I ran about 6 6.5x55 cases through my neck sizing die tonight. It then started crumpling the cases - like something was stuck inside. I took it apart and didn't see anything. Anyone encountered this before? Am I missing something? It looks like a fairly simple die inside.
Lee neck sizing die crumpling cases
- Thread starter Armymutt
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ihctractor
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Sounds like you have it set to deep or your brass is way out of spec(too long) and the shell is bottoming out in the die and getting crushed.
A neck size only die is a collet that "squeezes" the neck. There should be no downward force on the shell that would cause that.
A neck size only die is a collet that "squeezes" the neck. There should be no downward force on the shell that would cause that.
I had the same thing happen when resizing some .223 brass. I'd resize four or five fine then one would collapse at the shoulder. I also had a couple where the expander plug got caught in the neck and required the use of a pair of pliers on the case head to wiggle it off.
I had it happening to me even after dipping the case necks in graphite. I finally took out the expander and polished it with very fine grit emory cloth. I ran out of brass to resize so I'll have to wait until after my next range session to see if that solved the problem.
I had it happening to me even after dipping the case necks in graphite. I finally took out the expander and polished it with very fine grit emory cloth. I ran out of brass to resize so I'll have to wait until after my next range session to see if that solved the problem.
James2
Member
Weird.
kyhunter
Member
polish youre ezpander, and adjust the die out some. Most everyone does this on these dies (myself included). It really doesnt take much force at all. The shell holder just needs to touch the bottom of the die if your using a cam over press (locknload,rockchucker,pardner, etc)
Read the instructions and it talks about the cam over presses.
Read the instructions and it talks about the cam over presses.
Romeo 33 Delta
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Did you ever cycle the press without a case in the shellholder? I've had it happen, though rarely, where the "fingers" of the collet "bind" closed and won't reopen by relaxing the pressure on them. Notice how the shellholder pushes the end of the collet up when it touches the moveable part in the die? That's the back end of the collet, fingers at the other end.
The Lee instruction sheet I believe mentions this as well. I recall that I just took the die apart and put it back together and it was OK. Lee, I believe, says you might have to get in between the fingers with a small blade screwdriver of knife blade to assist the
unlocking".
Hope it helps. I use a ton of stock and custom Lee Collet dies, but have run into this only once ... with, would you believe, a 6.5 X 55 set? Go figure?
Really good advice on "NO CAM-OVER". I started out "knowing more than Lee did about their dies" so why bother to read the directions? Well, after being an IDIOT, I readjusted ALL my Collet dies and no problems.
The Lee instruction sheet I believe mentions this as well. I recall that I just took the die apart and put it back together and it was OK. Lee, I believe, says you might have to get in between the fingers with a small blade screwdriver of knife blade to assist the
unlocking".
Hope it helps. I use a ton of stock and custom Lee Collet dies, but have run into this only once ... with, would you believe, a 6.5 X 55 set? Go figure?
Really good advice on "NO CAM-OVER". I started out "knowing more than Lee did about their dies" so why bother to read the directions? Well, after being an IDIOT, I readjusted ALL my Collet dies and no problems.
The collet is sticking. Ether send it back to Lee for repair or polish the top of the collet & the piece it mates with. Sounds like one slipped past QC. I had to fix one of my 5 rifle does also. I don't think it is common since I never hear anyone talk about it but so far this makes 5 total that I've heard of.
jstein650
Member
Kingmt & Romeo: Now that makes sense. I neck size exclusively on all my rifle loads with the Lee collet die. The surfaces are rather rough with regard to the tapered piece that forces the petals down on the mandrel. I have just become accustomed to giving those bits a bit of emery paper in the drill press. NOT the mandrel, by the way. Maybe some steel wool, but change any dimension on that and you're screwed.
kyhunter
Member
emery clothed all of mine before i started. Makes it so much easier I just assumed you were using to much force because the shell wasnt going in. Check the petals and the adjustments. If that doesnt work after polishing lee will gladly replace it. Just be careful with the force youll blow the aluminum cap out if you try to hard
splattergun
Member
Don't polish anything until you've tried this...
From Lee instruction sheet...
