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Problem with lee die?

W

wburke2010

Full Member
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 4, 2011
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Wylie, Tx
www.taylorrentalgarland.com
I was trying to FL size my 284 win cases the other day and was using a lee die with the rcbs case lube, and had nothing but trouble. The brass is all Winchester twice fired. I never had this problem before but, it was starting to but little dents in the case shoulder and out of thirty cases about ten of them stuck the decapper pin into the die and when I tried to come down it pulled the decapper pin out of the die. First I thought I was using too much lube and it was causing the dents, so I used less and it still did it, also after it pulled the decapper pin out of the die I tighten the nut on the top back up but it still continued to do the same thing.

So I gave up and bought some new win brass and a redding FL die along with some imperial wax and went and the first thing I did was try and size some of the old brass with the new die and lube and it worked perfect. No dents or anything.

Any thoughts to what caused this? The lee die is not going to be used anymore but would still like to learn what I did wrong or what the problem was.

Thanks
Walter
 
Re: Problem with lee die?

Yeah I am not impressed with it either I bought the two die set just for the sizing die to save a little money, I bought a redding competition seating die from the group buy so that's what I have been using a love it and the redding sizing die worked great and had no problems with it. Also the imperial was is a major improvement over the rcbs lube that was a major step up also.

Walter
 
Re: Problem with lee die?

I've always found the lee decapping pins to be the most hardy of all brands. I love the neck sizing die but I too don't care too much for the sizing die. The seating die I've never had a problem with.
 
Re: Problem with lee die?

I've had dents from my Lee die from tumbler media getting stuck inside the die. And as far as the depriming pin, some brass has a really small flash hole or the primers are really tight or crimped. Broke a couple of pins on military crimped .223's.
 
Re: Problem with lee die?

Sometimes it is a good practice to deburr the flashole and make sure it is drilled to .062 for small and you can get the flashole size from a reloading manual.I had to learn the hard way.I would also call lee and talk to a tech and tell them what is wrong.
 
Re: Problem with lee die?

Well, excess case lube dents and media bit dents aren't 'caused' by any die.

When you bend your Redding (etc) decap rod because you have it misadjusted you'll begin to understand why Lee made their's so it can slip under great stress but afterwards you would have to actually put some pressure on the locking collet to resecure it in place. And, when you do stick a case due to too little lube you will miss having that massively strong Lee rod so you could use it to just drive the case out. You may also note that the collet held Lee decapper is usually better centered in the die body than most others and that helps keep necks straight. But, you now have a really purty new Redding die instead of the 'cheap' Lee so all is not lost.
 
Re: Problem with lee die?

it could be that the weep hole in the Lee die is blocked.if so it will not let the air out when sizeing a case or even allow for to much lube to be pushed out.

it too sounds like you had no lube on the inside of the neck.or the decapper/mandrel was set to long.with the dents that just tells me to much lube.or the necks could be to hard and not allowing the case neck to spring like it should.which caused it to hold onto the mandrel pulling it out.or it just might have been a little of both.not enough lube plus work hardened brass neck.

who knows you have a nicer more costly die now.so your good to go.
 
Re: Problem with lee die?

I have used the lee on this same brass before for the first round of loading and it worked okay, and have also used lee dies to reload for a few other calibers and never have had this problem. I thought it was no lube causing the case to get stuck inside the die but that also was not the issue nor have I had a issue running too much lube. Which is why I was asking why the case was getting stuck, and still can not find that out? I know the about the one piece rod on the lee which is why I bought it in the first place. Also the air hole in the top of the die was not plugged, and it was working fine. I cleaned the die out after the first stuck case and started from scratch, not over lubing the case and they still stuck. Which is what led me to buying my "nice" redding die.

