New Lee lock rings

[mousegunner]

I have some .38/.357 Lee dies with the new lock rings. I don't care for them at all, they're hard to hold onto. They do sell a small wrench for the new rings but I thought something else has to work and I didn't feel like buying the old style or Hornady rings.

Enter my Tapco Ar combination tool. The spanner is almost exactly the same diameter as the rings. The pin is a little thicker but I had filed that down to fit my NM tube. The pin fits into a groove and you can tighten or loosen just flip the tool. I could buy new rings later but once I set these dies there should be no point. This works on a single stage press, may not work on progressive presses.

The steel pin on the wrench can dig into the aluminum rings but you don't need a lot of force anyway.
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BTW I don't seem to have trouble posting pictures from my older IPad.

 

[nicholst55]

Whatever happened to 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it?'

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Whatever happened to 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it?'

Lee has to be the worst about that. Their lock rings were the best out there. If its an item everybody wants they just stop making it and replace it with an unusable one (like the auto prime)

 

[Rat Rifle]

I like the Hornady rings on all My dies.

 

[7887mm08]

Talk about trying to "re-invent the wheel."

 

[Mikemci]

Whidden "Click Adjust" lock rings on my dies.

 

[DGP4]

I just got a Lee collet die set for 7MM Mauser with these new lock rings and I HATE them! What a bone headed move by Lee!

 

[BoydAllen]

Amazon.com : 3/4 ID o rings

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I like the aluminum Forster split rings the best. The old rcbs rings were nearly exactly the same, but take a different size Allen wrench.

 

[mdram]

I like the Hornady rings on all My dies.

i bought them for all my dies after trying the various ones

 

[BoydAllen]

If any of you have any of the old Lee lock rings that you do not like and want to get rid of, let me know by PM.

 

[mousegunner]

If any of you have any of the old Lee lock rings that you do not like and want to get rid of, let me know by PM.

I wouldn't mind a couple but if you take out the O ring and flip the new lock ring with the O ring against the smooth part you can snug the die tight but still turn the body with firm pressure. I did this with my crimp die and can go from light to heavy crimp by turning the body.

 

[ToddKS]

Ironically on the new package it says "Finger Tighten Lock Rings" but the old ones were much easier to finger tighten.

I use Hornady rings on everything that is going on a tool head but these came on an extra set of dies I bought. I am definitely not a fan of the new style. I used the old style for years with no issues.

 

[Bill K]

Well, that is why we have choices. If you don't like one item and prefer another, buy and use the one you want. But why do we have to bad mouth other's ?

 

[mousegunner]

Well, that is why we have choices. If you don't like one item and prefer another, buy and use the one you want. But why do we have to bad mouth other's ?

It's not bad mouthing it's just saying you don't like something. Some like the Lee rings others don't. I don't like this powder or those bullets or that brand, you're right we do have choices so pick what you like. Now if the comments were malicious, crude or insulting then that's bad mouthing. I don't like cheesecake of any kind, not bad mouthing just not a fan. Cake or pie that's something else, I do like me a nice slice of apple or pumpkin pie, German chocolate cake my favorite.

 

[danny]

Whatever happened to 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it?'

I agree, but after thinking about this, maybe they changed the lock rings to make them easier to lock down on progressive and turret presses. Things get a bit crowded on those with the traditional hex locking rings that they had. I bring this up without seeing the wrench that they sell sell for it, which could theoretically work better on those presses.

Danny

 

[dolek]

I agree, but after thinking about this, maybe they changed the lock rings to make them easier to lock down on progressive and turret presses. Things get a bit crowded on those with the traditional hex locking rings that they had. I bring this up without seeing the wrench that they sell sell for it, which could theoretically work better on those presses.

Danny

You nailed it .

 

[2506]

I have hated the old Lee rings. For the dies that I use the most and want to set and not move I replace the Lee rings with others like RCBS ect. that can be locked into place on the die and you don't have to waste time trying to reset your die every time.

 

[Dave Way]

I really like these Wilson rings. Well made out of stainless steel.



Unlike some lock rings these have some kind of polymer insert that actually works. I can tighten them down to lock them in place. When I loosen them though they actually release unlike most rings with set screws.



Dave.

 

[YEW PLUCKER]

I like'em.