Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Lee Locking Rings, aaaarrrrgh. !!!!!!!!!!!!

Both of my Lee die sets have locking rings with no set screw instead relying on an O-ring.

This is OK with me except that is difficult if not nearly impossible to screw them into or out of my press without incurring some movement of the ring.

Reference marks on the ring as well as the die body have born this out.

I really don't want to go the locktite route instead I'll go to a conventional lock ring.

Not a flame against Lee products but it seems they have a small learning curve when compared to other die sets.

You ????

TIA, Denny.

Well, I've been using Lee's O lock rings since they came out. Not crazy about 'em but I follow Lee's instructions and find they work as well as others.

Lock rings on the die? Why not just order some lock rings that will tighten down with a screw & be done? I believe RCBS sells 'em. I don't for the life of me, see how the same setting can be achieved with a rubber "grommet" every time you screw the die in.
Bear in Fairbanks

You can use the lock rings off the LFC dies as a jam nut against the other lock ring and not get any movement at all.

My point, edzachary.

Please share.

TIA, Denny.

The only trick is that to loosen the die you turn the lock ring rather than the die.

Tried that and still got movement. Only a few thou but movement just the same.

The only Lee product I have ever owned is several sets of Factory Crimp Die... They are OUTSTANding products.... but I hate the ring.

Thinking of getting some Horn Lock rings to replace them

T

yea...me too. I hate the rubber o-rings. I stumble across lock rings at gun shows and such. that Ed Zackary puts a stop to the nonsense. I am one a them tootless rednecks that loves to suffer with Lee Eqyipment. Why? cause they work and the price is right.

I turn em upside down so when screwed in it's metal to metal contact and you don't have a few extra thousands difference here and there because of the oring.
Sometimes it's hard to get the oring perfectly seated but with a little fiddling it seems to get done. I guess if it was moving alot I might try a dab of glue or something to hold it in the keeper.

The locking ring is one of the reasons I use the LEE turret press. Once I get'em right, that's the last time I have to mess with them. Extra turrets are only about $8 so I have one for each cartridge I load.

I think this one works a little better than the RCBS which forces the set screw into the threads. But at $4.99 a piece?!?! Ouch

Denny, I have good luck with the locking rings as is, if you don't trust them, flip them over or use two rings - one as a jam nut.

Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

I grasp the lock ring and die body as a unit and turn 'em together. IF one actually changes a thou I don't believe that in the over-all great scheme of things it will make a bit of difference on targets. Variations between individual cases and primers, or bore fouling, will swamp a tiny change in a die!

I wrap my hand around to grasp the lock ring and die body as a unit and turn 'em together. IF I actually change one a thou I don't believe that in the over-all great scheme of things it will make a bit of difference on targets. Variations between individual cases and primers, or bore fouling, will swamp a tiny change in a die!

And, since I got a few precision type case shoulder and bullet seating gages, I KNOW that small variations in how firmly and quickly we work the press lever easily induces 2-3 thou of change in both sizing and seating.

Just toss the Lee rings and buy some Forster rings.

Look at Hornady locking rings. Very similar to the Forster but with wrench flats.

+1000.....Huge time saver no matter whose dies you are screwing in and out.

Lee dies are just great aren't they? Nothing like spending $8 on lock rings for the dies that are $5 cheaper................DJ