# Lee reloading



## massmanute (Apr 23, 2012)

A couple of years ago I bought some stuff from a guy who specializes in selling reloading supplies. I went there because I figured I would support a local business, even though it was more expensive than some other places.

I mentioned that I had some Lee reloading equipment. He laughed in my face. (I am not speaking symbolically here.) Regardless of what one thinks of Lee reloading equipment, it was not good customer relations, and I don't think I will be buying anything else from him.

This anecdote sets up the question, what do you think of Lee reloading equipment?


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I have only one experience with them in my shell holders and they suck, magnum primers wont ever seat in far enough, got an RCBS and it works, how can they screw up a shell holder? My neighbor has their multi stage, it is the cheapest made thing ever, so many plastic moving parts. Clearly, just based on price they are the low cost option, they certainly are kind of the joke of the industry from many forums that I frequent, but I only have the one personal experience with them.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

I have eight presses so I have a few to compare. One of them is a Lee Challenger. I don't like how the primer arm(?) falls out when I put it back in it's box. Other than that small detail, it seats primers fine and works just as well as my other single stage presses.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

For seating primers I went to a Lee hand primer and haven't even thought of using the one on my press anymore. It is my opinion you can feel the primer seat and tell if you have a case that you might have to pay more attention to. It isn't built as sturdy as the one from RCBS or Hornady is but I have primed thousands of rounds with it and no problems yet.

I also have a Lee Load-All for 12 and 10 gauge shotgun shells and while a lot of it is made out of plastic I have put thousands of hulls through them with only minor problems that were mostly my fault. 

Now if you have a progressive press disregard the above.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Got a LEE Classic Turret for Christmas last year, set it up... put over 600 rounds through it over the summer... love it. My single stage RCBS sits in a box on a shelf. Dunno if i will ever use it again. Bought a few extra LEE toolheads, absolutely love how you only need to setup dies once for a specific caliber, after that you swap out the toolhead with another and you are up and loading a new caliber in seconds.

I have a RCBS hand primer which I used to use for all my priming but the build in lee system is just faster. Plastic yes... but it works. I asked around when i got the press last year on a few different forums and for the most part, guys love'em and have used them for 20+ years.

LEE comes up with simple easy solutions to problems... like their case trimmers. Once you see how they work you think "Duh, why didn't everyone else think of that". I like better quality scales and such, but for the core equipment, Lee is pretty good.

-DallanC


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

I like Lee dies too. I know they're on the cheaper side but they seem to have smoother machining. RCBS seems to have some pretty rough dies. Dallan, your opinion?


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I have alot of RCBS dies, quality seems fine on all of them. Never had an issue of any kind. I got LEE brand dies for my pistols (40sw, 380acp) and .223, they've been just as good. Keep'em clean and oiled and you should be fine.

Some day if I win the lotto, I'll buy a couple Dillon's but until then... 


-DallanC


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

i got the lee challenger kit for christmas. have not set it up yet.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Oh yea, one thing I love about the LEE Classic more than anything else is the brilliance to drill out the center of the ram to let primers fall right through. They all collect in a piece of vinyl tubing that is easily emptied. I've never had to chase a primer since like I had to with the RCBS press.

-DallanC


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## fishreaper (Jan 2, 2014)

I have a lee challenger set, and it has done me well. For accessories onto that, I typically go with anything but lee however. Lyman and RCBS have done me the best in terms of dies, tumblers, and other misc, but for the core things such as a single stage press, I can't see any more value being added with any dollar amount.


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## MKP (Mar 7, 2010)

I've been reloading for several years now, and as of yet, it's all been on a Lee hand press. So far it's handled everything from 223 to 300 Win Mag just fine. Haven't had any real problems with Lee dies either. All that being said, I really want to upgrade to a bench mounted press, and I wouldn't have a problem with it being a Lee.


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

i had a lee handpress up until i got my challenger kit a few days ago. used it for everything from .38 spc to .375 ruger. bout pop a blood vessel resizing the .375 brass though. cant wait to get my new press set up.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

35whelen said:


> i had a lee handpress up until i got my challenger kit a few days ago. used it for everything from .38 spc to .375 ruger. bout pop a blood vessel resizing the .375 brass though. cant wait to get my new press set up.


I have 4 presses including the Lee hand press. I use it from time to time, usually while watching TV. I find the cantilever design a little prone to tweaking from cranking on heavy or hard brass. Mine might be slightly bent, it's sticky on the back stroke, sometimes to a point that it pulls the cases 0.001" or so.

My neighbor reloads continuously and is a Lee guy. I borrow his Lee priming tool sometimes when my RCBS priming tool acts up. Lee dies sets are low cost and come with shell holders and factory crimp dies. I only have a couple Lee die sets. I started with RCBS and stayed with them.

Off the Lee subject a little:
I have a Herter's Model 81 dual-ram press with all the shell holders, shell holder adapters and primer tool gizmoids. It's an interesting boat anchor of a reloading press. I should set it up and do a thread on it.

.

.


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

My only experience with Lee products is a couple of die sets and collet dies. I really like the neck sizing collet dies for my .223, 25-06, and 7 Rem Mag. 

I was a little apprehensive about the seating die as the stem would move a bit when seating bullets. When I measured my rounds with my comparator, everything came out just as precise as my Hornady dies. I think they are a good buy for the money.


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## kd7kmp (Sep 17, 2007)

I've been using Lee equipment for years. I have a Lee Classic 4-hole Turret Press...it works great. I don't need a true progressive as I don't shoot in large quantities. I have a few die sets from Lyman and RCBS, but that's for cartridges where I feel Lee dies are a bit lacking. Otherwise, I have no reason to spend more money on the red, green, blue, etc., branded equipment as that's money I can spend elsewhere.

Kevin


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