Collet Neck Sizing Dies have left the bench.
Posted: 11 Nov 2019 06:42
I've been using the Collet (neck) sizing dies for my bolt guns chambered in 30-30 Win, 300 Sav (special order), 308 Win, 303 British, 7.62x39, and 35 Rem. I've had a couple of issues with them over the years; the biggest problem being that they do verify and correct the web's OD. The actual collet only sizes the case neck against the mandrel.
What I've experienced with all these cartridges is the need to full-length size the case more frequently than necessary as the web of the cartridges will not chamber. I've seen this affect chambering on every cycle of the 303 British out to only two cycles with the other cartridges. As a note, the gunsmith that rebuilt my SMLE into the scout poured a chamber cast and verified that the complete chamber was at the SAAMI spec.
The frequent reforming is somewhat tiresome. More than that, every cartridge must be checked prior to use. If not, it will leave you with a stuck bolt at the range or in the field. I've started to use the Lee Loader die bodies for neck sizing the cases as it is a true neck sizing die that corrects the web. I use the die bodies with my K&M arbor press. This started with the 303 British, and then the 300 Sav and now the 35 Rem. I will start doing the same with the 30-30 Win and 308 Win. There never was a kit for the 7.62x39, but I will use the full-length die carefully adjusted as I've done with the Lee 30-30 AI die.
Something else that I've run into with the collet die is the need to replace the die body and cap on a regular basis. Look at the instructions, the cap is not up to a life of cycles at the 25 lbs of force.
The problem with a cap failure is that the aluminum shears into the treads of the steel body and there is no getting it out.
My first experience with this was with my first die, the 35 Rem, that I bought on eBay. When I went to use it, I realized that it had failed in the other seller's hands and had to replace the parts. Since I've had no less than five failures across the dies. Die body and end cap will run $20 with shipping through FS Reloading. Lee no longer offers the two generic die bodies as parts to customers, but FS maintains a good supply of them.
I'm going to leave it at that.
What I've experienced with all these cartridges is the need to full-length size the case more frequently than necessary as the web of the cartridges will not chamber. I've seen this affect chambering on every cycle of the 303 British out to only two cycles with the other cartridges. As a note, the gunsmith that rebuilt my SMLE into the scout poured a chamber cast and verified that the complete chamber was at the SAAMI spec.
The frequent reforming is somewhat tiresome. More than that, every cartridge must be checked prior to use. If not, it will leave you with a stuck bolt at the range or in the field. I've started to use the Lee Loader die bodies for neck sizing the cases as it is a true neck sizing die that corrects the web. I use the die bodies with my K&M arbor press. This started with the 303 British, and then the 300 Sav and now the 35 Rem. I will start doing the same with the 30-30 Win and 308 Win. There never was a kit for the 7.62x39, but I will use the full-length die carefully adjusted as I've done with the Lee 30-30 AI die.
Something else that I've run into with the collet die is the need to replace the die body and cap on a regular basis. Look at the instructions, the cap is not up to a life of cycles at the 25 lbs of force.
The problem with a cap failure is that the aluminum shears into the treads of the steel body and there is no getting it out.
My first experience with this was with my first die, the 35 Rem, that I bought on eBay. When I went to use it, I realized that it had failed in the other seller's hands and had to replace the parts. Since I've had no less than five failures across the dies. Die body and end cap will run $20 with shipping through FS Reloading. Lee no longer offers the two generic die bodies as parts to customers, but FS maintains a good supply of them.
I'm going to leave it at that.