Lee reloading dies

Reloading equipment, methods, load data, powder and projectile information.

Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by sungazer » 21 May 2018, 6:36 pm

Is your press a breech lock as the breech lock devices are very quick to change and lock up tight. But in setting the collet die I dont think it really matters how you set it the die just pushes the neck up against a mandrel. Reading back over the pages I think the dies may have better quality now as I havent heard of anybody doing much work to them.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by bladeracer » 21 May 2018, 6:41 pm

JimTom wrote:
bladeracer wrote:
JimTom wrote:Anyone have any recent experiences or opinions on Lee dies. I have a couple of sets and they seem to be fine however I am not sure I like the idea of the collet neck sizer. I have no logical reason for this other than there is a possibility of varying neck tension from one batch of reloads to another if the die isn’t set in the exact same place.




I use the collect neck dies in every caliber I can, brilliant design.
Why would your die not be set up the same every time?



The Lee dies I have don’t have a grub screw to lock off the collar in the same position as RCBS and Redding dies I’ve used do. Basically I am resetting my does every time I reload.
In saying that, I run the ram up, screw the die down, drop the ram then give the die another 1/2 a turn then screw down the collar so I guess the difference is negligible anyway.


It surely has the locknut and o-ring?
There isn't any set up required, you simply push the ram up as far as it goes, that's all there is to it.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by bladeracer » 21 May 2018, 6:44 pm

I bought two dozen of the lockable bushings before I worked out that the locknut and o-ring works just fine. I have three dozen of the non-locking bushings.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by JimTom » 21 May 2018, 7:07 pm

I nearly purchased the lockable bushings today as well however think that I shall refrain after reading the input into this thread today.
Blade racer I have found that if I don't turn the neck sizer another 1/2 turn then there isn't sufficient neck tension.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by JimTom » 21 May 2018, 7:10 pm

sungazer wrote:Is your press a breech lock as the breech lock devices are very quick to change and lock up tight. But in setting the collet die I dont think it really matters how you set it the die just pushes the neck up against a mandrel. Reading back over the pages I think the dies may have better quality now as I havent heard of anybody doing much work to them.



Mate I am just using a single sage simplex press. In all honesty the Lee dies seem to be fine for my purposes, however I still have much to learn and I guess that has contributed to me allowing the seed of doubt to be seen by others who don't seem to like Lee dies.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by SCJ429 » 21 May 2018, 7:35 pm

For cheap dies I find that Lee produces ammo with very little runout, you have to go and get Wilsin or Redding dies to do any better. I have used the RGB $30 dies to produce ammo in a 22/250 that shoots in the low.2s from a factory rifle. I use Lee lube mixed with Balistol rubbed onto the case with my fingers. Feel the case into the die and if it doesn't feel smooth pull it back out and rub the case again with your fingers and turn the case a little. Then get back to sizing, don't just ram it into the die. Not too much lube or you will dent the case. This is mainly a problem with big cases like a 378 WM but you can get little cases like a 223 stuck if you try hard enough. Light thin lube all over your case and a delicate touch resizing will save you stuck case frustration.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by Cooper » 21 May 2018, 8:31 pm

You can buy lock rings for the dies. I have a Lee press with the breech lock system. So I pretty much have a breech lock on every die I own. Although it should be pretty easy to set the neck sizing die up the same every time? Simply screw in until it contact shell holder then turn 2 full turns for a Lee press. Think it is one full turn for other presses.

If your not getting consistent neck tension. I'd try cleaning and lubing the top of the collet. I had to polish the mandrel in my 223 collet neck die as it wasn't providing enough tension. Also after sizing case I usually spin case in shell holder and size it again. Effectively sizing it twice. seems to work for me.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by JimTom » 21 May 2018, 8:33 pm

Thanks mate.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by bladeracer » 21 May 2018, 8:41 pm

JimTom wrote:I nearly purchased the lockable bushings today as well however think that I shall refrain after reading the input into this thread today.
Blade racer I have found that if I don't turn the neck sizer another 1/2 turn then there isn't sufficient neck tension.


