Originally Posted by
Harter66
I'll preface this with I've been using my own tools for reloading since 1994 . I own CH , Bonanza , Forster , Hornady, Lachmiller , Lee , Lyman , MEC , Ohaus , Pacific, RCBS, Redding , and Texan , dies , scales , moulds , and presses .
Lee makes a tool to do a job and it does the job .
I don't care for their presses , I've had 3 &4 hole turrets and a LM . I cut my teeth on a Lyman Crusher and later on a Pacific in Hornady red buying my own RC , RCII and Big Max . The presses just don't have the feel of absolute stop . I gave them a fair shake , in the 4 hole turret I ran over 1000 45 ACP sized and flared and later seated and crimped 250 or so of the same using 2 sets of dies . I just didn't like the feel . This was a couple of years after doing the same with 223 in the 3 hole . I won't go into the LM past when it worked I loved it and when it ate the primer station and started crushing 45 Colts cases that was enough of that , I don't have a lab environment, I lived in the desert dust is just there and it screws it up if it's not absolutely clean .
The only thing wrong with the moulds is that the operator doesn't run them like a rented Army mule and expects them to work like the more expensive moulds . So they fiddle with them so they work like the more expensive moulds.......an XK12 Jag coupe won't ever be a Camaro, F Bird or Corvette no matter which SB Chevy you stick in the hole after the valve inserts eat the heads and pistons .
Lube the hinges , knock the burrs off the sprue plate edges , and run them hot and fast , they work just fine .
The dies .......... As long as you disassemble them and wash them out and prelube them they work ok . Just don't try to form brass that requires a neck down or shoulder change. Folks have a love hate relationship with the lock rings . If you want a positive stop set 2 O rings facing .
Hate their scale but I've always used a Lyman M5 .
Had a couple of the disk measures ...... They work , they're accurate, and as part of the press system it's a neat go together. I have 3 Uniflows and don't use a progressive. They just don't make me warm as a stand alone .
That hideous thing they pass off as a chamfer deburring tool ....... Just no .
There's a reason I have 6 MECs , 2 Pacific , DL55s , a Texan , and no Load Alls .... First the sizing ring and 2nd that positive stop. If the manual uses the words , you'll develop a feel for the perfect crimp after a few .......... Not for me . I did load about 250 rounds of steel shot with 2 load all's . The charge bar is neat but it also has lots of small parts to lose . I don't who the brain child was behind the size ring but it sucks having a lose piece.
If not for Lee I can almost guarantee beyond a doubt that I would not be a caster because I just couldn't swallow the $200 for the lube sizer and $25 a pop for H&I dies after spending $80+ per mould . $20/ mould and sizers that fit a press .......well .