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Posted: 6/13/2009 4:01:16 AM EDT
i am looking for a better locking ring for my lee dies what is best

i dont like the o-ring it keeps falling out and the nut moves
Link Posted: 6/13/2009 4:04:41 AM EDT
[#1]
turn it over
Link Posted: 6/13/2009 5:03:32 AM EDT
[#2]
Any standard Die lock ring will do.  The Dillon rings are probably the cheapest but they don't have a set screw or anything to lock the ring to the die.   If you are looking for a clamp style lock ring I would look at the Hornady lock rings, most seem to like them.  They are about $5 each.

HTH

-Masta
Link Posted: 6/13/2009 5:17:37 AM EDT
[#3]
Quoted:
Any standard Die lock ring will do.  The Dillon rings are probably the cheapest but they don't have a set screw or anything to lock the ring to the die.   If you are looking for a clamp style lock ring I would look at the Hornady lock rings, most seem to like them.  They are about $5 each.


+1 on the Hornaday rings.  These are by far the best design I've used.

The Lee rings work pretty well.  I was a little unsure at first considering they just use an O-ring to give a friction fit, but they seem to work pretty well.  

The Dillon rings were designed to put on a toolhead, and never remove the dies again.  As noted, there is no locking mechanism, so each time you remove the dies you have to re-set them.  They are good in that they are smaller so they fit better on a tight toolhead.

The RCBS rings work once or twice.  They use a brass set screw to keep the rings in place, and not booger up the threads on the die.  The problem is that the allen head strips out if you set and loosen these very often.  I've found with these it's best to get your die set and tighten the set screw and not mess with it again.  I've also got a few of these that don't work any more because of the stripped set screw.  Had I been thinking I'd have had RCBS send me a couple of replacements when I called them last week for another problem.  They are great about warranty repairs, though.
Link Posted: 6/13/2009 7:22:53 AM EDT
[#4]
+1 on turning the lee lock rings over, I was setting up my 45 acp dies for my LNL AP and the expander die is so short that I could'nt get it adjusted right because I ran out of threads on the lock ring. So I turned the lock ring over and now it works Great!!.

This will only work well if you a puttting the dies in a tool head or using LNL Bushing system, which I been using for 10 years and it made my decision on which progressive to buy easier to boot.

Jason
Link Posted: 6/13/2009 8:01:09 AM EDT
[#5]
Link Posted: 6/13/2009 5:52:47 PM EDT
[#6]
Quoted:
I am looking for a better locking ring for my lee dies what is best

I don't like the o-ring it keeps falling out and the nut moves


This is what I do. This is my Hornady 223 dies with a Lee FCD. Notice the locknut on the FCD.

Drill (#21 drill bit) and tap with a 10/32 tap. Install 10/32x1/8 Allen lock nut.

Notice the hole for the lock nut is not centered, but drilled into the "most metal" part of the locknut.

Look at the inside of the locknut, it will become clear.

Now the lock ring uses the same Allen wrench to adjust as all my other dies.

If you mess up on the first try, there are still 5 more sides to the lock ring.

Tip: before you insert the locknut place a single #6 shot between the die threads and the locknut.

This piece of lead will protect the die threads from becoming burred by the locknut.

Do this to all of your die lock rings.
Link Posted: 6/13/2009 7:54:08 PM EDT
[#7]
Hornady! I recently replaced all my lee rings with Hornady because I got tired of them.
Link Posted: 6/13/2009 8:50:09 PM EDT
[#8]
Another vote for the Hornady.  

When it’s tighten down against the die, it really stays put.  Plus the flats are handy when finger pressure isn’t quite enough, it’s made of steel, it’s fairly small (needed for my 650 toolhead), and it uses a hex screw.
Link Posted: 6/14/2009 5:33:23 AM EDT
[#9]
Will the Hornady and Forster type lock nuts work with a Lee Classic 4 hole turret?  The RCBS lock nuts will not work on the turrets because they overlap each other.  I have also been thinking about installing a set screw on the Lee nuts as Dryflash3 has done.

G
Link Posted: 6/14/2009 6:23:24 AM EDT
[#10]
Another vote for Hornady
Link Posted: 6/14/2009 11:10:31 AM EDT
[#11]
Quoted:
i am looking for a better locking ring for my lee dies what is best

i dont like the o-ring it keeps falling out and the nut moves


As long as I tighten and loosen with the lockring and not the die body they don't seem to move around unless I really torque them down. I would agree they are not the greatest and may consider a setscrew mod as well. The Forster or Honady rings work quite well also.
Link Posted: 6/14/2009 12:16:56 PM EDT
[#12]
thank for all the replies i think i will get some Hornady locking rings they look to be the best for what i want
Link Posted: 6/15/2009 1:46:14 AM EDT
[#13]
Quoted:
Will the Hornady and Forster type lock nuts work with a Lee Classic 4 hole turret?  The RCBS lock nuts will not work on the turrets because they overlap each other.  I have also been thinking about installing a set screw on the Lee nuts as Dryflash3 has done.

G

Kinda doubt it.

Here’s some rings that I have for comparison (assuming I can figure out the AR15.com photo
server ):

Link Posted: 6/16/2009 4:39:33 AM EDT
[#14]
Throw those piece of shit LEE rings in the garbage. Any other ring will work better. I just threw some out because they weren't square on the bottom causing my dies to be cockeyed in the press.
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