I can't understand that, all you have to do is ensure the ram goes _all the way up_, as in it can't go any further. That is all that is required to operate the collect that sizes the neck. I've never found any need to back off the collet from fully closed.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by bladeracer » 21 May 2018, 8:49 pm

Cooper wrote:You can buy lock rings for the dies. I have a Lee press with the breech lock system. So I pretty much have a breech lock on every die I own. Although it should be pretty easy to set the neck sizing die up the same every time? Simply screw in until it contact shell holder then turn 2 full turns for a Lee press. Think it is one full turn for other presses.

If your not getting consistent neck tension. I'd try cleaning and lubing the top of the collet. I had to polish the mandrel in my 223 collet neck die as it wasn't providing enough tension. Also after sizing case I usually spin case in shell holder and size it again. Effectively sizing it twice. seems to work for me.


The only reason I can think of that the die wouldn't simply be locked and let in that position forever would be if you only have one breechlock bushing. There is no reason to be setting it up all the time. But with the collet die it doesn't need to be "set up" at all, screw the die right down into the press if you want, the result will be the same, all you need do is push the ram up as far possible. Only the seating and crimp dies need to be set to a specific height.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by bladeracer » 21 May 2018, 8:53 pm

Cooper wrote:You can buy lock rings for the dies. I have a Lee press with the breech lock system. So I pretty much have a breech lock on every die I own.


Yep, you need bushings for each die, dozens of them. It is possible to use one bushing by putting two locknuts on each die, but it defeats the value of using a bushing press.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by bladeracer » 21 May 2018, 8:58 pm

JimTom wrote:Mate I am just using a single sage simplex press. In all honesty the Lee dies seem to be fine for my purposes, however I still have much to learn and I guess that has contributed to me allowing the seed of doubt to be seen by others who don't seem to like Lee dies.


I'm not familiar with Simplex stuff, but is it possible it restricts travel in some way that prevents it from operating the neck collet? The die has to be set low enough for the ram to push the collet up into the die. Don't set it up like a full length die.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by JimTom » 21 May 2018, 9:00 pm

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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by JimTom » 21 May 2018, 9:01 pm

Only difference is I only go a half turn once the die touches the ram.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by bladeracer » 21 May 2018, 9:15 pm

JimTom wrote:Only difference is I only go a half turn once the die touches the ram.


It should work fine then. I'm guessing you're not using bushings, which is why you need two locknuts, or a lockable locknut.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 22 May 2018, 8:10 am

I mark all my dies.. but I have a turret press.

The other question I came up with yesterday is my buddies say they don't crimp their brass and projectiles. So just seat it and fire. As the proj doesn't have any cranuls.

I was going to reload some with crimps and some without and check
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by bladeracer » 22 May 2018, 8:15 am

Ziad wrote:I mark all my dues.. but I have a turret press.

The other question I came up with yesterday is my buddies say they don't crimp their brass and primers. So just seat it and fire. As the proj doesn't have any cranuls.

I was going to reload some with crooks and some without and check


You rarely need to crimp bullets, and I would never try to crimp primers.
I crimp .38 Special and .44 Magnum, because I load them in tubular mags where they get banged about by recoil.
I also crimp 6.5x52mm because the bullets come loose in the mag due to recoil.
I don't crimp anything else, but I would crimp any handgun ammo for reliability.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by sungazer » 22 May 2018, 8:19 am

I never put a crimp on any of my bullets even 308 in a Mag at least so far. I would probably rather go with a tighter neck tension over crimping if you have that option.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by gunnnie » 22 May 2018, 8:46 am

I use Lee dies primarily, with over 30 sets of dies on the shelf. I also own Super & Master Simplex, Hornady, Redding, RCBS & Dillon, but will always look for set in Lee before any other. The Lee Ultimate dies are perfect as far as I'm concerned, with collet & crimp dies included.

