Lee reloading dies

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

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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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by sungazer » 31 May 2018, 2:28 pm

I sort of got the dirty part of the joke / post :D just could work out if there was a double meaning. :unknown: Im a bit slow. :oops:
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 31 May 2018, 4:00 pm

I strongly feel too much lube is never enough esp when trying to squeeze your big brass into tight cavities
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 20 Jun 2018, 9:31 am

My lee FL sie just attacked my finger, through the nail... and it hurts

Lol
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by bones-350 » 31 Mar 2019, 8:33 pm

When I started reloading I read so often Lee Dies are not that good. So I went for forster dies on my 223, 22.250, and 30.06. I got a 243w rifle and went for Lee Premium Die set. To be honest I found the Lee Dies much better. I went out and got Lee Dies for the 223 and 30.06. And guess which Dies are used the most now? Lee Dies 99% of the time produce my ammo spot on my ogive measurements. Forster Dies are not as consistent as Lee Dies those are my findings.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by SCJ429 » 31 Mar 2019, 9:43 pm

How strange, I thought you wrote the same thing in another old thread.
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Re: Lee reloading dies

Post by TassieTiger » 01 Apr 2019, 11:08 am

I have hornady dies and Lee dies. I prefer the hornady dies for two reasons.
No lock nut on the Lee die, so once the die is set up and in place - when you remove it the lock nut spins and throws out all your previous measurements.
The hornady bullet seating die has an extending nose, that drops down, that helps hold / centre the projectile - the lee does not.

TBH - the hornady dies just look better made to my untrained eye...price is negligible between the two.
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