Why I disdain Lee Tools

[howlnmad]

I have to go along with those that dislike the Lee scale. I am starting to think however that I may be the reason I don't like it. Maybe I just didn't take enough time to work with it. No going back to it now..... I shot it.
Another complaint would be with their customer service. My first press was a Lee Challenger press. After several years of use the aluminum links broke. I called Lee and I was informed that they had been upgraded to steel and they would be more than happy to sell me new ones.

 

[jcwit]

Their warranty is very limited compared to most of the others.

Hope this shows just how "poor" their warranty is. lol

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=648048

Most any manufacturer has their pluses and minuses across their product line, this is true whether we're discussing reloading, autos, tools, or whatever. Those who think otherwise are just foolish.

 

[Jim243]

There are some members who issue blanket opinions on how bad some makers' equipment is, condemning entire product lines without offering evidence.

Lost Sheep, this is not like you. I have had the same problem with posts here, join me over at THR. Equipment bashing seems to be the rule here or at least that's what it looks like.

Red, green, red or blue, what works for you is OK we each have our own preferences.

All I can say is that Lee's warranty is not great, but their prices are super great, a lot of people would never gotten into reloading without using their equipment.

Good luck to all, and see you at THR.
Jim

 

[Arub]

I started reloading about 6 or 7 years ago with a well used Lee four hole turret I got off the internet. The only part I have had to replace to date is the connecting link that wallowed out last year. Cost of replacement was $5 American. I reload 9mm, .357 mag, 44 mag, 45 auto, .40 S&W and .45 Colt with it. My daughters felt sorry for me using a beat up old press and bought me a new Lee four hole Turret for Christmas. Now I have two. Other than the connecting link ($5) and replacing a plastic bushing for the auto indexer (was included with the used press) I have come to love the Lee turret.

The only complaint I have has been addressed a couple of times on this post series - the scale. Their scale is very sensitive, in fact too sensitive for my likings. I weigh every charge for every round I load and I don't have the patience to wait for the scale to settle out between charges. The scale lacks dampening like the RCBS I repaced it with. Any slight breeze or draft in the reloading room and the Lee scale goes ballistic. However, it is highly accurate if uou can isolate it from drafts and only use it to sample otherwise measured loads.

 

[TXGunNut]

Funny thing about bashing is that one disgruntled poster may find the support of one or two other posters but most folks will disagree. Seems to me the product being bashed generally gets a positive overall result. I'd be willing to bet Richard Lee gains a new customer every time someone decides to bash his products.

 

[sir_n0thing]

I bought Lee equipment to get started in reloading without tearing my bank account apart. Everything worked exactly as advertised.
The only item I did not like was the safety scale. I ended up buying a Dillon scale off coworker, and it's been way easier to use... which is a good thing for a new reloader. I imagine getting the charge weight wrong is one of the bigger "bad things" that I'd rather avoid.
The Lee scale felt cheap and "fiddly". I never felt confident that it was adjusted properly and weighing accurately. Seemed like just breathing at it could throw it out of calibration or something. Might be just me, but I had no confidence in it.

 

[jcwit]

I have just about every color on my bench, even some unpainted Sinclair stuff, all of it works well, some better than others, some not so good, but all of it works as needed.

I've owned cars from every American manufacturer, from Studebaker on. all ran as needed, some more comfortable than others, some not, but they all got me to where I needed to be got.

Only manufacturer I actually really disdain is Smart Reloader and that is because they are an Italian company getting their products made in china with a warranty where you need to return anything defective to Italy. Their pricing structure is comparable to U.S. made products which makes it even more ridiculous to purchase them with the shape our economy is in. Plus, when looking carefully at their products the all seem to be direct copies of U.S. companies products. If it was a fake Rolex watch the out cry would be loud and long.

Oh well, I guess I've now spoken my piece.

 

[jhenry]

I have quite a few Lee dies, rifle and pistol. I have had complete satisfaction with them. I also have a Lee single stage press that gets used regularly, no problems there either. My other stuff is from other makers so I can not comment on the quality or user friendliness of Lee's scales, powder measure (except dippers) and so on. I do have Lee priming tool, works just great. I suppose I am a Lee fan with no apologies at all.

 

[mikld]

I was a heavy equipment mechanic/electrician for 25+ years working for a large city Power company. Most of the shops I worked in had at least 4 other mechanics and as many as 15. I saw a lot of what I call "tool snobery". Guys would buy tools solely because of their name (SnapOn, MAC, etc.). Some would buy tools because of their price (the most expensive must be the best, right?). And some would buy tools because their favorite NASCAR pit crew, or their favorite TV motorcycle builder used them. I've found reloading tools to be much the same; there are those that buy equipment solely because of their name, and some because they are the most expensive (cost the most so it's gotta make the best ammo, right?). I'm sure there are those too, that make purchases based on what their favorite gun writer uses.

