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Thread: Not paying $30 for a Lee crimp die

  1. #21
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by rtracy2001 View Post
    I have had good results with the lee rifle crimp dies. So much so that I want to try one on my 8mm-06. Popular wildcat though the 8mm-06 is, it is still a wildcat and as such requires a custom built crimp die. Lee offers this service for $25 +$5 shipping, and I have to send them a dummy round first. I get the die set when they feel like making it.

    I'm cheap and $30 for a $15 die just doesn't sit well with me.

    I got to thinking the other day, (first problem) and figure I should be able to modify a 30-06 crimp die to work for the 8mm-06. All that is really required is to drill/ream out the collet a little bit to accept the 8mm boolit.

    Am I dreaming, or is it that simple?

    how hard is it to drill out one of those collets? anyone ever done it?
    You are totally unrealistic. Apparently you know nothing of the design of the crimping collet.
    EDG

  2. #22
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    I also would like to know if/how the insert comes out.From Lees drawing in the Cat,it appears that the collet fingers have to be compressed to pass over the ridge in the housing.But its also possible that the collet is captive by a swaged lip,which would have to be cut off.Anyhoo,ive got no use for the crimping,but lee collets are verrry soft,(compared to similar collets),and reworking them can be done with a file,if nothing better is available.

  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by john.k View Post
    I also would like to know if/how the insert comes out.From Lees drawing in the Cat,it appears that the collet fingers have to be compressed to pass over the ridge in the housing.But its also possible that the collet is captive by a swaged lip,which would have to be cut off.Anyhoo,ive got no use for the crimping,but lee collets are verrry soft,(compared to similar collets),and reworking them can be done with a file,if nothing better is available.
    Just pull it out. It's held in by friction from a spring steel ring.

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  4. #24
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    The collet is just held in place by friction from a cheap wire ring.
    Just pull it out.
    You cannot rework the fingers with a file. There is a small lip that can only be machined before the collet is split.
    EDG

  5. #25
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    30 bucks ? pages and pages over 30 bucks ? I drink more wine in a week than that and all I have to show for it are 2 empty bottles !

    We got along for most of the 20th century w/o Lee crimp dies, I'm sure we can in the 21st. (Although I have a bunch and like them)

    Just a thought, but an 8mm06 reamer costs a lot more than 30 bucks --- maybe shuda left it an 8x57 ???

  6. #26
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    I pieced together a collet neck sizing die for 7.62x54R from Lee parts since there is no such thing off the shelf. I used a combination of .303 British and 7.5x55 Swiss if memory serves me right. There was some very minor machining involved too.
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  7. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by lucifers View Post
    30 bucks ? pages and pages over 30 bucks ? I drink more wine in a week than that and all I have to show for it are 2 empty bottles !

    We got along for most of the 20th century w/o Lee crimp dies, I'm sure we can in the 21st. (Although I have a bunch and like them)

    Just a thought, but an 8mm06 reamer costs a lot more than 30 bucks --- maybe shuda left it an 8x57 ???
    No the cost delta is only $15. There is no proof it is even necessary.
    I like the Lee factory crimp dies for rifle ammo but I only use them for autoloaders.
    EDG

  8. #28
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    All of Lee's dies that are collet types are easy to mod. You just have to make the collet close at the right spot and the right amount. Trim a bit or add a bit, pick the same length cartridge, open it up a little, use a bigger cartridges fcd and put it on a spacer, etc. I need to load some 7.5x54 French now, and wouldn't you know there is a standard 7.62x54 FCD. 54mm = 54mm
    Back in the land of boolits.

  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by texassako View Post
    All of Lee's dies that are collet types are easy to mod. You just have to make the collet close at the right spot and the right amount. Trim a bit or add a bit, pick the same length cartridge, open it up a little, use a bigger cartridges fcd and put it on a spacer, etc. I need to load some 7.5x54 French now, and wouldn't you know there is a standard 7.62x54 FCD. 54mm = 54mm
    Your claim is not accurate. You may modify one of the dies by some crude method but it is not likely to work.
    That is based on 10000 hours of running an engine lathe followed by an engineering degree and 40 years of manufacturing engineering in precision machined parts design and production.
    EDG

  10. #30
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    I love it, when an old thread is revived

    I placed one order for two custom dies from Lee back in 2013 for my 257Rx6.5 (it's kind of a wildcat?), a Lee collet Neck sizer die and the Lee Collet FCD. It did take quite a while to get them, mostly due to the frantic buying after the sandy hook shooting, which lasted almost the whole year of 2013. BUT, what I noticed (and the reason I'm commenting), is the quality of workmanship I got was much better than the usual standard/stock Lee dies I have bought. Making the higher price worth it, IMHO.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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  11. #31
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    How much would it cost to make a one off? $30 seems like a bargain to me.

  12. #32
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    The real cheapskates among us just hold the cartridge upside down in the die so the crimp fingers push the case mouth into the crimp cannulure.

  13. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by EDG View Post
    Your claim is not accurate. You may modify one of the dies by some crude method but it is not likely to work.
    That is based on 10000 hours of running an engine lathe followed by an engineering degree and 40 years of manufacturing engineering in precision machined parts design and production.
    Please explain, I would love to know why my modified dies do not work. The OP could easily stack a 6mm (.2362") spacer on the shell holder to use an 8x57mm FCD ($15 on Ebay) with the 8mm-06 if he wanted, and amazingly two 1/2" washers out of my parts drawer equal .235". Ugly=maybe, works=yes. All he would be doing is changing the length of the collet from the 8x57's 57mm to 8mm-06's 63mm to have the collet close on the case mouth. The FCD leaves a funny looking crimp if you go from the top though, reverse taper sorta.
    Back in the land of boolits.

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BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
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