Lee Collet Die-HELP!!!
PLEASE tell me how to set up the Lee Collet Die! I have already "blown out" the threads in the aluminum plug (replaced)and ruined some of my valuable fireformed brass.I am using a RCBS Rockchucker or a Redding UltraMag press. Please help before I go nuts!!!
4296
You are camming over the die too much. You know how on a regular die if you have it threaded in the press too far the ram comes up and stops but you can still force the ram to "cam over"? That's what you are doing with the collet die. The collet die has a protrution out of the bottom that is moveable. That is the collet part. You should only adjust your die down far enought to just move that part up a wee bit. Then check your brass and see if the neck got necked down. It not set your die a little bit deeper. The die is not meant to screw down so far that the ram, or should I say shellholder presses the collet all the ways inside the die body which results in stripping out the top aluminum cap as you well know. READ the instructions..they pretty much define how to use this die. They are a great die. If you ruined brass that is telling me pretty much that is what you have done rammed the collet too far up inside the die.
Joe
4296, As Starmetal says, you're screwing the collet die down too far. Lee's instructions say to turn it down until it touches the shellholder, then 1 turn more. I'd turn it down 1/4 first, and 1/2 turn if necessary, after it contacts the shellholder in case yours is thicker than most.
4296, I forgot to add that if the above doesn't work, you should disassemble the die and check to make sure the collet "fingers" aren't bent and/or have no burrs on them.
I might add another. The instructions say that you can only size the neck so far. You may get alittle more by polishing the shaft in the collet. Like Maven said take the collet apart and clean it, making sure there are no burrs.
I like the Lee collet dies. The spectacular groups I get with my Hornet and my CZ 30-06 are with using the Lee collet die.
Joe
...........I'm happy to notice that Lee is doing a much nicer job of machining their collet dies, then in the past. I bought one in 30-'06 the first year they were in production, and maybe they were in a hurry to get them out. I don't know the reason but the tapered OD of the collet fingers on my die looked like they'd been turned using a mill bastard file. The opposing collet closer was no better.
When used, the radial grooves (poor machine work) would lock up and fail to release the collet fingers. I was used to Leementing their moulds, so this shouldn't have come as too much of a surprise. It was a real mutha as I had no equipment at the time to spin the collet or the closer to smooth them up, but I eventually did the deed. Then I applied some engine assembly moly grease to the fingers where they bear in the closer.
I now disassemble these collet dies as a matter of fact as I've also found bits of aluminum chips floating around in there and tags of steel where they slotted the collet to form the fingers. After doing this and applying the moly grease, they operated a HECKUVA lot smoother.
................Buckshot
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Still Confused
Okay- I threaded the die into the press until the moveable collet barely was pushed up,ran a shell into it,no resistance.Kept threading the die in untill I felt it resist.Should my press arm reach its max stop position? How can I tell if the case mouth is sized down? On regular dies I color the neck with a marker and can see where the neck has been sized-how to tell with the collet? I tried to disassemble the die to inspect but the plug that stops the collet and holds the mandrel gave alot of resistance- I gave up for fear of damaging the die again. Been reloading for years -but this thing is really Not user friendly!
..............Once you remove the aluminum top you should be able to pull out the mandrel and the collet closer (by tapping). You can then push the collet out the bottom.
To set it up for operation you do as Joe said. The die should be set up so your press lever will bottom. This gives each caseneck the same amount of sizing. To see if it's recieved enough check the casemouth with your dial calipers. It should be about .304-.306" in diameter.
It's possible that the collet fingers of your die have been a bit messed up, and now do not want to slide easily up into the tapered closer (or the closer is messed up). These parts (collet and closer) are not hardened. At least mine weren't and the steel polished up easily. I'd suggest you take it apart and check out the closer and collet fingers for damage.
You should be able to polish them up unless they're really *****.
............Buckshot
Father Grand Caster watches over you my brother. Go now and pour yourself a hot one. May the Sacred Silver Stream be with you always
Proud former Shooters.Com Cast Bullet alumnus and plank owner.
"The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president."
Shrink the State End the Fed Balance the budget Make a profit Leave an inheritance
Yes your ram should top out, just barely pressing the collet in. One way to tell if it did size the neck is to try a bullet in it with your fingers. You know how a bullet will slip right in a fired cases, see what your collet sized one does. I found the die very user friendly, BUT alot different then the standard resizing dies, perhaps that is what you are experiencing as far a feelings. I have one for my 22 Hornet and wow, it's hard to tell it done anything at all to the brass. I also have it for my 30-06. I will tell you this, they don't, in the case of my 30-06, seem to size the neck down as far as a conventional die, but boy do I get great accuracy.
Joe
"Been reloading for years -but this thing is really Not user friendly!"
May I suggest Mr. 4296 you attitude about the tool is some of the problem. Once you get the die working properly and experience it's benefits you'll laugh at your problems.
Do you have an experienced handloader nearby to look at the die with you? Lee will be glad to take care of the problem for you too.
Yes that collet is something new and different. Thankfully.
MOA.
Originally Posted by 4296
http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/cata...6027.632=90718
Takes you to the Lee site where all the parts for the 308W are listed. Click on those links and a picture comes up.
Disasemble the die and make sure you have the right collet and spacer. [?]
MOA.
I really like the ones I have! I have altered the collet so that .040" to .060" of the case mouth is unsized, negaiting the use of an "M" die.-JDL
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