Mandrel die vs Lee Collet Neck die

[wright brothers]

Are Lees' intended use of their collet dies also wrong.

 

[Rocketvapor]

You can get a false shoulder by using a slotted shim.

 

[Murray Brook]

What I don't like about the new collet dies is I find it doesn't trim/chamfer well nor is it good when you want to clean up a neck with your neck turner. I also want every .001 of neck when I'm chasing the lands with a short bullet. JMO

 

[old_heli_logger]

Thank you all for the replies! Great info here, I'm still learning...

 

[Fuj]

The internet is wrong most of the time.

Most of us that compete in benchrest and long range competitions prefer not to size the entire neck down to the shoulder for several reasons.

But yet most everyone will say up front, they full length size.

 

[Rocketvapor]

Amazon.com

One shot with a shim and you get a false shoulder.
OR
Neck size then add a shim to get the end of the neck sized.
I call that an extra one half operation since the case is already in the shell holder and press and one more handle movement.

 

[Ringostar]

The internet is wrong most of the time.

Most of us that compete in benchrest and long range competitions prefer not to size the entire neck down to the shoulder for several reasons.

What you’re talking about, is the base of neck by shoulder. The complaint about the new collet die, is that it doesn’t size the case mouth. Some say that they get a flair at case mouth. I read that it was supposed to help with bullet seating. I don’t have a new style one, so haven’t seen the flair. But as mentioned, a washer between shell holder and die will keep case mouth lower in collet. I’ve been using a washer for years to size 284 brass in a 7x57 die. It beats buying a custom die.

 

[WSnyder]

What you’re talking about, is the base of neck by shoulder. The complaint about the new collet die, is that it doesn’t size the case mouth. Some say that they get a flair at case mouth. I read that it was supposed to help with bullet seating. I don’t have a new style one, so haven’t seen the flair. But as mentioned, a washer between shell holder and die will keep case mouth lower in collet. I’ve been using a washer for years to size 284 brass in a 7x57 die. It beats buying a custom die.

The reason for the flare is many were using Lee’s flaring tool to intentionally flare the neck (slightly) as a second operation. Flaring the neck can and will help even out seating pressures. Try it and see. I am one that flared necks with the flaring tool. Mic McPherson I believe is the one that asked Lee to modify the die to leave a slight flare and eliminate the extra flaring tool step.

 

[Rocketvapor]

The neck mouth diameter will be as -fired (less spring back.
If your FLD without a mandrel sizes the neck down then the Lee probably will not flare the end.
Is this more internet quarterback complaining?
Someone size some brass and measure.
The old style 223 LCD allowed me to shave the base and size all the way up on a 22 Nosler neck.
The new style doesn't.
a 1/16" shim does this: Ole style and new style

 

[WSnyder]

If your FLD without a mandrel sizes the neck down then the Lee probably will not flare the end.

I typically use a Redding bushing die without a bushing to size the body when using the collet die for the neck.

 

[RegionRat]

Is this more internet quarterback complaining?

I'm like the previous users in that we feel like if Lee had a few folks asking for a flare, then let those folks do the flare as required, or have their die modified.

The way the new LCD run, they are a lousy flare, and they don't prep the mouth for a trim/chamfer, loose-loose in my view.

When I size a neck, I expect to be able to trim or chamfer properly. When I want to, I apply a flare.

I secured my Lee Collet dies long before their unilateral changes and grabbed old models for the ones that I wear out before they disappeared.

Put me down as a complainer then, since I found their reasoning lame. All things being equal, I can't say I know anyone who thinks it made the die better. YMMV

 

[Payne]

Not much love for the Lee Collet Neck die around here. It's funny though, that I see a lot of folks using mandrel dies as their final step to set their neck diameter. The Lee Collet Neck die IS a mandel die that also centers the neck and reduces run-out.
Let the beatings begin or help me understand what I'm missing.
Using these cheap Lee dies are working for me...

They do work awsome!!

 

[markm87]

I do a little mod to the Lee Collet Neck die that has worked good for me. I chuck the mandrel in my drill press and sand just over .001" where the collet chomps on the neck. So when I run the die I get a slight drag on the upstroke that gives me a feel for what will be the final neck tension.

Whenever a piece of brass doesn't drag a little, I run it again. My neck tension consistency on the K&M arbor is remarkably more consistent. I ran 150 pieces of 6.5cm yesterday and was thrilled with the consistent seating pressure.

 

[BHP9]

My review of the collet die in 6.5 Creedmoor.

Not worth it if you must do 100 cases where there is a chance that the neck will be torn off.​

Arrived this afternoon. Clean, sized and deprimed and annealed Lapua brass ($3.00 each). Tried the collet die on 6 brass but the 7th the neck was torn off. It's being returned.

 

[BHP9]

Add to that, when I measured the neck of the 6 successful ones, they were larger in diameter than the ones going through the RCBS die.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

Not much love for the Lee Collet Neck die around here. It's funny though, that I see a lot of folks using mandrel dies as their final step to set their neck diameter. The Lee Collet Neck die IS a mandel die that also centers the neck and reduces run-out.
Let the beatings begin or help me understand what I'm missing.
Using these cheap Lee dies are working for me...

sure looks like a crappy method to me! This was supposed to be sarcastic. Great shooting!!

 

[old_heli_logger]

sure looks like a crappy method to me!

Not sure what happened there, my guess would be your mandrel needs polished to the correct diameter for your brass. Try some lube on the inside of your neck

 

[old_heli_logger]

Yep, crappy method.... crappy results

 

[old_heli_logger]

As a 1000yd, BR. shooter, I started with a Harrel's Fl bushing die and slightly under sized my dasher brass and then used a mandrel for my final set but found out that a honed forester die gave me much les runout, so I now have three honed dies in case I want to change tensions. A lot of the shooting disciplines' might not require that type of control. If a lee collet dies gave me a better result, I would have no problem using one as cost is not my first consideration. Test and decide for yourself.
P.S. CharlieNC is correct, nobody that I know of that shoots at Williamsport neck sizes only. Everyone FL sizes.

I full length size too...my final step in the Lee neck/mandrel die

 

[WSnyder]

My review of the collet die in 6.5 Creedmoor.

Not worth it if you must do 100 cases where there is a chance that the neck will be torn off.​

Arrived this afternoon. Clean, sized and deprimed and annealed Lapua brass ($3.00 each). Tried the collet die on 6 brass but the 7th the neck was torn off. It's being returned.

Collet sticking. Unfortunately many times some of the die parts need deburring and polishing. I do that to each collet die I use. They work perfectly once that is done. Lee should really fix that issue because sticky collets isn’t uncommon.