Press wise, I run a Super Simplex 6-hole turret, Simplex Master turret, RCBS Junior O-frame, Lee Classic Cast O-frame, Lee Classic Progressive & Dillon Square Deal. Aside from the Dillon & Super Simplex, all the presses work just fine with the Lee dies.

I've had reloaders whinge & complain about the RGB dies being poorly finished etc, but I've never had an issue with them. Granted, I do take the extra step of giving the internal surfaces a bit of a polish with either toothpaste or polishing rouge. That said, I have used the RGB dies without this added step, all without issue.

For the reloader on a tight budget Lee dies are No:1 in my books. :thumbsup:
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by bladeracer » 22 May 2018, 8:52 am

bladeracer wrote:I crimp .38 Special and .44 Magnum, because I load them in tubular mags where they get banged about by recoil.


To clarify, .44 Mag loads are 385gn each, .38 Special are 265gn each. When you fire the first .44 mag and still have ten in the mag, nine of those are pushing against the first bullet, plus the pressure of the mag spring fully compressed. That's a quarter of a kilogram that comes crashing back against the bullet under recoil. That's why I crimp the bullet for tube mags. The first round only needs to withstand that thump once before you fire it. As the mag empties, the forces are reduced, but each of those rounds is thumped with every shot fired. The second last round in the mag has been hit ten times with that 385gn weight by the time you finally chamber it and pull the trigger. That is not the time to discover that the bullet has been pushed back into the case...
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 22 May 2018, 9:09 am

Makes sense. Also edited my post and apologies about my phone autocorrect going crazy.

I think I crimped my first lot as there wasnt enough tension on the neck and the proj kept falling in.. which I realised and have now fixed the issue.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by bladeracer » 22 May 2018, 9:19 am

Ziad wrote:Makes sense. Also edited my post and apologies about my phone autocorrect going crazy.


I've only moved to a smart phone a few weeks ago and last night I tried using it to read the forum. I now understand what the problems are with autocorrect :-)
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by Oldbloke » 22 May 2018, 4:43 pm

bladeracer wrote:
Ziad wrote:Makes sense. Also edited my post and apologies about my phone autocorrect going crazy.


I've only moved to a smart phone a few weeks ago and last night I tried using it to read the forum. I now understand what the problems are with autocorrect :-)



The BIG question is how do you correct auto correct.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 22 May 2018, 9:03 pm

Hmm a friend said type the word if it auto corrected wrong chose the right. Type again again and choose the right do that 5 or 10 times... works for a month then it's back to saying jane instead of have fir me
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 30 May 2018, 3:06 pm

Hi guys, another question if I am using lee collet dies do I not use lube as per lee business ie should I still use lube.

The other thing I need to physically tap the depriming pin or it gets out of alignment ants doesn't hit the hole the first time
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by marksman » 30 May 2018, 4:26 pm

have a look at this
leeprecision.com/instructions.html
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xqVpNnUVQU

its easier than me trying to explain and confusing you :thumbsup:
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 31 May 2018, 7:02 am

As I said the instructions don't say use lube when using collet die.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by sungazer » 31 May 2018, 8:34 am

You dont need any lube when using the Lee neck collet die. The body of the die does not make close / tight contact with the case, only the neck is pressed in and then released.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by marksman » 31 May 2018, 11:50 am

you dont need to lube the cases with lee collet dies :thumbsup:
only the full length sizing die
I do polish the fingers of the collet and the mandrel, the die functions better IMO
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by sungazer » 31 May 2018, 12:06 pm

That polishing is a once off if needed though. I have looked and at and purchased several mandrels to get the right size and not found that they need polishing. Reading forums from the past does indicate that they needed some touch ups in the past though more so on the fingers I think they may of once had only three fingers as well. lee are pretty good on updating their products with small improvements. I have seen 3 just in the latest version of their primer that I know of due to broken bits being replaced. Bentaz I don't understand your post are you in the camp for lube or not needed?
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