Is the Lee product as bad as they say?

[dskinsler83]

Ok so i really want to know from people who have started out with or still use Lee reloading equipment. I had chance to buy a Dillon SDB and passed it up cause i really havnt had alot of trouble out of my Lee stuff and i just re did my bench to better handle all my stuff centered around the lee bench plate which i really like. so come on i have a three hole turret manual index a pro 1k and a lee single stage reloader. i do hand prime most the time or use the press mounted saftey prime.

[dbxdm9]

Confused. You are asking if Lee products are bad but you say you have several and think they are good?

[Tom S.]

If you are asking about their progressives, I can only speak to the 1000 since I never owned a Loadmaster. But I did own two 1000's and ended up giving them away. The problems I had with them was primer feeding, indexing, and worst of all, the powder measure sticking. After having to weigh over 300 9mm rounds to see which ones had powder and which didn't, I got rid of the Lee's and bought a 650XL. And I've never regretted buying the Dillon, not even for a millisecond.

[dskinsler83]

I guess just looking for peoples opinions I dont mind my Lee stuff but i always hear the die hard blue fans ya know where are the die hard lee fans lol i really love lee dies

[Tom S.]

Well, if you are talking about all Lee products, then it's different. They make very decent and affordable dies, single stage and turret presses and I've used one of their hand primers for short reloading runs of rifle ammo for years. I thought you were asking about their progressive press line.

[at_liberty]

I think the better question is whether you would enjoy using more expensive equipment. I expect the answer for most would be "yes". The ultimate question is whether you coud afford it or whether you would actually be giving up a feature just to have an easier time with the basic machine. For me, that means I can only consider machines and pricing that include auto-indexing and a case feeder. I actually have a bullet feeder too but will concede that feeding bullets with a free hand is not a big deal and gives me the chance to look for a powder charge. For example, a Dillon 650 XL with case feeder would be 3-4 times the price of a Lee Loadmaster. Sometimes I think we hide or deny what the true cost of serious reloading really is.

Edited August 27, 2010 by at_liberty

[The_Vigilante]

I just bought a 550 but also use a Lee Loadmaster which is Lee's Top of the Line Progressive. I have had very few problems with the Loadmaster which I purchased from another Forum member. However, I do not use the Loadmaster to de-prime and prime. Also have a Lee Classic Single Stage and Lee Classic Turret press and haven't had any problems with either. In the end I guess it depends who you talk to!

[Supermoto]

I have loaded a ton of ammo with the LEE pro 1000. It is a little finicky but you can get it to run. I recently picked up a Hornady LNL with the case feeder. its not loading any better or faster than the LEE.

[Graham Smith]

I assume you are referring to the progressives. I started with a Lee 1000 and probably would have kept on using it for 9mm if it had a 4 position tool head. I still have it and I still use it for pre-processing .40 and I still think that the case feeder is one of the simplest and slickest things I've seen. I also had a bullet feeder for the Lee Pro and with a small modification it worked pretty well also. As far as the primer system, I rarely had a problem with it and when I did, it was usually easy to fix.

I was less impressed with the Load Master. I thought it was a bit too fussy which I attribute to the design being less simple. I also think that the primer system was a bit more prone to problems - the kind where you need a spare part or two. But I rigged my modified bullet feeder on it and plowed through a huge pile of 9mm on it one weekend - I still have some of that ammo left.

When I decided to start shooting .40 rather than 9mm, I also decided that the one thing I really didn't like about the Lee presses was that they were auto indexing. I know that sounds like a strange reason to switch presses but I have found that I really am much happier with a manually indexing press like the 550 - I just plain like simple.

So my answer is no, I do not think that the Lee progressives are inherently bad. I do think that if Lee could take the simplicity of the Lee Pro and scale it up and put a 4 position tool head on it, and beef up a couple of the parts in the primer system, they would have a much better press but...

One caveat: Both presses take a fair amount of fiddling to get set up right. And they both have a tendency to run perfectly well for a several hundred rounds then suddenly and for no apparent reason, go weird so that you have to fiddle with them, find nothing wrong, have more trouble, fiddle with them, find nothing wrong, and then have them work just find for several hundred more rounds. That's the biggest down side.

[Jman]

The Lee Classic Turret could easily be the best press pound for pound made. Tremendous dollar value. It produced some of the most accurate and reliable ammo I ever turned out. The powder and primer dispensing devices the Lee Pro Auto-Disk Powder Measure and the Lee Safety Prime respectively are worth their weight in gold as far as I'm concerned.

It has it's negatives of course. You will, with some effort and organization skills turn out ~200 in a hour no problem. That, for the majority of us is fine.

