Reloading 7mm STW

[LexRick]

I am having problems with neck tension on my reloads. Can anybody help me out. I am using lee dies and seating oal at 3.600 projectile some times falls into case. Am i doing something wrong or is it bullets I'm using nosler 168gr ablr. Any help would be appreciated since I'm going to Montana in about 7 weeks for a mule deer hunt.

 

[nmbarta]

Collet die?

 

[LexRick]

Collet die?

Yeah

 

[nmbarta]

Pretty sure you can order a smaller mandrel from lee, or turn yours down a little bit.
What brass?
Do you have any other 7mm bullets you could seat?
You said sometimes, are the other ones good? ( measure neck before and after seating the bullet and look for .002-.003 of growth on the neck after seating)
What brass?

 

[cape cove]

What press are you using and how did you adjust the dies.

 

[LexRick]

I'm using remington brass and dies are adjusted by the book. It seems that the bullets are being seated a little deep on the ojive. I have ordered a hornady comparator hopefully things get better. Was just wondering if there was a way on lee dies to adjust neck size. Thinking about getting a set of redding dies.

 

[ButterBean]

Take it apart and give it a good cleaning and some light lube, while it's apart put the mandrel in a drill and give it a good polishing with 320 git emery cloth, If you have a Rock Chucker set it to cam over

 

[eshorebwhntr]

Or size the brass without the mandrel installed, put a good chamfer on the case neck, and test seat a bullet to your COAL. If it doesn't move then you know the mandrel may be expanding the neck too much on the upstroke.

Mic the expander mandrel at it's largest diameter. Should fall between .280-.282. If it's larger than that it could be what's causing your problem.

As others have said, if you find that's your issue you can fix it yourself or request a replacement.

 

[ButterBean]

Or size the brass without the mandrel installed, put a good chamfer on the case neck, and test seat a bullet to your COAL. If it doesn't move then you know the mandrel may be expanding the neck too much on the upstroke.

Mic the expander mandrel at it's largest diameter. Should fall between .280-.282. If it's larger than that it could be what's causing your problem.

As others have said, if you find that's your issue you can fix it yourself or request a replacement.

I don't think if that will work with the Lee Collet Die, It will size way to small without the mandrel installed

 

[Dmagna]

Have you annealed the brass?

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Is this a new problem or has this been going on for a time. What kind of bullets are you using? Might measure the mandrel and share the number. What happens if you use the Lee full length sizer if you have the deluxe set-or any FL die?

 

[eshorebwhntr]

Sorry, breezed over the Lee collet die part. Was thinking typical full length die.

I don't have experience with those so you are likely correct.

 

[vancewalker007]

I am having problems with neck tension on my reloads. Can anybody help me out. I am using lee dies and seating oal at 3.600 projectile some times falls into case. Am i doing something wrong or is it bullets I'm using nosler 168gr ablr. Any help would be appreciated since I'm going to Montana in about 7 weeks for a mule deer hunt.

How many times have you fired and resized the brass without annealing? Most necks will start getting stuff after about 3-4 firings without annealing. The brass simply looses it's spring. You'll notice it on seating, the bullets will seam to go in really easy. The necks get stiff.

One thing to be aware of is if you resize necks more than about .005 at a pass you can over work them and affect run out. You can get around this by using a bushing die and making 2 passes with successively smaller bushings. You can do this even if you are using an expander mandrel final step you just need a 3rd pass with the mandrel.

On a different note with that bullet are you using a long range bullet seating stem? You can get weird bullet bottom out with LR bullets in a standard stem. Some seaters come with what's usually called a VLD stem. I guess Berger bullets drove this initially so VLD stuck, not sure.

 

[Pdyson]

I use several lee collet resizing dies and I have to say they tend to work the brass less than other designs And they don't shave brass like some bushing dies do. I have noticed much less bullet pull, but I've never had zero where I bullet dropped into the case. Check for damage and lube your die, measure neck diameter before and after sizing. You should have at least .002 if not or you want more, buy an undersized mandrel or chuck you current one in a drill and spin-sand it down a little at a time. I would not adjust my press for cam over, it won't size any smaller and you will ruin the die. The collet is aluminum