Newtosavage
Member
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2015
- Messages
- 2,918
Got my Lee Challenger Breech-lock press in yesterday, along with a set of Lee Collet (neck sizing) dies to load my 7x57 Mauser. After setting it up and re-reading the instructions, I was getting literally NO neck tension on my bullets with my test (unprimed, no powder) cases. My Hornady SST's would barely stay put, and my Sierras often fell right through.
So reading the directions, it said you could turn down the pin to gain more neck tension. I did that by chucking it in my drill, laying it on my vise and using a file to remove some material, then steel wooling it to smooth it up. Seems to have worked ( maybe a little too well ) but the two issues I need help with are:
1) Inconsistent neck tension. Most bullets I can feel the bullet seating with plenty of neck tension, but every so often I get one or two that again has very little tension.
2) Did I overdo it ? The cases with a lot of neck tension are really, really holding the bullet. As in, the bullet is sizing the neck when I press it in. Can you overdo the neck tension, or will the issue resolve itself when you press the bullet home?
I was concerned about this at first, but then thought about factory ammo -esp. with factory crimps - and those have a LOT of neck tension, do they not?
I am building hunting ammo that will likely get knocked around, so I want plenty of neck tension, but I also want it to be consistent and esp. not dangerous.
Thanks for any and all advice you can give.
So reading the directions, it said you could turn down the pin to gain more neck tension. I did that by chucking it in my drill, laying it on my vise and using a file to remove some material, then steel wooling it to smooth it up. Seems to have worked ( maybe a little too well ) but the two issues I need help with are:
1) Inconsistent neck tension. Most bullets I can feel the bullet seating with plenty of neck tension, but every so often I get one or two that again has very little tension.
2) Did I overdo it ? The cases with a lot of neck tension are really, really holding the bullet. As in, the bullet is sizing the neck when I press it in. Can you overdo the neck tension, or will the issue resolve itself when you press the bullet home?
I was concerned about this at first, but then thought about factory ammo -esp. with factory crimps - and those have a LOT of neck tension, do they not?
I am building hunting ammo that will likely get knocked around, so I want plenty of neck tension, but I also want it to be consistent and esp. not dangerous.
Thanks for any and all advice you can give.