Why Knock Lee Equipment??

[9.3X62AL]

I use Lee equipment in addition to tooling from a lot of other makers. Recluse's April post about "empowerment of the consumer" was among the best texts this site has seen. Lotta good sense in that.

Germane to this specific hobby field--boolit pouring--I GREATLY enjoy Lee's autopistol truncated cone designs. They run like water through all of my pistols in 9mm--40 S&W--10mm--and 45 ACP. Just seat them with .010"-.020" of front drive band above the case mouth edge, and yewr in bizness.

I also have had great luck with the Lee bore-rider rifle designs, in particular the 8mm-175 grain model. That is an affordable "go-to" design for anyone interested in 8 x 57 cast bulleting.

[Geraldo]

Three months and still going strong...

[Fly]

Lee has done more good for the reloading industry than all the other,s.Lee has made it affordable.I would have never started reloading if not for Lee's started kit.

I have others stuff also, but I have more Lee products than any other.I will continue to
support there products as long as they make them as they do now.

Fly

[OBIII]

LEE, LEE, LEE, LEE!!!! I have several, like them and use them. It's not what you have, it's how you use it. If it works for you, go for it. If it doesn't, sell or trade it off to get the next best thing. If what you have makes something that goes bang and eliminates what you are banging at, what difference does it make as to who makes it???

CowboyT, don't you know that the Green Party is a Progressive Front? I do not hold all Liberals in contempt, as I have some Liberal leanings myself, however being a Conservative, I would find a way to fund my selections without bankrupting the Nation. When Progressive became a "disreputable" term, they changed to "Liberal". Now that "Liberal" has fallen out of favor they have gone back to the "Progressive" label.

[Spartacus]

This is an older thread but I wanted to add to it by saying that I live across the state and had opportunity to visit the Lee Precision Reloading factory in Hartford, WI and pick up a Loadmaster with a number of accessories personally.

The tech support guy, Pat was extremely helpful in solving the problems I had and answering questions about my particular needs which for now revolve around .45 ACP, .44 magnum and 500 S&W for which the shell plate does not even show up in their literature but Pat was good enough to get me one that was a custom job.

I got the loadmaster and a large box of carbide dies in several calibers, shell plates, extra die plates for under 400 dollars which for a newbie like me should be everything I need until I start reloading for rifles later.

I have not set up the press yet, but look forward to the challenge of tinkering it into life...

[pmeisel]

I hate Glocks..... oh wait, this is a reloading thread, not a pistol thread....

[Eagles6]

I have Lyman and Lee molds, RCBS and Lee dies, RCBS press though I use a buddy's Lee press on occasion and I have lots of little Lee accessories. Can't beat them for the price and I have never had an issue with any of their products.
The Lee 9mm 124 TC/TL mold that I have is more accurate than any J-word bullets that I load.

[saz]

I have been using Lee stuff for a long time and very rarely has anything from them let me down. I dont have a lot of "extra" money and whatever I dont have to spend on dies, trimmers, molds etc I can spend elsewhere. The equipment is very inexpensive- NOT cheap- and it works. I go with Lee first then if I dont like it I'll get it somewhere else. So far there hasnt been much of that......

[Cowboy T]

It's now been over 20,000 rounds on my two Pro 1000's. They show no signs of stopping or even slowing down.

Take *that*, Mr. Bloomberg!

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

ummmm, because they just look so cheesy...

Rich

[scb]

I don't "knock" Lee equipment, I own and use some of it. I think their factory crimp dies are great. For the most part Lee stuff is what it is. Cheap utilitarian equipment that gets the job done, for the most part. What I have a problem with are the people that p*** and moan, whine and cry when the stuff fails. Look if you pay less than half the price for a piece of equipment as charged by everyone else in the industry it's probably not made as well nor will it last as long. When it breaks don't whine, throw it away and buy another. After you've bought the third perhaps you'll look back and realize that if you paid more and bought the tool that not only will last your life time but your kids as well you'd have been money ahead.

[RP]

Just face it human nature to put down or pick on someone or something someone has to make ourself fell better. If i had the best or most expensive press I might fall into putting down another press to make me feel better about how much I spent on it. This most likely wont go over good but if you think about its the truth. Lee is a good starter press and for alot all they will ever need.

[Roundnoser]

Since this a Lee equipment thread, I figure I'd throw this out.

Very Soon, I will be selling my Lee Loadmaster. Before listing it on this forum, I was wondering if there is any interest (Don't want to hijack the intent of this thread!)...

It is in excellent condition (all of my equipment is well-cared for) and has worked flawlessly for me....Keep it clean, and it runs like a champ! I have approx. 20,000 rounds through it. It is set up in 9mm with factory crimp die added. Also a 40 S&W conversion with extra turret, extra Pro Auto Disc powder measure and universal decapping die. Also, 38 / 357 mag. dies with appropriate shell plate. All three calibers are carbide die sets.

Some extras: Original factory supplied repair parts, extra primer shuttles and primer shute, case collator, and primer blast shield, 2 sets of powder disks.

I originally purchased the press in 38 / 357, so the case feeder is ready to be set up for 38s. A "small" case feeder shuttle / push bar would be needed to work with 9mm and 40 SW.

I'd like to make a deal with somebody here instead of E-bay if possible (A win-win)...would even consider splitting USPS shipping if a fair price is agreed upon.

[FLDad]

All of the current manufacturers make some pretty nice stuff, and I'm not married to any brand. That said, I have to congratulate Lee Precision for offering affordable products that work well. And they continue to improve those products. Their classic cast press is now available in a breech-lock version, and the classic cast turret press is a real improvement over the previous model. I use it in single-stage, manual advance and auto advance modes, so my single-stage press is getting a little dusty. I like being able to load tons of good ammo without taking out a second mortgage, but that's just me. Lyman, Hornady and RCBS stuff also have their place on my bench.

[Char-Gar]

This thread has been going on so long I have changed my mind about Lee stuff. I now love it and will be selling a 50 year collection of high quality loading tools and going all Lee. Aluminum, plastic and pot metal have it all over cast iron and milled steel! Watch for the list of stuff I am selling. There will be some real bargain on vintage and now worthless reloading tools.

[Moonie]

Roundnoser, I for one would be very interested.

[jcwit]

This thread has been going on so long I have changed my mind about Lee stuff. I now love it and will be selling a 50 year collection of high quality loading tools and going all Lee. Aluminum, plastic and pot metal have it all over cast iron and milled steel! Watch for the list of stuff I am selling. There will be some real bargain on vintage and now worthless reloading tools.

Careful what you buy. Don't get any of the cast steel Lee presses.

[Char-Gar]

jcwit... Lee makes some cast iron presses, but no cast steel. Big difference!!! The last cast steel press of which I am aware was the RCBS A2 which has been out of print for well over 40 years. Used if you can find one, they sell for 3 times or more of what the Lee sells for.

[jcwit]

I was going by their advertising in the mags where they show RR rails to be smelted down to make their products. RR rails are steel, so maybe they are cast steel?, maybe cast iron?, mayhaps a mix of the two as are engine blocks today. A mix of iron and steel.

No, I care not to go looking for a 40 year old press steel or otherwise, already have way to much stuff alot older than that, Thank You. Plus I could care less what a 40 year old press sells for, even if I did find one.

[pmeisel]

Used to have friends in the foundry biz. The amount and type of scrap steel that goes into cast iron is sort of a recipe thing, just like there is more than one way to make meat loaf. They would get almost giddy talking about it sometimes....