Lee collet die scratches neck
- Thread starter Tikka223
- Start date
XTR
F-TR obssessed shooting junkie
I've never had one scratch brass. If you are over camming the pressure you will get lines or grooves on the outside.
If it's scratching as you push the ram up it may be that you have put the ram up w/o a case in it and the collet is stuck in the top of the die and you need to take it apart (45 seconds) and unstick it.
If it's scratching as you push the ram up it may be that you have put the ram up w/o a case in it and the collet is stuck in the top of the die and you need to take it apart (45 seconds) and unstick it.
If the LCD is scratching the outside of your neck, it could be because you are firing your ammunition in a rifle with a pretty generous chamber which allows the necks to expand significantly. When that happens, it will be scratched by the fingers of the LCD (which has a smaller diameter) as you insert your case into the die.
To figure if this is the case, you can take the die apart and try manually inserting a case neck into the die and see if it is rubbing on the tips of the fingers. To get around this problem, the best thing to do is to slightly size the neck down so their diameter is smaller. One way to do this is to use a Redding bushing die with a bushing that reduce the neck diameter – this will be a relatively expensive option since you will need the die and the bushing. Another possible way is to polish the fingers of the die where the case first enter the die. This option I have never done before and so go slowly and make sure you know what you are doing before attempting.
To figure if this is the case, you can take the die apart and try manually inserting a case neck into the die and see if it is rubbing on the tips of the fingers. To get around this problem, the best thing to do is to slightly size the neck down so their diameter is smaller. One way to do this is to use a Redding bushing die with a bushing that reduce the neck diameter – this will be a relatively expensive option since you will need the die and the bushing. Another possible way is to polish the fingers of the die where the case first enter the die. This option I have never done before and so go slowly and make sure you know what you are doing before attempting.
Mine doesn't scratch the necks on my 6.5 or my 416. Could try to disassemble your die. Your collet may be stuck. I put some white lithum grease on mine to keep it moving freely.
The only way the collet can scratch the neck is if it has machine burr on it take the collet out and polish the burr off with 1000 grit paper and a dowel rod . Larry
The best way to remove a burr is to go in 90 degree opposite direction . LarryLee makes some great products but their quality controle sucks. Mega big time and with emphasis added.
Anyway. Best solution is to take a junk case and put lapping compond on it. Run it thrpugh a bunch. Make sure its 220 or finner.
It is possible your mandrill is too big to allow the neck to be sized down enough to grip the bullet. If that is the case, you can lean on that handle all you want, which will leave marks on your necks, but will not size the neck any smaller. I have had the mandrill be too big on every Lee Collet Die I have ever used, save one. It's not a big problem though. Either buy a smaller one from Lee or chuck yours in a drill and polish it a little smaller using emory cloth. A little irritating to have to do that but they produce such straight ammo that its worth it.
John
You can reduce the diameter of the mandrel by sanding but keep in mind that the tolerance on the original mandrel is pretty good i.e. it is the same diameter all the wall up and down. If you start to reduce its size, you will find that it is almost impossible to take the same amount at all the locations on the mandrel. What this will mean is you will size your neck at different locations differently which is not what you want to do for consistent neck tension. Ask me why I know this?
The only way the brass can be scratched is from a sharp edge. It can have marks by uneven surfaces . Which is it? Larry
Larry, in my experience, it's the sharp edge under the fingers that scratch the neck as it pass under them - normally the two do not touch. The crimp marks on the case neck is different. That is from the edges of the fingers as they come down on a case neck that has to be sized down significantly.
There's a recent thread on the Lee Collet die where I posted John Valentine's suggested management of the die. I believe that covers your issue.
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