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Bushings vs Lee Collet Die

BCBRAD

I read a lot about this sized bushing and that sized bushing. Relatively new to the precision hand loading and long range game, I am always wondering what I'm missing out on.

I use Lee collet dies for everything I shoot, even have one on order for the 6 Dasher.

I have no experience with bushing dies but am aware of the concept.

So, why is one favored over the other?
 
BCBRAD said:
I read a lot about this sized bushing and that sized bushing. Relatively new to the precision hand loading and long range game, I am always wondering what I'm missing out on.

I use Lee collet dies for everything I shoot, even have one on order for the 6 Dasher.

I have no experience with bushing dies but am aware of the concept.

So, why is one favored over the other?
Click to expand...

Good question. I have just ventured into bushing dies and have not yet tried collet dies.

Danny
 
I use bushing for calibres that I have turned neck chambers for & Lee Collets for standard calibres, which my gunsmith machines with minimum neck clearance.

Both work for me, though the Lee is less likely to cause case runout because of its self centering design - not that bushing dies cause runout normally - only when they're locked down too tight or used to size too much at once.
 
From a precision reloading point of view, both have a legit place. Which one will be more appropriate for your application? That's a hard question to fairly answer with the info you give.

for a no turn chamber I would go with a collet die with a selection of different mandrel diameters to deal with variations in brass hardness. This is because (in theory at least) small irregularities in a no turn neck are forced to the outside of the case neck. In a bushing neck die for a no-turn neck I use an expander to accomplish the same. The expander can contribute to runout.
If you neck turn, the bushing style should give a more uniform neck o.d. (No small ridges from the gaps between collet fingers) Which may be a concern with very tight necked chambers.
I would be very surprised to find a measurable performance difference between these dies with all else equal and in this narrow example.

Ah forgot about the doughnut...
 
I turn necks on all my brass and I have used both the bushing dies and the LCD.

I'm not a fan of bushing dies because I know for a fact that my Redding bushing dies introduce runout. I have the S type, the neck sizing type and the small base type all with bushings. I have tried all kinds of shenanigans to reduce runout but I wasn't successful until I changed dies. I do find them useful for experimenting with neck tension.

I like the LCD but unfortunately sooner or later you have to size the body too and there goes consistency.
 
IMHO donuts mainly come from brass flow from shoulder material during firing & not so much from bushing die sizing down, Note I said "mainly".

I use collet dies most of the time and I get donuts in my 308 Lapua & Norma brass. But I agree it's easier to get low runout from collet die as it doesn't push irregularities towards inside of the neck.

Again JMHO & experience
 
I load above the neck junction so donuts are a moot point. I also believe the game you are playing see's more of one die than the other, benchrest vs say FTR. May be wrong though.
 
Virgin cases in most (if not all) cartridges have neck walls which taper slightly thinner towards the case mouth. Unturned neck walls I have encountered are up to .002" (or more) thicker at the shoulder end than at the mouth. (Look at any SAAMI "Minimum Chamber" drawing and you will see this is allowed for, if not mandated. And a reamer likes to be tapered, at least slightly, over its entire length to function optimally.)

So I wonder how a collet die handles that? Wouldn't the collet apply significantly more pressure on the shoulder end than at the mouth? Or will it "conform" by design?

Also, a cylindrical bushing run over an unturned neck will force any wall taper to the inside, creating a narrowing (if not a classic "donut") at the shoulder junction. Sometimes I wonder if this is not what some chaps think is their "donut"?

-
 
Last edited:
Joe R said:
I turn necks on all my brass and I have used both the bushing dies and the LCD.

I'm not a fan of bushing dies because I know for a fact that my Redding bushing dies introduce runout. I have the S type, the neck sizing type and the small base type all with bushings. I have tried all kinds of shenanigans to reduce runout but I wasn't successful until I changed dies. I do find them useful for experimenting with neck tension.

I like the LCD but unfortunately sooner or later you have to size the body too and there goes consistency.
Click to expand...
So why not use your LCD in combination with a Redding body die ?
 
Like others said. If your turning necks a full length neck bushing die will work. If not turning necks the Lee collet die is best. I use a Redding body die, Lee collet die and a Forster ultra micro seater die. I've tried other dies and combos and this combo always gets me the best accuracy. Well actually it gets me the most consistent accuracy.
 
stinnett1981 said:
Like others said. If your turning necks a full length neck bushing die will work. If not turning necks the Lee collet die is best. I use a Redding body die, Lee collet die and a Forster ultra micro seater die. I've tried other dies and combos and this combo always gets me the best accuracy. Well actually it gets me the most consistent accuracy.
Click to expand...

I use the same set up. Good man.
 
>>>Relatively new to the precision hand loading<<<

The very best shooters use bushing dies.
To understand you need to use them.

BCBRAD said:
I read a lot about this sized bushing and that sized bushing. Relatively new to the precision hand loading and long range game, I am always wondering what I'm missing out on.

I use Lee collet dies for everything I shoot, even have one on order for the 6 Dasher.

I have no experience with bushing dies but am aware of the concept.

So, why is one favored over the other?
Click to expand...
 
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