A Question on the 243 AI and the LEE 243 COLLET NECK SIZER

[rchouser]

I am waiting for my new S dies for my newly rebarreled 243 AI (40 deg shoulder) rifle. I was looking at a piece of the newly fire formed federal brass that was the by product of the first 15 rounds of the barrel break in. This got me to thinking.

I disassembled a 243 lee collet neck die and looked at the components fitting both a standard .243 win brass cartridge and a piece of the fire foremed brass into the sleeve then into the compression fingers. I swear I see nothing that would stop me from using a standard LEE 243 Collet die to neck size my new 243 AI fire formed case necks.

I reassembled the die and installed it in my press. I first neck sized a standard 243 case, then, I deprimed and neck sized one of my federal fire formed AI cartridges. I saw no change in function, the settings were the same for both, I had no jamming or weird feedback from the reloading arm as I did the necksizing. I see no ill effect on the necksized case.

Question: Is anybody using a standard Lee Collet type Neck Sizer to resize 243 AI necks?

thanks in advance. rch

 

[Ringostar]

I haven't tried 243, but I have done 284W in a 7x57 Mauser die. It worked fine.

 

[bigedp51]

Nuff said

Sorry CatShooter made me do it.

 

[Gadget]

I run a .243 ai and use a Lee Collet to load for many years, so In my opinion yes you can.

 

[L1986]

I use the collet for my 22250ai seems to work great for me.

 

[Bindi2]

I use a regular 308 Lee collet neck sizing die for a 30 06AI and a regular 7 08 die for a 7 08 AI so I reckon you could.

 

[rchouser]

Thanks to all.

I like using the collet dies in a bunch of my calibers. They allow me NOT to have to lube my rifle cases. I find the reloaded cartridges to be sufficiently accurate for my requirements. I know from the posts above that some will not like them. I do for most of my rifle cartridges.

rch

 

[Dgd6mm]

I used my .308 collet die on my .308 AI, works fine. I also use my .243 collet die on my 6mm Competition Match.

 

[bsekf]

Usually works just fine, but if the dies should contact the shoulder just use a spacer (washer). All you are doing is lengthening the case and you may not size the entire neck. I use a 7-08 Lee Collet Die to size a 7x444, which is .25 longer, just use a 1/4 inch pile of washers.

Bill

 

[normmatzen]

I have both 284WIN custom LEE Collette die as well as a 7X57 Collette die. I should have tried the 284 WIN in the 7X57 first!!
Incidentally my 284 WIN is a long range bench rest/F Class gun and I use a Lee Collette die for my 6BRX light gun also.
I body size my cases then neck size. I also tried using the custom mandrel for my 284 WIN in my 7X57 and it worked just fine!