Collet dies

[Wayne Smith]

Does anyone know if it works or have tried using collet dies to reform brass? I only have one set for the 7.5 Swiss and don't know much about them.

The particular application is forming 25-20 from 32-20. Thin brass, WW brand, and I'm anticipating losing some using an RCBS size die.

[HeavyMetal]

Are you talking the Lee collet die?

If so I have several sets of rifle dies and I can tell you the movement of the collet is very very small when it neck sizes.

I think your best off using a full length sizer die and imperial sizing die wax. Used very sparingly you won't get wrinkles or dimples and you won't have stuck case's either.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

with Lee collect dies, there is no contact anywhere on the brass case, except the neck.
So, they will Not reform brass.
Jon

[dragonrider]

It is not likely that a collet die will work as they only size the neck and have very little movement. If you mean Lee collet dies.

[Wayne Smith]

Lee makes them, but is not the only company that does. Doesn't Redding as well, or Wilson? Anyway, Jon, thank you for confirming what I thought.

[Doc Highwall]

LEE makes a collet die and Redding, Forster, L.E.Willson, and RCBS make bushing dies. Not all the bushings are interchangeable. I have been using the Redding dies for years with the titanium nitride coating.

[35remington]

I have formed Starline 32-20 brass into 25-20 brass.

If there was no 25-20 brass available, I'd consider it, but it was in the "can it be done" category, as well as the fact that Starline does not make 25-20 brass.

Otherwise just purchase your brass in 25-20.

If determined to force a square block into the round hole, first size in your 25-20 seating die, which is "looser."

Then finish forming in the FL die. The seater die will start to crimp the case mouth if fully formed, so finish in the FL die. Further, forming only in the seat die will be too tight a fit for the chamber.

Move the press handle slowly when forming. Imperial works well.

[1hole]

Only Lee makes a collet neck die. Innovative Technologies makes a collet body die for magnum cartridges. Neither would be of any normal use in case reforming. In fact, no neck die is very useful in case reforming.

[Wayne Smith]

LEE makes a collet die and Redding, Forster, L.E.Willson, and RCBS make bushing dies. Not all the bushings are interchangeable. I have been using the Redding dies for years with the titanium nitride coating.

Learn something new every day!!