Lee Collete sizing die

[kbstenberg]

Is the lee Collete die able to be finely adjusted enough to just kiss the case mouth to only reduce the dia. by a .001.
A fired case from my 30/30 will have just a slight resistance to a sized bullet passing through it. I was thinking that if I could reduce the dia. of the case mouth by just a .001 or 2. I wouldn't have to use either a full length die or even a Lyman M die. So I could reduce working the case mouth more than I have to.
Kevin

[Jim]

It can be done but it requires some really fine tuned adjusting of the depth of the die in the press. I played with that one time and found that it was a lot easier (for me) to use a neck size only die and set that shallow in the press.

The FCD works by way of the shell holder pushing up on the sleeve in the bottom of the die. If your brass are not all the exact same length, you'll have different crimps. With the NSO die, a couple of thou difference (+/-) in case length won't affect the sizing of the case mouth.

[texassako]

There seems to be an art to using the Lee collet dies. You get a feel for how hard to pull the lever to get what you want. It also means different brands of brass may end up sized slightly differently depending on how hard and thick the brass at the neck. I like them and also have several extra tuned mandrels for jacketed versus cast or to use with a different cartridge than designed.

[blixen]

Is using the collet die for neck-only sizing superior to a neck-sizing die or simply backing out a full-length sizer? I do it both ways because I don't have a collet for my .303.

[XTR]

I use them for my 308 F-TR loads. I think they provide really consistent neck tension w/o turning necks, but I'm looking for sub 0.5 MOA accuracy with jacketed bullets and shooting 1000 yards. Mine gives me about 2 thou neck tension on my loads. They don't make one for 45-70 so I never tried one with cast bullet loads.

[1hole]

"Is the lee Collete die able to be finely adjusted enough to just kiss the case mouth to only reduce the dia. by a .001."

It would work that way IF all of your necks are consistant thickness to less than a thou; that's not likely nor is it needed. What we need is for the inside of the necks to be consistant and Lee's Collet Die mandrel insures that as closely as any factory rifle can use.

[Norbrat]

Get Lee to make you a custom sized mandrel to the diameter you want. http://leeprecision.com/custom-oversized-mandrel.html

Or make it yourself, or find someone with a lathe to do it for you. The mandrels are pretty simple, especially if you don't bother with the decapping pin.

[Sonnypie]

Is using the collet die for neck-only sizing superior to a neck-sizing die or simply backing out a full-length sizer? I do it both ways because I don't have a collet for my .303.

Do you need just the collet? Parts (http://leeprecision.com/parts/reloading-dies/rifle-dies/lee-collet-dies/collet-dies-303b-parts/) or Collet only (http://leeprecision.com/collet-303b.html)

Or the whole shebangie (http://leeprecision.com/collet-dies-303b.html)?

[popper]

I patiently tried to get mine to work for 30-30 and 243. I honed out the FL die 30-30 to use for cast, Just decap with the collet and use an M die for expanding. If I had a proper sized expander rod I'd probably use it with the FL die. I use the 243 FL die when reloading for the G kids, have a hornady for jacketed 30-30. I have >15 loads on the brass, plinking to full bore loads. So for me, no, they don't work.

[MT Chambers]

A regular set of dies allows you to alter case neck tension by using dif. sizing buttons, a bushing die allows you to change bushings for whatever tension you want, either way this makes more sense then any type of crimping die for that purpose, additionally crimping will not help accuracy as much as consistent case neck tension.

[larryy]

The Lee die works by squeezing the case neck down against a mandrell (not crimping, which is just the case mouth) so the inside of your case neck is the same size no matter how thick the neck wall.Unless you turn all your necks to the same thickness the bushing dies cann't do that. If you want a smaller opening you can either turn the mandrell down or have Lee do it for you.