Are Lee Pots just garbage?

[redhawk0]

I have the 10# bottom pour. I made the mistake of trying to clean WW's in it years ago and never got it truly clean after that. I contacted Lee and ordered up a new pot, handle...etc to rebuild it. (all parts and shipping were free) I bought some high temp wool off ebay and wrapped the pot with it, put the covers back on, added a homemade PID and its now a dream to use.

It always held a temperature, but now with the PID I know what that temperature is....before with the 1-10 dial it was a guessing game.

I'd buy another one...its only about $75....I've gotten my money's worth several times over.

redhawk

[Hootmix]

Only if you put " Garbage " in'm . I Like mine ,, and will soon have a PID hooked to it too ,, also . ( i'm w/ redhawkO )


coffee's ready ,, Hootmix

[Mike W1]

Might as well throw my 2¢ in here. Been using the 10#ers since about 1975 and have added some things over the years of course. Long ago wanted something besides the screwdriver slot so had a 1/4" bolt brazed on and tapped a piece of aluminum stock to fit on along with a couple holes in the sides of that for handles. Always wear gloves so the heat wasn't a problem. Last thing I did relatively recently was tap a 1-1/4" piece of cold rolled steel in place of the aluminum. Then for the "handles" used 2@ 3/4 copper pipe couplings filled with lead and drilled thru for the bolt handles. Now that "stuff" on top of the rod has an additional 21.5 ounces of weight up there. Seems to be no downside to it after using it for awhile now.

Another tip from a fellow "gunarea I believe his user ID is", was to tweak the tip of the valve rod slightly. I believe both these things have "usually" reduced the drips. If I get them now it's likely something that got thru my fluxing process on initial melting for my ingots. I'll stick a couple photos on which might better describe my stacked pot system.

[Texas by God]

I’ll let you know later if mine still works perfectly like it has for 25+ years. That drip don’t bother me, I keep a screwdriver nearby. I plug it in and dial it about 3/4 throttle and go. Not junk.

[Drm50]

Drip don’t bother me either. Yanked tap assembly off and pitched. Plugged nozzle and run it with a bullet ladle.

[1hole]

What's "good" is something we actually need for the task at hand.

Many people need trucks. One guy needs a Peterbilt with sleeper, another needs a diesel F-350 4x4, most only need a common F-150 2x4. So, which is the "best" truck? I'd say the one that best serves it's purpose for the owner; it would be silly to buy an F-150 when a massive Peterbilt is needed, and vice versa.

I find it amusing when someone says he first bought Lee tools but then his reloading became an obsession and now recommends others people buy what he now prefers. No offense intended fellows but that's B.S., few people need what some of us need.

The task matters. Some guys own multipul Dillons but most of us only need, and therefore only buy, medium strength single stage presses. IF we ever get where we need the output volume of a progressive we'll get one then, but that doesn't mean our first press - of any color - was a waste of money.

Thing is, few people get as deep into reloading as a few of us do. So, suggesting all new guys start with much more costly tools than they actually need really isn't very helpful. And, as others state above, and by decades of personal use, many of us can say that all of Lee's tools work and some of them work exceptionally well.

Like, Lee's inexpensive little plastic "Perfect" powder measure is excellent, especially for tubular powders, but only IF it's properly set up. And Lee's lightweight "Safety Scale" is fully as accurate and sensitive as any powder scale on the market but it IS very susceptable to clumsy handling so it's certainly not the best choice for fumble-fisted users like me. Etc.

Bottom line; knee-jerk tool suggestions that don't match the guy's actual needs - and his means - may be good for our "web expert" egos but are often worse for newbies than no suggestions at all. (IMHO of course. ???)

[curioushooter]

Since people are PMing me, I'll just reply publicly. They know who they are.

