Lee reloading dies got a little fancier...

[44Blam]

Got a new 40 S&W/10 mm die set and it's a little fancier than they used to be...

258209

[tinstarfirearms]

Time and again I am impressed by the Lee dies even in the face of more expensive options.

Congratulations on your purchase.

Andrew

[Chad5005]

most of my dies are lee but I don't have any with the new fancy lock ring

[MDC]

I just got a set of 22 Hornet Collet dies in yesterday. I like the new locking rings. They are much easier to tighten by hand.

[2A-Jay]

All of my Handgun Dies except one RCBS Carbide set are Lee Dies. I no longer have a Lee Press so I have replaced all the Lee Lock rings with Hornady Split Rings. Looking at the new style Lee Lock Rings makes me think they would work out good.

[Texas by God]

I like sprockets, neat! I’ve not had a problem with any Lee dies, ever. Half of my dies are by Lee. I have Redding, RCBS, and CH dies and they don’t work any better than the Lees.

[megasupermagnum]

I haven't been at this as long as some, but that die set looks the same as any Lee set I've bought in my lifetime. A full working set, plus shell holder and powder scoop. I quit buying other brands a long time ago, as nothing sub $75 could beat it.

[sigep1764]

There are 4 dies. Are they separating the seat and crimp functions? My three sets of Lee dies are only 3 dies.

[Mytmousemalibu]

I just got LEE's new primer pocket swage die setup for my new APP presses.... Wow! Nothing like anything ive see from LEE before! It looks like a bunch of very different dies from the Custom Shop for a very specific press and application, which it is! Pretty nicely machined stuff. I think LEE's finish quality of machining has improved a fair bit. This swage set is neat! It comes with a universal decapping die but it has a special decapping pin to open/correct 5.56 NATO spec brass that might have dinged/mashed necks so the swageing back-up rod may enter the brass. They came out with a whole line of special self guiding/aligning, caliber specific universal decapping pins. Meant for high speed processing on the APP press so it goes fast/smooth without alignment issues. Its a big help so it centers up the pin/flash hole with these new pass through shell holders. Im a true Blue Dillon fan/owner, love'em but I started with LEE and still buy & use LEE equipment. Value for money, American made stuff and some revolutionary products! Love it!

[Valley-Shooter]

I got a Lee universal expander in on Friday. It came in a little black plastic box with the new style lock ring.
I tried it out yesterday with a new NOE expander. Hated the lock ring, swapped it for a Hornady split lock ring.

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

[charlie b]

There are 4 dies. Are they separating the seat and crimp functions? My three sets of Lee dies are only 3 dies.

Yes, the 4 die pistol sets include the seating die and the factory crimp die.

4 die rifle sets include a std full length resizing die and a neck sizing die.

[mdi]

One major plus I discovered yesterday when I set up my new Lee dies is the lock rings. No, not the weird grooved edges, but they are thicker then previous rings and fit my Co-Ax perfectly...

[Pablo 5959]

Now they can sell you the special wrench to use on the new lock rings.

[dondiego]

Now they can sell you the special wrench to use on the new lock rings.

I already have an opposable thumb!

[JM7.7x58]

Now they can sell you the special wrench to use on the new lock rings.

It is a good system if you are using their turret presses that have limited space between dies.

For me and my single stage presses the new rings have no value. I like my die nuts to have flats.

JM

[onelight]

I recently got some of the new lock rings I like them.

[Muddydogs]

I think the new rings suck. I must have had my Wheaties when I tightened the die into the press as I had a struggle getting it out and guess what, I just couldn't throw the wrench on the die that I keep hanging below my press for Hornady lock rings or the RCBS lock ring wrench hanging with the other wrench.

[ndnchf]

I don't like the lock rings either. They are just too easy to accidently turn and change your die setting. I much prefer, and have been changing my frequently used Lee dies to the Hornady lock rings too. Overall I'm very satisfied with Lee equipment. I've been using an original Lee turret press for over 30 years.

[tdoor4570]

I don't like the lee lock rings with the o-ring either , that is the first thing that I throw away . I like the hornady or rcbs rings so much better, settings on the dies do not change .

[Markopolo]

i like these lock rings from Lee....

258283

i been thinking about ordering these guys, such purty colors... positive lock and position... just not sure they will work with my my classic turret press system... there is prolly an adapter or something needed... they just came out in the new lee catalog for 2020..

marko

[lar45]

I had one 375 Win Lee sizer die that was rough as all get out on the inside. I mailed it to Lee with a short note and they sent me a new one in just a few days.
I've been useing a Lee Classic Cast press for swageing bullets and found out that the press handle was hollow when it bent. It just happened to be the same size as a Dillon 550 handle, so I found one on Ebay to replace it.
Back in the 80s, the Lee hand prime tool was made of pot metal and the head would break off occasionally. It was a great tool except for that. They were only $15, so you would just buy a new one...

[BrutalAB]

I find them not as pleasant to operate.
They eat my fingers, and are harder to get into and out of my turret press due to not being able to use a wrench to tighten and loosen. (Got big hands and fingers, i just dont have much movement before they get pinched between dies.)

[Mytmousemalibu]

i like these lock rings from Lee....

258283

i been thinking about ordering these guys, such purty colors... positive lock and position... just not sure they will work with my my classic turret press system... there is prolly an adapter or something needed... they just came out in the new lee catalog for 2020..

marko

Your press needs to have the Breechlock system for those. If you take the black steel adapter out and it has interrupted threads, you are good. I suppose you can still use them without the breechlock system by threading them in.

