Lee collet dies
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gohring3006
Well-Known Member
I use them with all cartridges except 338 lapua
I use them in every cartridge they make that I load for, even modify a few to work on cartridges they don't make them for.
For $75 ( a couple of years ago) you can send in two fired dummy rounds of Wildcats or your specific cartridge and they'll make a seating and LCNS die for you.
The straightest rounds I make are from Redding body die (because I prefer full sizing) and LCNS die.
Good stuff.
For $75 ( a couple of years ago) you can send in two fired dummy rounds of Wildcats or your specific cartridge and they'll make a seating and LCNS die for you.
The straightest rounds I make are from Redding body die (because I prefer full sizing) and LCNS die.
Good stuff.
cohunt
Well-Known Member
anyone turn down the collet in these dies for a tighter neck tension?
yes, i have used steel wool with the mandrel in drill, but check OFTEN 'cause it removes .001 fairly fast
brentc
Well-Known Member
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You can get undersized mandrels so you don't have to mess with turning down your original.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1016834692/lee-collet-neck-sizer-die-undersize-mandrel
I use an undersized mandrel on my 300 WM to get the correct neck tension. The original is still available if I need it.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1016834692/lee-collet-neck-sizer-die-undersize-mandrel
I use an undersized mandrel on my 300 WM to get the correct neck tension. The original is still available if I need it.
COHUNT -
Howdy !
Yeah.... I've paid LEE to provide mandrels that were an additional .001" smaller in diam than what originally provided w/ the die(s) ( .35 Remington as example ).
I have also reduced their diameter down another .001 and even .002" beyond that.
With regards,
357Mag
Howdy !
Yeah.... I've paid LEE to provide mandrels that were an additional .001" smaller in diam than what originally provided w/ the die(s) ( .35 Remington as example ).
I have also reduced their diameter down another .001 and even .002" beyond that.
With regards,
357Mag
therifleman556
Well-Known Member
Anybody experiment with various amounts of pressure and time on the press handle to see how much variation in neck tension you get? Seems like the ones I've tried were always a bit light on neck tension. Perhaps this is so you can polish some off the mandrel to get where you want to be?
Don A Parsons
Well-Known Member
Yes, Lee Collect Dies for my reloading needs.
Try not to over cam the dies on your RCBS press.
The word is press fit tight ,,, you'll know how much pressure you'll need to get bullet / neck tension.
I call it bump tight tension.
Try not to over cam the dies on your RCBS press.
The word is press fit tight ,,, you'll know how much pressure you'll need to get bullet / neck tension.
I call it bump tight tension.
Hondo64d
Well-Known Member
First thing to do with the Lee Collet die is throw the factory instructions in the trash....
1. Raise your ram to the top of its stroke.
2. Screw LCD down until it touches the shell holder.
3. Screw it down a tiny bit more, maybe 1/16 turn.
4. Attempt to size a case.
5. Check bullet grip. If insufficient, screw die down another 1/16 turn.
4. Repeat step 5 until bullet grip is sufficient.
5. If at any time it takes any significant amount of pressure on the press handle, stop. Polish the mandrel a little smaller, maybe .001", using a drill and emery cloth. Make sure you get it to a uniform diameter for its full length. If you are not comfortable doing that, order an undersized mandrel from Lee.
This method has provided me with much more consistent results than the factory instructions and I've never blown a cap off the die.
John
woods
Well-Known Member
My preferred set of dies
Lee Collet
Redding Body Die
Competition Seater with micrometer (Redding, RCBS, Forster)
Lee Factory Crimp Die
The Lee Collet sizes the neck by squeezing the neck brass between the collets and a steel mandrel. Once the brass has been pressed onto the mandrel, it does not matter how much more pressure you put on the collets, the neck is not going to be sized any more. IOW the steel mandrel can not be compressed
Lee says the amount of pressure is at least 25 pounds
https://leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/RM3512.pdf
Don't know where but I have read that 25 pounds of force on the handle translates to approx. 600 pounds of force on the case. If your mandrel is .002" smaller than caliber then it won't matter how much further down you turn the die or how much force you exert with cam-over, it will not size the inside of the neck any smaller.
To make it easier for me to put approx. 25+ pounds of downward force on the handle I have found it easier to just adjust the lock nut up to the top of the threads which puts the press handle at it's most horizontal
There are other factors that influence the final dimensions the die will size your neck brass to. Most important is hardness. Springback for brass is in the opposite direction to the applied force and the more hardness either from firing or sizing the more springback you will get. Since the collets are pressing the brass inward onto the mandrel the springback will be outward, IOW the harder your neck brass the larger the inside diameter will be. So annealing will keep your inside diameter smallest.
Sizing will increase hardness also. With a regular die with expander the neck is sized twice with each operation, once to a smaller dimension and then the expander will size the ID larger.
Other advantages:
No lube inside the neck
Mandrel floats so it doesn't mess up the concentricity your chamber has developed on fired cases
You can leave a section of the neck at the shoulder junction unsized by using a washer on top of the shell holder
Better concentricity, at least in my tests
YMMV
Lee Collet
Redding Body Die
Competition Seater with micrometer (Redding, RCBS, Forster)
Lee Factory Crimp Die
The Lee Collet sizes the neck by squeezing the neck brass between the collets and a steel mandrel. Once the brass has been pressed onto the mandrel, it does not matter how much more pressure you put on the collets, the neck is not going to be sized any more. IOW the steel mandrel can not be compressed
Lee says the amount of pressure is at least 25 pounds
https://leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/RM3512.pdf
Don't know where but I have read that 25 pounds of force on the handle translates to approx. 600 pounds of force on the case. If your mandrel is .002" smaller than caliber then it won't matter how much further down you turn the die or how much force you exert with cam-over, it will not size the inside of the neck any smaller.
To make it easier for me to put approx. 25+ pounds of downward force on the handle I have found it easier to just adjust the lock nut up to the top of the threads which puts the press handle at it's most horizontal
There are other factors that influence the final dimensions the die will size your neck brass to. Most important is hardness. Springback for brass is in the opposite direction to the applied force and the more hardness either from firing or sizing the more springback you will get. Since the collets are pressing the brass inward onto the mandrel the springback will be outward, IOW the harder your neck brass the larger the inside diameter will be. So annealing will keep your inside diameter smallest.
Sizing will increase hardness also. With a regular die with expander the neck is sized twice with each operation, once to a smaller dimension and then the expander will size the ID larger.
Other advantages:
No lube inside the neck
Mandrel floats so it doesn't mess up the concentricity your chamber has developed on fired cases
You can leave a section of the neck at the shoulder junction unsized by using a washer on top of the shell holder
Better concentricity, at least in my tests
YMMV
Don A Parsons
Well-Known Member
Yes,,, no lube ,,, we use dry graphite powder.
Dip the case neck "only" in the powder,,, tap the excess off on the edge of the bowl.
Stand them neck down in the boolit tray once all the necks have been dipped in the graphite.
Size all the cases at one time,,, I run mine 2 X's ,,, full stroke ,,, then 1/16th turn of case for the 2nd press.
The case neck run-out is pretty straight with bullet seated in the last stage.
I use the Lee Collect Die for both of my rifles.
Dip the case neck "only" in the powder,,, tap the excess off on the edge of the bowl.
Stand them neck down in the boolit tray once all the necks have been dipped in the graphite.
Size all the cases at one time,,, I run mine 2 X's ,,, full stroke ,,, then 1/16th turn of case for the 2nd press.
The case neck run-out is pretty straight with bullet seated in the last stage.
I use the Lee Collect Die for both of my rifles.
