Richard Lee, forever 88 years old

[riverrat38]

I haven't seen anything on this Forum about Richards Lee's death, but I found this on another:

https://leeprecision.com/userfiles/images/RichardLeeEulogy.pdf

The Company he founded exemplified the best in American Industry. It was noted that all who reload have something in their shop that his Company made. I know that I do.
His family Eulogy shows that he lead a very full life.
RIP Mr. Lee


Best,
Rick

 

[Gregor]

Thank you for posting, I was unaware of Mr. Lee's death. My first reloading press was a Lee Load-All 20ga at the age of 16. I bought myself a Ruger RedHawk .44 Magnum as a High School graduation gift. At 19, I bought a factory second Lee Turret press with auto index to load for it. Started me on a very enjoyable journey thus far through life.

God Bless Richard Lee and may his family find comfort in his passing.

 

[DumpStick]

Richard Lee is probably responsible for more people getting in to reloading than any other single individual.

He made affordable, useable tools for the masses. His innovations allowed me to start reloading, back around 1988.

 

[Andy Lowry]

While using my Lee presses, I've often reflected on the cleverness of various aspects of the design. Mr. Lee was something of a genius, I think. He made it possible for me to take up reloading, as I couldn't have afforded one of the fancier setups at the time, and I've just stuck with Lee products ever since.

I started with a Turret, and now have two Pro 1000s-- one permanently set up for .45ACP, since that's what I shoot the most of, and one for .32 Long, .38 S&W, .38 Special, and .357.

It's clear from examining Lee's products that a lot of caring and effort was put towards making functional machinery at a reasonable price, and that's a rarity nowadays. Hats off to you, Richard Lee!

 

[Rule3]

He was quite the Man.

If folks would read the first chapters of his reloading manual(not the load data) it is like he is talking with you and telling a story.

 

[Maddog 521]

I have a lot of Lee reloading products in my garage. I'm still using an old Lee 3 hole turret press that I bought back in the mid 80's. I sent it back to the company a few years ago and they rebuilt it. It's all I have to reload with and I will continue to use it.

RIP Richard James Lee

 

[max]

I started my reloading career with a Lee Loader in .38. I still have it and also use several sets of Lee dies in my Dillon.

 

[joeintexas]

I'd venture to guess most everyone who is reloading has at one time or another owned Mr. Lee's products of some sort. I have several different brands on the bench and Lee is certainly one of them I turn to often. Thank you Richard Lee and RIP.

 

[daddio202]

I have not been reloading very long but if it was not for Mr. Lee's book on reloading it would have been a lot more difficult for me to learn it all on my own. I use a Lee single stage press with all deluxe sets of dies for my caliber. He came across as a very honest and intelligent man who stood behind his products 100 percent. May he R.I.P.

 

[CajunBass]

I'm sorry to hear that. May he rest in peace, and may his family find comfort in his passing.

I started my reloading with a Lee Loader for 38 Special. I'm not far removed from that today, using a Lee hand press. Shoot, I've gone back to using his powder dippers again. They worked for years, and still do.

 

[cowboy4evr]

Like others , I too started reloading with the " LEE loader " kit in 38 special . When I progressed to 45 colt , bought the Lee Loader kit for that caliber as well . It was several yrs before I progressed to a single stage press , again a Lee . The little " C " frame press . 90% of my reloading is done using dippers . I have 2 sets , the old red ones and the newer yellow ones . 99% of my dies are LEE ( I have one set of Lyman ) . Just this last week I was using my Lee 6 cavity mold for 148 gr wadcutters . Using that bullet with Bullseye powder , the Lee .3cc scoop drops a charge of 2.8 grs , it's simple , consistent .
Thank you Mr Lee , RIP . Regards, Paul

 

[jag312]

Lee makes a .457, 405 grain, hollow base bullet mold for the .45-70 (.45-55) Springfield Cavalry Carbine. As far as I know, that is the only commercially available, non-custom, bullet mold that casts a correct bullet for the trapdoor carbine. Because there was a variation of bore diameters in the trapdoors, a hollow base bullet was necessary to expand to fill the bore. I have two of those molds. Thank you, Mr. Lee

 

[Bugkiller99]

What a wonderful tribute from a loving son to his loving father.
Makes you want to to do two things:
A) Go to the reloading room
B) Contact your children.

I know this is a gun forum, but I am going to choose B.

 

[Muley Gil]

I started with a .45 Colt Lee Loader in 1973. It is still on my bench, along with my other reloading gear. I bought the Lee dippers around 1974 and still use them. I have also used a number of Lee bullet moulds over the years.

My prayers go out to the Lee family.

 

[one eye joe]

I haven't seen anything on this Forum about Richards Lee's death, but I found this on another:

https://leeprecision.com/userfiles/images/RichardLeeEulogy.pdf

The Company he founded exemplified the best in American Industry. It was noted that all who reload have something in their shop that his Company made. I know that I do.
His family Eulogy shows that he lead a very full life.
RIP Mr. Lee


Best,
Rick

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THE OBIT OF THIS AMAZING MAN WITH US, RICK.....

MAY HE REST IN ETERNAL PEACE.....

 

[STCM(SW)]

I like Lee stuff, Have many dies..
May he RIP.

 

[David LaPell]

Most of my reloading supplies over the years are Lee products. My first bullet mold I cast from was a Lee. I still remember the only thing my grandfather ever used to reload his own ammo were Lee Loaders, one in .30-30 and one in .308. My grandfather was frugal and didn't buy anything he didn't have a use for, and when I saw those two lee loaders, they appeared to be well used.
I wonder how many people who didn't want to buy big reloading outfits or didn't have a place for them went for Lee's smaller things like the Lee Loader or Hand Press? Mr. Lee truly opened the market for everyone to get into the hobby.

 

[BeachBumShooter]

I still have my first Lee Loader in 38 special dated 1968, price sticker on the original box was FED-MART $8.39. I bought it in 1989 for $5.00 at a pawn shop. It had been well used but I went on and loaded several thousands of rounds with it. Of course I moved on to a Lee press, but that Lee Loader allowed me to shoot cheap when money was scarce. I have been very bran loyal since purchasing that first Lee Loader. All the equipment from Lee worked and lasted.

I heard that early on, Mr Lee would travel around to gun stores. Walk in and bet that he could load cartridges right there on the counter. The owners would say no way, but of coarse he would prove them wrong!

Thank you Mr Lee. A great innovator!

 

[JLM]

A loaded 100 357's last night on a 3-hole Lee turret press that I bought at a garage sale for $15 back in the late 80's. Works perfectly today.

Thank you for your contribution to all our lives, sir.

 

[The Norseman]

Lee

May our Lord bless and comfort the family during this time of grief.
Please accept my sincere condolences.

Thank you for all the Great Reloading Tools.
My Reloading is basically all done with Lee
Reloading Press, Dies, Trimming tools, and
Factory Crimp Dies.

I started out with the 6MM and 222 Target Lee Loader.
Still have them.

Then I advanced to the Small Red Lee Single Stage
Press, came as a package deal with 44Mag Dies.
Use it every time I Reload since 1985.

Below are some pictures.
My Lee Press and recently acquired Manual.