Problem w/ Lee 6.5x47 Lapua case length gage and shell holder

[cgg]

I am gearing up for a 6.5x47 Lapua build and recently ordered the Lee "Case Length Gage & Shell Holder" for my case trimming--I like these Lee trimmers and have them in all the rifle calibers I reload. When I get the gage and trimmer from Midway, the Lee package contains their #4 shell holder--that's the .223 size. The 6.5x47 Lapua uses a Lee #2, like the .308 and '06 etc.

So I email Midway and explain the mistake and tell them I am not that upset over it--I have an extra #2 and I am not going to return the $5 item 'cause it will cost me almost that much just in postage. Midway is very gracious, thanks me for the info and gives me a $5 credit anyway.

Then I email Lee and tell them the same thing--they are shipping the wrong shell holder with the 6.5x47 Lapua item and I get a rather patronizing response saying that the #4 shell holder is correct and they did not make any mistake

I had also pointed out that their pin that is supposed to pass through the flash hole on the gage was too big and needed to be polished down a few more thousands of an inch and Lee told me "some foreign made" cases have a small flash hole and I should drill out my Lapua flash holes to the "standard" .062" ??? I told them that Lapua makes about the best brass in the business and I am not drilling out my flash holes.

I thought Lee would be a little more with it than that and did not appreciate their kind of smug attitude Lee makes some economical, useful stuff but I am not too impressed with their customer service... Just an FYI. I hope Lee wakes up soon and at least starts packaging the correct shell holder.

 

[bigedp51]

If your that unhappy you will have to start a war with the European Union, CIP and the metric system.

"However, recent lots of Lapua brass have shown a few cases per box where there is a little flake of brass on the edge of the flash hole. You'll want to pop this out. A Pin Vise with #53 or 19/32 bit works well for the job. If you do decide to actually ream the flash hole, use a K&M or Sinclair deburring tool for small primer holes--but be gentle, don't ream the hole out. Double check the diameter of the cutter tip before reaming--some are oversize. To uniform the outside of the hole you can use the Sinclair 07-3000 outside PPC/BR flash hole reamer. This will ream the hole to about .064" or so to fit a standard 1/16" (.0625") decapping pin."

6mmBR Cartridge Guide (here at this website) ???

http://www.6mmbr.com/6mmbr.html

The story of the Enfield inch

The American company Pratt & Whitney was asked to set up a plant in Australia to produce the Enfield rifle at the turn of the century. The problem was British drawings and blueprints all had different conflicting measurements for the rifle.

The British inch varied and was so many kernels of corn long, so many grains of barley long etc. Once Pratt & Whitney figured how long a British inch really was they finally started manufacturing the British Enfield rifle in Australia.

As a side note, corn and barley are smaller in Finland due to the colder weather than standard American corn and barley grown here. ;D

 

[boltfluter]

The problem is using Lee products in the first place.

 

[bigedp51]

The problem is using Lee products in the first place.

Utter blasphemy :

You just have to adapt, overcome and improvise sometimes.........

 

[284driver]

I would have to say that torque wrench has the most ingenuity applied that I have seen in a while.

 

[284driver]

I made a collet to hold the cutter and threaded it to fit my rcbs prep station. (The one with five rotating stations) so I can trim, debur inside and out, debur flashhole, and cut primer pockets all in one sweep. Though not as nice as others, Lee has some good ideas.

 

[cgg]

If your that unhappy you will have to start a war with the European Union, CIP and the metric system.

"However, recent lots of Lapua brass have shown a few cases per box where there is a little flake of brass on the edge of the flash hole. You'll want to pop this out. A Pin Vise with #53 or 19/32 bit works well for the job. If you do decide to actually ream the flash hole, use a K&M or Sinclair deburring tool for small primer holes--but be gentle, don't ream the hole out. Double check the diameter of the cutter tip before reaming--some are oversize. To uniform the outside of the hole you can use the Sinclair 07-3000 outside PPC/BR flash hole reamer. This will ream the hole to about .064" or so to fit a standard 1/16" (.0625") decapping pin."

6mmBR Cartridge Guide (here at this website) ???

http://www.6mmbr.com/6mmbr.html

That same article you quote also says:
"About flash holes--we suggest leaving them alone when using Lapua brass. Our tests suggest that ES and SD may increase with ANY modification of the Lapua Flash-holes, which run 1.50mm (.059) out of the box."

I am going to go with that advice. 8)

My FL RCBS die and my Redding Neck Sizing Bushing die work fine with the Lapua brass and flash holes. I am not going to "fix" $200 worth of Lapua cases to use a $5 Lee gizmo.

And boltfluter you're right about about using Lee stuff, but the case trimmers are pretty convenient and usually work well--I have tweeked and tuned one for each of my rifle calibers and I'll get the Lapua one working too.

Update for this topic--I just received an email from Lee's customer service admitting their mistake and thanking me for pointing it out to them. I'll certainly give them credit for that--it is not fun to admit a mistake, but they stood up and did so. And they are sending me the proper #2 shell holder so that is nice of them too. Lee does not make a lot of stuff for the serious BR people, but I like their trimmers and have had excellent results reloading a couple hunting rifles with the collet neck sizing dies too.

