Lee seating die issue

[k2ace]

I decided to pickup dies for 40 S&W. I found a good deal on a four die lee set. First lee dies I have ever owned/used, all my other dies are RCBS. Overall there not to bad except the seating die. The seating depth adjustment screw seems to have really loose tolerance and rocks and moves when I seat bullets and doesn't seat at a consistent depth like I use to with RCBS dies. I put Teflon tape on it to limit the moment which helped, I just expected better quality from Lee. Is this just typical lee quality or did I just get a bad die?

 

[Leo]

They all have a little wobble. There is supposed to be an "O" ring around the aluminum adjuster knob to keep the adjustment from changing due to vibration. Perhaps that "O" ring is missing. If you unscrew the aluminum adjuster, there is a groove right at the start of the threads that should have an "O" ring. I have used LEE dies since 1976, and never had problems with over all length of finished rounds shifting.

I load .40 S&W with Lee dies, they do a good job.

 

[Broom_jm]

I'm loading 9mm with a new set of Lee dies and the OAL is always within a few thousandths. Something is wrong with your die or your process.

 

[O'Shark]

I'm loading 9mm with a new set of Lee dies and the OAL is always within a few thousandths. Something is wrong with your die or your process.

I also load with Lee dies for 9mm, 45acp and .223. I use a single stage Lyman Orange Crusher press. I set my die up so that the body of the seating die makes contact with the shell holder and stops the ram completely. Once you have a hard stop established, you can dial down your adjuster to get your c.o.a.l just where you want it. As long as you aren't "camming over" on your seating step, any variation in overall length will most likely be caused by the bullet itself.

 

[k2ace]

There is an o-ring on the adjuster. The internal threads and on the adjuster just seem to be cut poorly. I'm using a rock chucker press. My process for setup is thread the die into the press until it touches the shell holder, then back it out three full turns. I use the adjuster knob to get my overall. When I seat I always seat then repeat after rotating the cartridge a half turn. I'm probably just expecting to much accuracy, I would like to see +/- a couple thousandths. How much variation is acceptable without having critical impact on pressures?

 

[Leo]

Is the seater adjuster actually slipping? They are aluminum and I could see it possible for a person to get it crossthreaded. if it is, LEE is really good about making spare parts available. For a pistol round, I am sure that you will not be able to see +/- .010" on a good quality chronograph, let alone on the target or in you pistol. +/-.100" will make a difference.

 

[Broom_jm]

There is an o-ring on the adjuster. The internal threads and on the adjuster just seem to be cut poorly. I'm using a rock chucker press. My process for setup is thread the die into the press until it touches the shell holder, then back it out three full turns. I use the adjuster knob to get my overall. When I seat I always seat then repeat after rotating the cartridge a half turn. I'm probably just expecting to much accuracy, I would like to see +/- a couple thousandths. How much variation is acceptable without having critical impact on pressures?

It takes a lot more than a few thousandths to drive pressures up, so no worries there. Measure 10 of your finished cases and take an avg. If some of your cases are more than .005" off from that avg. you might have something to be concerned about.

 

[O'Shark]

I would like to see +/- a couple thousandths. How much variation is acceptable without having critical impact on pressures?

BTW, I got out my Lee bullet seating die for .45 acp and I was wrong in what I told you about how I seat the bullet. The pistol die will try to crimp the brass long before it touches the shell holder! My rifle dies don't work that way though . I guess I need to load more .45 before "shooting" my mouth off about how to do it.

Your seating depth concern is a good one and it'll take someone like Broom_jm who has a ballistics/reloading program to work up the data for you. I try to work between the range of c.o.a.ls listed in my manuals and where the rifling starts in a chamber.

