303 British: Lee Collet Die Set

[leadman]

Thought in this section more would see it than in the reloading section.

I have had and older die set with full length sizer from Lee for the 303 Brit for quite awhile. I purchased the Collet 2 die Set some time back but as I had the original seating die in my Lyman Turret press never used the seating die.
I recently bought the Lee classic Turret press and set up the 303 in a head for it, using the new seater die. This I found out is the Dead Length Seater Die with no wrench flats on the die.
It will not crimp the case at all. So if you want to take the flare out of the case or crimp, this die will not do it. You need the Deluxe 3 Die set or another seperate crimping die.
I call Lee and talked with a tech and he said "it is in our advertising". So we both looked, not in the advertising but it is in the instructions. He did offer to exchange the die for the original seater die. The reason he gave for not having a crimp die is the benchrest shooters did not want one. When was the last time you saw a 303 British in a benchrest match??

He did say I should call them and ask about their tools so I will be able to buy everything needed to make it work.

[303Guy]

Although I haven't done a lot of cast loading for the Brit I seldom used a flare. I simply chamfer the inside of the case mouth. I do load paper patched boolits and those too work just fine with only the internal chamfer. I do use minimal neck tension so the boolit does not actually expand the neck and anyway, paper patched needs less tension to grip the boolit. When I did flair the case mouth it would still fit the chamber so no need to remove the flair. I do have the advantage of being able to make my own sizers and molds.

[melter68]

Yes, just another way to get you to buy the deluxe 3 set.

I had the same problem with my 30/30 die set, i had to buy the other crimp die,

but hay it works.

You should see more 303 in contests, there fab

[skeet1]

I originally purchased a regular set of .303 dies and then the collet set so I use both seaters one to seat the bullet and the other to crimp. This seems to get a more uniform result because the bullet is not moving into the case while the crimp is being applied. Maybe it's just me but I think it makes a difference.

Ken

[EDG]

You have the start of a good .303 die set. I would keep the dead length seater and get a Lee Factory crimp die.
I really don't think much of some of Lee's dies and I have a bunch of their's and other brands. The rifle version of the Lee Facotory crimp die is a superior die. I never crimp with a built in crimper if I can help it. If I do I seat the bullets correctly without a crimp first. Then I reset the die and crimp only. I NEVER seat and crimp at the same time except with revolver ammo.

[runfiverun]

the case mouth flair will help align the round with the bbl why remove it?
unless it is causing chambering problems.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I like Lee Delux sets and when I load for a new calibre, I buy a set and also get the factory crimp die. Lots of quality tools and a shellholder for the price of a basic set from someone else.

[leadman]

I have an older lee full length set also so I am set. I just wanted others to know they may need to buy more than the Collet set.
I do leave the flare on some loads, depends on how it feeds from the magazine and if it will fit the chamber.

[303Guy]

leadman, any chance you could reduce the amount of flair?

A trick I've tried is to set the neck size so a cast boolit will just slip in with finger pressure then dip the boolit and neck in molten 'waxy lube' so it will soak in and hold the boolit once it freezes. OK for single feed but messy since one needs to remove the stuff from the neck OD. What stays on the boolit is its lube. Fine if you feel like playing around and possibly capable of producing good accuracy on the range. But I digress.

[Multigunner]

I don't flair the casemouth.
I use a regular countersink as used to countersink wood screws and turn it by hand to cut an inside bevel on the rim of the casemouth.
So far this has worked fine.
Occasionally there will be a very small amout of flash , but this scrapes away with a fingernail.

Unless one is really slaming the bolt home, or has a feed ramp problem, crimping is un necessary and counterproductive.
The less pull strength , the less the effect of variations in pull strength.

Sizing only 2/3 the length of the case neck insures the bullet will be presented to origin of rifling without cant.

PS
While the .303 is unlikely to be used as a brenchrest cartridge, brench rest reloading procedures can cut group sizes in half for other types of shooting and turn a medicore performer into a viable long range military match rifle.

[303Guy]

PS
While the .303 is unlikely to be used as a brenchrest cartridge, brench rest reloading procedures can cut group sizes in half for other types of shooting and turn a medicore performer into a viable long range military match rifle.That got my attention! Perhaps a new thread on doing just that would be of interest? Even bench resting a Lee Enfield would be interesting, especially if others take up the same challenge. I happen to have a No4 that needs a use and I was thinking along those lines.

[leadman]

I leave the flare at times, but if doing any match shooting involving rapid fire (10 rounds in 60 seconds, 1 reload) I want the flare gone to aid feeding. I usually fired the 10 rounds in 50 seconds, and I'm left handed!

[Multigunner]

One thing you definitely don't want is for a mislick during feed to butt the ramp or breech and push the bullet back into the neck reducing powder space or compressing the charge. In cases where rapid bolt manipulation might cause this its best to use a very tight neck and heavy crimp.

[DanM]

Yep....I often find that a Lee seater will not quite close down all the flair that I put on it for seating cast. This is with the adjustment turned all the way down. My answer is to work the die base against the belt sander to cut a little length off the die. Cut some and test and repeat until I get the crimp I want. Works great for me.....

[303Guy]

OK then I'll bear that in mind - I could end up doing rapid fire so I might as well develop my loads with that in mind. I am thinking of creating a dough-nut to seat the boolits against but I'm not sure how best to do that. I might try setting the shoulder back and fitting a false shoulder on the cases. I don't know how hard that will be to do in sufficient numbers for a single session of shooting.