Lee Customer service.

[mikld]

I broke the tray for my Bench Prime (my fault, I dropped a manual on the tray when it was in the tool and broke off the mounting tabs) and looked for a replacement on Lee's website. I couldn't find it so I emailed Lee for help (approx. 7:55 am my time). I got a quick reply from Lee with part numbers and cost (approx. 8:41 am). I placed an order (it was my fault so I wanted to pay for them) and hit enter at 9:41 am Pacific time. And at 1:22 pm, I got an email they had processed and shipped my order. All times were from frontier.com email.

Not too shabby for a much maligned company, eh?

[Mobuck]

I've been 100% satisfied with LEE service.

[Chainsaw.]

Ive heard nothimg but good about their service. Some folks are not a fan of some of their products which translates into all kinds of baloney.

Simular note from me today, orderes some parts from Joe Bobs today at 8:36, at 9:31 I got and email that they had shipped. Not to shabby.

[SARuger]

I have two reloading benches. My turret bench is all red with the exception of my Redding scales, which are right beside a set of Lee Safety Scales.

My single stage bench is all green except I also have a Redding Boss next to the Chucker and I also have a Redding RS1 next to the 10-10.

All three companies have exceptional customer service! That's why I only buy from Lee, RCBS, and Redding, its a once and done investment!

Lee ships fast, RCBS not so much. But to RCBS's defense, they will replace parts even if you tell them, "I broke it", "I lost it", "I bought it without this piece....", Really nice people to deal with.

[emcon5]

They must have improved. Every time I have contacted Lee to get replacements for parts that broke, (handle/arm on a press, thumb lever on an auto prime three times) I had to pay for them. The press arm was only a few years ago, the auto-prime parts were much earlier.

Compare that to RCBS, who I only had to call once, because I lost a small part to my hand priming tool, they would not take my money and sent me a replacement free.

[g.willikers]

I started out with Lee reloading equipment and still have plenty of it.
No complaints.
It's not high line stuff, but neither are their prices.
Perfectly usable and affordable.

[mikld]

I never expect free parts. I broke it, I'll pay for it. I believe it's "responsibility".

[Dufus]

I have had excellent CS with RCBS, not so much for Lyman.

I have some Lee stuff, but if something breaks, I toss it and forget about it.

For myself, it ain't worth it.

I am down to a couple of Lee dies. I won't buy more except for a collet die when needed.

[emcon5]

I never expect free parts. I broke it, I'll pay for it. I believe it's "responsibility".

How nice for you.

So if you are sitting there, seating primers with your autoprime, and the crappy pot-metal lever snaps, you think it is your responsibility to pay for a replacement? What about the next 2 times it happens?

Each time I was pushing on it with my thumb. I am not the Hulk, the part should not break under normal, as designed use. If it does, it is poorly designed, or made using poor materials, or both.

The press lever was my fault, I dropped it from about 2 feet on to the garage floor. Then again, I would expect most things made from metal would survive that without incident, but the handle of the press snapped like a twig about 4" below the handle ball.

Evidently the Lee used some special alloy of pot metal and Cheez Whiz when casting that particular part. The way it broke, I am surprised it lasted as long as it did.

In my view, it is the "responsibility" of the manufacturer to make parts that don't catastrophically fail under the designed use.

I like some Lee stuff, they are my first choice in dies, and I think their hand trimmers are brilliantly simple and functional, but not very impressed with much else.

[kmw1954]

Sent an Auto Drum measure back. Sent UPS on a Monday had it back USPS that same week on Thursday. 4 day door to door turn around.

What can I say for a measure that cost me $40.00 including shipping.

[Minorcan]

I started with Lee Presses decades ago and still like them Some people claim they aren't as good as say a Dillon, well the Dillon costs over three times as much. When I need replacement parts from Lee they are usually free, things like springs, ratchets, etc. They have always been more than fair and bent over backwards to make things right. I don't have any plans to change away from my Lee equipment.

[std7mag]

I use almost strictly Lee products. I've never had an issue with them,, when i need something just get online & order.

I mostly use a 4 hole turret press. I use their single stage when forming.

That being said, i don't use Lee dies for forming. I use RCBS.

[g.willikers]

There used to be a small gun shop that always had a bin of used stuff priced low.
I accumulated quite a selection of dies from them.
Just for a test, I did reloads with both Lee and other supposedly better brands of dies, in the same caliber.
If the results were any different between using Lee dies vs the other brands, I couldn't tell.

[kmw1954]

Not that it makes a difference but Lee Precision in located right here in Wisconsin and if I can help keep jobs in my state then I'll keep buying Lee products.

