Yes, I have a 7x57 lcd that I use for 284W. I used a little iosso on the mating surfaces and twisted by hand to smooth rough surfaces. Then I lube them with shotgun choke grease.
Lee Collet Neck Die Sticking
- Thread starter willyp19
- Start date
No frustration on my part, and have been using them on 4
differing calibers since the die came out. I now re machine
them to work with my wild cat projects, and normally make
all my own mandrels, then have them hard chromed.
There are some that have problems of their own making.
One, I enlarged the slots on one fellows die because of a
skinny turned neck, and narrow mandrel. The collet was
closing in on itself but not really squeezing the neck down.
I have been using LEE collet dies for 10 years or so.
The only problem I had was, 1. cold welding case to mandrel. I realized that because I was ultra-sonic cleaning the cases and was also using WAY too much force. Over time, I seem to forget lessons I have learned ages ago!
The real problem was, 2. using way too much force. Use the directions above from John Valentine and you will be golden. It is surprising how little force is necessary with a collet die. And, how easy it is to use too much force and cause yourself all kinds of grief.
The only problem I had was, 1. cold welding case to mandrel. I realized that because I was ultra-sonic cleaning the cases and was also using WAY too much force. Over time, I seem to forget lessons I have learned ages ago!
The real problem was, 2. using way too much force. Use the directions above from John Valentine and you will be golden. It is surprising how little force is necessary with a collet die. And, how easy it is to use too much force and cause yourself all kinds of grief.
Your right Norm. It is surprising how little force is required to squeeze the neck back to the size you want. I don't know how Lee arrived at the instructions they package with those dies. They are a heck of a die once you get them figured out.
Is there anyone out there that you guys know of that makes collets for Lee die?
Is there anyone out there that you guys know of that makes collets for Lee die?
Because the Valentine method (or similar) can be fiddly to get just right and if you are doing small batches without a decent die lock ring frustrating enough to send you back to the Lee method.
I used the Lee setup method for years but wanted to get more consistent seating force so have since stuck with the Valentine adjustment method.
Using
223
243
6mm Rem
7mm08
308
jimmymac
Jim McGregor
The Lee Instructions are not nearly as good as the Valentine method IMO. The cam over thing Lee frets over doesn't concern me at all.
The first thing I do is dump those non lockable lock rings that Lee sends along and replace them with Hornady. From there it is a simple matter of playing with the die per Valentine. Once the die is working right, the lock ring gets secured in place and is never moved again. Done.
The tips about polishing are mandatory in my opinion. I've set up a number of these dies and they work way better if you give them some love ahead of time.
These dies work well in conjunction with a body die.
The first thing I do is dump those non lockable lock rings that Lee sends along and replace them with Hornady. From there it is a simple matter of playing with the die per Valentine. Once the die is working right, the lock ring gets secured in place and is never moved again. Done.
The tips about polishing are mandatory in my opinion. I've set up a number of these dies and they work way better if you give them some love ahead of time.
These dies work well in conjunction with a body die.
Yinz can take this as Gospel.
I just finished honing out the relief that was added to make
bullet seating easier. Dumb Idea from the get go. Can really
mess with neck tension and straightness if the throat is a
bit long for testing bullets. I have 5 collet dies and only the
newest has this problem. Not sure when they made the
change.
Great info thanks
Thanks so much to learn. It’s not as simple as the advertisements make it !
I’ve got new ones for the 223 and Creedmore and have leaned my lesson !
Thanks
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
Just proves they can sell anything these days
DLT
Silver $$ Contributor
I don’t understand what you mean. Just looking for some help
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
DLT
Silver $$ Contributor
I do full length all my brass every firing with a redding body die
Take no notice of the LCD haters, they don't know what they're missing.
Of course you can and you only need back the die out so the press handle goes over center then back in unit it just locks. This setting can be tricky to get 'just right' so that not too much squish is placed on the case neck.
Remember that when using a LCD in Lee's setup you can feel the neck yield, well that's just the sort of pressure required for the over center lock up method. We're after NS consistency, nothing more.
DLT
Silver $$ Contributor
Thanks that’s what I was asking. I love the die and I could have been using the ones I have wrong all these years. Just went into a dig. I got a new press it has a ball knob handle versus like a bicycle handle so as much pressure as I was using, it was getting aggravating on the new press. It works great im just using toooo much pressure. Im after consistency also and save my hands lol. I tried one set of bushing dies and they was not for meTake no notice of the LCD haters, they don't know what they're missing.
Of course you can and you only need back the die out so the press handle goes over center then back in unit it just locks. This setting can be tricky to get 'just right' so that not too much squish is placed on the case neck.
Remember that when using a LCD in Lee's setup you can feel the neck yield, well that's just the sort of pressure required for the over center lock up method. We're after NS consistency, nothing more.
You do Full length your case first . Next step is then the the collet
die to true the neck. Ammo will come out amazingly straight and
why I use it on my match ammo. I don't advise anyone to just use
the collet die. Case does have to be full length sized first.
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