Author Topic: Service from Lee Precision  (Read 918 times)

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Offline lilabner

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« on: March 17, 2005, 05:23:11 AM »
The bullet seating plug on my Lee seating die deforms the tip of Hornady spire point bullets. The spire point ogive is different from most bullets so it was no surprise. What did surprise me was the response from Lee Precision when I inquired about the problem. They said to send the die and a bullet I want to seat and they will machine the seating plug to a perfect fit. The price? Eight dollars, which includes return postage. How's that for customer service?

Offline ricciardelli

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« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2005, 07:04:48 AM »
Just for the hell of it, call RCBS, Lyman, Redding and Forster and tell then you have THEIR die and bullet seater.  See what they tell you.

Offline Ka6otm

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« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2005, 07:12:40 AM »
I think I know the answer to RCBS, Steve.

I got their 45-70 die set and found the sizer die was undersize enough that you couldn't resize with it.

Called RCBS and complained about that and that the seater was also deforming the bullets I was using.

Their answer: Send the die and 3 fired cases back and they would custom cut the sizing die to my rifle's chamber.  Send the seater and the bullet I was using and they would also custom cut the seater to my bullet.

Total charges? $0.00

Ka6otm

Offline jh45gun

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« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2005, 08:02:13 AM »
Quote from: ricciardelli
Just for the hell of it, call RCBS, Lyman, Redding and Forster and tell then you have THEIR die and bullet seater.  See what they tell you.


SO what????????? Geez most of the reloading companies seem to have decent CS and Lee is no exception. I have also heard some complain about every company you listed for one reason or the other also as I have with Lee. Hey the guy is satisfied with the service he got from Lee and would have gotten the same service from any of the other companies. Why make a issue of it? SO he paid eight bucks instead of 0 He thought he got good service and eight bucks is nothing to have a part custom fitted. I sure do not know why guys who own Dillon or RCBS or some other companys products always figure it is open season on Lee Products. They have always worked for me and lots of other satisfied folks. I do not criticise other folks choices on what they use that is their business. Too bad that could not be across the board. Jim
Said I never had much use for one, never said I didn't know how to use it.

Offline 1911crazy

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« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2005, 08:08:36 AM »
You didn't say what caliber or gun you were reloading for?    BigBill

Offline Questor

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« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2005, 08:37:20 AM »
Ricciardelli:

What's your opinion of Lee products? As you probably know, mine is pretty low, but I can't recall your ever registering a broad opinion. Since it seems that you've been in the business and also have done more handloading that any other person I know of, your opinion would be most illuminating.
Safety first

Offline ricciardelli

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« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2005, 09:23:57 AM »
Quote from: Questor
Ricciardelli:

What's your opinion of Lee products? As you probably know, mine is pretty low, but I can't recall your ever registering a broad opinion. Since it seems that you've been in the business and also have done more handloading that any other person I know of, your opinion would be most illuminating.


Well, I guess the best way to give my opinion is to say that I have around 130 sets of RCBS dies, 1 set of Lyman and 1 set of Lee.

I had a Lee hand primer but it broke.  I replaced it with an RCBS hand primer.  Initially I had some problems, not with the seater itself, but with the shell holders.  The older style shell holder would not work with the RCBS hand primer.  I called RCBS, they told me to return all the old type shell holders I had and they would replace them, free, with the new ones.

I did...

They did...

I can't judge Lee presses, I have never owned one.  But currently I have 3 "Green Machines" on my bench, and have no complaints with any.  (I also have 2 more sitting on the floor in the reloading room closet.)

When I was in the business I always suggested RCBS products.  I did have a Lyman, RCBS and Lee set-up for demo purposes.  98 out of 100 chose the RCBS, and they were happy.

