Lee Collet Die Method -- Rotate Case?

[Murray Brook]

I use a Forster trimmer and my mandrel is to be used with a sized case. I am not an expert on how all case trimmers work but most that I know of use a sized case in conjunction with a mandrel of proper size.

 

[Tesoro]

I use a Forster trimmer and my mandrel is to be used with a sized case. I am not an expert on how all case trimmers work but most that I know of use a sized case in conjunction with a mandrel of proper size.

oh .you are talking about neck turners,,not trimmers!! what i do is run my new fired cases thru a bushing to size down for the turning mandrel, and then neck turn/skim and then run thru the neck ( length) wilson trimmer afterwards to even up. Then as a final step I run thru the collet neck die after re-sizing necks, if necessary. It is extra work for above but only once out of 20+ firings. And then after that I just run fired cases thru the f/l sizer to bump n squash, then the collet for neck and ready for prime+ powder. Yes, the tip of my neck mouth does not get sized but that is in the area I inside chamfer anyhow so no loss. Have lots of neck left below that for the grab.

 

[Lee Whitsel]

Now get them hard chromed.

How or where can you get them chromed and how much the cost and do you do both parts?

 

[WSnyder]

How or where can you get them chromed and how much the cost and do you do both parts?

In my area we have a hard chrome specialist. They do lots of hydraulic rams and things for heavy equipment repair and other industrial uses. They've hard chromed many things including dies for me over the years. I'd just do a web search for hard chrome in your location and if you do give them a call. It's a much more precise and cleaner chrome than bumper chrome. They'll probably want to know how thick you want it. You should be able to ask for a number down into the single digit thousandths like .001-.005". There are thin chromes that are into the tenths for thickness. I've asked for .003" for a die and got it.

 

[bozo699]

In my area we have a hard chrome specialist. They do lots of hydraulic rams and things for heavy equipment repair and other industrial uses. They've hard chromed many things including dies for me over the years. I'd just do a web search for hard chrome in your location and if you do give them a call. It's a much more precise and cleaner chrome than bumper chrome. They'll probably want to know how thick you want it. You should be able to ask for a number down into the single digit thousandths like .001-.005". There are thin chromes that are into the tenths for thickness. I've asked for .003" for a die and got it.

.003?…. I assume you removed .003 then?
Wayne

 

[WSnyder]

.003?…. I assume you removed .003 then?
Wayne

Added .003” to a sizing die. If hard chroming a Lee collet I think I’d ask for minimum.

 

[Tesoro]

Added .003” to a sizing die. If hard chroming a Lee collet I think I’d ask for minimum.

What about DLC as an option?

 

[WSnyder]

What about DLC as an option?

Sure why not? I clean up and polish the collet dies like others do in the lathe. I’m using an EP grease to lube. I haven’t found a need to harden them at all so far.

 

[Tesoro]

Sure why not? I clean up and polish the collet dies like others do in the lathe. I’m using an EP grease to lube. I haven’t found a need to harden them at all so far.

I have when using Lapua brass. But with regular softer brass they dont seem to get marred up so easily. I went thru a collet/cup combo after 50x 30-06 Lapua! I am on about 150x 6xc Lapua brass and my collet is already getting wear where it mates the cup bevel. And I dont squash them hard..barely enough to just leave an imprint on the case neck.

 

[Lee Whitsel]

Such great info from all of you. Glad I brought this subject up cause I didn't know the best way to go about it....

 

[marchboom]

For a while they came out really rough, but the last several years the ones I have received were much better.
As bad as this
View attachment 1511744

With some polishing
View attachment 1511745

Those parts look great. What procedure did you use?

 

[Rocketvapor]

Break sharp edges of the cone.
Still using my modified 223 old style collet for 22 Nosler.
Polished a few times, over 3000 round.

 

[Murray Brook]

I have 5 different collet dies and have used them 1000's of times. I grease the fingers and have had no problems so far.

 

[jepp2]

What procedure did you use?

They don't have to be as smooth as those are. Just smoothing out the high spots will be sufficient, and a good grease on them. I don't have access to a lathe to chuck them in, so I have to jury rig a way to spin them in my cordless drill (machine screws, washers, etc). For the inside of the top I wrap sandpaper around rubber stoppers (I have an assortment to choose from). For the collet I just spin it and use a jury rig sanding block. Of course a good assortment of sandpaper is essential. I have packs all the way up to 3000 grit. Finish polishing with Flitz then Mothers, just like I use on my dies when I polish them.

 

[Mark611]

I do the same thing I do not trim until after I neck size, that's what he means, I think? I have done it both ways, fired and unfired cases. but always neck size before trimming, Neck sizing makes the necks grow longer that's why you should do that before you trim your necks.

 

[Tesoro]

I do the same thing I do not trim until after I neck size, that's what he means, I think? I have done it both ways, fired and unfired cases. but always neck size before trimming, Neck sizing makes the necks grow longer that's why you should do that before you trim your necks.

The collett moves the extra brass to the end of the neck. The bushing shoves it to the neck-shoulder junction and makes a bulge, to some degree. The brass has to go somewhere.

I just finished loading a bunch of 6xc using the collet die. Here is example of how straight it will roll them out. How much diff does it make? probably not notable but it works for me on the psychological side of things.

https://youtu.be/P3oPTkhiX4U

 

[Mark611]

That's about the same runout I get using the collet dies, 1k or less usually less, is this important? you Batcha, the projectile needs to be as centered as possible when it enters the rifling, if not it will cause inaccuracy, because your reshaping the bullet trying to make it fit the bore, if it's going in at an angle because the concentricity is out to much your accuracy will suffer, I'm just a target shooter so I try to make my ammo as perfect as possible, which is why I use collet dies and mandrels when sizing the necks, and a body die to size the case body only, no FL sizers dies that have the expander ball no FL dies period , the expander ball will wreck your concentricity! I know some of you use these types of dies with success, but I'll pass, I get the results I want doing things the way I do it, and it shows on paper! YMMV.

 

[bsekf]

Slits in collet die are 90 degrees apart so turn it 45 degrees.

 

[Tesoro]

That's about the same runout I get using the collet dies, 1k or less usually less, is this important? you Batcha, the projectile needs to be as centered as possible when it enters the rifling, if not it will cause inaccuracy, because your reshaping the bullet trying to make it fit the bore, if it's going in at an angle because the concentricity is out to much your accuracy will suffer, I'm just a target shooter so I try to make my ammo as perfect as possible, which is why I use collet dies and mandrels when sizing the necks, and a body die to size the case body only, no FL sizers dies that have the expander ball no FL dies period , the expander ball will wreck your concentricity! I know some of you use these types of dies with success, but I'll pass, I get the results I want doing things the way I do it, and it shows on paper! YMMV.

The straight ammo comcept seems to be shot down by the pro shooters. I was co-incidentally listening to a podcast with Alex Wheeler the other day and he mentioned that he has tested and could not see any diff on paper between 1 and 3 thou at 1000. He also mentioned that how 'non-straight' can the ammo be when the case is confined by chamber dimension with the bullet sticking into the leade with maybe .5 thou clearance on each side.

True, but I believe it 'depends'. What shape bullet do you have, how much of a jump and what type of leade.

This would be one of the easier tests for you to perform to see if runout affects your accuracy for a particular load, at distance of course.

*****However my main concern is the lack of a method to ensure you have consistent neck tension when using the collet die. Varying neck tensions create havoc and could easily override and gains made by having straighter ammo.

 

[memilanuk]

Bryan Zolnikov did a test with his short range BR gun, with much the same result.