Collet or Full Length Dies

[redbang]

Hi folks, i'm just getting into handloading for the Handi's and have .22 Hornet, .223 and .243 to load for. The question is do I buy the collet dies and only neck size, or still full length them ? Or, is it a case of experimentation with each rifle ? The fired cases (Factory only at this stage ) seem to fit back in the chamber no problem which is why I'm wondering if they still need to be full lengthed again.
                             Cheers, Red.

[LaOtto222]

I think you need both. There are times you need to full length size and there are times you want to neck size. You can buy the Lee collet dies separately or you can back off the full length sizer and neck size only, if you want to economize. It is hard to tell what you need, if you load hot, you may need to full length size every time. Or you can adjust the full length sizer to push the shoulder back just enough to chamber the round. I personally would have the full length sizer for sure and add a collet die in the mix. I think in the common cases you have, you could buy a Lee deluxe die set and get both; the full length sizer and the collet die. Good Luck and Good Shooting

[cwlongshot]

I am of the opinion that FL sizing is better with a SS rifle like our handis.

I really do like the LEE COLLET die, but feel for the most part its not great in our handis. Some calibers, mostly the lowest pressure calibers can be ok with it, but even then, after a couple firings you will need to FL size just to be able to close the gun. Neck sizing is a very good thing in bolt action rifles.

IMHO, just buy the FL sizing die and have fun shooting your handis.

CW

[gcrank1]

The neck size dies are fantastic for the low pressure cast lead bullet loads I use. If I only shot jacketed I would still see how they worked, but it is ever so nice to have the FL sizer for when you get some new brass or, as said, use a higher pressure load and the cases now are stickey in extraction. I especially like not having to lube/de-lube cases and my brass sized in the collet dies are dedicated to each rifle so it fits the chamber perfectly.

[retrosub]

I'm also getting into reloading for my 30-06, and while I bought the full-length resizing die, I was reading the LEE manual and he advises neck sizing only (most of the time). I was just about to buy the collet neck sizer, maybe I won't. Why would you not be able to close the chamber after neck sizing only? Given that you trim the cases to the proper length, why would the chamber not close? Does the case itself stretch so that there's no headspace?

Also, is crimping necessary in a Handi? Some of my bullets have a groove for the crimp, some don't. I'm wondering if I should get the Lee factory crimper.

Any other Handi-specific reloading tips welcomed!

[quickdtoo]

The Handi action has some flex in it allowing warm to hot loads on high pressure chamberings to stretch the case enough that the shoulder needs to be pushed back, you can easily see this if you check a fired case in the chamber, it should be flush with the chamber mouth, if it isn't it needs to be full length resized.  After firing hot loads before opening the action, you'll see a slight gap between barrel and standing breech that wasn't there before.

Reloading that brass without resizing accounts for a lot of accuracy complaints because the action can't lock up properly.

Tim

[necchi]

retrosub,
 My handis don't like a crimp, at least with the accurate loads I got. If I give them even a light crimp the group opens up. I don't plan on going in the field with more than just a few shells, and I can carry those so they won't be abused.
That being said, you'll have too experiment, and you don't need the Lee Factory crimp die to do it, you can crimp with the seating die, just re-read the instructions.
The lee factrory crimp gives it a really tight "factory" type crimp, something that can take the beating of auto loaders and slaming around in a magazine. With the seating die YOU get to adjust how much crimp you want.

[quickdtoo]

The Lee Factory Crimp Die can be adjusted to give any crimp you like, from light to heavy and will crimp with or without a crimp groove/cannelure, I have them for every rifle chambering I load for that Lee makes them in and some they don't that I've modified to work. A light crimp can make bullet pull more consistent and it isn't dependent on trim length as it is with a seating die, it's probably the most consistently popular of all Lee dies. 

Tim