Lee collet with body sizing

[moe africa]

Hi
I recently bought a lee collet die for my 6.5 creedmoor, i was using a hornady match grade bushing die set, I'm planning on using the fl bushing die to bump the shoulder back and using the lcd to do the necks , since a redding body die is not too expensive would that be better than using my hornady

 

[moorepower]

I would be shocked if you see any improvement. I read a lot of great things about them, and tried .22H, .204 and 7mm RM, and I went back to bushing dies on all but the 7mm RM, because I have not other dies for it and it seems to work well on belted magnums.

 

[Bill Norris]

I tried the collet dies years ago when they first come to market in .308 and 7mm Mag. I could not see any difference in group size at all. The down side to using them is the brass quickly needs F/L sizing or at least a bump die to get the shoulders back to prevent hard bolt closing.

 

[MSS]

I use both. The Lee collet dies are pretty awesome IMO. They are pretty much set it and forget it. Bushing dies are great when you want precise control of neck tension. I find no difference between the two in terms of when I need to bump shoulders.

 

[jepp2]

, I'm planning on using the fl bushing die to bump the shoulder back and using the lcd to do the necks

I assume you intend to use the Hornady bushing die without the bushing? A bushing die without the bushing is the same function as a body die.

On this forum, there isn't much support for using a body die and a LCD in tandem. It is a setup I use on several calibers I load for very successfully.

 

[Murray Brook]

I too have had great success in several cartridges using a Lee Collet die and a body die.

 

[BoydAllen]

If you do not use a bushing in a bushing type FL die you turn it in to a body die. At that point they are the same, only the body die does not have the provision to take a bushing.

 

[DLT]

I assume you intend to use the Hornady bushing die without the bushing? A bushing die without the bushing is the same function as a body die.

On this forum, there isn't much support for using a body die and a LCD in tandem. It is a setup I use on several calibers I load for very successfully.

It’s how I do almost all my rifles

 

[X Count]

Have you compared the runout between using a bushing neck die and a lee collect die with the indicator half way out on the ogive of a high BC bullets?

 

[Rocketvapor]

What difference do you get?

 

[X Count]

What difference do you get?

I don't know yet. With custom FL die, specked neck diameter and neck turned brass I can get under .004. I bought a collect die to see if I could improve that but haven't had a chance to test.

 

[Florida Wally]

As

Hi
I recently bought a lee collet die for my 6.5 creedmoor, i was using a hornady match grade bushing die set, I'm planning on using the fl bushing die to bump the shoulder back and using the lcd to do the necks , since a redding body die is not too expensive would that be better than using my hornady

As others have already posted, the bushing die without a bushing does the same as the Redding body die, so no need to get the body die.

I started with the Redding body die and the Lee collet die and got good results. I still keep it as a backup. I switched to a bushing die and a mandrel which I now prefer. The biggest issue with the Lee collet die is that it is high maintenance and if you don’t pay attention it scratches your brass and worse pushes the neck into the body of the brass case ruining it. No matter how careful you are, you will do that sooner or later.

 

[Rocketvapor]

If you use too much force with the collet die the collet will jam. Cases will drag (scratch?) if the collet is stuck. If not stuck it shouldn't even touch the case until it starts to crimp the collet down to the neck/mandrel. The collet should bottom out on the shell holder and not bump shoulder. Some might even need a little of the collet removed at the bottom to neck size all the way down to the shoulder. I agree that every few hundred cases I polish the collet taper surfaces.

If you push a case into a closed/stuck collet it will crush a case. Using too much force (you should be able to FEEL the sizing) you are pushing the cones together and it will groove the collet.

I modified a .223 collet die for my 22 Nosler by removing material at the bottom to get the neck further up into the die.

The new collet dies (since about 2019) have a chamfer at the top and are short to begin with.
These are 2.170" 22N cases

I use the Redding body die to bump 6mm Hagar brass to 22 Nosler (22 NOSGAR). The hole in the die is about 0.260" and just barely touches the 6mm neck. Then the modified collet die. No donuts.
I bought 2 of the undersize mandrels for the .223 collet die and reduced one even a little more.
Neck tension of the bullet depends on the diameter of the mandrel bushings not needed.

 

[Rat Rifle]

It’s how I do almost all my rifles

Ditto…set neck tension at the end with an expander mandrel.

 

[WSnyder]

I use several Redding S dies without bushings for sizing and Lee Collets for the neck. It works. I tried it because I was curious as to how it would do. A very successful and innovative long range shooter years ago (4mesh) did his cases that way and that just got me going. Not sure it’s any better but I do get straight cases out of the procedure. I also made up a few extra smaller mandrel’s for each one.

 

[Ray123]

I have used Lee collet dies in 17 rem, 222, 25-06, 308, 338, 50BMG, with okay success over the years...but ya have to deburr, polish, lube contact surfaces for ease of use.. usually, and bump the shoulder back after a few firings. But I don’t use them much today. Just tend to use a bushing FL die from Wilson, easily change bushings for different brass brands, like 308 LC & Lapua same Winchester different bushing in the die ...and I make my own bushings so that they are basically free.

 

[Uncle Ed]

https://www.redding-reloading.com/tech-line-a-tips-faqs/142-concentricity-a-bushing-dies​

Tech Line & Tips (FAQs)​

Concentricity & Bushing Dies​

From tests we have conducted, we have learned that selecting the correct bushing is the most important factor in producing sized case necks that have good concentricity with the case body. Our tests showed that case neck concentricity is directly proportional to bushing size. In other words, as you size case necks with progressively smaller bushings, the concentricity gets progressively worse.

 

[moe africa]

https://www.redding-reloading.com/tech-line-a-tips-faqs/142-concentricity-a-bushing-dies​

Tech Line & Tips (FAQs)​

From tests we have conducted, we have learned that selecting the correct bushing is the most important factor in producing sized case necks that have good concentricity with the case body. Our tests showed that case neck concentricity is directly proportional to bushing size. In other words, as you size case necks with progressively smaller bushings, the concentricity gets progressively worse.

Currently using a Fl bushing type S in 6.5 creedmoor with a .291 bushing which gives an OD of .290 with lapua , yet fellow shooters have advised that using and expanding mandrel will reduce my 29 FPS Extreme spread, thus began my research into us a collet die or a straight expanding mandrel