 

[ckcollins2003]

I decided to pickup dies for 40 S&W. I found a good deal on a four die lee set. First lee dies I have ever owned/used, all my other dies are RCBS. Overall there not to bad except the seating die. The seating depth adjustment screw seems to have really loose tolerance and rocks and moves when I seat bullets and doesn't seat at a consistent depth like I use to with RCBS dies. I put Teflon tape on it to limit the moment which helped, I just expected better quality from Lee. Is this just typical lee quality or did I just get a bad die?

I've not had any issues with mine. I would call Lee and ask them about it. I bet they send you a replacement.

 

[BEANC0UNTER]

I have not had any issue with my Lee dies or other products.

 

[sloughfoot]

I have my Lee bullet seater directions in front of me. It says to run the case into the press. Screw the seater die down until it touches the case, then back it out 1/2 turn for no crimp.

Turning the die out three turns is excessive and would require turning the depth adjusting srew too far into the die.

 

[phatgemi]

I have my Lee bullet seater directions in front of me. It says to run the case into the press. Screw the seater die down until it touches the case, then back it out 1/2 turn for no crimp.

Turning the die out three turns is excessive and would require turning the depth adjusting srew too far into the die.

Exactly what I was thinking......

 

[k2ace]

I have my Lee bullet seater directions in front of me. It says to run the case into the press. Screw the seater die down until it touches the case, then back it out 1/2 turn for no crimp.

Turning the die out three turns is excessive and would require turning the depth adjusting srew too far into the die.

This is a four die set, the seating die doesn't crimp. The directions that came within say back out three turns. The directions you describe are similar what I do with RCBS three die sets where there seating and crimp are the same die.

 

[k2ace]

I got a chance today to look at the same set of dies. Mine are definitely jacked up. The threads on the set I looked at are fairly clean. The internal threads on mine have burrs all over them and the have pretty much destroyed the o-ring just from the few times I have used them an taken them apart. I'm going to contact lee and see about getting a replacement die.

 

[k2ace]

Even as the dies are they are still within ranges I found checking a factory box of Remington. I have never checked factory ammo before, I would have thought it would be more consistent. What I found was:
1 @ 1.122
1 @ 1.123
1 @ 1.124
13 @ 1.125
14 @ 1.126
4 @ 1.127
7 @ 1.128
8 @ 1.130
1 @ 1.131

 

[BGDave]

Measure just the bullet OAL (over all length). Think you will find the bullet has quite a bit of variance. Measuring the factory cartridge OAL isn't that bad when you think of it as about 1.126 + or minus .005. A human hair is (depending on color) about .004. I know that doesn't help but you'll find the bullet tip to be the most variable dimension.

 

[Broom_jm]

Even as the dies are they are still within ranges I found checking a factory box of Remington. I have never checked factory ammo before, I would have thought it would be more consistent. What I found was:
1 @ 1.122
1 @ 1.123
1 @ 1.124
13 @ 1.125
14 @ 1.126
4 @ 1.127
7 @ 1.128
8 @ 1.130
1 @ 1.131

OK, so doing a little math...

46 out of 50 rounds are within a 6 thousandths range, so +/- 3 thousandths, with an ES of 10 thousandths. Statistically speaking, this is really quite good and will almost certainly ensure perfectly safe and accurate ammunition. Seeing these numbers from factory ammo, and knowing you can do even better with hand loads, are you now less concerned about the accuracy of Lee dies?

I hope they send you a suitable replacement where the threads are not all jacked up.

 

[k2ace]

I got a replacement die. The new die is much better and I'm happy with the results. I will probably still go with RCBS for future dies, I like the locking nuts better then the nut with a o-ring on the lee dies.

 

[coyotehunter4]

I have used Lee for years, and for the money I think they are hard to beat. There is better dies out there, but you pay for them.

 

[Broom_jm]

All of the various die sets have a short learning curve on how best to use them. I don't really see RCBS dies being better than Lee, or Redding dies being better than RCBS. They all work, it's just a matter of figuring out how to use them, as they're designed. With that being said, the cost of more expensive dies, amortized out over the number of rounds that are likely to be loaded with them, makes the price difference truly nominal.