Dear All,

Over the weekend, I was sizing some .222 Rem cases with my Lee Collet die. I have only just started using these dies, so I'm a bit unsure whether I have created a headspace problem??

I turned down the die until it touched the "shellholder" in my Forster Co-Ax press. Since that press does not "toggle" over, I did not set the die much deeper. I then tried sizing the cases, screwing down the die a bit at a time until I got the neck sized sufficiently that it would hold the bullet. For "safety's sake" I probably turned in the die maybe 1/8 of a turn over the point where I first got sufficient neck tension to hold the bullet.

I noticed that 1) rather than rather light resistance I have experienced when using my .223 Rem Collet die when the collet closes, I got somewhat more and a fairly "spongy" resistance when sizing the .222 cases. 2) I'm probably touching the upper (i.e. neck) end of the shoulder with my current die set-up.

Questions:
- can I create a headspace problem for myself by setting the Collet die too deep?? I'm probably only touching the neck end of the shoulder, and head-spacing is supposed to be measured somewhere (datum line?) on the middle of the shoulder?? But who knows what this chamber is set up to do??
- if I can't get a bullet grip at a higher die setting, will a smaller diameter mandrel help?? These cases have been fired maybe 3-5 times (I'm guessing here)??

Thanks a bunch for any help in advance!

- mike

[ 09-08-2003, 13:27: Message edited by: mho ]

Your on the right trail. Check the die out first that the top screw is not loose or the die was made for the .223.

If that's not the cause there is nothing wrong with modifying that inexpensive die to your chamber and cases. Take out the pin and spin it in a drill and polish off .001" and try it again.

I have some collet dies and for the most part I'm about 80% sold on them. On some calibers when running "warm" loads the brass rechambers extremely hard after sizing with the collet die (even though the fired brass will chamber effortlessly before going through the collet die.)
My only explanation is that these brass have really expanded alot and fit the chamber very tight and then the neck sizing operation some how creates a ring or expansion that just makes it hard to close the bolt. I probably attribute this to how the chamber of the gun was cut.
My other problem is as you state....some of the brass seems to need more neck tension after resizing.
Bottom line is the lee die is great when making up experimental loads but I wouldn't use it to make hunting rounds. For me it works great for under max loads in all my guns and max loads in some of my guns.

The collet die is supposed to work with quite a lot of resistance - after all, you're compressing the collet against the mandrel, with the case neck in between...
I have these dies for both .25-06 and .22 Hornet, and yes, resizing does require a bit of an effort - but normally it is physically impossible to touch the shoulder of the case, as you are also pushing the collet higher into the die (just take it down, and try to visualize its workings). I some cases, apparently it could be useful to polish the mandrel down - though I haven't seen the need for it yet.

On those Lee collet dies, does the shell holder push the collet up and force it to collapse on the neck and mandrel, or is it the case body and/or shoulder pushing up on the collet that forces it up and collapses it.

Two things;

If the shellholder contacts the collet before the cases shoulder contacts the collet, headspace shouldn't be changed any, except maybe when it collapses if it's close enough to the shoulder, if that's even enough to squeeze it back any.

If the shell holder isn't contacting the collet and the case shoulder is pushing the collet up, that could change headspace.

I'd check it and the shoulder diameter to see if either of them grow and cause a tight condition.

Guys, thanks a ton for the feedback! It will be until next weekend before I get a chance to check it out - living with the girlfriend during the week... I'll check and let you know.

- mike