@@@%$% Lee dies

[Polaris]

My lee dies in 7.62X54R are really getting on my nerves. Don't need the get what you pay for comments. I've used lots of Lee products over the years and until now have no complaints. I really like their collet neck dies.

Why they designed the decapper/expander with that stupid collet instead of a threaded rod with a stop nut like every other die on the market eludes me completely. With the first couple of loadings, they worked fine although a bit of a pain to get the decap rod set to the right depth. Now the necks have thickened a tad and I cant get the expander through the necks without pulling out the decap/expander spindle through the collet. Doesn't matter how hard I tighten the collet down. I think the only solution would be to take a ball peen hammer to the top of the rod and mushroom it out and hope to end up with the right decap protrusion. Anybody else have that problem?

My solution was to order RCBS dies last night in a fit of utter frustration.

 

[BK]

Can't say that I have really used many Lee dies, just .44 Magnum dies, and the hand dies that require a hammer. I usually order Redding, but have been trying to pick up more Forster dies. I bought a second-hand LCD for my H&H, but haven't used it yet.

 

[Mortis]

I've not had your problem..... but then aqain...I've been accused of over tightening things.

Have you contacted Lee Customer Service about the problem???

 

[Richracer1]

The first & only Lee rifle die set I've used was for my 270WSM when I first started reloading. I was having issues chambering my loaded rounds when a friend looked at them an noticed they were bulged just below the bottle neck. He told me to go measure the diameter of the expander ball. The expander on this set was .272". At this point, I ordered an RCBS X-die set for the 270WSM and continue to buy RCBS die sets for the rifles I load for and never had another issue.

I do use Lee die sets for my 44 and 45 handguns, which they work great for.

 

[FOTIS]

I have them in many many calibers and have never had an issue

 

[JD338]

I have never used Lee dies. Lots of RCBS, some Hornady and a couple Redding.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

I've never had a problem with Lee dies; I use a lot of Forster, Redding and RCBS nowadays, however. I guess I'm becoming a "die snob."

 

[BK]

"Die snob". I like it!

 

[gerry]

"Die snob". I like it!

Would make a good signature line!

 

[Oldtrader3]

I guess, die snob am I!

 

[FOTIS]

Do you lube enough?

 

[duckcreekdick]

Out of curiosity, I'd take the spindle out entirely and resize a case. Measure the o.d. of the neck. Then re-install the spindle, inside neck lube another case and then resize. Compare neck diameter dimensions of both cases to see just how much you are reducing/expanding the necks.
You stated that the necks were getting a little thick after a few reloads. This means that that thickness gets constricted upon resizing and that the expander ball has to work that much harder coming back up thru a smaller hole. No offense meant, but it does not sound like a die problem.

 

[1Shot]

You need to lube the inside of the neck of the case and you also need to trim your cases to the proper length. The reason that Lee uses the collet system on the decapping rod is to keep you from breaking the decapping pin. If you will lube inside the case necks like you are supposed to and trim the cases to proper length then it should work properly with normal tightening of the collet. I have hand loaded for over 30 years and have used about every die make their is and Lee is just as good as any if properly used.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I replace all of my neck xpansion buttons with carbide ones, whever possible. This eliminates the need for lub in the neck and makes sizing better and easier.

 

[Polaris]

Necks lubed inside with dry pulverized mica. Never had a problem in any other dies or calibers.

Pulled everything apart and mic'd all the parts. Compared with my Lee FL 7.5 swiss die the spindle body is significantly larger in diameter than the x54r dies. Collet in the x54r also appears out of round and clogged with a metal burr. My RCBS dies arrived, so this winter if I get really bored I'll try a repair by clearing the collet slots and roughening the bearing surface on the spindle.

I do like their seating dies though so I guess now I've got a hybrid x54r setup.