LEE PRESCISION - what a pile of $£%

[spartan7510]

Sorry for rant, but here is my experience. I have had a brand new LEE LOADMASTER lying in a box for over a year. Been reloading with single stage press, decided to try progressive for mass reloading of 223 plinking ammo. Setup my press following loads of online videos. Issues with the primer feed tray and the powder dispenser. I have brand new lee perfect powder measure (which LEE themselves were ranting about for rifle loads) and universal rifle charging die. Issue is the Perfect Powder Measure was getting stuck with N140. The problem is that the powder measure does not return to the start position. It seems to get jammed which results in misfeeds and partial powder dispensing. This too was purchased brand new. This is problematic and continued to occur even after I disassembled the powder measure and cleaned it down. Basically it is useless and does not work properly. The other problem I encountered was with the primer feed not working properly. Video is here:

https://www.mediafire.com/?y3kzvyx6s5j2my1

WHAT IS LEE PRECISION'S solution are emailing them:
This is the big reason we quit using the Universal Charging Die and the Perfect Powder Measure on the Load Master and Pro 1000 for 223. The tension screw has to be set just right on the powder measure so that the powder does not leak and the charge re-set mechanism does not work too stiffly resulting in a bent connecting rod (that we no longer have) or a broken bead chain. This system does not work well with fine grain ball powders.
We think it would be better to offer you a 1/2 price replacement on an Auto Drum Powder Measure and Long charging die. You also have the old style small primer trough and should get the one we are currently using, which we can also offer at 1/2 price.

Go and buy more parts.... WTS? So I have a brand new press, brand new perfect powder measure, brand new rifle charging die, which apparently dont function properly and have been discontinued, and I must now go and buy more of their crap?

If anyone has some suggestions or experience with similar setup, please let me know before I pull my hair out with this lot...

[bradaz11]

well I have an auto drum powder measure and love it.

to be fair, they found the issue, designed new, discontinued the old, and have admitted that it was s***. it's not their fault there are still retailers out there selling the old stuff.

as for the charging die, the issue is their old die doesnt sit high enough to give clearance to the new powder measure, so you would need a different die to lift it higher.

if you are that annoyed with the press, you could give it to me

[the running man]

There's a guy called shadowdog500 on you tube that does load aster instructional videos....absolutely brilliant...see if it helps..

[Alpha1]

Chuck it in the bin were it belongs.

[saddler]

Put it on ebay & buy a Dillon 550

[phaedra1106]

I have 2 of them, yes the first one was a PITA to set up and almost went in the bin but after spending some time watching the various YouTube videos I got it working. Not all the videos are correct so it can be a bit of a minefield. The second one was much easier, I now use them for 44Mag and 300aac.

Both presses use the Auto-Disk dispensers fitted with Perfect Powder Measure hoppers and work very reliably, while it does load the 300aac there's the odd case that falls over at the end of a tube using the case feeder. Never had a problem with the powder-through die, it works perfectly if properly set up, if the powder dispenser is too low they do make a riser you can fit which gives it about another 3cm clearance. I have one auto-disk using the standard built in spring and the 44mag uses the chain method, both work perfectly.

I've used a bench mounted Perfect Powder measure with N140 along with a TargetMaster system and found it to be very accurate, like all measures it needs a consistent operation and you soon get to know the feel of it, one trick with a brand new one is to rub some graphite on the bottom of the elastometer wiper to smooth it out until it gets that way from repeated powder drops.

The one thing I don't use on either is the priming system, I found it to be pants. I use an RCBS Universal hand priming tool, this does an excellent job and also gives me another stage where I can inspect my brass before reloading.

[snayperskaya]

Did you run a tub of powder through it to coat it with graphite before using it, as per the instructions?.

[dromia]

Gosh!

A Lee product that hasn't worked as advertised straight from the box, along with a customer service that requires you to pay more money on top of the original price in the vain promise that it will now work as advertised.

Well I never, who would have thought it?

[IsleShoot]

Bang for buck its hard to beat.

I was dragged up on Lee reloading equipment and whilst my progressive throws a wobbler now and again nothing that would justify the cost of laying out for a Dillion (no matter how much I'd love one, especially the new automated 650).

Simple case of you get what you pay for IMHO.

[Gazoo]

I have always preferred RCBS presses etc, used and have just bought another Dillon, with great satisfaction, but have never had cause to complain about the dies or hand primer that I have bought from Lee, horses for courses.
I never liked the look of their presses so didn't ever buy one but what a great thing a LEE loader is eh? banging away with your hide mallet, it's great ! And it does do what it says on the tin.