The Classic Cast is the only press I have and it is excellent. A great press. Then again it costs about the same and is made of the same material as everybody else's stuff. My father in law has a Redding press that costs like $400-500 or something. It is a little nicer for really big cases but that is a good example of where Lee delivers good value/performance. I bought if for $72 bucks about 14 years ago when I moved to Ohio. Now they are over a $100. It isn't made of pot metal or other cheap material like Lee's other presses. I was smart enough at 23 to know not to bother with that rubbish.

I have almost every .357 mold lee makes. I have most of their 30 calibers. I have a few 44s including custom one (a 265 grain RNFP). Their 12 gauge slug and many of their round balls. I never said they don't cast or that I can't get them to work. I basically learned to cast with their molds and shunned more expensive iron molds (foolishly) for a decade.

Then I actually got a few old Lyman molds, then some RCBS, and some SAECOs. I have some Arsenal, NOE, and Ohaus too. I now have a brace of MP's outstanding and gorgeous molds. I haven't used a Lee mold in years now. Why? Because they are inferior in every way to the better molds. It's not that they don't work, it's just some of us appreciate superior results. I have some 4 cavity MP molds (the 503 clone) that will hold less than a half a percent weight variation in 44 caliber. NO LEE MOLD has even approached that level of consistency. The sharp corners, the the perfect outside finish, perfectly square, round, and flat bases I get from my brass MP molds once seasoned and treated right is incomparable.

I basically gave up casting for a spell (from about 2012 to 2016) because I reached a plateau where I just couldn't get the desired performance. I went back to buying jacketed, mostly Hornady XTPs. Turns out it was basically Lee's stuff holding me back. I am finally after a decade getting performance comparable to jacketed bullet from cast, and it has not been from Lee molds. I find myself using lee stuff less and less as my capabilities improve. Even their dies aren't as nice a Hornady's or Redding's.

Except for a few products...the case trimmer lock-stud/pin gauge...their cast iron presses...and collet sizing die I've lost interest in their offerings.

Virtually everybody that says they like their Lee pots has either modified it or really knows no alternative (like myself). I was really wondering if Lee's pots are just inferior to RCBS/Lymans, which are the other pots I'd consider. I'm not spending a grand on a Magma. But it seems lots of people get defensive over lee stuff.

I don't know if it is a production variation or something but my pot has a round nose pin in a conical hole. Apparently some have a cone pin in a cone hole (which makes sense). This may explain why mine is aggravatingly drippy.

Saying your Lee pot is great after you've reground the pin, added weight, installed a PID (that costs $100), made a little shelter for it, and then sprinkled it with holy water is a waste of time. If you are able to compare a STOCK 4-20 to a STOCK RCBS or Lyman I'd be interested.

[Springfield]

I have a LEE 20 lb, 2 RCBS Pro-Melts(old style) and a 40 lb Magma pot. And a few older Saeco's that I have not used in a while. All will melt lead. All will pour lead. The LEE drips a lot of the time, the RCBS's not so much, and the Magma never. The LEE has the worst temp control, especially if you do large batches like I do and go through a couple of pots every session, as the temp control is not attached to the pot, but in the tower in the back. The RCBS and the Magma do much better as their temp probes are attached to the pot.. The LEE has a 600 watt heater, the RCBS more like 800, and the Magma has a 1500. I do mostly Cowboy Action with my family, so the Magma is full of softer bullet lead, one RCBS is set up with pure lead for lead balls for my Cap and Ball pistols and the lee if full of hard lead for some of my rifles. Works for me. If I was made of money I would have 3 Magma's, due to the larger capacity, the higher wattage, plus it has a dual pour spout, which is a bit faster and saves me time.But I just can't justify that. Everybody has their own needs and priorities, so buy the best for your needs and be done with it.

[Hardcast]

"Are Lee Pots just garbage?"

Mine is. Waited for a long time for it to completely die, but it refused, so I gave up on waiting and bought a new Pro-Melt. Way better pot. Wish I had done it years before. This was probably in the 1990s. Have not cast for probably 20 years, but tommorw morning I plan to plug in that Pro Melt and hope it still works. Have a brand new mold to try.

