Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Lee Dies

Fortunately, I've been able to purchase everything (except for dies) I need to get back into reloading. Had to pay a little more, but nevertheless.

I've got Forster dies on backorder at Brownells, but I've found some Lee Die sets in the classifieds for the calibers I need.

They'll be used in a MEC Marksman Press to make hunting ammo, however I want the most concentric ammo I can load, although I'm primarily a hunter, I love to chase accuracy.

I don't want to start a pissing contest, but given the above criteria; what are your thoughts on the Lee Dies?

Not much love here on the fire for Lee...but I love the Lee collet die...and the dial indicator does not lie. And I've got Forster, Redding , RCBS, Hornady, you name it...so it's not like it's a one trick pony. Possibly some of my success at getting low runout ammo is the Forster press and it's floating chuck type shellholder.

I have well over 50 sets of dies. I bought a couple of Lee dies for the cheap price for a couple of cartridges I don't load often. (Their price isn't cheap anymore).

I prefer RCBS over any other die and I have, I think, almost every brand of dies, even some old dies like Herters that I bought before they went out of business. When I buy dies anymore, they almost always are RCBS. But some oddball cartridges (like some of my AI cartridges) I've found CH4 to be reasonable and available. I prefer RCBS for several reasons, but the number one reason is their customer service is the best of any company I deal with!

If you have a RCBS die and somehow you screw up and you break something or whatever, you E-mail or call them and new parts are on the way with no questions asked and no need to send the broken part back to RCBS. They seem to send the parts the day they get the notice.

For benchrest accuracy, there's benchrest dies from different manufacturer's. I have a couple and to tell you the truth, I can't say one provides better accuracy than another. That's a discussion for benchrest shooters and they will have definite preferences.

Lee dies do a great job for hunting purposes and it is a good-thing if you use a good, strong cast iron single stage press. (both FL and collet-neck sizing Lee dies)
There are "bench rest quality dies" for considerably more $, but if you have a one-moa rifle, and the groups are within one-moa, not sure how much more accuracy you need to "chase" for hunting.

1 MOA is good, but tiny, little cloverleaf groups are like crack.

I've had excellent results making straight cartridges using their collet neck sizing die.

Older full length size dies came with an expander ball that was more like an expander pipe with a very long cylindrical section that did nothing but provide more drag going through the case necks. Newer dies have a much better tapered expander.

With one exception, every Lee FL size die I've used has been tight to very tight. Even if the die is set to bump the shoulder back only a couple of thousandths the body of the case will get a heavier than necessary sizing in both diameter and case taper. This causes the cases to lengthen, leading to more frequent trimming and shorter case life. The neck section of the die will also likely be on the small side which results in heavier drag on the expander ball and more cold working of the case neck material.

I use my Lee dies the most....

Ordered some Lee dies for the 6.5 x 300 Weatherby....

Lee's price was $36.50 thru Grafs....

same die set from Redding was $90.

There was nothing Redding dies offered over Lee for an extra $50+...

life is a lot cheaper, if you don't follow the crowds, and start buying when the panics start....

under Trump ALL of this stuff has been readily available....

just sayin folks... besides, dies are the cheapest thing on your reload bench when you factor in ROI...
their life span is longer than yours is...they last forever....

I load for 14 different rifles (10 different calibers) and use Lee dies on 4 of the 10 calibers. I also use RCBS and Redding dies and the Lee die sets work just as well as the others. I would give a very slight edge to Redding, especially their seating dies but, would not hesitate to buy another set of Lee dies. Their factory crimp dies and collet neck dies are among the best in my opinion.

I have not had any complaints with my Lee die. I am not shooting competition. I reload for hunting and fun. In almost all guns I have been able to achieve 1.5" minimum accuracy at 100yds in 30 plus different guns and over 18 different calibers. I'm sure there are better dies out there, but I haven't needed to try them. Customer service has been awesome also.

I use em.

I have Lee, RCBS, Hornady, Herters and Redding on the bench.

Never an issue w Lee dies and they load just as accurate of ammo as the rest of the bunch.

A friend was having issues with reloads in his AR. His chamber apparently needed a small base die his std RCBS 223 die wasn’t sizing the case tight enough. I mailed him a Lee FL 223 die and it worked perfectly. I don’t think I ever used it. My RCBS works fine in my (3) AR’s.

I am not a high volume reloader and only load for 30/06, 7x57 and 35 Whelen. That being said, I have dies from Hornady, Lyman, RCBS, and Lee. Frankly, they all work for my needs. I would not hesitate to buy Lee dies again.

I have some Lee dies. I have replaced the lock rings on all of them. The O-ring in Lee lock rings don't do it for me.

Lee dies are fine...I just don't like 'em. I don't like to buy stuff that looks and feels cheap, but I also fully recognize that to be a personal hang up.

I use Lee dies more now than I do my RCBS dies.They produce straight accurate ammo.I really like the finger adjustment seater dies,quick and easy set up.I can't complain.These groups were all from ammo produced with Lee dies.I have a lot more,this is just a few.

I use several die manufacturers, but have nothing but praise for the LEE dies.

I like Lee dies just bent a decapping rod on my Lee die went on line to order another said no charge quite impressive. Lee resizing die is vented like RCBS I want a vent on my resizing die.

I have dies by RCBS, Hornady, and Lee. I’ve come to prefer the Lee dies.

As others have said, Nothing wrong with Lee dies. People think they are bad because they aren't 5x the cost of their favorite Redding or Forster die (and yes, I also own dies from those two as well because Lee doesn't makes every caliber out there)......

Ditto..........

I load a variety of cartridges from 22 CF up thru 338 rifle. Handgun's from 357 up thru 45. . Dies from Lee, RCBS, Lyman, Redding , Hornady & a couple others no longer in production. I can see no difference in the quality or accuracy of the ammo produced. My Savage 260 Rem using Lee dies gives me sub 1/2" groups with just about any bullet I wish to use. If it works it works, regardless of brand.

I make sure I have a Lee collet sizing die for every bottleneck cartridge I load. It produces the most consistently straight cases. Their other dies also work just fine, though I prefer Hornady for straightwall cartridges and I prefer RCBS and Redding seating dies.

Lee now has replacment locking rings with a set screw and a O ring

Yeah, but those are only three shot groups.
bsa1917hunter will be along shortly to tell you you're doing it wrong.

I use Lee dies & highly recommend them

Especially the 4 piece handgun die set with the factory crimp die

These will turn out semi pistol ammo that will run flawlessly in your pistol

I use em in my 9mm---40 S& W---& 45 ACP

Lever gun shooter ? The Lee crimp die for lever gun ammo is also suggested in tube magazines

Will not distort your brass in any way...great for powders like W296 that require a heavy crimp

Another note..Lee has improved the lock ring recently

Also a fan of Redding bushing dies in my oddball p/dog cartridges--Forster also---RCBS & Hornady last

https://leeprecision.com/reloading-dies/

Been using Lee dies and other equipment for almost 2o years, Never had a problem, and have produced some very accurate ammo. Lee is the best bang for the buck, IMO.

P.S. I don't know anything about their customer service, because I've never had to use it.