Author Topic: Lee Collet Sizer (Read 718 times)

Possum · « **on:** February 17, 2003, 10:47:43 AM »

I am using the Lee Collet sizer for my 250 Savage. I just returned from the range and found that my full length sized rounds were fine. The loads you guys helped with were perfect. Anyway, the brass that I necksized had a problem with some of the bullets not being held tightly by the neck of the brass. In other words you could push the bullet down in the casing with your finger. Some could be pushed with ease and some took a little pressure. Then some could not be moved at all. I sat the loads in question off to the side. Now I am reading my instructions that came with the die set. It says "Check to make sure the neck has been sized enought to securely hold a bullet. Extra bullet grip can be obtained by screwing the die in an extra quarter turn. You will reach a point that no further bullet tightness is possible." Is this looseness of the bullet that I am experiencing what this is talking about? Has anyone had this experience before? By the way, I did use the same brass manufacturer for these loads. This occurred only with the neck sizer, the full length sizing die worked great.

TCShooter · « **Reply #1 on:** February 17, 2003, 11:54:19 AM »

I neck size and have had this happen also. I just did as the directions said and screwed it in a bit more and it took care of it. Not sure if some brass cases are more elastic than others and bouce back or what the trouble was. I read somewhere that someone took the mandrel out and spun it in a drill while going over it with steel wool or something to make it just a hair smaller and in doing so it also made for tighter bullets. I would just follow the directions first and see if that solves the problem.

Good luck and stay safe!

Possum · « **Reply #2 on:** February 18, 2003, 06:33:28 AM »

Thanks TCshooter. I will try that. That should take care of it. It's just hard to figure out how that will work without seeing the die in a cutaway view. Thanks for responding. Makes me feel a whole lot better.

Possum · « **Reply #3 on:** February 18, 2003, 03:35:50 PM »

**News update** I found out that using Winchester brass the die does not size the neck small enough to seat a 100gr. Nosler (.257) tight enough. The Remington brass I am using works fine. I did turn the die in another turn to increase bullet grip. I guess I will have to fullsize the Winchester brass if I continue to use it. If someone knows why this is feel free to share. I would theorize that the Winchester case is heavier and therefore "springs" back into shape?

John Traveler · « **Reply #4 on:** February 19, 2003, 05:56:38 AM »

Possum,

It's generally acknowledged among the benchrest rifle shoot crowd that Winchester cases are thinner and have greater case capacity, and that Remington cases are thicker and have less case capacity. this may vary from lot to lot.

It's been my experience that many Winchester cases have thinner necks than the same caliber Remington cases. Minor variations, no doubt.

hubbard · « **Reply #5 on:** February 19, 2003, 06:16:01 AM »

is the oal of your cases the same ? a shorter case won't go up in the collet far enough to size down properly.

Possum · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2003, 11:38:09 AM »

Yes they are the same. Being a beginner, I made sure everything was identical. I just had some Winchester and Remington brass. Thanks for the input on the differences between the two. Makes sense that the thin walled case is not sizing like the heavy walled case. I just had it backwards in my post. I guess the collet sizer sizes on the outside of the neck. I can get along just using the Remington brass. I will probably order some soon just to make sure I don't run out. The more I shoot the 250 Sav the more I like it.