandrels to replace in the Lee Universal Die, if this helps any. Basically, making the Lee Universal (Flaring) Die, an "M" die. I got 5 caliber specific mandrels from them, excellent! No more crushed, or damaged, cast bullets.

HV

[Knightflyer]

Gonna get me one of those, but it'll have to wait a bit. I've worn out my wife's goodwill towards my new hobby at the moment. ;)
-KF

[Landy88]

216350

Despite all of the improvised or more sophisticated die type flaring tools, these little Lee gadgets do a great job and offer the best bang for the ounce or the buck.

[smalltownguy]

I need to pick a few up