Lee press failure

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  • steves1911

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 2, 2011
    3,026
    On a hill in Wv
    I was resizing some 5.56 when she gave way. To be fair who knows how many rounds the old girl has seen. I got it for free from my father in law 3 or 4 years ago. Wonder if this is covered by warranty?
     

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    j8064

    Garrett Co Hooligan #1
    Feb 23, 2008
    11,635
    Deep Creek
    Probably way past warranty, but the parts can be ordered from Lee and shouldn't be crazy expensive.
     

    Seabee

    Old Timer
    Oct 9, 2011
    517
    Left marylandistan to NC
    How many times did you have to hit it with the hammer to convince the wife you needed a new one? :lol2:
    Aluminum it looks like, not a good metal in a press. The last RCBS I looked at was made in china. Redding should be a good one
     

    j8064

    Garrett Co Hooligan #1
    Feb 23, 2008
    11,635
    Deep Creek
    I think I'm just going to retire her. I have been eying up the new rcbs summit or a Redding ultramag. I need more room to seat bullets in my 300rum.

    Understandable. I've still got my original Lee Challenger press i ordered repair parts for in retirement. Never know when I may need to get it out.
     

    steves1911

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 2, 2011
    3,026
    On a hill in Wv
    Well color me shocked Lee already replied to my email. The parts are free just gotta pay shipping. Seems this style hadn't been made since 2006. The new parts they are sending me are for a breech lock Challenger but they say they will work fine. Guess I will keep her around probably just for decapping crimped brass..... Nobody tell the wife lol
     

    j8064

    Garrett Co Hooligan #1
    Feb 23, 2008
    11,635
    Deep Creek
    Well color me shocked Lee already replied to my email. The parts are free just gotta pay shipping. Seems this style hadn't been made since 2006. The new parts they are sending me are for a breech lock Challenger but they say they will work fine. Guess I will keep her around probably just for decapping crimped brass..... Nobody tell the wife lol

    There ya go. :thumbsup:

    Place the old Lee press in retirement and go shopping for a new one!

    :D
     

    Blacksmith101

    Grumpy Old Man
    Jun 22, 2012
    22,163
    With customer service like that you should be looking at a new Lee press. Out of production for ten years, not the original owner, replacement parts probably better than the original, free except for shipping. And a quick reply from the manufacturer.
     

    Major03

    Ultimate Member
    People like to dump on Lee, but they make some great products for the money and I've always had phenomenal customer service with them.

    Are their presses Reddings or Dillons? No, but you don't pay the same price. For the money, they are good products.

    I've made a lot of .308 more accurate than FFMM in my Lee
     

    steves1911

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 2, 2011
    3,026
    On a hill in Wv
    With customer service like that you should be looking at a new Lee press. Out of production for ten years, not the original owner, replacement parts probably better than the original, free except for shipping. And a quick reply from the manufacturer.

    If they made a single stage press that had more room for long cases being loaded with long bullets I would. It was a pain in the but trying to get a 220gr smk into a 300rum case.
     

    BUFF7MM

    ☠Buff➐㎣☠
    Mar 4, 2009
    13,576
    Garrett County

    ras_oscar

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 23, 2014
    1,666
    What kind of press was this, and where did it break? I'm having challenges deciphering this info from your photo. I only own one Lee press and I'm sure there are many styles made now and historically that I have never even seen.
     

    steves1911

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 2, 2011
    3,026
    On a hill in Wv
    What kind of press was this, and where did it break? I'm having challenges deciphering this info from your photo. I only own one Lee press and I'm sure there are many styles made now and historically that I have never even seen.

    It is a Lee Challenger circa pre 2006. Very similar to the breech lock Challenger they sell now. Looks like they did away with mounting the ram lever like mine was. What broke was the aluminum "clam shell" that held the ram lever in place.
     

    j8064

    Garrett Co Hooligan #1
    Feb 23, 2008
    11,635
    Deep Creek
    What kind of press was this, and where did it break? I'm having challenges deciphering this info from your photo. I only own one Lee press and I'm sure there are many styles made now and historically that I have never even seen.

    It is a Lee Challenger circa pre 2006. Very similar to the breech lock Challenger they sell now. Looks like they did away with mounting the ram lever like mine was. What broke was the aluminum "clam shell" that held the ram lever in place.

    I'm pretty sure this is what broke on steves1911's older Lee press. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

    Lee references the parts as toggles. They are the pivoting link between the press handle and ram.

    The part is made from cast aluminum on many Lee Challenger presses. The pic below is of similar toggles on a Lee Turret press I have mounted on my bench.

    Years ago, after almost 15 years of service, the toggles on my pre-1990 Lee Challenger press broke. Like steves1911 pointed out, who knows how many rounds that press had built. When it wore out, it didn't owe me anything. And Lee sent me replacement parts for next to nothing.

    Lee's products may not be the highest quality. But they are surely less expensive than other brands - and they often make a tool no other manufacturer does.

    Since I reload so many different calibers in small batches I don't need expensive progressive press setups. My reloading equipment supports and feeds my firearm collection extremely well.

    I own and use other brands of reloading equipment. With 30+ years of experience using Lee presses, dies, bullet molds and other reloading accessories plus the high level of their customer service, their brand is usually my go-to manufacturer when I need some new tool.

    I give Lee Precision a 9.5 out of 10:

    :thumbsup:
     

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