What is the diameter of the mandrel on the lee collet neck die 223 cal? Can you screw the die far enough out to just use it as a mandrel. Seems like a good solution if it's the right size to set final neck tension on new cases and if you have one already to expand the necks to final size if you dont want to use the expander ball. Is there any reason to not just neck size with the lee until your brass grows to chamber length and regular bump sizing is necessary? I'm not talking about this being the total solution but before the brass is chamber length.
What is the diameter on the Lee mandrel?
- Thread starter AJC
- Start date
Certainly you could use that approach or even cycle the LCD for properly uniformed neck tension.
FWIW I never use anything but the LCD for 223 and don't even bother with annealing. You will over time get some slight bolt lug binding when closing but keep a hint of lube on the lugs to prevent any chance of them galling. Also I don't load hot so your experience using only the LCD may be different to mine.
I am using a Lee collet die for 260 Rem brass prep. The standard mandrel size is .262. I have ordered an undersized mandrel .260.
Lee products are normally very thrifty. How much was the extra mandrel and did you have to special order?
Not sure I understand your question. Of course a 223 Remington bullet is .224" so you'd have .002 neck tension which is about standard I guess. I think some expander balls in conventional sizing dies might be as small as .221, it seems I've measured some at that int he past IIRC.
I have Redding and Lee dies, I can measure tomorrow if it'll help.
jepp2
Gold $$ Contributor
I used it for that, and it doesn't work very well. The "start" isn't very smooth and if a new case mouth isn't round, it doesn't start into the case mouth well. It is also a very soft steel and will tend to start picking up brass easily. You can sand it and polish it to improve the surface finish, but it also isn't supported to keep it straight. It works very well as a mandrel to compress a case neck against.
I also use undersize mandrels to achieve the case neck tension I desire, and feel this is a far superior solution. The standard 0.002 undersize are available from Brownells and MidwayUSA. You can order any diameter you want from Lee.
jepp2
Gold $$ Contributor
But typically due to the spring back it will be closer to 0.001" neck tension and the neck ID will be more like 0.223".
Yes sanding and polishing is a good approach but do it conservatively. They are so soft that material goes away quickly. It's easy to overshoot and wind up undersize of what you were aiming for. I know this from experience
Well that sucks, as the large amount of utility I was hoping for is not there. Had it been able to pull standard mandrel duties along with sizing the neck that would have added a lot of value.
CaptainMal
Silver $$ Contributor
Why don't you measure yours?
I mean a simple mike or vernier will answer what yours is. Surely as a reloader, you have and use them. Getting information from what others own is not necessarily what yours is.
I mean a simple mike or vernier will answer what yours is. Surely as a reloader, you have and use them. Getting information from what others own is not necessarily what yours is.
mine measures .221 I reckon you could just not run the case all the way up in it and use it for a mandrel.. buti would use it as it was intended to be used... the lcd will do a good job of setting neck tension and it will also help with run out on cases and give you very little run out if any... one thing I have noticed with the lcd is some upon extraction of the case will get tighter at the end of the mandrel where the decapping pin is... I have been chucking the mandrel up in a drill and turning that area down just a little with some emery cloth to where the mandrel has no resistance when extracted from the case... in my opinion you cant get more consistent neck tension than what the lcd gives with unturned necks..
could be the guy doesn't have one yet. That's what I assumed.
That is exactly right. I was trying to figure out if my plans for one made sense before I bought. You could call this research.
For 260 Rem (or any 6.5 mm case) the standard mandrel is .262. This isn’t giving me enough neck tension, probably because of springback as mentioned above. I ordered a .260 mandrel which is a regularly stocked item. I also ordered a .261 mandrel which they will custom make for me. Total with shipping was $15. Not bad for a custom solution!
One of the things i find interesting is the idea of dwell time in a die or on a mandrel. Have you ever investigated a longer hold like 3 or 5 seconds vise just a standard cycle. I ask because its something i am interested in the effects and don't hardly ever see it discussed.
As brass work hardens it's been my experience since I don't anneal that dwell time certainly does help with more uniform neck tension when using the LCD.
That I don't also push my brass hard might also explain why I exclude the need to anneal.
The Valentine method of setting up the LCD also helps with neck tension uniformity.
Search for it here in the forum.
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