neck sizing 223 doing something wrong

[bluebayou]

Uh, maybe I am just an idjit, but how do neck sizing dies work?  I got a Lee neck die for the 223 and nothing seems to be being sized.  I must not be doing something right.  I have an RCBS single stage press.  The instructions say that if you have a cam over press to have the die touch the shell holder and then turn in two times.

[Hunternz]

okay, to see if it is doing anything, if you slide a projectile into a unsized fired round it is a loose fit to the point that the projectile will slip into the case, now that you have necksized the case the projectile should be a tight fit requiring the bullet seater to be used to seat the bullet.
If not take the die and a couple of fired cases to a good reloader or gunshop to check the die.
Regards Howard.

[pascalp]

The neck is pressed on a mandrell, which give the inside diameter of the neck (minus some brass elasticity).
How it work ?, you may open the die, you will find a conical action of 4 jaws, like FCD. Pushing on the lever, increase pressure applied on the side of the neck.

Even with a die perfectly adjusted and a firm action of the arm.
You may or may not see a lot of work done on the neck of the case, depending on how the neck strech after firing. Try to blacken the neck with smoke to see where the die work, caliper will tell what is done.

Generally, mandrell size is perfect for cast bullet but may need a slight grinding/polishing to fit the size of jacketed bullet. Cast bullet are, at least, .001" oversized, so jacketed wont be tighten enough. (Lee have custom mandrell.)

As stated in the instructions, the die need a strong push on the arm, with practice you will develop a good feeling and a constant pressure.  
You may try to apply it twice with a rotation of the case between.
I feel that the die work better when i keep pushing for few seconds on the arm at the end of the stroke, to avoid elasticity of the brass (just my tought).

If you need some practice. Have a kinetic puller handy, size few cases, seat bullets, the lever feeling when seating will give you some feedback about neck size (that is an advantage with single station press).


I had the same feeling that you when began with these dies. (I hadn't to worry about mandrell size as i only use home cast bullets.). Nothing was wrong, only the reloader which need to be used to these dies.

[Paul5388]

Pascal has done a good job of explaining in very passable English.  If you look at some of his .30-30 Handi groups, you will know he knows how to reload.  

Taking all the slack out of the die is what makes the collet operate, so you can’t have the press toggling over, like RCBS presses do with regular dies.  Then the trick is to exert the 20-25 pounds of pressure that does the actual sizing.  I don’t use a slow pull, like I would on a torque wrench, but that’s a personal preference.  I do turn my brass 90 degrees and size again, like Pascal said.   They work so smoothly you don’t feel like anything has been done, but seating a bullet lets you know it has done its job, if you did yours.

I use Lee collets on .22 Hornet, .223, .243, 6mm Rem, .30-30 and .30-06 and wish they made them for .35 Whelen and a few others I load for.

[DPRinks]

Paul;
I do not have any Lee neck resizer dies, but I do use the Lee factory crimp dies on most everything and I have found a few spacers can make most any caliber case work, that is, the same diameter of bullet will crimp in any case, just adjust the height so the die is pressed in at the right height for the case mouth, I use the .35 Rem. die for my .35 Whelen, and a bunch of .30s with the .308 die.
Don

[Paul5388]

Don,

I'll have to try that.  It may save a lot of time looking for what isn't there!  :roll: