Lee Customer Service/ Bad Game of Twister

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Potatohead

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The other day, in this thread:

Depriming and sizing die quit working
gonoles_1980

I mentioned that if you would have witnessed me trying to unscrew the collet/decap pin from my 9mm lee die that you would have thought it looked like a bad game of Twister, since I was half-rolling in the floor and had a foot on one wrench and a hand on another. A poster said I shouldnt have had to do that, that it should be easier. The thread was quickly heading towards the bash Lee/ praise Dillon/RCBS variety, so Walkalong had to close it before I could mention that when I got the pin unscrewed finally, I saw that the threading was all warped/mucked up. I have a Universal Decap Dies so I had just been sizing and depriming separately since then.

Soooo, long story short, the thread reminded me about the threading, so I took a pic and emailed Lee and they're sending me a new die out. So thanks Lee and thanks Gonoles-1980.

And of course I wanted everyone to know that I don't just roll around the floor playing Twister with wrenches and dies if there's not a real good reason !!:eek::eek::eek:
 
I'd like to add my experience with Lee products is mixed. I posted in the other customer service thread, but I think if you take a picture of the problem, and you're lucky enough to find the right customer service rep you're golden.
 
Yea, I should mention the last time I needed something I called and I got this really grumpy dude who was very much not helpful. Grumpy people should not work customer service....you would think the supervisors would "pluck" those from the vine.
 
Good to hear. I've heard a few negatives here and there. So far so good overall though.
 
Can I call you Mr?:) Potato head

I have had nothing but great response from LEE. When you send a e mail it is much nicer than calling. If you get the one guy in the "shop" he really does come across like a grouch. He pretty much is.

Years ago when I stuck a 223 I of course did not read the easy instructions and did pretty much the same thing as you. I put it in a vise a pretty much destroyed it.

Sent them a nice letter that it was my fault, and no problem they sent me a new one, (of course I listed all the Lee stuff I have and for how long;)

The moral of the lee die is: Do not remove the pin retaining nut all the way out!! Just loosen it and then use a PUNCH to drive it out not smash it with a hammer.:eek: You do not even need a stuck die tap and die kit.
 
Well I have stuck a couple in lee dies before 357 and 9mm don't ask how anyways lee has always done me right so I am happy to say I am a lee fan especially since they fixed my 35 Remington die problem my lovely wife got taken by a bad person and he sold her collet dies well I needed the full length resizer and they said sure we will switch them no charge I was very happy :D
 
You really need to use a vice to hold the die. That is one tight mother, needs to be to keep the pin in place. I was surprised at how much torque it took the first time I messed with one. I can see somebody having trouble with just two wrenches.
 
Great Customer service

I purchased a LEE 9mm 4 die set 2 weeks ago. On the second decap, the collet popped right out of the die. I too it apart and it had obviously been cross threaded upon manufacture assembly. I called lee, and they said they to take a pic and email it to them. they would replace the die if i sent it in, or if i want to try, to run a tap through it if I have one, and they are sending me a new collet. That obviously will get me reloading quicker. And if the new collet gets trashed upon install, or i dont feel good about it, to send the die back in and they will replace the whole thing.

Of course I would have preferred it be manufactured correctly the first time, but I understand they are probably really pushing the assemble line to try to get things back in stock, and mistakes happen.

The whole process was totally painless, took less than a 2 minute phone call and email, and they we're happy to send me a collet free of charge.

All in all, I think their customer service was fantastic, and ill definitely buy LEE products again.
 
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One more thing,
I found it is far easier to remove the collet by keeping the die in the press, and using 2 combination wrenches, set close together, on top of each other, so you squeeze them together instead if fighting them. No vice needed.
 
One more thing,
I found it is far easier to remove the collet by keeping the die in the press, and using 2 combination wrenches, set close together, on top of each other, so you squeeze them together instead if fighting them. No vice needed.

Yep.

I have needed Lee service once and they went above and beyond. So did RCBS.

We are lucky to have such great companies in our hobby.
 
I had the same problem recently with not being able to loosen the collet. As a final resort, I used the flat side of a metal punch and a small hammer and sharply tapped the pin a few times. It went back into position and after decapping at least 500 rounds since that time, it's still in position. I'll keep my eye on it but might shoot off a quick email to Lee just to get something on the record.
 
I have had mixed luck with Lee customer service. The last issue I had I sent them a picture like usual and got no response. I sent it again and got no response. I sent it again and then just bought a new one because of time constraints.

This has been my first bad experience with them.
 
One more thing,
I found it is far easier to remove the collet by keeping the die in the press, and using 2 combination wrenches, set close together, on top of each other, so you squeeze them together instead if fighting them. No vice needed.

That's the ticket. That collet will cross thread faster than anything I've ever seen. If you remove it, it WILL cross thread going back in. No way around it that I've found. Likely has something to do with the tension in it necessaary for holding the pin.

Anyone know which tap to use to un-F a Lee die that's been cross threaded?
 
That's the ticket. That collet will cross thread faster than anything I've ever seen. If you remove it, it WILL cross thread going back in. No way around it that I've found. Likely has something to do with the tension in it necessaary for holding the pin.

Anyone know which tap to use to un-F a Lee die that's been cross threaded?
1/8" -27. NPT.

It's a tapered thread so don't run the tap all the way through.
 
Which is why I said above to NOT remove the collet nut on top.
There is no need to. Just loosen it and tap the pin out with a drift punch.
 
You really need to use a vice to hold the die. That is one tight mother, needs to be to keep the pin in place. I was surprised at how much torque it took the first time I messed with one. I can see somebody having trouble with just two wrenches.
Definitely
 
Thanks for the advice guys. Also Im starting to wonder if they are actually sending me a new one. My customer service rep has gone silent on me for some reason...
 
Glad you got it loose.

Everyone is still bogged down with orders and shipping, be patient.

They do tend to be pretty tight. I use two wrenches. There is no need to remove the collet all the way to get the decapping pin to move where you want, but I have taken one off completely and was able to re-install it without too much trouble. I did learn that it was easiest to just leave it in there though.

We are very fortunate as reloaders in the fact that the reloading companies take such good care of their customers.
 
I've had a couple warranty returns to Lee. All have been positive. Even if it is something that I had a hand in messing up. Not once have they questioned me or denied to fix anything. My father who does not trust the internet has sent me some Lee products that broke on him to look at. After I verified they needed repaired I sent them to Lee for repair after receiving authorization from their web site, I asked that they ship the items to him rather than back to me. Again not a single question, just pure 100% good customer service.
 
Glad you got it loose.

Everyone is still bogged down with orders and shipping, be patient.

They do tend to be pretty tight. I use two wrenches. There is no need to remove the collet all the way to get the decapping pin to move where you want, but I have taken one off completely and was able to re-install it without too much trouble. I did learn that it was easiest to just leave it in there though.

We are very fortunate as reloaders in the fact that the reloading companies take such good care of their customers.
Yea, I wish i had thought to not remove it all of the way. Makes sense. (that's why I probably didn't think of it LOL)

The reloading companies are awesome. Shocks me sometimes, Im not used to it!
 
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