Lee press PSA

[Jethro]

I bought a lee press pkg deal several years ago. I was just getting into reloading, and didnt need anything fancy. I cant imagine how many rounds Ive loaded with this thing....its been a bunch. The one thing ive hated about it from the start is that dang quick change bushing deal. As many different cals as ive loaded, I wasnt going to buy a bushing for each die. I just put the bushing in the press... And screwed the dies into it. For those not familiar with this setup, there is a button on the press. The bushing is indexed to allow the button to lock it into place...after about a quarter turn. This arrangement has never allowed for the bushing to be tight in the press...just couldnt turn it far enough...based on the index. That said, its never caused an issue. However, after years of putting dies in and out of the bushing, that back and forth torque has caused wear on the hole the button sits in.... allowing even more flex in the bushing. I always knew it was happening, but again, had never been a problem so I didnt pay much attention to it....other than cussing it ever time I changed dies and it came loose.

For the last four months Ive had a problem with a new cal im loading for. The brass I bought for it was nosler blems...as well as some blem NABs. I sized all the brass, and started my first ladder. Immediately realized there was a problem. The bolt was hard to close, and once closed you needed a hammer to get it back open....locked up. Guys, ive fought with this dang thing for four months. Ive blamed everything from the blem bullets snd brass, to my dial caliper being wrong. Ive measured, measured, and measured again.... everything is right. I changed bullets to a different brand and everything was fine. Load, fire, eject...no problem. Blame the bullets!!! But I just couldn't figure out what was wrong with them!! Then I blamed the brass...must have thick necks....or something....but why would one bullet work and not the other?? Bought some factory Peterson rounds...worked great, so not the gun....what is it? Next, convinced it was the brass, i bought Peterson brass for it. Got it sized, prepped, and primed, ready to go.
Yesterday, I decided I was going to figure this out. Got out the mics...and started measuring again. Apparently the dial caliper is accurate....as I got the same measurements as with the mics.
Still scratching head.....been driving mup and jcobb(dd) crazy...it doesn't make sense.
Yesterday evening....decided screw the nosler brass, going to load the Peterson. Started a ladder load....loaded 5. Shouldn't be anything wrong....I had mocked up one and tried in gun...and it worked fine.
Then...last night, jason asked if my ladder loads work in the gun. I assumed they did, but hadn't tried them... So I did. 1-4 worked fine....#5 locked the gun up....grrrrrr!!!
What could it be?
Based on scuff marks...the bullet was getting scuffed on one side, and at 180 degrees, on the web, there was scuff marks.
Something is crooked....and its pissing me off!!
Then it hit me.....that stupid bushing!!
I removed the bushing....its only partially threaded, and tried to figure it out. I learned that the button can be pushed below the surface (countersunk) and the bushing turned a little farther....making it tight. So, I did that....broke down #5 and resized and loaded it again. Guess what...it worked fine in the gun. Its at that point that I got the tube of loctite and hopefully fixed it permanently. If not....jb weld is next!! I get the convenience of the bushings...but its a stupid idea...in my opinion.
So, if you have one of these presses, save yourself some aggravation, and push that button down and loctite that bushing in place.....tight!!!
This morning, aside from typing out this long post (giving my arm a break) ive been resizing brass....again. FWIW, based on resistance, only about 1 in 10 were out of shape....it was an intermittent flexing of that bushing/button combo that was causing the problem.
Got another 100 pieces to do...then I can get ready for some loading.....after 4 months of aggravation!!!
BTW, thanks Steve and Jason for the help....much appreciated.

[MUP]

Buddy I'm glad you finally found the issue! It sure had me stumped as well! Now go do some shootin!

[Jethro]

Buddy I'm glad you finally found the issue! It sure had me stumped as well! Now go do some shootin!

Steve, I want to thank you again for your help. I dragged you into this when it first started, and you've hung in there trying to help. It was a real head scratcher for sure. I guess it was just luck of the draw that paired some tweeked brass with those NABs, and the good ones with the norma bullets. Either way, with every possible solution I came up with, you helped me chase it down.
Just for shiggles, last night I broke down my ladder load (in the Peterson brass) and reloaded in the nosler brass... after resizing them...again. The same combo I could never get to work. They all function fine now, so this must have been the problem all along. The loctite has that bushing solid in the press....no more coming loose every time I change dies....and no more flexing.
Thanks again buddy, I truly appreciate it!!

[MUP]

I'm just glad you got it figured out finally! Problems like that are the worst, but major relief once you get them fixed!