lee sizing dies quality control.

[Alpha1]

I recently bought a set of Lee 6.5 creedmoor dies. I only wanted the full-length sizer really to do some comparisons with my homemade dies. I resized a once-fired Winchester case the outside of the case was horrible after running it through the die. I decided to try another make of case it was the same outcome. The die feels gritty as you are using it. The cases look like they have been scraped with a ragged edge its all around the body of the case. I inspected the internal surface of the die it looks like someone has used a boring bar with a carbide insert with the tip broken off it's a horrible mess. Never again thats me done with lee dies. I may try running a chamber reamer down it but if I am not mistaken the dies are hardened so it may damage a reamer. Nothing is ever straight forward in life.

hmm whats next. A cup of tea and chill out me thinks.

[Gazza]

Take said die back and swap it

[Alpha1]

Its not worth the hassle it took weeks to get them messing on sending them back and waiting for replacements its not worth the chew. Or the money wasted on postage etc.
Im done with Lee.
I all ways thought the internals were honed but obviously not.

[kennyc]

I use Lee dies in 3 calibres and have a couple in one of those calibres, can't say I have ever had a problem other than too much lube ? sounds like a bad one got through

[Alpha1]

Yes, could be a bad one. I have to admit I have lots of Lee dies in various other calibers and they work OK.
I just checked the internal finish on my Redding body die there are similar machine marks but no were near the state of the Lee offering. I will just chuck it in a drawer for now and forget about it. I don't need it to hand load anyway.
My standard set up is a Redding body die with competition shell holders and L.E.Wilson bushing type neck and seating dies I make my self.

hmm whats next. .338 lapua magnum this should be interesting.

[andrew375]

Don't be too hard on Lee, I've had similar experiences with rcbs , Forster and Redding products. But it is a mystery how such obvious failures get past the machine operator let alone inspection!

[ovenpaa]

Do not put a chamber reamer neat a Lee Die, they have a really tough and you would just end up with a scrap reamer. My experience of Lee dies has always been good, I use them for the more cartridges I load for and for wildcat stages such as using a shortened .338LM FLS die to neck down a wildcat recently. They do machine with a decent carbide insert and once you are inside the surface they are fine so easy to shorten the length or open neck diameters.

A handy source of sacrificial dies as far as I am concerned :)

[Alpha1]

Do not put a chamber reamer neat a Lee Die, they have a really tough and you would just end up with a scrap reamer. My experience of Lee dies has always been good, I use them for the more cartridges I load for and for wildcat stages such as using a shortened .338LM FLS die to neck down a wildcat recently. They do machine with a decent carbide insert and once you are inside the surface they are fine so easy to shorten the length or open neck diameters.

A handy source of sacrificial dies as far as I am concerned :)

No, I didn't intend to use a chamber reamer on it that would not be good. Luckily I don't need the die for what I want to do. But its definitely not good I tried it again tonight just to check it wasnt a fluke the cases are a mess. Horrible yuk. Worst I have ever seen. I tried three different types of brass with the same outcome.
Im just starting to load for the .338Lapua magnum