[bedbugbilly]

I just got a new Lee trim die and noticed the new design of the lock ring as well. I use a number of Lee die sets and they work well - mainly in pistol calibers and once I have them mounted on a 4 hole turret plate for my Lee 4 hole turret press - they stay in place. For dies I use in my single stage press though - and this includes the Lees - I prefer to change the lock rings out for the Hornady split lock rings that tighten up with a set screw. Once the die is adjusted correctly it is just a matter of putting it in the press each time and the setting is the same - the Lee O-ring lock rings don't allow for that.

[Casting_40S&W]

I just got a new Lee trim die and noticed the new design of the lock ring as well. I use a number of Lee die sets and they work well - mainly in pistol calibers and once I have them mounted on a 4 hole turret plate for my Lee 4 hole turret press - they stay in place. For dies I use in my single stage press though - and this includes the Lees - I prefer to change the lock rings out for the Hornady split lock rings that tighten up with a set screw. Once the die is adjusted correctly it is just a matter of putting it in the press each time and the setting is the same - the Lee O-ring lock rings don't allow for that.

I use the new Lee Ultimate lock rings, the split clamp design and the free die wrench sold me. The gold plating really classes up my old rockchucker.

https://leeprecision.com/ultimate-lock-rings-3-pack.html

[mdi]

I guess I forgot how many guys tighten their lock rings too tight, tighter than necessary. I started using Lee died with the flats and locking O-rings in approx. 1971. Since then I have purchased 11 die sets from Lee, and a half dozen from other manufacturers. I have never, nope never had to tighten any lock ring down more than finger tight, I have never, no never had a Lee lock ring, O-ring style loosen up and change die settings, in single stage presses and turret presses. I have had die sets (purchased used which I will never do again) arrive with distorted body threads, stripped corners on lock rings, gouged lock rings and die bodies from channel locks and/or vise grips, and stripped allen socket set screws. Obviously some reloader "needed" to use a 18" crescent plus a 36" cheater bar to get his rings "tight enough to not move"...

Seriously, I have gone to school for nuts and bolts. I worked for a large city dept of water and power (auto/heavy equipment mechanic, electrician) and one of our vendors had classes on threads, most types, bolts, nuts, metric and SAE, all materials and how they are produced and how they should be used. Torque measuring and effects of bolt/nut finishes, materials on torque, and different "locking methods". The O-ring was discussed and the use "expanded" to show how many variations of the O-ring are used in nut locking methods. Just hearing/reading some reloaders, I can safely say many tighten the lock rings, waaaay too tight...

But they are their dies and lock rings and they can treat them any way they want, I'm just giving an "educated" side of the "hate Lee lock rings" discussion...

[robg]

i use the lee oring lock rings on all my dies finger tight is all you need.

[onelight]

Sometimes I put mine in finger tight but need a wrench to get them out. The little plastic spanner will get them loose in tight quarters on turrets and progressives that is a plus. It is not a big enough deal to replace all the rings I have but a few calibers that I use the same set of dies for different length cases will get the new ones eventually.
The little spanner wrench that works from the top of the die will work with out removing the PM pretty slick idea you are not going to over tighten with that short plastic wrench.:grin:

[megasupermagnum]

Oh, this is another lock ring thread? The wrench is so you can get into tight spaces, as is on some progressive and turret presses. If you used a wrench on a single stage press, the problem isn't the lock ring.

[onelight]

Oh, this is another lock ring thread? The wrench is so you can get into tight spaces, as is on some progressive and turret presses. If you used a wrench on a single stage press, the problem isn't the lock ring.
You are so right, I never needed a wrench on a single stage.
At least that is where I see the benefit but no reason they wouldn't work on any press .

[gwpercle]

No one has mentioned a "set screw" on the new Lee "sprocket" lock rings , I can't see any set screws in the photo's .... I should assume these new ones don't have a set screw either...
Somebody tell me I'm wrong and that they do have a set screw...
That O-ring set up still sorta bothers me but I've learned to live with it .
A set screw I don't have to install would still have been nice...Lee should ask us about these things !
Gary

[megasupermagnum]

No one has mentioned a "set screw" on the new Lee "sprocket" lock rings , I can't see any set screws in the photo's .... I should assume these new ones don't have a set screw either...
Somebody tell me I'm wrong and that they do have a set screw...
That O-ring set up still sorta bothers me but I've learned to live with it .
A set screw I don't have to install would still have been nice...Lee should ask us about these things !
Gary

Lee doesn't have a set screw, but you can buy what they call the "ultimate lock rings" which have a cross bolt.

[kayala]

I've got my latest die set (50 Beo) with these new "fancy" lock rings, to be honest I don't care one way or the other but I had to spend a lot of time polishing sizing die. Out of the box it felt like case mouth was going against a washboard.

[Valley-Shooter]

Has anyone bought the wrench/spanner for these new lock rings?
Is it metal or plastic?

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

[Wally]

Made of Nylon....below is from Lee's website---MSRP is $2.00.


Black nylon wrench for loosening spline drive lock-rings and lock-ring eliminator bushing.

[onelight]

No one has mentioned a "set screw" on the new Lee "sprocket" lock rings , I can't see any set screws in the photo's .... I should assume these new ones don't have a set screw either...
Somebody tell me I'm wrong and that they do have a set screw...
That O-ring set up still sorta bothers me but I've learned to live with it .
A set screw I don't have to install would still have been nice...Lee should ask us about these things !
Gary
Look here
https://leeprecision.com/ultimate-lock-rings-3-pack.html