Lee collet 6.5x55 for 6.5-284

[bow shot]

Just in case anyone is wondering, if you put a .030" shim over the shellholder, the 6.5x55 LCD will do the 6.5-284 Norma/Winchester nicely. I use a piece of .031" shim-stock that I die-cut into a washer.

Just don't forget to use the shim, or your case will look like a little trombone, lol!

I think I got the idea here... I fergit.

 

[lrgoodger]

Keep an eye on the washer, though. After being pressed a few thousand times, it will get significantly thinner! Ask me how I know.

 

[gotcha]

Good info to know. Thanks Bowshot!

 

[Jay Christopherson]

If you have access to a lathe, it's fairly easy to braze on an extension and then turn/bore it to precise length. I've done that for 6 Dasher (from 6PPC) and 284 Win (from 7MM-08).

 

[bow shot]

ah, very good intel, thanks kindly folks!!!

"ask me how I know"…lol! yes, I'm the (other) guy that finds things out ???

 

[bow shot]

FYI, be sure to neck first and then bump though, if that is your sizing MO (i.e., you use a opened-up F/L die or body die in conjunction with a LCD). The collet may put just a tad of a squeeze on the upper end of the case (which may cause your shoulder to move up a bit) if you use a body die first, and it has a tad larger ID than the collet. It don't take much!!

And now its my turn to say, ask me how I know…

 

[bow shot]

Update: changed shim size to .080", bump issue solved.

 

[lrgoodger]

I use the washer with the Lee collet die to partial neck size. It also keeps the collet away from the touchy neck/shoulder junction and gives the lowest runout you will ever see. The 6BR and 30BR cases don't grow much, so I seldom have to bump the shoulders back, and I full length resize when I do that. I used to use a shoulder bump die until I figured out that the unsupported case body swells a bit in the middle when you do it that way, and that doesn't do any favors to runout.

Here's a pic of a fender washer after less than a thousand times through the press. I was surprised how much and how quickly the metal in the washer compressed. I had a friend who has a machine shop make me a washer from harder material.