[mikld]

Not to get into the "Lee Hater's" game, but nearly all of the complaints I've read and seen are from those that either can't/won't read directions and look at a tool and see how it's supposed to be used, or those "mechanically challenged" folks that have trouble working a hammer...

I've been using Lee products since 1969 and have not had any of the "reported" failures I see in forums. Mebbe I just know how to use hand tools...

[emcon5]

Not to get into the "Lee Hater's" game, but nearly all of the complaints I've read and seen are from those that either can't/won't read directions and look at a tool and see how it's supposed to be used, or those "mechanically challenged" folks that have trouble working a hammer...

Again, how nice for you.

Please explain how there is a wrong way to push a thumb lever with your thumb? Because I broke three of them doing just that.

You also didn't answer the question, do you think it is your "responsibility" to replace things that break when used the way they were designed?

Lee must have figured out it was a problem, because they redesigned it, finally, and beefed up the lever. Here is the one I am talking about:
http://home.winsoft.net.au/~gazza/im...AUTO_PRIME.JPG

Again, I don't hate Lee, I use their dies pretty much exclusively. I understand their powder measure works quite well, there was a test in Precision Shooting about 20 years ago and the Lee was just as good as measures costing three times as much, if I was in the market, I would buy one.

But I can also be objective, and some of their stuff is crap. If the force of my thumb is enough to break a metal part designed to be pushed with the thumb, it is crap. If a metal part falls 2' and snaps like a dry twig, it is crap.

Lee is the reloading equivalent of Harbor Freight tools. It will do the job, and a lot of people have no problems with them, but don't expect Snap-n quality.

I've been using Lee products since 1969 and have not had any of the "reported" failures I see in forums. Mebbe I just know how to use hand tools...

BFD. There are a lot of Ford Pintos that never got rear-ended and caught fire. There are a lot of low number 1903s that haven't failed. There are a lot of Porsche 996s that the rear main seal doesn't leak. Doesn't make those problems not exist.

Your sample of one is utterly meaningless.

[mikld]

No less meaningless than one anonymous "report" of breakage from "gently used" tools (and how many presses have you "drop tested?"). FWIW, and I'm sure you will discount it, I've had more problems with Hornady hand primers, and RCBS dies than I have had with any Lee equipment. I'm not championing Lee equipment, I just dislike the senseless and more often than not unfounded criticism of a specific company's tools. Having worked 50+ years with hand tools and have dealt with "tool snobs" I just get tired of snarky retorts/reports. So continue to snidely "thank me" for my opinions and I'll give you the last word...

[emcon5]

You also didn't answer the question. Again.

You said:

Originally Posted by mikld

I never expect free parts. I broke it, I'll pay for it. I believe it's "responsibility".

So, to keep you from missing it a third time, I'll make it bigger:

Do you think it is your "responsibility" to replace things that break when used the way they were designed?

I never expected Lee to replace the press handle. I am disgusted how easy it broke, and am glad I never tried to FL size .303 brit on it, that would be more force than the drop.

The hand primer broke three times using it exactly the way you are supposed to use it. You believe that a lever designed to be pushed with your thumb, if you push it with your thumb and it breaks, it is your fault and you should buy a new one? What about the next two times it breaks the exact same way?

I am sorry you can't accept the reality that some Lee parts are crap, but that doesn't change the fact that some Lee parts are crap. Lee seems to have figured out that particular part was crap, because they redesigned it. The new version has a rib there to make it stronger.

I am guessing you never used the warranty on a new car either? Since you "never expect free parts".

[Chainsaw.]

I bet you're fun a parties

[emcon5]

I bet you're fun a parties

Sure, unless you know nothing about me or a situation, and say something stupid. If you do that, I will mock you.

When he said his little snide comment about never expecting free parts, I am the only one who posted about having to pay to replace broken junk, I have to conclude it was directed at me.

He knew absolutely nothing about the situation at the time, and still determined that paying for the broken junk was my "responsibility".

He is wrong, and he knows he is wrong, that is pretty clear since he refuses to back up his ridiculous assertion by answering a pretty simple question, all he can do is attack me, by calling me a "tool snob" which is untrue, or accusing me of "Snidely thanking him", which I did not do. The only time "thank" appears in this thread is when he typed it.

The amusing thing is he pretends to take the moral high ground by "I'll give you the last word", when he had nothing to give, because his argument is absurd, and my guess is he knows it.

He claims that because he has not had a problem, then anyone who did is too stupid to use hand tools, and anyone who has a complaint about Lee, regardless of validity must be a "Tool Snob"

Yeah, that is probably it.....