 

[Eagle Six]

I started using Lee products back in the early 60's through late 70's. Mostly bullet molds. During that time I never contacted Lee, because everything worked. Just a few days ago I found myself talking with 2 customer support persons on two different days. The information they gave me, the demeanor they used, and tone of their voice, was disappointing. It's unfortunate......I expected more from an old line company, and have not only been disappointed in their products, but also their design and customer support. All except for the sweetheart that answer the phone....I like her.

Best Regards.....Eagle Six

 

[amlevin]

I started using Lee products back in the early 60's through late 70's. Mostly bullet molds. During that time I never contacted Lee, because everything worked. Just a few days ago I found myself talking with 2 customer support persons on two different days. The information they gave me, the demeanor they used, and tone of their voice, was disappointing. It's unfortunate......I expected more from an old line company, and have not only been disappointed in their products, but also their design and customer support. All except for the sweetheart that answer the phone....I like her.

Best Regards.....Eagle Six

A fish stinks from the head back. Just read some of Richard Lee's writings and you'll see that he's the sole keeper of any knowledge related to reloading. He's got a boner for Federal Primers and thinks that anyone who uses a tubular primer magazine on a reloading press is about to be "neutered" by it.

When the "Boss" is a pr**k, sooner or later employees get the same attitude. On that note everyone there may be a great people to know and talk to but perception tends to be close to reality.

It's too bad that much of their product line is viewed as Cheap and "throwaway" by many. Some of their line certainly doesn't deserve that broad brush.

Just to throw some Kudos to a different company, with a totally different approach. Hornady packed an improper shell holder in a retail package. I couldn't get either 30-06 or .308 brass to fit the new shell holder I bought to go with my new hand priming tool. Called them and they sent me a replacement immediately. 2 days by mail and the new one was at my house. The next day another package arrived, this time with a #1 shell plate for the LNL AP. I called them and they immediately sent me a UPS label to return the more expensive shell plate I didn't need. I also included the old shell holder and a couple pieces of brass one used, one new, that wouldn't fit so they could see what I was faced with. What the heck I was thinking at the time, no extra expense. A few days later I got a complementary hat from Hornady. What a contrast, dealing with Lee or dealing with Hornady.

 

[Eagle Six]

I started using Lee products back in the early 60's through late 70's. Mostly bullet molds. During that time I never contacted Lee, because everything worked. Just a few days ago I found myself talking with 2 customer support persons on two different days. The information they gave me, the demeanor they used, and tone of their voice, was disappointing. It's unfortunate......I expected more from an old line company, and have not only been disappointed in their products, but also their design and customer support. All except for the sweetheart that answer the phone....I like her.

Best Regards.....Eagle Six

A fish stinks from the head back. Just read some of Richard Lee's writings and you'll see that he's the sole keeper of any knowledge related to reloading. He's got a boner for Federal Primers and thinks that anyone who uses a tubular primer magazine on a reloading press is about to be "neutered" by it.

When the "Boss" is a pr**k, sooner or later employees get the same attitude. On that note everyone there may be a great people to know and talk to but perception tends to be close to reality.

It's too bad that much of their product line is viewed as Cheap and "throwaway" by many. Some of their line certainly doesn't deserve that broad brush.

Just to throw some Kudos to a different company, with a totally different approach. Hornady packed an improper shell holder in a retail package. I couldn't get either 30-06 or .308 brass to fit the new shell holder I bought to go with my new hand priming tool. Called them and they sent me a replacement immediately. 2 days by mail and the new one was at my house. The next day another package arrived, this time with a #1 shell plate for the LNL AP. I called them and they immediately sent me a UPS label to return the more expensive shell plate I didn't need. I also included the old shell holder and a couple pieces of brass one used, one new, that wouldn't fit so they could see what I was faced with. What the heck I was thinking at the time, no extra expense. A few days later I got a complementary hat from Hornady. What a contrast, dealing with Lee or dealing with Hornady.

I'll follow amlevin's lead.....

The problem I had recently with a Lee product, wasn't addressed to my satisfaction by Lee, so I went back to the source I purchased it from, Sinclair International (Brownell's). After a short explanation, they shipped out a replacement (that same day, they pay the shipping). When it arrives (and if the replacement is satisfactory), they asked that I ship the original back and they will reimburse me the return shipping cost.

The problem is a slot was cut out of square during manufacturing. The question I have is, will the replacement be cut out of square, or will it be usable? I had a good explanation and description as well as detailed photos of the problem, but Lee wasn't interested in them.

On a different item, the second issue I discussed with them, was based on a primer feed. I fully understand amlevin's comment about the "tubular primer magazine", as I got the same attitude. And, I think amlevin's correct, "When the "Boss" is a pr**k, sooner or later employees get the same attitude.", as I spoke with two different people and the attitudes run deep!

Best Regards......Eagle Six