[talon7825]

I can't complain, it is the first pot I got and have used it for over 10 years casting over 100k plus. It drips a bit and I have to monitor the temp. but it does the job.

[gimling]

I have a lee 20lb but i bought it back in 2008 and at the time there was a shortage i was only able to get the 220V version. Other than having to install a special plug Its been great!

[pcmacd]

I read a comprehensive study in Precision Shooting magazine (now out of print) years ago, likely by M.L. McPherson, that compared all of the old and new powder measures by the precision/consistency of the loads they dropped. I can't recall the propellant that was used, but would guess it was such as an IMR long grain propellant, as that style of propellant is the most difficult to dispense consistently.

The only problem with the study was that the author used a conventional scale of +/- 0.1 grain accuracy. When making comparisons such as this?

-----> One should use a scale that is 10x the precision of the units under test, not of the same or comparable precision.


Still, the results were telling.

---->>> All that being said, the LEE measure was better by about 2x than the most expensive measure money can buy.


LEE stuff is highly underrated. And their customer service is the best you will ever receive, anyplace.

...

[TNsailorman]

I had a 4-20 lee pot and I really like it. Years ago I had a Lyman and I like it except for the spout was always plugging. When I bought the Lee I had heard a lot about it being a "drip o matic" but the dripping never bothered me that much. I simply added the drips as they hardened back to the pot. Worked for me and not much trouble. I like the Lee 4-20. my experience anyway, james

[rbuck351]

I'm still using a 10lb drip o matic that I bought in the mid 70s. I added a weight to the stopper rod which helped a lot but it still drips a bit now and then. I have since got another 10lb and a 20 lb, both of which work ok but I have never used any other pots so I don't have any to compare with. Probably not the best pots but good enough for me.

[Wag]

I'm a Lee basher. Unapologetic, too.

When I started reloading about 20 or 25 years ago, I bought the Lee starter set for reloading. It was all I could afford. Along with it, bought some Lee carbide pistol dies in 9mm and 45acp. After loading about four thousand rounds, the so-called "Perfect" Powder Measure was constantly dumping powder all over my workbench from the sides of the cylinder. So much for "Perfect." So, I bought an RCBS powder measure which was and still is, perfect.

Next was the press itself. I'm not the most gentle of souls and pretty clumsy to boot but that press handle started having all kinds of problems. You could even see the press itself flexing while resizing some of the bottle neck 30-06 and 30-30 cases. (Someone gave me the steel RCBS dies for those.) Eventually, the handle's wooden knob was just toast and the threads where the handle screws into the cylinder of the press was just not able to hold it all together. Someone had given me some reloading stuff at some point and one of the items was, you guessed it, a Lee three station turret press. I bolted that to my bench and lo and behold, it actually turns out to be pretty decent. It's ancient but it works well. The only real exception to the rule in this case. So far.

I guess the older Lee stuff works but not the newer stuff.

But wait! There's more!

The Lee hand held primer tool came apart. Went back to the old box of stuff I had received and it had a Lee press-mounted primer seating tool that worked well but again, after only a couple thousand rounds, it came apart too. Bought an RCBS hand-held primer seating tool. Still using it with no difficulties. It's kind of a pain to set it up is the only thing but dang, it's just sturdy.

I don't trust Lee products. I'm in the mind that I shouldn't have to baby my tools. They are meant to do hard jobs and should work as advertised. As a result, I have been gradually replacing my Lee stuff with RCBS gear and thus far, have had no issues with any of it.

Later, as I was making noise about starting to cast, my late wife bought me a Lyman 10 lb dipper pot for Christmas and so far, after about three or four thousand cast boolits in 45acp, I have had no problems with it. My molds are all Accurate molds.

Lesson? As mentioned before, buy good quality at the beginning and you won't have to buy it again.

The good thing was, the inexpensive Lee starter kit made it possible for me to get into the hobby and to get hooked. At least the products lasted long enough that I didn't get frustrated immediately and give up so there's that. But I won't put money into any more Lee items.