Offline Questor

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« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2005, 10:01:03 AM »
It sounds like we're thinking alike on this issue. I looked at the overall cost of getting into reloading, and the cost of the ammo I would produce over a period of many years. After a short while, the cost of the press, dies, and other desiderata thereof is a small portion of the overall cost. This, and the scale and measure, do so much to determine the quality and safety of the ammo that it made no sense to try and save a few bucks by buying inferior equipment.  Thanks for the insight.
Safety first

Offline SLAVAGE

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« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2005, 10:49:22 AM »
actualy thats not a bad price 8 for a custom seater plug
rcbs charges 15 for the same thing
how long did it take to get it back ??

Offline ricciardelli

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« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2005, 11:56:35 AM »
I've never had RCBS charge me one cent for anything I have sent them that needs repair or modification.

When I order a new part, naturally they charge.

Offline brasskeeper

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« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2005, 12:10:22 PM »
Quote from: ricciardelli
I've never had RCBS charge me one cent for anything I have sent them that needs repair or modification.

When I order a new part, naturally they charge.


Steve, what is that box on the wall behind your left ear?

Offline SLAVAGE

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« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2005, 12:29:45 PM »
i was thinking of having them make me a seater plug for a 150 sst  for my 30-06 an they said 15
but now i called an asked about buying replacment decaping pins for my 38's an they not only sent me a bag with 10 pins they sent me a new stem rod i think its called with a sorry dave note because the stem i have in my 38s is very old an they used a different pin an they no longer made them
no i have used all the die makes products but that won me over right ther 90% of the time i all ways buy rcbs
but i have been looking at redding a lot for odd dies 357 max, 300 whisper an 375-444
cause of the different sets you can get
but what makes them that much more $$$ then rcbs for standered die sets?

Offline ricciardelli

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« Reply #12 on: March 17, 2005, 03:55:12 PM »
Quote from: brasskeeper

Steve, what is that box on the wall behind your left ear?


That is where I keep my reloading genie...

Actually it is one of the speakers for my surround sound system on the computer.  (There are six speakers, two front, two middle and two rear, plus a subwoofer.)

Offline jh45gun

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« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2005, 05:29:42 PM »
Quote from: Questor
It sounds like we're thinking alike on this issue. I looked at the overall cost of getting into reloading, and the cost of the ammo I would produce over a period of many years. After a short while, the cost of the press, dies, and other desiderata thereof is a small portion of the overall cost. This, and the scale and measure, do so much to determine the quality and safety of the ammo that it made no sense to try and save a few bucks by buying inferior equipment.  Thanks for the insight.


Inferior in your judgement maybe but not a lot of us who use Lee stuff with satisfaction. Again with the negative stuff I mean you got to see where I am coming from suppose a few started badmouthing RCBS here? You and Steve would be Johnny on the spot defending your favorite product and telling us we were wrong. So why should Lee users not feel the same way. Jim
Said I never had much use for one, never said I didn't know how to use it.

Offline ricciardelli

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« Reply #14 on: March 17, 2005, 06:29:26 PM »
Whoa!  Hold on a minute!

I have never bad-mouthed Lee.  I have simply state MY preference is RCBS.

If you wanna bad-mouth RCBS, go right ahead...that's your option and your opinion.

I also like Ford 4x4's and Pickups, Nikon cameras, Leupold optics, Denon audio gear, Fuji film, TDK blank tapes and CD's, Verbatim blank DVD's.

That doesn't mean the others are junk, it simply means that after I evaluated the others, these were the items I felt were best.

Offline Badnews Bob

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« Reply #15 on: March 17, 2005, 09:18:15 PM »
Thats not a repair part for 8 bucks, It's a new part. You can't make a nose plug that will fit all bullet types you can only compromise, 8 bucks for a custom part sound pretty reasonable to me.

