Why Knock Lee Equipment??

[44fanatic]

If it were not for Lee and their prices, I would not have gotten into reloading and casting.
I havnt done it long enough to speak of their quality. I have read all of my instructions and pull them out everytime I change something or do something different. All has been working great for the past few months.

My only issue has been two molds I recieved yesterday and tweeking the sprue plates, got em working great.

[RayinNH]

Most of those I know who slime things Lee either bent or broke something by being ham-fisted and/or failed to read the instructions - you know, those guys who don't need no steenkin' instructions but have much less feel for all things mechanical than they believe so they really NEED massive, cast iron reloading tools!

Some people could break an anvil...Ray

[mooman76]

If it were not for Lee and their prices, I would not have gotten into reloading and casting.
I havnt done it long enough to speak of their quality. I have read all of my instructions and pull them out everytime I change something or do something different. All has been working great for the past few months.

My only issue has been two molds I recieved yesterday and tweeking the sprue plates, got em working great.

That goes for me too. I couldn't afford to start loading if it wasn't for Lee.

[jimkim]

They're first in reloading, because they are first in sales, and have more patents. I like Lee. They are also first in my book, because in order to compete for sales, RCBS, and the other companies are forced to keep their prices in check. Can you imagine how much an RC would cost if there was no Classic Cast? Just compare the price of a Partner Press($77.99) to a Breechlock($45.99). The PP isn't even in the same class and cost $35.00 more.

To be honest I like them all, and use them all(except Dillon and Forster, I haven't bought anything from them yet) but my heart is with Lee. Without them, I would never have started handloading.

[Bret4207]

I've said it before and I'll repeat it again- It ain't the arrow, it's the Indian shooting it. I have equipment from every major manufacturer except Dillion and form several that went out of business clear back into the 50's or earlier. All of it works. Some works better than others and it's like that across the board. I have horror stories I can tell about RCBS and Redding, Lyman and Lee. Nobody makes 100% good stuff- NOBODY!

Lee offers decent quality gear at affordable prices and allows the noobie a chance to try the hobby without sinking a zillion bucks into something he may not like. Some of Lee's stuff is just better than anything else out there- the FCD and Collet Dies for example. Others suck swamp water- their pots for instance.

I think a lot of the griping is from unmechanical people who expect the gear to make the man. Those are the same types that buy a high dollar gun and put cheap or surplus ammo in it and zero time into learning to shoot then complain when they shoot shotgun patterns at 15 yards. Thankfully there are very, very few, if any, of that type here. Given proper care and reasonable expectations all the modern equipment works well.

[Doc_Stihl]

Some people like to thumb their noses at something to feel superior.

You'll hear the same type of guy at the gun shop talk down about Taurus handguns, Savage Rifles, and any scope not made by *Insert Pricey Brand Here*. Not that they've ever used one, but because theirs cost more.

Some people associate cost to quality. No matter what.

A lot of Lee products are different than their industry counterparts, that makes them easy to pick on.
I use the chamfer tool example alot. The lee chamfer tool costs $2.79. The RCBS tool costs $16.99. The RCBS tool is MUCH more engineered, and is a good value for what you get. The lee tool is simple and is a good value for what you get. Both do a job, both do it differently, but the purpose of the job is accomplished by both.

[jcwit]

Doctor, you have hit the nail on the head. I have reloading equipment from Lee to Wilson, and Sinclair. It all works as required, do I brag about my Wilson dies or Sinclair equipment, NO. But I do get tired of folks saying Lee equipment is trash when they offer excellant valvue for money spent.

[Beekeeper]

I use a lot of Lee products.
The only complaint I have with them is they make a reloading manual that doesn't cover their molds and what data it has is for powders I don't have and maybe it's just me but no one I have talked to has them either.
The casting data is good but they need to make a manual that covers their molds for reloading.


Jim

[boommer]

Bret and Doc you guys nailed it. TOOL and GUN SNOBS as I call them.
I have all brands and found quriks in all brands. There are people out there that somebody should hide their tools before they hurt someone! I learned a LONG TIME AGO it's usually me, until I prove myself right.
Just like this key board keepss miscs spelling wards all time! it,s a peice of junk!!!

[oldhickory]

Some things I go out of my way to buy from LEE, in fact 95% of what I've bought from LEE has fully worked out to my satisfaction and I saved a bunch of money in the process. I would buy LEE pots over any other, simply based on price and because they work. The only problem I have with LEE molds is design of some of them, and much prefer Lyman Minie molds. The only problem I have with their dies is they are a little short for my Hornady LNL AP, (I have more LEE dies than any other brand).

