Neck sizing dies

[Shootinsurveyor]

I have been reloading with a Lee Loader for a few months. The neck tension is very stiff and takes alot of whacking with the bullet puller hammer to get the bullets out. I just got a turret press and a lee collet die. The collet die doesn't seem to seat anywhere as tight as the Lee Loader, even when adjusted down almost overly tight. I have gotten the die to hold fairly well playing with it, but it is engraving the bullets when I seat them in the neck sized cases. I know that the Lee Loader isn't the most precise instrument, but I was just surprised at the difference when the collet die is adjusted as Lee suggests. Should I just use the die as adjusted and then just put a crimp on or should I just mess with the collet die until it holds as tight as the lee loader?

 

[flashhole]

Re: Neck sizing dies

Take a few cases that were fired in your gun and measure the inside neck diameter prior to any kind of resizing. You should get pretty consistent measurements providing the neck thickness is the same on all the cases. This will give you a reference when adjusting your Collet Neck Die. Size a case or two and measure it again comparing that measurement to the pre-sized measurement. I like to collapse the neck to give me .002" - .003" tension. For example: If I am loading for my 223 Remington, the ID on a fired case neck might measure .226". I will try to size it down to an ID of .221" (.224" diameter bullet minus .003" = .221"). I shoot bolt guns or single shots and don't crimp. If you are shooting an AR or lever gun you will want to do an additional crimp after the bullet is seated.

You didn't say what you are loading for but you can apply the technique to just about anything you can load.

Some Lee Collet Neck Die users have found it necessary to reduce the diameter of the mandrel by putting it in a drill and using fine emery paper to take off a thou or so. This will increase case neck tension.

 

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

Re: Neck sizing dies

Once the collet has compressed the brass down to the mandrel, that's all the tighter it'll get. To get more neck tension, you've got to either take down the mandrel (as flashhole suggests) or buy a smaller one. Lee sells them graduated in thousandths of an inch. Your factory mandrel likely is sized to provide two thousandths of neck tension.

 

[Shootinsurveyor]

Re: Neck sizing dies

Thanks for the info. I've got the die adjusted to where it grabs enough to be appropriate. There is obviously alot more to deal with on the Turret with dies galore than on my previous setup. Still learnin

 

[Seawalker]

Re: Neck sizing dies

Keep in mind the collet die is easily broken by trying to get too much neck tension. They work great, but as Fred mentions, once you press the brass onto the mandrel continuing beyond that point is likely to push the top right out of the die. Better to either buy a smaller size mandrel or buff it down. I'd opt to buy one that is one thousandths smaller.