Plus if you have NO mechanical aptitude you will struggle with much of their gear. But if you can change your air filter and spark plugs, if you can remove, clean and replace your mowers carburetor you'll be all over this stuff. If you honestly can't, you should pass.

[RayBar]

I started loading on a loadmaster in 45 acp. I was able to crank out 1000 rounds an hour on it. It's a pain in the ass to get it set up right. I didn't set it up to the owners manual recommendations but had to figure out for myself what it took to make it work. As long as you know what to look for and address it before problems arise, everything would be fine. The biggest problem I had with it was vibrations from the case feed rod/actuator assembly. It would cause primers to feed sideways. That and I had to keep an eye on the shell plate & tool head nuts from coming too loose from time to time.

I no longer use the loadmaster as I switched to a 1050 (due to limited space & also started doing 9mm, 308, & 6.8 soon). The load master now just sits in one corner of my garage. Not a bad press for what you pay if you don't mind the head aches in the begining.

Edited August 27, 2010 by RayBar

[98sr20ve]

Lots of priming issues reported in this thread. That is Lee's Progressives biggest issue. The Lee Classic Turret is a good press. Besides the Classic Line I would not buy another Lee.

[CatsEye]

My Lee Pro 1000 has cranked out 10K+ without a single problem.

[sargenv]

Not to mention their 6 cavity high production bullet molds.. I can really crank out a lot of bullets in a short time with those. I haven't had any issues at all with them once they warm up a little. With the heavier bullets, it is difficult to keep the 20 pound pot full.. for the money, they are nice additions to my casting setup. I have reloading dies by Lee, Dillon, Lyman, Hornady, and last but not least RCBS. They all turn out good ammo.

[benos]

Ok so i really want to know from people who have started out with or still use Lee reloading equipment. I had chance to buy a Dillon SDB and passed it up cause i really havnt had alot of trouble out of my Lee stuff and i just re did my bench to better handle all my stuff centered around the lee bench plate which i really like. so come on i have a three hole turret manual index a pro 1k and a lee single stage reloader. i do hand prime most the time or use the press mounted saftey prime.

I had a customer on the phone tell me once that he was so disgusted with his Lee Pro 1000, that he had to put it in the closet because he couldn't stand to look at it. And over the years, I've had many customers order Dillon's because they we're unhappy with theil Pro 1000's. I'm not a salesman, just reporting my experience.

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[Chris iliff]

I am going to be positive, so here goes. I really like Lee dies!

[larry cazes]

One caveat: Both presses take a fair amount of fiddling to get set up right. And they both have a tendency to run perfectly well for a several hundred rounds then suddenly and for no apparent reason, go weird so that you have to fiddle with them, find nothing wrong, have more trouble, fiddle with them, find nothing wrong, and then have them work just find for several hundred more rounds. That's the biggest down side.

Both my Dillon 550 and 1050 exhibit these traits as well. Do an honest look back at the archives and see how many folks have to modify their Dillon presses to make them reliable. This is not really a good measure since there really isn't anything out there that is rock solid reliable.

[jmorris]

I have quite a bit of Lee products and they have all worked for me but I have never owned any of the progressive presses. I have worked on a few because the owners knew I enjoy “tinkering” and the impression I walked away with is that you should own one, if you like to tinker with the press to keep it running 100%.

[J-Ho]

I've never used Lee progressives but I have a pretty blue press but I still keep my old turret press around. It is great for small batches of ammo. I shoot with some old school military rifles and for a match will sometimes only need 20 rounds. The turret press makes good ammo and is very fast to switch from one caliber to another. If you are looking at upgrading to a progressive loader, I would. Use the progressive for your high volume stuff and keep the Lee around for the little things.

[Team Amish 1]

I've got a couple loadmasters, one for .45, the other for 9.

The dies are good, I really enjoy the "factory crimp die" in the fifth station. Never had feed issues or bulges on my ammo because it resizes the whole cartridge after the bullet seating step.

The powder disks are pretty good, too. Unless I use a huge, flaky powder, I always get very consistent charges.

The case feeder works well and almost all brass lands with the headstamp down, ready for loading.

What I dislike, strongly, very strongly dislike, is the turret getting out of alignment or whatever the case might be after a 10 or so 1000 rounds and then the auto-indexing needs a little help from my left hand to keep moving through the stations. I understand that Lee has some warranty and probably fixes my problem if I get in touch with them.

The other thing is the priming mechanism being made of plastic and accordingly wearing quicker than coveralls made of toilet paper. Primers then come in sideways, upside down, get stuck, etc. I ripped that puppy out and and am now handpriming everything. Takes longer but gives me great control over how worn my 9 Major primer pockets are and how to seat my .45 primers properly for my revo.

All in all, it could be worse (could be raining).

Have to admit, though, if I knew how to bribe Santa, I'd ask him about a 1050.

