Lee Collet Die info

[Dthomas3523]

I’d like to try breaking my sizing down into two steps. F/L with shoulder bump in one step, and then neck with lee collet die. Have heard of very good results this way.

Which collet die would I use for:

6x47
6gt
6br

Thanks

 

[918v]

Collet dies are caliber specific. Call Lee and have them custom make you three dies for the three calibers you listed as they are not available through normal channels.

 

[clcustom1911]

You're gonna love the collet die.

 

[ShtrRdy]

If you just use the collet die, how many times can you get away with doing this before having to full length resize?

 

[Ryridesmotox]

If you just use the collet die, how many times can you get away with doing this before having to full length resize?

He is going to do it every time with his 2 step process.

I used to do collet and would get like 8 firings, but it would be hard to close the bolt. Don't do that. Do it more often than that, before bolt close gets hard. You're basically trying to body size with your rifle's chamber at that point.

 

[Doom]

If you just use the collet die, how many times can you get away with doing this before having to full length resize?

In my 223 and 308 bolt guns I have never “had” to FLS. Now I don’t load to max book loads in 308 but I do run max in the 223. I’m pretty sure I’ve gone 10 loadings before FLS.

The rounds are slightly harder to chamber than rounds FLS with the shoulder set back but not a problem. Rifles are standard Rem 700s.

 

[Steel head]

Collet dies are caliber specific. Call Lee and have them custom make you three dies for the three calibers you listed as they are not available through normal channels.

this

If they made a 6 br collet die I’d certainly would be shooting it.
If they do make one for you let me know please

If you just use the collet die, how many times can you get away with doing this before having to full length resize?

In 223 and 260 I can get 2-3 loads with a totally light bolt closing.
After 4 or so bolt close effort is totally unacceptable to me.
My 7 saum goes maybe 1-2 firings before I run it through the body die.

Using the LCD with a mild case sizing certainly would be the most consistent with not brass life penalty

Lee is missing the boat not making them for the new cool kid cartridges and not promoting it.

PSA
It’s quite easy to modify the 260 and 7-08 LCD’ to do short magnums

 

[Ryridesmotox]

In my 223 and 308 bolt guns I have never “had” to FLS. Now I don’t load to max book loads in 308 but I do run max in the 223. I’m pretty sure I’ve gone 10 loadings before FLS.

The rounds are slightly harder to chamber than rounds FLS with the shoulder set back but not a problem. Rifles are standard Rem 700s.

You can gall the bolt lugs and/or receiver recesses doing that.

 

[Dthomas3523]

No idea how many rounds before you *have* to FL size as I’ll never do it.

Unless you are in some sort of time crunch, it’s a horrible idea. Been myth busted a long time ago about the accuracy wive’s tail.

And, it’s actually less consistent than bumping as each firing your brass will be a different size. FL sizing returns your brass to the same size each time.........consistent.

 

[Steel head]

No idea how many rounds before you *have* to FL size as I’ll never do it.

Unless you are in some sort of time crunch, it’s a horrible idea. Been myth busted a long time ago about the accuracy wive’s tail.

And, it’s actually less consistent than bumping as each firing your brass will be a different size. FL sizing returns your brass to the same size each time.........consistent.

I don’t disagree with you one bit but I’m lazy and the results I get just neck sizing are plenty good.

When I anneal and hit it with the body die I can’t say I notice any change down range even at distance.

 

[Dthomas3523]

I don’t disagree with you one bit but I’m lazy and the results I get just neck sizing are plenty good.

When I anneal and hit it with the body die I can’t say I notice any change down range even at distance.

As long as you don’t find yourself in situations where extraction matters, not a huge deal.

The stories of someone being in a match and having issues when they didn’t FL size are endless.

 

[Steel head]

As long as you don’t find yourself in situations where extraction matters, not a huge deal.

The stories of someone being in a match and having issues when they didn’t FL size are endless.

Your an idiot if you neck size for use in that setting.
Hunting as well.

 

[FLIGHT762]

In my 223 and 308 bolt guns I have never “had” to FLS. Now I don’t load to max book loads in 308 but I do run max in the 223. I’m pretty sure I’ve gone 10 loadings before FLS.

The rounds are slightly harder to chamber than rounds FLS with the shoulder set back but not a problem. Rifles are standard Rem 700s.

One day, you will have to beat on your bolt handle with a 2X4 to get it open after sticking a case. For the rest of us that have been there and done that, we don't N/O size more than 3-4X before F/L sizing again.

I only N/O size occasionally for test rounds. Never for hunting or stashing ammo.

Remember to come back for your beat on the bolt handle story.

 

[Steel head]

Remember to come back for your beat on the bolt handle story.

Lol!

 

[918v]

NSO might work in certain bench rest applications where everything is perfectly square and the cases don’t expand much. But here on SH people like to run their shit at 70,000 PSI, so NSO doesn’t work.

 

[Steel head]

NSO might work in certain bench rest applications where everything is perfectly square and the cases don’t expand much. But here on SH people like to run their shit at 70,000 PSI, so NSO doesn’t work.

My bench rest with neck sized cases and 180 grain bullets going 100 FPS faster than and book load.

 

[918v]

Show us a close up hi res pic of the back of your bolt lugs.

 

[Doom]

[

You can gall the bolt lugs and/or receiver recesses doing that.

If that were true it would happen on extraction.

One day, you will have to beat on your bolt handle with a 2X4 to get it open after sticking a case. For the rest of us that have been there and done that, we don't N/O size more than 3-4X before F/L sizing again.

I only N/O size occasionally for test rounds. Never for hunting or stashing ammo.

Remember to come back for your beat on the bolt handle story.

Rounds are only target rounds. I agreee that hunting or SHTF ammo should be FLS. My AR rounds are FLS.

Only have had to beat open the 223 once. Learned the hard way about H335 and hot sunny days. Only time with the 308 was some once fired LC brass that was FLS but not run throu a Small base die. Not fired. Totally Different issue.

I also don’t normally go 10 firings. My normal routine is to FLS, anneal, neck size after 5-6 firings.

 

[Steel head]

[


If that were true it would happen on extraction.


Rounds are only target rounds. I agreee that hunting or SHTF ammo should be FLS. My AR rounds are FLS.

Only have had to beat open the 223 once. Learned the hard way about H335 and hot sunny days. Only time with the 308 was some once fired LC brass that was FLS but not run throu a Small base die. Not fired. Totally Different issue.

I also don’t normally go 10 firings. My normal routine is to FLS, anneal, neck size after 5-6 firings.

I only go 1-2 or 3-4 depending on the case.

 

[Ryridesmotox]

[


If that were true it would happen on extraction.

As someone who has utterly fucked up my share of metals in the path to horsepower and gundom... I'll have to respectfully disagree. If you are torquing a cartridge into the chamber on a tight bolt close, then what are you torquing against? Thin air? No, the back of the lugs and the front of the lug recesses. Even with lube/grease it can happen.

I used to do collet sizing only til I ran into it on my gun. So I went back to FL sizing and annealing every time. If I go back to the collet die, it will be in addition to the FL size or in addition to a body die, not alone.

 

[LloydBraun]

I used a LCD quite a bit. Have one for my 6 Creed. Find using the collet die first followed by a body die gives me best results. If you haven't used before one there is a bit of a learning curve getting it set up just right. I use my Coax press and there is a little feel to it. I don’t cam over. I set it up so I put what I feel is about 20lbs of force I to the collet die. Have been doing it so long I have the feel down.