New to reloading - most economical calibre

[boff180]

Not poppycock, my experience.

The vast majority of items that I have purchased which have been Lee have either broken within an unacceptable time period (2x Hand Primers failed in the same place with metal coming away), haven’t done the job properly (38-55 dies not really being for a 38-55) or were just plain inconsistent (Powder thrower). The only thing I have that I have found that are good is the Powder dippers!

All of the above had to be replaced by RCBS or Dillon equipment which i found to be better made, did a better job (particularly the RCBS cowboy dies), were far more reliable and still going strong without any issues after thousands of rounds.

That’s not to say other manufacturers don’t also produce naff products, I find the Lyman #55 Powder thrower as inconsistent as the Lee ones, in fact the only Powder thrower I have come across which is spot on every time is Dillon’s.

[amc577]

The Lee pistol calibre dies are carbide dies...no lube needed....not sure about the Rcbs. Never had a problem with Lee pistol calibre dies, but I prefer Rcbs dies for bottleneck cases. Tried Hornady and was not impressed.

amc577

[1066]

Among my reloading kit I have many Lee items that have served me well. In the 1970/80/90's I loaded tens of thousands of rounds on a Lee turret press with Lee carbide dies. By the time our pistols were taken from us the press was starting to get a little sloppy so I handed it in and with the compensation immediately bought another just the same. I still have it and use it regularly. I also have a Lee classic cast single stage that makes exceedingly accurate rifle ammunition.

The cheap plastic Lee perfect powder measure has been shown, in independent tests, to be as, or more accurate than many of the really up market measures.

Yes, there are one or two items that could do with improvement. It would be nice if Lee were to produce a decent beam scale and, yes, the hand primer works well but could be a little more durable.

Value for money, I think it's a job to beat. And yes, I do have and use other presses, dies, measures and scales.

[loiner1965]

as above.....most of my gear is lee and does the job just as good as anything else.
i also have rcbs / lyman / hornady / dies too which i have pick u along the way as they a bargain when bought.
lee classic cast press is the bees knees and a worthy investment

[223AI]

Not poppycock, my experience.

The vast majority of items that I have purchased which have been Lee have either broken within an unacceptable time period (2x Hand Primers failed in the same place with metal coming away), haven’t done the job properly (38-55 dies not really being for a 38-55) or were just plain inconsistent (Powder thrower). The only thing I have that I have found that are good is the Powder dippers!

All of the above had to be replaced by RCBS or Dillon equipment which i found to be better made, did a better job (particularly the RCBS cowboy dies), were far more reliable and still going strong without any issues after thousands of rounds.

That’s not to say other manufacturers don’t also produce naff products, I find the Lyman #55 Powder thrower as inconsistent as the Lee ones, in fact the only Powder thrower I have come across which is spot on every time is Dillon’s.

Well the lee anniversary kit I bought second hand has served me well and will continue to do so I'm sure, I have 3 powder throwers which are incredibly consistent with some powders, not so much with others, and the 6 calibres I load are all with lee dies which are fine. Plenty of people run lee kit down but it is more than up to task across the vast majority of their range.

[kennyc]

Well the lee anniversary kit I bought second hand has served me well and will continue to do so I'm sure, I have 3 powder throwers which are incredibly consistent with some powders, not so much with others, and the 6 calibres I load are all with lee dies which are fine. Plenty of people run lee kit down but it is more than up to task across the vast majority of their range.

don't mention how Lee dies wont snap a decapping pin if a berdan primed case sneaks into the mix ! people will only tell you how easy it is to get replacement pins from the other manufacturers (almost as if they know their design is going to need spares )
theres an aweful lot of snobbery around, and people are famous for blaming the tool not the worker

[loiner1965]

don't mention how Lee dies wont snap a decapping pin if a berdan primed case sneaks into the mix ! people will only tell you how easy it is to get replacement pins from the other manufacturers (almost as if they know their design is going to need spares )
theres an aweful lot of snobbery around, and people are famous for blaming the tool not the worker

my orange crusher press is indestructable but i did snap my lee challanger press....not through normal use but deliberately doing the impossible and it failed.
normal use and lee products are fine, and yes i also broke a decapper pin by mistakenly decapping a berden case

[Parabuteo]

Funilly enough the Lee collet dies were the go to die for a lot of bench rest shooters a while back. The thing is Lee stuff is innovative, some dies are not made by anyone else.

I have noticed tangible improvements in the accuracy and consistancy of all of my mag length loads since sizing with the collet dies and then factory crimping, particularly with .303.

Lee is not rubbish, but it is not Forster, Wilson or Redding either, but that said I found the Forster bullet puller utterly useless until it was fettled by Dave at the shooting shed. Where I have had blow outs with lee dies it has bene my fault. I got one that rusted internally and sized (collet sizing die) that was stuck so simply mangled the case until I sussed out what was up.

They do rust easilly, but I use them along side Forster, redding, RCBS and Wilson and they do a good job where no others seem to exist. I would not swap my Forster coaxial press for anything but thats as much about design as build.

They can be more an established reloaders die than a beginners sometimes as they can take some care to get the right effect.

[Randy Bohannon]

Not poppycock, my experience.

The vast majority of items that I have purchased which have been Lee have either broken within an unacceptable time period (2x Hand Primers failed in the same place with metal coming away), haven’t done the job properly (38-55 dies not really being for a 38-55) or were just plain inconsistent (Powder thrower). The only thing I have that I have found that are good is the Powder dippers!

All of the above had to be replaced by RCBS or Dillon equipment which i found to be better made, did a better job (particularly the RCBS cowboy dies), were far more reliable and still going strong without any issues after thousands of rounds.

That’s not to say other manufacturers don’t also produce naff products, I find the Lyman #55 Powder thrower as inconsistent as the Lee ones, in fact the only Powder thrower I have come across which is spot on every time is Dillon’s.

I really rate the Lee hand priming tool but you have to keep the wear cam in the handle greased with good moly grease or it breaks as you describe.