Then there are those that buy tools because they work (Craftsman, Williams, etc.), and those that purchase reloading equipment because they can make good, accurate, and safe ammo with them (Lee)...

 

[Mike Irwin]

"Reputation matters to me. At times, you have very little else to go on, as this thread demonstrates.

Lee has a bad reputation, others have much better reputations."

That doesn't make much sense.

What would you rather go on... generic "reputation" on the web that someone's uncle's brother's dog's father's sister's son's nephew's friend's acquaintance once chipped a fingernail on a Lee die, so they're the crappiest crap that has ever been crapped?

Or out and out first hand testimony from a dozen or more people who have used Lee products for years, can testify to their utility, usability, durability, and suitability for reloading ammunition?


If you're going to go with the "well, I heard on the internet that...", I hear that Wikipedia has high-paying jobs open as entry editors...

 

[wingman]

"Reputation matters to me. At times, you have very little else to go on, as this thread demonstrates.
Lee has a bad reputation, others have much better reputations."

Odd statement, I would thing Lee sells higher numbers of dies and machines simply due to cost so therefore you will see more comment on Lee vs Dillon.

Over 40 years I've used Dillon,lee Lyman, Rcbs, all have there faults mostly it's a matter of how the tools are set up and maintained,I've never had a failure with any reloading product other then a Dillon cartridge cleaner motor.

In today's world of global economy and poor quality control reloading tools are IMO the least to be concerned with when purchasing.

 

[wncchester]

What amuses me is some guys louding claiming they KNOW Lee makes "junk" because they had "the Lee press" and it broke while resizing. That's worthless 'info' because Lee makes the widest range of presses on the market. By not saying what failed for them is lumping the tiny "Reloader" (an excellent little press for what it was made for by the way) along with a massive "Classic Cast" for total strength and that's just silly!

Most of those that do get broken is due to the user misusing the tool and then blaming IT for their screw-up! If someone is so clumsy he needs cast iron tools he should get cast iron to start with, no one who has a cast iron/steel Classic Cast has any cause for concern about a lack of strength.

Ditto claims bout Dillons better progressives; they are made at a different price point for different needs, buying less than you need is as foolish as paying for more than you need.

Bottom line, know what you need and get it. Brand or color of any tool isn't the issue, knowing what the smell you're doing when selecting it is.

 

[dunerjeff]

I used to buy one brand(I'll say X) of pickup(it was what my whole family liked),I had three new ones in a row.I got sick of the constant interior rattles and plastic squeeks(my last one,I had chucks of paper crammed between dashboard parts within three days,even after multiple warantee repairs,I still had chunks stuffed in the dash four yrs later when I traded for another brand(Y). For about 6months I had a $100 bill in my wallet because every brand X guy,when I told them I was sick of the rattles,inssisted "their truck doesn't have any", I would bet them that $100 that we go 2 miles out and 2miles back I WILL point out a rattle. Out of 14ish guys that I tried to bet, NOT 1 would take the bet. Why not?
Every time I here "I've never had any problems with all my Lee products",That truck story is the first thing I instantly think of. After I saw first hand what the products I bought looked like and didn't function,I will never believe. Just like you guys are bringing up how "brand blind" us others are, GO LOOK IN THE MIRROR
When I first read thid thread I knew just as soon as anybody says something bad about some Lee products, the fists would come out and every post from then on would be to try and cut down "how blind" the "others' are and not even allow any others to post without jumping on them.Wasn't this thread supposed to be about just the problems that someone had with any brand?Not to jump on anyone who posted ?
Do I think they make nothing but junk? No but they tend to have more issues from trying to make their products cheaper(price).

 

[jcwit]

I had a LEE press break, what a piece of...................................................................

No wait, I had a Lee C Press break because I tried to size 30/06 and missed lubing some of the cases. I disassembled the press and sent the casting to LEE Precision with a letter explaining what I did and being as it was my fault I would send them a check for whatever they requested. I also made note to LEE that the age of the press was unknown but knew for a fact I had owned it for over 5 years.

In less than a week I received a package from LEE with a whole new press and a note that I owed them nothing, but to be sure to lube all cases.

Great customer service and excellent warranty=Great Company as are most of the companies we deal with in this hobby.

Just a thought, if Lee sold a press in the $350 dollar range, I'll bet folks would claim it was the best press on the market, but Lee wouldn't sell very many to really make it profitable.

