Lee Dies- this makes sense to me???

[cloverleaf]

The following is an exerpt from a reply to my queery about "partial full length re-sizing" as noted in a post here. Here my friend saw the post and made what I thought was a noteworthy observation about Lee dies and the way they neck size. I would be interested to here what others have to say...
Please see his comments below:

Different cases fail in different ways. The belted cases tend to fail at
the belts. My 243 cases cracked lengthwise in the neck. In trying to gain
more case life I started neck sizing them, using RCBS die. Some time later
a friend introduced me to LEE dies. Most dies resize by making the neck
smaller than it needs to be then pulling a ball back through the neck to
make it the right size. Lee squeezes the neck against a pin (much like a
mec sizemaster resizes shotgun shells) thus not streching the brass as much.
I have been buying only Lee dies but I seem to be in the minority so
possibly I am still missing something.

In the attached article they not using a neck sizing die. They were using a
full length die to squeeze the sides of the case to make it longer. I am
GUESSING that they were trying to limit the movement at the belt area were
the magnun cases typically fail. The part that I did not understand is why
a fire formed case needs any sizing other than making the neck smaller so it
can hold on to a bullet. There are people that spend a lot more time than I
do at this game.

Thanks for your opinions...CL

 

[Guest]

What your friend is referring to are the Lee Collet dies. I have a set, and will have more as need arises. I like my Hornady dies as far as seating dies and full-length sizers go, but the collet sizing die from Lee is the best idea I've seen. The whole idea is that it squeezes the case neck around a mandrel, which can be turned down a couple of thousandths if need be, but mine didn't need it. Anyway, there is virtually no working of the brass in this method, so case life 'should' be good and long. I haven't loaded too long on the cases I have been using this die for, so I can't say. I can say the ammo is very accurate, however. I will be ordering a custom collet die for my 270Wby at some point.

As for the article mentioned in the second paragraph, I cannot say much except that if I had read the article, I'd be much better at helping out on this matter. It almost sounds like he is referring to some article on the Innovative Technologies Belted Magnum Collet Resizing Die ( http://www.larrywillis.com/ ). That is something totally different than the Lee product. I haven't had a need for this little doohickey yet, but if I do, I will have to pony up the nearly $90 for it, I guess, as Weatherby brass is more than that these days.[/url]