Author Topic: Lee Collet Dies. (Read 805 times)

James B · « **on:** March 24, 2005, 06:00:56 AM »

Anyone use the Lee collet dies on your handi rifles? I wondered if you have found that loads with these dies function well of if they need to be full length resized.

Fred M · « **Reply #1 on:** March 24, 2005, 06:43:36 AM »

In my experience the Lee collet dies are not suitable for a Handi. Full length sizing is the only way to go.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 24, 2005, 06:57:03 AM »

I can't say that full lenght sizing is the only way to go with the Handi's...I've neck sized for my 30-30 and 30-06 with great results. and plan to do the same for my 25-06..not with the Lee dies...but setting up Reddings & RCBS dies to neck size only..it worked great for that in my Ultra Comp...not everyone has a out of axis-chamber to bore problem...or an out of spec- over sized bore...some of these rifles are put together quite well and well within nominal tolerances...and the benifits from neck sizing make it worth while to at least try...the only Lee die I'm a fan of is the Factory Crimp die...

Mac

bajabill · « **Reply #3 on:** March 24, 2005, 07:13:15 AM »

I can neck size with Lee collet about 2 or 3 times, then I have to FLS because the action wont lock due to the headspace growth that accumulates with each firing.

Fred M · « **Reply #4 on:** March 24, 2005, 07:44:03 AM »

Mac the subject is Lee Collet Dies and they do not address action/case stretch which has nothing to do with with dimensional variations. It does not matter what dies you use normal factory loads or equivalent hand loads will stretch the cases in a Handi. Don't take my word for it. That means the shoulder needs to be set back.

The important thing is to set the shoulders back only enough for positive chambering of the ammo. If ammo is at various length, the latch lock up will also be in a different position and good accuray can't be expected.
That latch has to be in the same position for every shot.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 24, 2005, 07:58:08 AM »

Fred:

Chamber dimensions effect the the over all size of the growth of the case...proper trimming eliminates excessive growth...using good micrometers and calipers on the cases ensures you know if the case has the proper dimensions...not all Handi's have the problems your 25-06 had,some of them are done right..and for what it's worth...you don't have to set the shoulder back everytime time you reload the case...if the rifles chamber is cut properly...you can get numerous reloads out of each case before having to full lenght re-size...the man ask about the Lee Collet Dies. and I offered an alternative to them...any good loading manual will tell you the same thing...

Mac

Fred M · « **Reply #6 on:** March 24, 2005, 09:22:58 AM »

Mac
The shoulder is the line of demarcation, cases will lengthen in the neck and stretch from the shoulder back. I fire formed 50 cases in my 257R Handi which has a perfect bore and chamber. These loads did not exceed 49kpsi. I carefully selected them with Quick- Load.

Guess what? I needed to set the shoulder back 0.002. MY die is set up to maintain that set back. The action and the latch are about as tight as they can get. Competition shell holders allow me to vary case length upto .010".

Trimming does not pevent/eliminate case growth. If you trim short you don't have to trim too often.

By the way my benchrest rifle dies are set up to set the shoulder back 0 .001" each time they are loaded. All brass stretches in any chamber and any action. Period. That is because of the elastic properties of the steel and the elastic limit of brass.

Nothing whatsoever to do with chamber dimensions. Brass will follow any reasonable chamber dimension and only spring back 0.0006" with ordinary 50kpsi loads. By the way that is the limit I am going to use for loading the 257 R. This will produce between 3050 and 3100 ft/sec with a 100gr Moly bullet, according to Quick -Load.

Man we were talking about collet dies, which I love for my Ruger #1 25-06. Also this rifle too need full sized ammo perodically.

James B · « **Reply #7 on:** March 24, 2005, 11:08:27 AM »

Thanks Gentlemen. My only problem has been with the two 243 NEF rifles. I have trouble with my RCBS sizer die. The expander ball pulls back out of the case very hard and I feel it may be stretching the necks after sizing. I know neck sizing only would not cure the problem. I have adjusted the expander ball rod several times. I like the Hornady dies with the egg shaped expander better. I was a little worried that neck sizing only would contribute to case sticking. I have never had problems with cases sticking except in my NEF 280. I discovered that my OLC was to much and never had the problem again after resetting my seater die.

I may have to take my sizer die apart and make sure the rod has not been bent or get a new sizer die. I really like the Hornady dies. Have you guys ever used them? Thanks again.

Paul5388 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 24, 2005, 12:35:08 PM »

Fred,

I haven't ever trimmed a case in over 35 years of reloading and still use brass I bought back in the '60s. I used RCBS dies for over 35 years until I tried the Lee collets.

I don't have any problems neck sizing with a Lee collet in my Handis in .22 Hornet and .223 Rem. If a neck sized case doesn't fit the chamber, it's a simple matter to FL resize that one case.

Brokenrack · « **Reply #9 on:** March 24, 2005, 12:39:27 PM »

I always use the Lee Collet die in my .223 Handi and have never had any problem. Extraction in effortless , cases show on very minimal growth, no cracks or splits, loose primers ect. I will say though I have only reloaded them 6 times so far though.

JPH45 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 24, 2005, 01:38:51 PM »

James B, I think the Lee Collet Die is right up your ally. I have used it almost exclusively in my 30-30 with no troubles I can attribute to the die.

As I began shoting with my 38-55, I am using 375 Winchester brass that was originally full length resized by my friend who shot the brass in a Ruger #3. I couldn't step out back with the stuff without a cleaning rod at hand, untill I began to run the laoded cases into the resizing die to get them to fit neatly into the chamebr. This got me to wondering if the trouble folks have with sticking brass is a result of tight chamber dimensions. Know that untill I began to "resize" the loaded brass, I was having to really push the brass into the chamber to get the action to close.

Now more directly to the collet die, I loaded this brass untill it began to show incipient head seperation signs. Must have been something like 15 or more resizings. I had annealed the case necks before I began to use the collet die, I wanted to see how long the brass would last. I found that after about 3 or 4 full power loadings I woud have to full length resize to get the same neck tension on the bullets, as the brass is worked it springs back less and less and eventually you can just push a bullet into the neck with finger pressure. I reduced the size of the mandrell to solve this problem (A Lee recommended solution)

I won't use anything but the Collet die in my 30-30, I wish I hadn't fooled with the mandrell, it was perfect for cast bullets, but $5.00 will solve that. I wish they made collet dies for cases like the 38-55 and 45-70. 357 and 44, if they did it is the only style die I would use. Because the die works against a mandrell, cases like those won't work, but the collet works perfectly on bottle neck cases. Give it a try. If you are shooting only jacketed bullets, the reduced size mandrell is what you want, with cast the shipped mandrell is fine. The cost of the die is cheap enough to try out, if you don't like it you ain't lost nothing, and I assure you, if you have any troubel with case ejectionm fit or any of that crap it won't be because of the die.

James B · « **Reply #11 on:** March 24, 2005, 08:58:25 PM »

Thanks JPH. I noticed today that the bullet seater plug in my 243 seating die has a crack in it. If I can't get one from RCBS, I will have to get a new sizer die.

Wesley · « **Reply #12 on:** March 25, 2005, 12:35:25 AM »

James B
RCBS has replaced several parts and pieces for me. No hassles and never asked that the old part be returned. Best way I've found to contact them is 1-800-533-5000. Their customer service department.
Wesley