Lee Collet Die with Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor Brass

I've decided to give the LCD a try with my Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor brass for improved bullet concentricity. I decap in a separate operation. Because the decapping tip on the LCD is too large, is it okay to simply cut it off or does this die require the pin for aid in centering the neck sizing operation?

 

You can cut it off with no problems .

 

I chuck mine in a drill and use sandpaper to reduce diameter to just clear the small flash hole. Works great and you can also do the same to the mandrel itself to obtain more neck tension.

 

The decapping pin is too large for the Lapua primer flash hole.

 

Read the post above yours. It works great

 

If you are not using it for decapping, then just remove it. Has not effect on centering cartridge.
I also believe Brownell's sells smaller pins for use in Lapua brass.

 

BerndV,
I saw that after I posted and deleted it right away but apparently not fast enough. sorry about that.
Wayne

 

I would chuck it up in a drill and take some emery cloth and turn it down to fit the lapua brass... that pin does help in keeping the mandrel centered up …. without a case in the lcd you can wobble the mandrel back and forth so if a case had run out in it before sizing the mandrel stem would just cock to the side a little when sized... the decapping pin helps keep everything plumb in my opinion...

 

Yes but even with the pin in the flash hole, the body of the case appears to be floating. The only part of the LCD that grips the case is the neck sizing portion of the collet petals. Have you used the LCD on Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor brass?

 

Decapping pin does nothing . The floating you refer to is fine.

 

Yes.. i use the lcd on several cartridges .. just my opinion man.. do what ya think is best..

 

You can use a shorter die on a longer case by using shims. I use a 6 PPC collet die on 6 BR, 6X45 and 6X47L. You can't use a 260 die on a 6 BR. You have to rebuild the entire die if you try to go longer to shorter. Decapping pin is not necessary, but you can turn it down. Lee sells replacement over/under sized decapper rods. Lee will build you a custom Collet die, check their website. $75, if I recall correctly.

Be aware that you may bump the shoulder when using shims and you don't need to size the entire neck. Experiment and measure! Search this site, there is lots of LCD information.

Cottage industry should make a universal collet die, one caliber and a bunch of inserts for length.

Bill

 

I decided to call Lee directly to settle the issue. Their technical guy stated unequivocally that the decapping pin is completely superfluous if you are decapping in a separate operation. It is in no way used to center the mandrel. Therefore, I am simply going to cut it off.

 

I'm Guessing you already knew that though,...….it doesn't even make sense that it would or could center itself after 1/2 the sizing process is complete by the time the depriming pin exits the flash hole. Glad you got this all worked out now good luck with those old guns.
Wayne.

 

I cut my LCD decapping pin off, and I use a dedicated Hornady Universal Decapping Die (050085) with the Hornady Headed Decapping Pin Small .055" (396618). (I use a RCBS Universal Decapping Die for standard flashholes.)

 

I when I was using a LCD for my Lapua 6.5x47 brass, I put the mandrel in my cordless drill and polished the decapping pin down until it would work with the smaller flash holes. Thought about just cutting it off but decided I wanted to maintain the decapping functionality of the die.

John

 

Wish I had known this with certainty. I had a small batch of cases already primed that I wanted to Collet Size the necks, so I ended up wasting some primers.

 

The decapping pin is actually separate and glued in. I found this out when turning one down and it became loose and simply pulled out. The madrell might float a little bit at the very tip but up where the neck is being squeezed it will not be moving much. even then it is being pushed on all sides at the same time so it will self centre.

 

Lee will make a 22Nosler Collet die for $$.
I bought an extra .223 Collet on sale from Midway.
Shaved about 0.035" off the bottom to get the case neck up close to the collet.
Bought an undersize mandrel and spun it in the drill to reduce the length by a few thousandths.
Found the glued in pin
Mandrel seemed to bottom on 6mm Hagar cases bumped and trimmed to 22Nosler.
6mm Hagar webs are thicker. Nosler and Dogtown brass isn't a problem.
Cold blue on die body for identification.