"If your Collet Die buckles the cases, it is due to the collet being closed and the case cannot enter. This is caused by closing the press without a case in the die and/or the die adjusted too deeply. Remove the collet from the die and spring it open. It is best done by pushing a tapered drift punch into the collet neck. If none available, use the round shank of a Philips head screwdriver."
From Lee instruction sheet...
"If your Collet Die buckles the cases, it is due to the collet being closed and the case cannot enter. This is caused by closing the press without a case in the die and/or the die adjusted too deeply. Remove the collet from the die and spring it open. It is best done by pushing a tapered drift punch into the collet neck. If none available, use the round shank of a Philips head screwdriver."
gamestalker
member
You are lubing them, right? I always lube the inside and outside of the necks, and it's always been as smooth as silk. What kind of lube are you using?
The first two considerations that come to mind for me is, do you have the die adjusted correctly, and are the necks properly lubed. I would personally look closer at my die adjustments before thinking the expander needs polishing or a possible defect die. I've had exactly zero contact with defect dies, and I have never run across a rough expander, and some of my dies are 40+ years old, some are very new. I'm constantly hearing, oh polish your expander, or your expander is too big take some emery to it. I just don't think that quality control can possibly be that bad, especially with dies, or I would think I would have seen some evidence of such.
GS
The first two considerations that come to mind for me is, do you have the die adjusted correctly, and are the necks properly lubed. I would personally look closer at my die adjustments before thinking the expander needs polishing or a possible defect die. I've had exactly zero contact with defect dies, and I have never run across a rough expander, and some of my dies are 40+ years old, some are very new. I'm constantly hearing, oh polish your expander, or your expander is too big take some emery to it. I just don't think that quality control can possibly be that bad, especially with dies, or I would think I would have seen some evidence of such.
GS
ihctractor
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"You are lubing them, right? I always lube the inside and outside of the necks, and it's always been as smooth as silk. What kind of lube are you using?"
Lee neck sizing collet dies don't require lube! They squeeze the brass to size unlike a regular die that draws the brass.
Lube will make a mess of a collet die with no added benefit.
Lee neck sizing collet dies don't require lube! They squeeze the brass to size unlike a regular die that draws the brass.
Lube will make a mess of a collet die with no added benefit.
Lethal Threat
Member
Below is what I found was happening to mine.
Post by Splattergun Don't polish anything until you've tried this...
From Lee instruction sheet...
"If your Collet Die buckles the cases, it is due to the collet being closed and the case cannot enter. This is caused by closing the press without a case in the die and/or the die adjusted too deeply. Remove the collet from the die and spring it open. It is best done by pushing a tapered drift punch into the collet neck. If none available, use the round shank of a Philips head screwdriver."
Post by Splattergun Don't polish anything until you've tried this...
From Lee instruction sheet...
"If your Collet Die buckles the cases, it is due to the collet being closed and the case cannot enter. This is caused by closing the press without a case in the die and/or the die adjusted too deeply. Remove the collet from the die and spring it open. It is best done by pushing a tapered drift punch into the collet neck. If none available, use the round shank of a Philips head screwdriver."
45lcshooter
Member
Did see anywhere, where the OP said it was collet die. I don't reload for this cartridge so I don't know if Lee only makes collet dies for this,
But if its a regular die, make sure you don't have your sizer to far up, that will take the case right into the top of the die.
But if its a regular die, make sure you don't have your sizer to far up, that will take the case right into the top of the die.
splattergun
Member
OP's title says it all, "Lee neck sizing die crumpling cases ". I don't know of a Lee neck sizing die that's not a collet die. Therefore, my suggestion to follow the instructions.
I took it apart last night. Looked at the collet - not sure what it should look like if locked vs. unsprung. The four cuts at the top are separated. I did notice that the part that the collet goes into had some major tool marks. Smoothed them out a bit and polished as best I could. Also polished the outside of the collet. We'll see what happens next time I run some brass through it.
ranger335v
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"We'll see what happens next time I run some brass through it. "
Lightly grease the cone of both the collet and die body first.
Lightly grease the cone of both the collet and die body first.
stubbicatt
Member
+1 gotta keep that cone area greased. I like either plastiplate or lubriplate.
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