The Lee Collet Die

[BJung]

Has anyone tried the Lee Collet die? If so, what is your opinion of them?

 

[std7mag]

I use them for several different cartridges. Have worked well for me.

Several people have commented on a large mandrel.
I haven't run into that though.

 

[jetinteriorguy]

Are you referring to the neck sizing die, or the crimp die? They both do their job very well.

 

[Marco Califo]

The Lee Neck Sizing Collet die is possibly one of Lee's best products. Lee also makes Factory Crimp dies which also use a collet but is always called a Crimp die. In neck sizing, rather than drag your brass through a die, even a neck sizing die uses a sizing ball pushed in and then pulled out, the collet applies pressure on the case neck supported by a mandrel.

 

[mikejonestkd]

I use the neck sizing Lee collet die on a good number of cartridges with good results.

 

[BJung]

Comparison

Have you compared your loads using the Lee Collet Die vs. the other neck sizing die? How were your groups?

 

[mikejonestkd]

I load for a good number of rifles, and several are mil surplus with generous chamber dimensions. neck sizing only tends to extend case life for me, so I like the Lee collet die for that purpose.
I have noticed a slight accuracy benefit in some rifles- they tend to shoot the same loads better when neck sized vs full length resized loads. But, the difference is very minor.

 

[hounddawg]

A couple of years back I did a test using .223 Lapua cases with the Redding body die followed by the Lee Collet die vs Redding full length S type bushing die. I four 5 round groups of each round robin style and found no statistical difference when averaged.

 

[Bart B.]

Lee dies are not popular in rifle competition disciplines where reloads are allowed and best accuracy is the objective.

Depending on your accuracy objectives, conditions and standards, any die type may well work.

 

[Unclenick]

Combining the collet die with the Redding Body Die or with a Forster Bushing Bump Die without its bushing is a way to guarantee you get whole body or shoulder resizing-only without an expander pulling the case necks off-axis. This video demonstrates the difference. However, if you have an expander that is not pulling the necks off their axis (I've had good luck with the carbide expanders Lyman makes not doing it in 30-06, for example) you will not be able to measure any difference for your extra trouble.

The whole issue is maintaining the concentricity of the finished cartridge. Poor concentricity measurably deteriorates group size, particularly with secant ogive bullets and bullets with short bearing surfaces.