Lee stuff works well alot better than people who have never used them will dare give them credit for.And I'd about put up a dime for a dollar that the new cast press is far above anyone elses in value. 8)
Badnews Bob
AE-2 USN retired

Offline jh45gun

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« Reply #16 on: March 17, 2005, 09:21:30 PM »
Steve in my last post I never said you badmouted Lee did I? I  replyed to quester. I added your name as I am sure if several badmouthed RCBS you would say something about it in defense for it. IF not then I was wrong and maybe I should not have included you. Still I think you would defend RCBS. Why would I bad mouth RCBS? I get reved at the folks that badmouth what I use but that does not mean I will turn around and bad mouth their products. I too along with you feel what ever some one else uses is their business.
Said I never had much use for one, never said I didn't know how to use it.

Offline jh45gun

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« Reply #17 on: March 17, 2005, 09:23:40 PM »
I agree with ya Bob.
Said I never had much use for one, never said I didn't know how to use it.

Offline lilabner

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« Reply #18 on: March 18, 2005, 01:38:06 PM »
Oops! did I step on a land mine?  If I were a bench rest shooter or a competitve high power shooter, I would be laying down big bucks for loading dies - those benchrest jobs. But I've always been happy as a clam if I could coax a factory built rifle into sub MOA accuracy. I have coaxed quite a few over the years using Lee dies in a Rockchucker (RCBS) press. The only other dies I've used were RCBS and they work fine but I could never see much difference except that the Lees are a bit easier to set up. I was surprised that a company that operates on such low margins offers any kind of customer support and that's why I posted about the bullet seater.  Eight dollars? Heck, I still have less than $20 in the die set and a seating plug that fits like a glove. I'm happy, you RCBS guys are happy with your gear, so everybody's happy. What more could we ask for? I did a little house cleaning the other day and found close to a dozen of those pilot thingies for the Lee case trimmer in calibers I no longer own. I'll hang onto them just in case. Besides, some of them have sentimental value. I also still have the Lee Loader in 30-06 that started me in handloading back when the mountains weren't so steep.

Offline jh45gun

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« Reply #19 on: March 18, 2005, 02:01:43 PM »
No land mine as far as I am concerned I just get tired of  the my stuff is better than yours crap! It seems to me it would be a lot better if guys would just give out reloading comments here with out the critisizing of some ones equipment no matter what brand it may be.
Said I never had much use for one, never said I didn't know how to use it.

Offline MnMike

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« Reply #20 on: March 18, 2005, 05:07:11 PM »
I wish we could get to the way that most motorcyclists look at it.

"It's not what you reload with, it's that you reload."

mike
Mike Ellestad

Offline jh45gun

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« Reply #21 on: March 18, 2005, 05:12:10 PM »
That may be true but I have heard more than one Harley rider make comments about Rice Burners but then maybe that attitude is changing I hope so. Yea I agree it should not matter what you use as long as you are doing it. Jim
Said I never had much use for one, never said I didn't know how to use it.

Offline earschplitinloudenboomer

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« Reply #22 on: March 18, 2005, 11:24:17 PM »
Can't comment on Lee service, have many items and tools, they all work fine. Have needed no service.
  Will make one comment Lee, 7.62X25 three die set  $18.00.

   RCBS..................................................................$165.00

Offline Haywire Haywood

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Re: Lee
« Reply #23 on: March 19, 2005, 02:17:08 AM »
Quote from: earschplitinloudenboomer
Can't comment on Lee service, have many items and tools, they all work fine. Have needed no service.
  Will make one comment
Lee  7.62X25 three die set  $18.00.

RCBS................................$165.00


Yep, that's my motivation...My only complaint is that I wish Lee made their die bodies a 1/2" longer.  Lyman's got the same problem but in a different way.  Their die body is plenty long enough, they just use up too much of it with that gnurling at the top.  Shorten the gnurling by that half inch and extend the threads that much further up the body.

Ian
Kids that Hunt, Fish and Trap
Dont Steal, Deal, and Murder


usually...

Offline DropLikeFlies

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« Reply #24 on: March 19, 2005, 07:15:37 AM »
Ear.......boomer

Good point...  You can get a heck of a lot of 7.62X25 $8.00 bullet seater before you come close to $165.00 !
Gun Control is People Control ---------------------------:blaster: Democrats