Been reloading for 25 years or so. Belive it or not, never had a neck size die. In your opinion what are the pros and cons?
I also wonder ,if you are neck sizing only, would you,need only 1 die per caliber ? I mean could you neck size a .257 Roberts and a 25,06 with the same die ? ...tj3006

Neck sizeing allows for longer case life and better alinment of the cartridge in the chamber as it "fits" better then one sized down to a smaller diamention.
The main problem, and it isn`t that big a problem in my experiance, is that usually at some point the case will need full sizeing to bump the shoulder back and allow easy chambering.

In a "conventional" die, I see no need of a specific "neck sizing" die*. If you aren't already adjusting your FL dies back so that they size the case ONLY enough for it to readily re-enter the chamber (which amounts to neck sizing-only, with most guns and calibers), Thomas, then you've been doing it wrong for 25 years.

(* That is, unless you have a "fat" chamber and a "tight" FL die that squeezes the shoulders even when backed off .10 inch from the shellholder.)

On the other hand, the Lee Collet neck sizing die is extemely useful for bottleneck rounds used in non-stretchy actions (bolts). It requires no lubrication and leaves the necks concentric with the case bodies.

Thomas what are you trying to accomplish?
Personally, I FL size every case with a die body and no expander button.
You measure your case neck thickness. Lets say it is .013 thousanths. Now add another .013 thousanths to that. You now have a number of .026 thousanths. Take your bullet diameter of .257 and add your .026 number and you get .283 thousanths. Of course you will want a little grip on your bullet. I like about 3 thousanths grip. So, listen up here--you want to make the hole smaller than your .283 number. So I order a neck button for my die that is .005 thousanths smaller. .283 minus .005 That extra .002 is allowing for case springback.
On your fired cases be sure to take a bullet and make sure it drops freely into the neck of your fired case. This ensures your case necks are not to thick for your particular chamber.

Thomas

For every caliber I load for I've gravitated to having a Lee Collet Neck Sizing Die

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=329661

and when the case gets harder to chamber you can push the shoulder back with a Redding Body Die

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=418978

and put a light crimp on them with a Lee Factory Crimp Die

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=143214

works best for me and no more expander balls pulling the necks, lubing the inside of the necks, etc.

I was kinda hoping someone would answer the second part of his question. I have a couple of the Lee Collet dies. I have always wondered if I needed to purchase a separate cartridge specific die even when they share the same bullet diameter. Can anyone answer this and give a reason why or why not. Very interested. I know that Lee makes them cartridge specific, or at least to the point where they have separate id numbers.

Bully, the dies are usually specific so that the body of the cartridge can be supported while the neck get sized and aligned. Sure the necks are the same dimension but are the cases the same diameter? If they are not the same diameter then how or what are you aligning to?

Bullie, I believe the reason for seperate cartridge specific neck sizeing dies is because the dies are meant to size the neck to a point just off the shoulder. The different cartridges, even of the same caliber, have various neck lenghts requiring different dies to accomadate them.
The dies are meant to be set-up the same as full size dies, and seated to touch the shell holder. This squares the die to the case keeping neck run-out to a minimum, hopefully.

Thanks guys. That answered my question. Makes perfect sense when its explained.

Bullie: There are certain circumstances under which you can use a Lee Collet die for another cartridge. For instance, Lee does not make a .222 Magnum die, but I use a .223 Collet die to neck size .222 Mag cases by dropping the right thickness of washers over the case on top of the shellholder and adjusting the die in the press appropriately. This results in the die closing on the longer shell at the right point and properly neck sizing it. I'm sure the same thing can be done with other similar cartridges, such as sizing a .300 H & H in a .300 Win die, or a .280 Rem in a 7mm Rem die, or a 6mm Rem in a .243 Win die. I'm intending to borrow a .22 Hornet die to see if it can be adapted to work with my K-Hornet -- and it will if there is clearance for the K's wider shoulders.

Setting the die up for a caliber other than that for which it was intended can be tedious, but once acheived the results are extremely satisfactory. I wouldn't go to the trouble to do this for a calber which is available in factory form from Lee, but for those which they don't make, it can be worthwhile.

Stonecreek,
Thanks for the info. I am pretty generic in my cartridge choices so Lee makes everything I need. My next bolt rifle will be a 7mm/08 and since I already have the 7mm rm collet... Well, it got me to thinking. Thanks.

I have been using Lee Collet sizers for the 243 AI, 257 ROB AI. and the 7x57 AI.
So the Hornet should work on the K Hornet.

Lyle

Thanks for the note on the Imps, Yuman.

Bullie: Your 7mm RM collet die won't likely cut it for the 7mm08 because the 08 cas isn't long enough to reach the sizing portion of the die collet. If you had a 7-08 collet die, you could likely back it off an use the washering method to size a 7x57 or a .280.