Walter
 
Re: Problem with lee die?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wburke2010</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I was trying to FL size my 284 win cases the other day and was using a lee die with the rcbs case lube, and had nothing but trouble. The brass is all Winchester twice fired. I never had this problem before but, it was starting to but little dents in the case shoulder and out of thirty cases about ten of them stuck the decapper pin into the die and when I tried to come down it pulled the decapper pin out of the die. First I thought I was using too much lube and it was causing the dents, so I used less and it still did it, also after it pulled the decapper pin out of the die I tighten the nut on the top back up but it still continued to do the same thing.

So I gave up and bought some new win brass and a redding FL die along with some imperial wax and went and the first thing I did was try and size some of the old brass with the new die and lube and it worked perfect. No dents or anything.

Any thoughts to what caused this? The lee die is not going to be used anymore but would still like to learn what I did wrong or what the problem was.

Thanks
Walter </div></div>

This may sound like a load of crap, but beleave me, it sounds like you have to much case lube, I have had the same problem happen to me, and found I needed less case lube. Spread it as only to be a completely thin layer! " only enuff so it looks like it is fogging the brass"

Lee Dies have been working great for me!
 
Re: Problem with lee die?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 5R milspec</div><div class="ubbcode-body">it could be that the weep hole in the Lee die is blocked.if so it will not let the air out when sizeing a case or even allow for to much lube to be pushed out.
</div></div>

I was having the same problem as the OP - and this combined with improper lubing technique was my issue. I had sprayed some cases with my home-made lanolin-oil-lube, then they sat too long. That, combined with the vent hole being clogged - gave me quite a bit of trouble.
I cleaned the brass, unclogged the vent hole, re-lubed - and was good to go.
 
Re: Problem with lee die?

Remove the decapping pin and the collet nut.
DEGREASE them both.
Lightly oil the collet nut and reassemble.
The problem is the storage oil/grease.
Did you dissassemble the die and degrease before first use?
 
Re: Problem with lee die?

Annealed necks won't prevent lube dents in the shoulders but, if the necks are made dead soft, they likely won't have enough grip to pull out a loose/sliding expander rod. Won't have much bullet grip either.

Anyone pulling that rod can easily cut a few 10-32 threads at the top of the rod and install a nut; that WILL stop it. If you don't have a threading die find an auto mechanic, he should and it will only take him maybe 5 minutes to do it. And he'll have a few loose nuts lying around to fit too.
 
Re: Problem with lee die?

I did not clean it after first use, but after it started to dent the necks I took the die apart and cleaned it, then put it all back togather and used enough lube for a thin layer but not too much, Which I've never had this problem before, and that is when it started to pull the decapper rod out of the die, but the was no dents, so I used a little more lube because I thought that was not enough and it still continued to pull the decapper rod from the die, Which was the main problem that I was having.

Thanks for the replies.
Walter
 
Re: Problem with lee die?

Zuke after putting the die back together I tightened it down fairly snug, and It still did the same thing so I kept tightening it down, I don't think it would get much tighter than what I had it...
Walter
 
Re: Problem with lee die?

Reading all the info, (no disrespect) this looks to be a new user doing several things incorrectly, or marginally incorrect.

Shoulder dents are obviously too much lube and for sure the die needs to be cleaned, whether it was the origination of the grease/oil or it was transfered from the cases.

The decap pin is most likely caused by incorrectly adjusting the whole expander assembly, they make a "ping" sound when withdrawn, if they are miscentered. This is likely the reason we see much chatter about freefloating the die with an "O" ring? There is an off chance that the ram and die could be misaligned most probably due to excessive stress, so they go out and buy a CoAx. Endless speculation; some truly inventive solutions to nonproblems!

Anyway, my opinion is pilot error. Sorry. BB

edit: absolutely no reason to bother Lee with the problem


 
Re: Problem with lee die?

"It still did the same thing so I kept tightening it down, I don't think it would get much tighter than what I had it..."

The ONLY thing that can hold that decap rod in place is friction. First, clean all oil off the gripping surfaces of the rod and inside the collet. Then <span style="text-decoration: underline">lightly lube the die and collet nut threads with case lube</span>, screw them together and tighten it.
 
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