neck sizing ?

[rebs]

How much pressure do you guys use on the press handle when neck sizing with a Lee neck sizing collet die ? I get a few cases where the bullet seats really easy. This is with LC 5.56 brass that is once fired in my rifle.

 

[Bc'z]

When I used Lee dies I'd press pretty firmly
Then rotate case about 1/16 turn and repeat.
I broke my Lee press toggle linkage a couple times doing this

 

[Uncle Ed]

25 inch pounds or when the duct tape rips or the string breaks.

Tips for Using LEE Collet Dies
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2016/01/tips-for-using-lee-collet-dies/

below read post #3 by J. Valentine

Lee Collet Die Adjustment
http://benchrest.com/showthread.php?49899-Lee-Collet-Die-Adjustment

 

[Homerange]

How much pressure do you guys use on the press handle when neck sizing with a Lee neck sizing collet die ? I get a few cases where the bullet seats really easy. This is with LC 5.56 brass that is once fired in my rifle.

When you get proficient with a LCD you can feel the neck yield but it's less noticeable in .223 compared to larger calibers.
I 2 tap them with a 90 degree turn between taps. If you're set up using the Valentine cam over method you might need to lower the die a teeny weeny bit.

 

[jepp2]

How much pressure do you guys use on the press handle when neck sizing with a Lee neck sizing collet die ?

I use the 25 pounds Lee recommends - or as close to that I estimate I am applying. But as mentioned, it is really easy to feel the neck yield and compress after you have used it for a while.

If most seem Ok and only a few had low neck tension, I would suspect your technique varies.

 

[Homerange]

I use the 25 pounds Lee recommends - or as close to that I estimate I am applying. But as mentioned, it is really easy to feel the neck yield and compress after you have used it for a while.

If most seem Ok and only a few had low neck tension, I would suspect your technique varies.

This ^ but may I add, as brass gets work hardened you need more force to feel it yield and get consistent neck tension.
No annealing here with 20+ loads on Hornady 223 brass.

 

[piie]

+1 on the "feel" method - when I used to use Lee, I did pretty much the same - put some "decent" pressure, then rotate the case a bit and do it again. Some brass gave better "feel" than others, and I'm pretty sure that annealing before sizing will make the brass fall into said category. I used to be able to see the lines on my brass from the voids of the collet after resizing - so not sure if that means I did it .a tad to "loud" ? Anyway, from what I understand about the construction of the collet dies - there isn't a real danger of you being able to size the neck too small since it presses against a steel rod of a specific thickness..

Having said all that - since I moved over to Redding bushing dies - neck sizing is even easier and more consistent for me.

 

[jpx2rk]

I do a 180 turn with the brass on 204R and "try" to apply even pressure but have no idea as to the actual amount of pressure. Some pieces of brass can be right stubborn about sizing.

 

[rebs]

thank you for the replies

 

[Texas10]

You're probably experiencing spring-back from work hardened brass. Try annealing before sizing at least every third or fourth cycle.

I shoot a 223 and only neck size with the Lee. But after a dozen or so cycles, I was getting enough spring-back that my measured outside diameter of the neck after sizing was less than .001 of the loaded round. I still experienced good neck tension most of the time but the brass was definitely hardened, and I was getting flyers on the target.

I ran them through the salt bath annealing yesterday and I'll post the difference in diameter later today.

 

[Rocketvapor]

Sounds like the OP got his answer, but, I'll add in MY two cents
.01) Don't double strike with a 90 or 180 turn. The crimping anvil is cut in 4.
45 degrees one way or another from a 180 will not line up with previous gaps and give the most contact.

.02) Cam over presses give ridiculous mechanical advantage going through cam over.
It will be hard to FEEL the brass yield but you want just a little more force than full collet crimp.
Hard brass/soft brass, just a little more than full collet crimp.
Using a lot of force after full collet closure just loads the cap of the die (mandrel captured and forced up against the cap) or unnecessary force on the linkage.

Buy an extra mandrel or two. Sand down each a little and mark them.
Use a smaller one for un-annealed brass that has been fired several times to fight spring back.
One mandrel for new, once fired, or annealed.
Another for hardened brass that has been fired several times.
Would be unlikely to get consistent results with both types of brass using the same diameter mandrel.

 

[Namibian]

I realize this is an old thread, but might be useful for others who search for this topic. Noticed Lee now sells an undersize mandrel, this quote is from MidwayUSA:

“The undersized mandrel is designed to work with the Lee collet dies. When delivered from the factory, the collet die will grip the bullet with a light press fit with cases of average hardness. Should you desire a tighter fit, you can order this undersize mandrel to replace the original.”

Hope this helps.