 

[Luciano]

"new products for 2012 from Lee: Auto prime XR" ... so it only took Lee how many years to see how big the primer trays are?!

 

[Aguila Blanca]

I don't understand what you are asking. Do you have a problem with Lee reloading equipment, or not? If so, what's the problem? If not, why did you title the post as you did?

 

[chiefr]

I think Lee aluminum moulds are superior to any of the steel moulds that cost 4 times as much. All my casting equipment is Lee with the exception my bullet sizer. I have a Lee production pot that is well over 30 years old. THis pot has melted close to a ton of wheel weights and other scrap and it still works.

I like and use Lee dies, however I never liked their O-ring locknuts, especially for use on seating dies. I have replaced all of mine with the split ring type. O-rings are OK for sizing and belling. I do not like to have to adjust the seater constantly to compensate for the compression of the O-ring when I change dies. Their FCD and collet dies are outstanding.

The new Lee auto prime is a turkey in my opinion. The step up of the primers can allow a primer to fall out unless the unit is held a the proper angle. The flimsy tabs that are supposed to hold the cover in place break easily thus you have to hold or tape the cover down. I know 2 other people that have broken off at least one tab. Having said that, the old autoprime is a superior unit and I am fortunate to own one.

 

[Jim243]

But I would like to replace all 14 sets of Lee dies I have had for the last 8 years, but they just keep making great ammo. Yes, I have broken a few decaping pins (should not use them with a hammer to get stuck cases out). I don't even think I have cleaned them more than once, and they still keep going on.

Now for three (3) times the cost, I could get RCBS dies that crush my 357 cases, need more adjustments than a NASA rocket and gives me ulcers ( I do not like their locking rings they never stay locked, unlike the Lee's)

However, you will need a 12 gauge to get me to give up my Rockchucker press and I bought it used or my RCBS Charge Master 1500 (just won't happen).

And as far as Lyman is concerned I could live without their equipment except for their tumblers, mine is still working after 8 years of case cleaning about 30 or 40 thousand cases cleaned. And I just finished off trimming 500 223 cases with their Universal case trimmer (thank God that is done)

If someone has a problem with a product, well stuff happens, get it fixed or replaced, but like Lost Sheep said, DO NOT paint their whole product line as inferior.

Jim

 

[dacaur]

When I first read thid thread I knew just as soon as anybody says something bad about some Lee products, the fists would come out and every post from then on would be to try and cut down "how blind" the "others' are and not even allow any others to post without jumping on them.Wasn't this thread supposed to be about just the problems that someone had with any brand?Not to jump on anyone who posted ?
Do I think they make nothing but junk? No but they tend to have more issues from trying to make their products cheaper(price).

Interesting, I havent seen a single lee owner with their firsts up here... Whats funny is most lee owners dont get all up in arms when people diss lee, like I have seen other press owners do.
Generally its more of a "oh? you think lee is the crappiest crap ever? why? what specific problem did you have problems with.... Curiosity you know, we KNOW what a great product they make, so are curious what causes such rabid dislike of a brand... Just like I am curious what issues YOU have personally had with your lee products?

One recent thread asking about which pres to get a poster chimed in "anything but lee"... Of course after some prodding and more lee bashing it turned out he had never used a lee press in his life.... which I have found is the case for most lee bashers.
Of course there is the odd unlucky person that doesnt like lee because they got a few bad products in a row, which can happen to any MFG. I recently read a post about someone who bought a high-point pistol, which had some problems, but rather than take advantage of the lifetime warranty, they chose to stick it in a drawer and become a lifetime high-point basher... its sad really....
But for the most part, the people who are the loudest in their lee bashing, are the ones who know they paid way too much for their press because it wasn't red, and have never (and would never) touched a lee press in their life.

I dont think I have seen anyone say lee is the best product out there, but they are without a doubt the best product for the money, and honestly, deer and paper dont know what color your press is, they just know they now have holes in them....

 

[Sport45]

As long as folk keep proclaiming Lee to be the crappiest crap ever the prices will have to stay low. That way I can keep buying the stuff and won't have to increase my reloading budget.

Almost all of my dies are Lee and I don't have any trouble with any of them. Many have quite a bit of external rust. I never worried about oiling the outsides of the things so rusting is just something that happens to exposed steel in Houston area garages...

My Lee, Dillon, and Lyman presses all work fine. The rams shine, but the rest of the exposed steel shows some corrosion.

My Lyman tumbler has been working fine for at least a decade.

My Lee Safety Scale resides in its box. But then so does my Dillon beam balance. The PACT BBKII is just so much faster and easier I don't have much use for the beams. Yes, I do have check weights and use them.

It's all good.