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Thread: Lee Universal Case Expanding Die

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Lee Universal Case Expanding Die

    I had no idea how badly I needed this little device. Very helpful indeed!

  2. #2
    Boolit Bub
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    Yes they are.
    I just ordered another for a friend.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I have had one for many years and would be lost without it. yes they are a needed item.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master deces's Avatar
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    NOE sells different inserts to make the die a caliber specific M style die.
    These men and their hypnotized followers call this a new order. It is not new. It is not order.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by deces View Post
    NOE sells different inserts to make the die a caliber specific M style die.
    This is the best way to use them, short of buying a real Lyman style M-die.

    For the oddball and/or boomer calibers, CH/4D sells them for about anything you can think of.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
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    Thanks @deces and @15meter. I didn't know NOE did specific inserts... I feel shopping for inserts for 44 mag, 404 Jeff and 9.3mm might be in order...

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master OS OK's Avatar
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    Actually...I think Lee should have named this die the... 'Lee Universal Case FLARING Die' or... 'Lee Universal Case BELLING Die'.
    To make it an actual... 'Lee Universal Case EXPANDING Die' you need to use the NOE EXPANDER MANDRELS...



    As Lee sells this die, it does make it easy to seat a projectile by 'flaring or belling' the case mouth but it does not insure you have the correct case tension on the projectile. In many cases the size die will size the case mouth too small for our oversized casts which may swage your projectile smaller than you sized it to be... & there is the problem of cases becoming extremely hardened from multiple reloadings and then 'brass springback' becomes an increasing issue as well.

    Some years ago I did an experiment to find out about 'brass springback'...is it an issue or not?
    It is...

    a m e r i c a n p r a v d a

    Be a Patriot . . . expose their lies!

    “In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” G. Orwell

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
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    OS OK you are rather enabling me...

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master OS OK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scrumbag View Post
    OS OK you are rather enabling me...
    a m e r i c a n p r a v d a

    Be a Patriot . . . expose their lies!

    “In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” G. Orwell

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master


    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
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    NOE’s system is definitely the way to go, especially if you have different calibers and bore démentions.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master


    stubshaft's Avatar
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    Definitely a game changer with the NOE inserts.
    Old enough to know better, young enough to do it anyway!

    Men who don't understand women fall into two categories: bachelors and husbands!

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    +1 to what OS said. Another reason to use NOE or M die expanders is to maximize neck tension. In calibers with short bullet to case contact, a gradual flare will destroy the neck tension in more of the case neck behind the flare, versus the step flare.

    On the flipside, most calibers don't usually need actual expansion. I've measured all my Lee plugs. They're all at least 3 thousandths smaller than jacketed bullet OD. No expansion at all. I went crazy and bought or made expanders at full cast diameter for near all my calibers. In most calibers, this doesn't actually make the case any bigger. Size was already set by the sizing die! (work hardening or tight sizing dies can of course happen and change things; I'm genenralizing).

    In the calibers it matters, a proper expander is gold. But for most calibers, I just end up needing to be more mindful of brass galling up on the expander plug. Gotta take out the plugs and clean them off, every now and then.

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    I needed a expander plug for some 45/70 short Hornady brass. From FTX style loads.
    The regular expander die was too short to reach and the crimper was too short too. I made one from a broken RCBS bullet puller die and threaded a bolt to a piece of stock I turned down for the insert. Works slick, for the crimp problem I shaved 3/32" off an old 45/70 shell holder to get the correct crimp height. Cost = zero $

  14. #14
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scrumbag View Post
    Thanks @deces and @15meter. I didn't know NOE did specific inserts... I feel shopping for inserts for 44 mag, 404 Jeff and 9.3mm might be in order...
    For the longer cases you may want to look at the CH/4D. For cases like the 9.3x74R, I like a longer die body. I honestly can't tell you if it makes a difference, I just don't like half and better of the case sticking out of the die. And some of the big fat cases will NOT fit in the Lee die. 416 Rigby for one, and I think I ran into problems with a couple of others that required a larger diameter die body. 470 N.E.? 500/450?

    Geezer memory, I can't tell you without digging out my load notes. Eventually.

    I've got today's brass in the back of the truck that needs to make it to the shed and the polisher, if I can remember, I'll look.

    45 Colt, 30-06, 6.5x55 and 280 Ross. A rather eclectic batch of reloading stuff produced today.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master

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    Agreed, it is mis-named. It is simply an adjustable flaring die, not an expander. I have little use for it as a flaring die. Flaring really overworks the case mouth which can lead to splits. That being said, I love the Lee Universal Expander Die BODIES. I probably have 15 or more of them. I throw away the flaring pieces and make new internals such as two-step expander plugs similar to what NOE sells, black powder compression plugs, neck size bushings and custom bullet seater parts. Here are a few of the ones I've made. L-R: .25 Stevens seater, .38 heel bullet seater, 3 expander plugs, .44-77 neck size bushing.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 20210921_174951_copy_639x325_001.jpg   20211009_071005_copy_668x374.jpg   20210807_075305_copy_742x562.jpg   20210221_100553_copy_1046x279_copy_699x186.jpg  

  16. #16
    Boolit Master

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    This is a 2-step expander plug I made for the Lee die. The first step is made about .002" less than bullet diameter. This holds the bullet firmly after seating. The second, larger step is .001" - .002" over bullet diameter. The second step only goes into the case mouth about 1/16" of an inch or less. This lets the bullet easily start in the case without excess stretching that a flaring die can cause. NOE sells these very reasonably. I highly recommend them if you can't make your own.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 44 exp 1.jpg  

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy
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    I need a lathe...

  18. #18
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Scrumbag View Post
    I need a lathe...
    Fortunately, mini-hobbyist lathe are readilly available and reasonably priced. I bought my 12" Atlas about 35 years ago at an old machine shop auction. They weren't so affordable back then. Go for it!

  19. #19
    Boolit Master

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  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
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    You are all a bunch of enablers....

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