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View Full Version : Lee collet die problem????



six_gun
07-10-2006, 04:05 PM
I have been using a Lee Collet die with my 22 hornet cases for about 8 years now and everything has been great.

Last night I had 175 cases that needed to be sized and I screwed it in and went to sizing. On about the 100th case, instead of sizing the neck, it pushed the neck about halfway down into the case. I tried another one slower and it got resistance so I backed off but the case was ruined anyway.

I decided mayby the die needed to be cleaned. I took it apart and cleaned it really good and put it back together. The test run ruined another case. I decided to oil the shaft and collets. Tried again and got the same results.

Question:
What in the **LL am I doing wrong?

I thought I would see if anyone else has an answer. If not I will be sending it back to Lee, but that takes time and I am impatient.

Sixgun

StarMetal
07-10-2006, 04:25 PM
Being a collet die squeezes in from the sides with very very little case movement forward, it's obivious that the squeezing is starting way ahead of time thus the reason for the neck being pushed into the case. The collet also doesn't start the squeeze until the shellholder touches it bottom. So you need to investigate if the neck is being pushed in before the shellholder touches the collet bottom or not. I've almost have to say it's before because when you shellholder makes contact you're at, or should be, near the very end of the stroke. Also these dies are not to be set to let the ram cam over either if you read the intructions. See if when the neck begins to be pushed in. Maybe the collet fingers aren't spring back out.

Joe

doc25
07-10-2006, 06:13 PM
I think that the collet is not releasing. I'll write what lee says. This is caused by closing the press without a case in the die or the die is adjusted too deeply. Remove the collet from the die and spring it open. It is best done by pushing a tapered drift punch into the collet neck. If not avail use the round shank of a phillips head screw driver to pry the collet open. Cases that have been excessively annnealed into the shoulder area may buckle even though the collet is open.

six_gun
07-11-2006, 09:38 AM
The collet is very close to the mandrell (sp?). I'll bet the collet isn't springing back out. I'll try pushing it back out tonight and see if that helps.

Thanks
Sixgun

StarMetal
07-11-2006, 09:51 AM
If the die works after you spring out the collet fingers, becarefu they don't stay in again and ruin another casing. Did you clean the die body too? I just don't see that collet losing it's spring temper. If so call Lee and see if you can get a replacement.

Joe

sundog
07-11-2006, 09:52 AM
The Lee collet neck sizers are good tools, but unless they have changed their finishing techniques, they need to be 'lee-mented' before efficient use is achieved. Take them apart and remove all the burrs crocus, or by stoning. I've even put a dab of sta-lube on them on the mating surfaces, and every so often while in use, 10 to 20 rounds, I manually rotate the sleeve about 90d so the parts don't wear in to a specific place.

The first one I had did not work well at all. In fact, I could not even get the parts out of the die body. I threw it out, then picked it out ot the trash and sent it back to Lee. I got it back, supposedly repaired, with a note that as much as said I was stoopid boob -- needless to say that didn't do anything to make warm fuzzies for me to buy more of their products. It still did not work, but I was able to get it apart, and that's when I discovered it needed some 'cleaning up' before the part all worked together. That was several years ago, and I am still very successfully using that die. Since then I have gotten several more. I may have as many as six or eight of them now. I like them, but they need 'lee-menting' before they work as advertised. Oh, they work better if they are disassembled, cleaned, and lubed ocassionally. sundog

six_gun
07-11-2006, 03:34 PM
When I got this die, I took it apart and cleaned it. I also chucked the mandrell (sp?) in a drill moter and turned it with some emery cloth, to reduce the neck size of the case, after sizing. There was not enough neck tension on the bullets after they were seated and crimped.

I haven't done anything else to it until it started ruining my cases. It has always worked great and I use the Hornet for NRA Hunter Pistol Silhouette and have loaded thousands of rounds with this die since I got it. (Side note: I have to brag a little here, I won the Idaho State Hunter Pistol Silhouette Championship this year with my Hornet)

When it started ruining cases, I took it apart and cleaned both the mandrell and the barrel. They are both squeaky clean. Then I lubed the die with Break Free.

This isn't the only Lee Collet die that I have but it is the oldest and gets used the most.

Sixgun

StarMetal
07-11-2006, 04:04 PM
Lee states in there instructions that you can turn the shaft down alittle, off the top of my head say like .002 and then they state any further is no good. My Hornet collet dies sizes my necks down to hold jacketed bullets very well. I size them, back the ram up give the case a quarter turn, size again. Do that with my 30-06 one too. I have lost no Hornet cases do to cases stretching in the chamber, which many Hornet owner say they will do.

Joe