That's about it, I'm very happy with the LEE stuff that I've bought over the years with the exception of their, "perfect" powder measure.

[DLCTEX]

And I really like the Lee Perfect powder measure, in fact have two of them. I also have RCBS and Lyman but rarely use them as I don't like cutting powder granules. I also like the way I can shut off the powder flow and remove the hopper.

[oldhickory]

And I really like the Lee Perfect powder measure, in fact have two of them. I also have RCBS and Lyman but rarely use them as I don't like cutting powder granules. I also like the way I can shut off the powder flow and remove the hopper.

The one I have just won't throw anywhere near a consistant charge for some reason. I gave up on it.

[Nate1778]

Why Knock Lee Equipment??

Don't know I have been very satisfied with mine, and I use a Loadmaster.

[finishman2000]

every lee product i have bought, except one (factory crimp die), i've sold off. their 6 cavity molds....suck! sorry guys but that's what i think about them. you have to run them so hot and i almost never got 6 good heads at a time. went back to steel and all is well.
i have in the last year sold off most of my big cav H&G's as well because of the weight. I bought a magama caster and will never use anything else for things that

their progressive presses......some times great and sometimes i would want to through them out a window (i had 3 of their 1000's).

I now save up, get the best and now have the best that will out last me. plus when you buy the best you will get most if not all your money back

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

A lot of Lee products are different than their industry counterparts, that makes them easy to pick on....The lee tool is simple and is a good value for what you get. Both do a job, both do it differently, but the purpose of the job is accomplished by both.

I agree with Doc, he was talking about the chamfer tool, but I find that definition fits many of LEE's products. There dies particularly, the expander and the deprime pin in the FL size die is so much better than RCBS. Then there is the Factory crimp die, the rubber o-rings in the lock nuts and adjustments for seating and pistol Factory crimp die. Since I am on the dies...the price of there carbide dies can't be beat !
other examples are: the case trimming tooling, Auto prime, the Pro auto-disk powder measure, the Classic cast presses and how they handle spent primers and those presses have a 2 piece ram, to easily handle 50 BMG, or in my case, I had a custom top ram piece manufactured for use as a swaging press, yet easily can be changed back into a standard press.
Jon

[sheepdog]

The same people that bash Lee for RCBS/Lyman/Dillion without trying are the same guys that insist their Kimber/Sig/Glock/1911s etc are the only "real" gun to carry and everyone else falls into the idiot bin. Nevermind when I was a paramedic I seen more people die to the Jenning/Bryco/Raven/RG family every year then the above.

Now if you try something fairly and don't like it and prefer something else well ok, thats another story. But Lee offers a competitive product, at a fair price with great service. Last time I checked building a better, cheaper, easier to use mouse trap is how you win in a capitalist free market.

I only wish every industry (auto, appliances, foodstuffs, etc) had a company that challenged the big boys like Lee does. Can you imagine a Lee car? It would costs $2000, run on anything, and have a 2 year full warranty with half price repairs for life!

[markinalpine]

The only "problem" I have had consistently is with their trim system. I finally ground flats on the two sides of the knurled nuts that hold the cartridge case, slip it into a open end wrench, and tighten it down enough to run the length gage and cutter by hand. Every time I tried to do this with just finger tightening the nut I'd usually twist the casing out of the holder. Now this same holder system works just fine to hold the cartridges while chamfering with a cordless drill after trimming, so I just do this in batches.
Mark

[mdi]

I don't think you'll get a definative answer on this topic because many users are too emotionally involved (egos). There is nothing inherantly wrong with Lee products, as is with RCBS, Hornady, Lyman. Forster, etc, etc. One problem is the user that really doesn't know how to use hand tools, and destroys tools regularily, similar to a sledge hammer mechanic. And then there is the tool snob that thinks the only "good" tool is the most costly tool available. So, unfortunatly, you just need to look at various reloading tools and try what appeals to YOU, because on a public forum for every "Aye", there is a resounding "Nay"!

[HeavyMetal]

So an add on to my "Two cents" post.

This morning I called Lee while on the way to work, hands free don't you know, gal answered and said she'd handle the request for a new lever on my auto prime and get it out same day.

Never once was it suggested I was inept or a retard and I appreciate that! I also didn't get the run around about a sales reciept some thing I also appreciate.

if the post office holds true to form I'll see my new lever on or about the 18h of March something I can live with easily.

So Lee has bumped up a few rungs on the old ladder, at least for now.

[1hole]

"i almost never got 6 good heads at a time."

Golly gee, I've seen a lot but that's the first time I've seen anyone blaming Lee for not getting good head!