Edited September 2, 2010 by Team Amish 1

[ScottyPotty]

I assume you are referring to the progressives. I started with a Lee 1000 and probably would have kept on using it for 9mm if it had a 4 position tool head. I still have it and I still use it for pre-processing .40 and I still think that the case feeder is one of the simplest and slickest things I've seen. I also had a bullet feeder for the Lee Pro and with a small modification it worked pretty well also. As far as the primer system, I rarely had a problem with it and when I did, it was usually easy to fix.

I was less impressed with the Load Master. I thought it was a bit too fussy which I attribute to the design being less simple. I also think that the primer system was a bit more prone to problems - the kind where you need a spare part or two. But I rigged my modified bullet feeder on it and plowed through a huge pile of 9mm on it one weekend - I still have some of that ammo left.

When I decided to start shooting .40 rather than 9mm, I also decided that the one thing I really didn't like about the Lee presses was that they were auto indexing. I know that sounds like a strange reason to switch presses but I have found that I really am much happier with a manually indexing press like the 550 - I just plain like simple.

So my answer is no, I do not think that the Lee progressives are inherently bad. I do think that if Lee could take the simplicity of the Lee Pro and scale it up and put a 4 position tool head on it, and beef up a couple of the parts in the primer system, they would have a much better press but...

One caveat: Both presses take a fair amount of fiddling to get set up right. And they both have a tendency to run perfectly well for a several hundred rounds then suddenly and for no apparent reason, go weird so that you have to fiddle with them, find nothing wrong, have more trouble, fiddle with them, find nothing wrong, and then have them work just find for several hundred more rounds. That's the biggest down side.

This has been my experience with Lee too - Priming off the press, have trouble, make adjustment, runs good then has trouble, make another adjustment. When I picked up my 650 and got it tuned in it was the first time I could prime on the press and run and run and run with out stoppages (except for powder, primers)

I like Lees turret press, case feeder, universal decaper,

Edited September 2, 2010 by ScottyPotty

[kamikaze1a]

I own/use several Lee 1000's and though I occasionally have problems too, I will continue to use them. My biggest reason is the reasonable cost. It's affordable enough to have one press for each "caliber" and I don't have to deal with changing shell holders, die plates or adjust powder measure when I convert.

I also like Lee's shell feeder that is such a simplistic approach to a tedious chore. Lee's Auto-disk powder measure would not be my choice for small charges or use with flaky powders but it works "okay". Their infamous primer system too can be problematic but if you keep the chute clean, clean it regularly and keep any lube out of the chute, it works. I sort my brass primarily for smoother priming because some brass like S&B have tight pockets. By loading one brand of brass at a time, I can more easily tell if the resistance when seating is because the primer is askew or a tight pocket. When seating, if I feel resistance, I stop, rotate/spin the shell (in the shell plate) about 180° and it will then usually click and then seat.

Granted there are other more expensive, smoother, maybe even less problematic presses but I'd rather spend the money I saved to buy more components or firearms than spend of presses that cost several times more than the Lee 1000. I like them...but I wouldn't mind being wealthy enough to afford multiple Dillions.

[gohuskers]

Part of the issue may be that people who use lee, hornady, etc. have nothing to compare it to. If all i've ever used were these loaders then I wouldn't know how good dillon really is...thankfully I bought the best (IMO) and will stick with it.

[Maksim]

Lee presses are a great bang for the buck. Not going to get into the Blue debate... but if I was going to shell out that kind of money I would get the Hornady lnl. I dont want to pay for the warranty for the guys after me.

I have a Lee Classic Turret and a Lee Pro 1000.

For rifle, the Classic Turret is hard to beat. for pistol, yes I will agree, the Lee Pro has a junk primer system. lol

So what I do now is Resize, deprime, prime on the classic turret, then do the rest, powder, bullet seat, factory crimp on the Pro.

[MikaelR]

I've been using Pro1000 for 9mm and 38/357 and I dont have any problem with them.

Sure, the priming Can be a pain if you dont watch out. Always make sure primers are lined up in the "tube" and keep it clean and indexed.

So if you just pay attention you can have a good press for close to no money and thus be able to spend the rest of your hard earned cash on bullets/powder/primers and isnt that a Whole lot more fun?

The thing that make me think about either get the loadmaster or some other press with four-five stations is that I miss the chance to use a powder check, when loading 9's there's no problem to see if you have powder. But for .38's its a bit tricky.

I've had no problems with missing powder but a friend of mine have had some problems with squibs. If he's just clumsy of if it's the fact he's got the old powder measure I'll leave unsaid (but guessing on the latter ).

I have no problem whatsoever to recommend Lee to my friends

They run great as long as you set it up properly and watch the primers!