Lee sizing die

mikld · March 11, 2015, 01:05 PM

This is a FWIW thread, not a Lee bashing thread! I have a bunch of Lee products including about 8 die sets and I have no complaints about them. I got a new set in the mail yesterday and ran out to the shop to try it out. I mounted the dies as per instruction, lubed a case (308 Win) and proceeded to size/deprime it. Went down good, but when I dropped the ram the decapping/expanding stem came out of the die, and was loose in the case. I fiddled around with the die and stem trying to get it back together in the press, but no good. Removed the die, took the stem/case out (had to use my handy dandy plastic mallet), the stem was loose in the case and could not be removed by hand as the neck had been sized but the expander hadn't opened the neck. Took quite a while and one ruined case to get the loose stem out of the case (I had to clamp the stem in a vise, put vise grips on the case and tap the vise grips with my mallet to remove the case from the stem. No damage to the parts so I reassembled the die (cleaned the stem and collet with brake clean and use a socket to tighten the collet) and sized/decapped another 50, 308 cases.

Moral of the story; when you get a new Lee die set, make sure the collet is tight on the stem!

Again not a Lee bashing thread, just information...

StripesDude · March 11, 2015, 01:20 PM

Happened to me too with 223. Had to cut the case with a Dremel cutoff wheel.

Blindstitch · March 11, 2015, 04:02 PM

It happens. I chalk it up to one of the little problems involved in saving a good chunk of change over buying say RCBS threaded dies. I've often thought about adding a drop of red locktite during inspection but it's pretty much a once and only once per die problem.

hounddogman · March 11, 2015, 07:27 PM

It has happened to me also the last new set of lee die I bought I tightened the re sizing die before I used it, no problems

noylj · March 11, 2015, 08:11 PM

Call Lee and discuss it. You'll probably get a new sizing die for free.
I have never had an issue with a Lee die, and can't imagine why I would vs. any other reloading die.

mikld · March 12, 2015, 10:40 AM

Nothing wrong with the die. I was just shipped with the normal oil on the collet and stem. I cleaned both with brake clean and retightened and I'll prolly never have a problem again...

March 11, 2015, 01:05 PM	#1
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	Lee sizing die This is a FWIW thread, not a Lee bashing thread! I have a bunch of Lee products including about 8 die sets and I have no complaints about them. I got a new set in the mail yesterday and ran out to the shop to try it out. I mounted the dies as per instruction, lubed a case (308 Win) and proceeded to size/deprime it. Went down good, but when I dropped the ram the decapping/expanding stem came out of the die, and was loose in the case. I fiddled around with the die and stem trying to get it back together in the press, but no good. Removed the die, took the stem/case out (had to use my handy dandy plastic mallet), the stem was loose in the case and could not be removed by hand as the neck had been sized but the expander hadn't opened the neck. Took quite a while and one ruined case to get the loose stem out of the case (I had to clamp the stem in a vise, put vise grips on the case and tap the vise grips with my mallet to remove the case from the stem. No damage to the parts so I reassembled the die (cleaned the stem and collet with brake clean and use a socket to tighten the collet) and sized/decapped another 50, 308 cases. Moral of the story; when you get a new Lee die set, make sure the collet is tight on the stem! Again not a Lee bashing thread, just information... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

March 12, 2015, 10:40 AM	#6
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	Nothing wrong with the die. I was just shipped with the normal oil on the collet and stem. I cleaned both with brake clean and retightened and I'll prolly never have a problem again... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

March 11, 2015, 01:20 PM	#2
StripesDude Member Join Date: June 29, 2014 Posts: 88	Happened to me too with 223. Had to cut the case with a Dremel cutoff wheel.

March 11, 2015, 04:02 PM	#3
Blindstitch Senior Member Join Date: April 14, 2013 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 2,693	It happens. I chalk it up to one of the little problems involved in saving a good chunk of change over buying say RCBS threaded dies. I've often thought about adding a drop of red locktite during inspection but it's pretty much a once and only once per die problem.

March 11, 2015, 07:27 PM	#4
hounddogman Member Join Date: September 17, 2014 Posts: 69	It has happened to me also the last new set of lee die I bought I tightened the re sizing die before I used it, no problems

March 11, 2015, 08:11 PM	#5
noylj Senior Member Join Date: October 21, 2007 Location: Between CA and NM Posts: 858	Call Lee and discuss it. You'll probably get a new sizing die for free. I have never had an issue with a Lee die, and can't imagine why I would vs. any other reloading die.