--Wag--

P.S. I need to get back to reloading and casting. I've been away from it for too dang long!

[pcmacd]

I had a 4-20 lee pot and I really like it. Years ago I had a Lyman and I like it except for the spout was always plugging. When I bought the Lee I had heard a lot about it being a "drip o matic" but the dripping never bothered me that much. I simply added the drips as they hardened back to the pot. Worked for me and not much trouble. I like the Lee 4-20. my experience anyway, james

Every once/while when the pot is empty I scrape it down (with a fan blowing the dust out the window, away from me), pull out the plunger, put it on a wire wheel to clean it up. Put some fine valve grinding compound on the business end, chuck it into a drill, and "re-seat" the plunger. Tidy up with brake cleaner. If I ever wear out the valve seat, LEE will send another for free.

[OS OK]

Lee had the right idea on the 10 pound pot....leverage and weight pushing against the valve stem.
The 4-20 was not so fortunate.
Weight is your friend on that valve assembly...

[Oyeboten]

About the only pot nobody seems to complain about is the ladle dipper folks.

I have the el-cheapo LEE smaller size Electric Pot, has a Thermostat, and is meant for use with a Dipper, and I have had it about three years now, and it has been 100 percent good and a joy to use.

It was on sale form Midway or Mid South or whom-ever, and I thought "Lets try it and see..." and I am happy with it!

[Oyeboten]

I'm a Lee basher. Unapologetic, too.

When I started reloading about 20 or 25 years ago, I bought the Lee starter set for reloading. It was all I could afford. Along with it, bought some Lee carbide pistol dies in 9mm and 45acp. After loading about four thousand rounds, the so-called "Perfect" Powder Measure was constantly dumping powder all over my workbench from the sides of the cylinder. So much for "Perfect." So, I bought an RCBS powder measure which was and still is, perfect.

Next was the press itself. I'm not the most gentle of souls and pretty clumsy to boot but that press handle started having all kinds of problems. You could even see the press itself flexing while resizing some of the bottle neck 30-06 and 30-30 cases. (Someone gave me the steel RCBS dies for those.) Eventually, the handle's wooden knob was just toast and the threads where the handle screws into the cylinder of the press was just not able to hold it all together. Someone had given me some reloading stuff at some point and one of the items was, you guessed it, a Lee three station turret press. I bolted that to my bench and lo and behold, it actually turns out to be pretty decent. It's ancient but it works well. The only real exception to the rule in this case. So far.

I guess the older Lee stuff works but not the newer stuff.

But wait! There's more!

The Lee hand held primer tool came apart. Went back to the old box of stuff I had received and it had a Lee press-mounted primer seating tool that worked well but again, after only a couple thousand rounds, it came apart too. Bought an RCBS hand-held primer seating tool. Still using it with no difficulties. It's kind of a pain to set it up is the only thing but dang, it's just sturdy.

I don't trust Lee products. I'm in the mind that I shouldn't have to baby my tools. They are meant to do hard jobs and should work as advertised. As a result, I have been gradually replacing my Lee stuff with RCBS gear and thus far, have had no issues with any of it.

Later, as I was making noise about starting to cast, my late wife bought me a Lyman 10 lb dipper pot for Christmas and so far, after about three or four thousand cast boolits in 45acp, I have had no problems with it. My molds are all Accurate molds.

Lesson? As mentioned before, buy good quality at the beginning and you won't have to buy it again.

The good thing was, the inexpensive Lee starter kit made it possible for me to get into the hobby and to get hooked. At least the products lasted long enough that I didn't get frustrated immediately and give up so there's that. But I won't put money into any more Lee items.

--Wag--

P.S. I need to get back to reloading and casting. I've been away from it for too dang long!

My own experience has been that I do not like LEE Molds, Lee Dies, Lee Loading Tools, Lee Presses, or anything else "Lee", other than that I have been happy with my small electric Melting Pot, and I use a very old "IDEAL" Dipper.

[fal_762x51]

They have worked for me. I have been thinking about a diy PID.