Can a Lee collet die be set up to size just 3/4 or 7/8 of the neck length, leaveing a bit of the neck above the shoulder unsized to fit snug/centered in the chamber neck area?

Or does it size the whole length of the neck only, right to the shoulder?

Hey GSP7

The Collet Die itself can not be set to size as you described but you can get a washer and place it on top of the shell holder around the case and it will. The bottom of the collets have to press against something and the washer fools the die into closing higher up on the neck. The size of the washer will depend upon the case. Just take a case to the hardware store and pick the right one or two.

As usual Woods has it perfect. I have a couple of lee collet dies where the bottom of the collet is beginning to "bell out" and I must use washers now or they pinch onto the shoulder a bit and the die binds up. Putting a washer on the shellholder is the only way to make them work. There are some who think that by leaving a bit of the bottom of the neck unsized the case will now "center" in the chamber better. It might but I don't think it will really affect accuracy...at least in my experiments it had no effect.

Thanks Guys, Kraky , I dont know if it helps anything either, abit of unsized neck. But before I blow 25 bucks, then another $50 on a Redding S die, I now know A bit more about the lee collet "master" enginerring design .

I was wondering if I had a body die, then a Lee collet compared to getting a Bushing necker like Redding.

GSP7,
Depending on the caliber you intend to buy a die for, a Redding Type S bushing die can be purchased that will size the necks of several (sometimes many) many different cartridges. Some of the collet dies may work on a few different cartridges of the same caliber. The Redding Type S neck die can have the bushing changed to work with multiple calibers.
A few days ago I posted a list of 39 cartridges (some are not common)that can be made to work with the Redding .308 Type S bushing die.
Not too bad for changing a bushing. Some cartridges share a common bushing also.

Thanks kraky, that means a lot coming from you.

I tried the washer and leaving a portion of the neck fire formed size and did not see any difference. In fact, in my puny little test it was counterproductive, but you might do better.






These were shot round robin to mitigate barrel fouling and temperature variance. I just went back to crimped only (PFLR'ed, LFCD)

Also it seemed to me that you would be working that interface between the fire formed neck and the sized neck a lot. It should work, I just haven't made it work yet.

Forster seems to think it will work. Or maybe they are looking for innovative ways to sell product.

About 2 hours after I got my first Lee collet die I made a "washer" for it and have been making and using them since. I run them out on my lathe in thicknesses so as to only size about half the neck.

I agree that the unsized or fireformed part of the neck likely does little for accuracy, however, the neck tension with only half the neck gripping the bullet is very consistant which has helped my accuracy.

I use this method for my bench guns where I am loading one at a time. My big game hunting rifles and autos still get the full neck resize.

Jim

I also use the washer trick to resize .222 Magnum brass with a .223 die. Works like a charm. Of course, I wouldn't bother, but Lee doesn't make a collet die in .222M.

For unwashered partial neck sizing, you can modify the collet by drilling out the lower portion of the neck area with a shoulder-sized bit. The advantage to this over washering would be speed of operation, since you don't have to place and replace the washer with each case placed in the shellholder. Incidentally, I discovered the practicality of partially drilling out the neck when (successfully) seeking to resize K-Hornet brass with a regular Hornet Collet die.

No single reloading method seems to work with every gun every time. I'm surprised how often full-length sized cases provide accuracy as good as or sometimes better than neck sizing. But neck sizing ALWAYS provides longer brass life, and sizing the neck as little as practical MAY result in better accuracy with some rifle/cartidge/bullet combinations.

At least screwing with such theories keeps us old geezers off the streets and out of the whorehouses.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:


At least screwing with such theories keeps us old geezers off the streets and out of the whorehouses.

That about sums it up

The Lee 6PPC sized just a bit too much of the neck on a 6mm BR case. I've used washers and found them to be a PITA, so I machined a "washer" that snuggly slips onto the collet base and hold it in place with a set screw.

It works great and the operation is just like a normal sizing die.

quote:

Originally posted by Johnly:
so I machined a "washer" that snuggly slips onto the collet base and hold it in place with a set screw.

Johnly: You're way too sophisticated for this crowd. If it can't be done with duct tape, baling wire, or a bigger hammer, then it's beyond the conceptual grasp of most of us.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:

quote:

Originally posted by Johnly:
so I machined a "washer" that snuggly slips onto the collet base and hold it in place with a set screw.

Johnly: You're way too sophisticated for this crowd. If it can't be done with duct tape, baling wire, or a bigger hammer, then it's beyond the conceptual grasp of most of us.

NO truer words have ever been said about this forum!!! Pretty much sums it up well!

Don't tell anyone but John's patent was infringed last night.

Jim

I thought I felt a distubance in the force last night. I thought it was the spicey pizza, but it was far more serious than that.

Partial neck sizing may not be a good idea when loading for a Semi-Auto type firearm. The unsized part of the neck can cause enough resistence/drag to keep the round from fully chambering. Works great in a bolt gun when used with FLRS (bushing die)to let the unsized part(neck turned brass) of the neck center the round in the chamber.