Collet and body die order of use

[BradY]

I’ve read a few posts here with people using the same combination of dies that I do. However I use them with the body die first, then the collet die and every I have read people use them the other way around. Any reason as to why this might be? Or is it just a northern hemisphere thing?

 

[Bindi2]

I use the collet die up to the cases start to feel tight then I use the body die then repeat.

 

[gman47564]

I always use the body die first then size the necks with the collet die..

 

[Nowhere Man]

Does it matter?

 

[BradY]

That’s what I’m trying to determine. Someone might have more info on it than I do

 

[swadiver]

i have done it both ways with multiple calibers. i saw no difference with a concentricity gauge or on the target

 

[gman47564]

I think it matters... I always felt that when you bumped the shoulder back with the body die it could effect the neck tension at the neck and shoulder junction... if you size the neck as a last step you know the neck tension is right … least that's my way of thinking...

 

[Qtip]

I think it matters... I always felt that when you bumped the shoulder back with the body die it could effect the neck tension at the neck and shoulder junction... if you size the neck as a last step you know the neck tension is right … least that's my way of thinking...

I agree with gman

 

[Fast14riot]

I body size first. No real measurable difference I've found either way, but it gives me two chances to inspect/handle/remove live from the cases before charging as well as knowing that if I miss a step or get distracted, I cant seat a bullet.

 

[swadiver]

i have done it both ways with multiple calibers. i saw no difference with a concentricity gauge or on the target

i also body die first, but either way produced the same results.

 

[RegionRat]

Some time back, German Salazar used to publish a blog called Rifleman’s Journal. These were very well written and illustrated articles by a match shooter. His articles on reloading were often republished here on the Accurate Shooter site. He did the study on the question of the order between the body and the neck. The problem now is that since he stopped publishing, it isn’t easy to find those original articles. Some are on the Accurate Shooter site, and some are available on a web archiving site.

I found that in instances where the bullets are long enough to go down past the shoulder junction, that body sizing first worked out better for me than the other way around. If I neck sized first, it appeared that the shoulder bump altered the junction diameter and sometimes that matters.

Like German, I also found there is a difference between no-turn versus turned necks. I can’t explain it better, so here is his article.

If you have a runout gage, the tests are easy to run and don’t waste brass since it is all usable in the end.

https://web.archive.org/web/2011081...om/2010/04/reloading-two-step-sizing-and.html

 

[granite1]

I agree with RegionRat. Bullet length and seating depth determine the order for me.

 

[BeefyT11]

What would be the advantage of neck sizing first?

 

[klamathsteel]

I decap everything first with a universal decap die on an old beater rock chuck JR press.
Decapping is messy so i have the dedicated old press for just that. Next clean primer pockets
and wipe down cases. If they don't need trimmed and they still chamber ok straight to the Lee Collet neck die they go.
If chambering is getting tight they go through the Redding body die followed by the collet die. Works well for me.

 

[shoot4fun]

I have always used the Body Die as step one.
Then follow up on the neck with either a collet die of neck sizing die.
I haven't done neck size only in about twenty years.

 

[Straightshooter1]

I’ve read a few posts here with people using the same combination of dies that I do. However I use them with the body die first, then the collet die and every I have read people use them the other way around. Any reason as to why this might be? Or is it just a northern hemisphere thing?

Hmmm??? Seems to me it depends a lot on one's particular process and the specific steps involved. . .???

When you say "body die", are you referring to a FL sizing die?

If so, when I use a FL sizing die, I use it without an expander ball then run an expander mandrel through it. So I don't use my collet die at all for this reloading process. However, when I'm doing the neck turning process, I use a FL sizing followed by a expander mandrel in prep for the neck turning. After turning, I then use my collet die to get necks to the spec I want before loading.

Most of the time I'm not sizing the body and sizing the neck with my collet die followed by bumping the neck.

There reason I do these things the way I do it is to maintain a low runout on my necks. Typically, I'll have .0005 or better runout on my necks. I've never been able to do this well using any bushings or expander balls when sizing. So, I do what works for me.

 

[Bindi2]

What would be the advantage of neck sizing first?

Because you don't size the case until it needs to be sized.

 

[klamathsteel]

"When you say "body die", are you referring to a FL sizing die?"

No. A body die resizes the case body and bumps the shoulder (if desired) but does not touch the neck.
FL sizer does those two things but also sizes the neck.

 

[Iowa Fox]

Deprime
Wash in hot water/dry/inspect
Redding body die - Every time
Lee collet neck die
Forster seater
Wife wipes em down, inspects and boxes

I always wondered why Lee sold that premium 4 die collet set with a regular full length sizing die instead of a body die. Then again I guess all we are after is the collet die. Anyone here ever fiddle around with the crip die that comes in that set to see what it might do?

 

[17brno]

Body die then anneal this removes sizing wax also then neck collet then trim, chamfer ,clean primer pockets then reload with forster comp seater