Hi all. I'm using a lee challenger press and lee deluxe dies. I have my seating depth right but the bullet can be pulled from the case. Or worse pushed back into it without excessive force. What am I doing wrong? I'm loading 2506 and 75gr vmax
need advise how to crimp
- Thread starter brybenn
- Start date
saskgunowner101
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- middle of Sask
Are you sure you're sizing the case completely?? Full length sizing die set roughly touching the shell holder with the ram up, back off with the ram and another 1/4 turn in for the die? The neck should be quite snug from this alone. Do you have calipers handy? Measure inside the neck of a fired case and inside a resized case and tell me what numbers you get.
I used the neck size collect. My once fired virgin cases mic .259 and mine resized ones mic .259-.260
You think I messed up resizing?
I did load one that was fairly tight and so I fired it into the snow 75gr vmax above 46.4gr varget. I followed the holes thru the snow drifts and actually recovered the bullet and it weighs 69.2gr
You think I messed up resizing?
I did load one that was fairly tight and so I fired it into the snow 75gr vmax above 46.4gr varget. I followed the holes thru the snow drifts and actually recovered the bullet and it weighs 69.2gr
Hotwheels81
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- South of GP
My Lee neck sizer Causes that... Soloution is to pull the Decapping pin and polish the expander on it down a little with some emery cloth and ultra fine wet dry sanding paper... Put your caliper on the expander and you may find its really really close in diameter to your bullets...
saskgunowner101
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- middle of Sask
Sorry I'm not familiar with the neck sizing collet??dies. I do know that the inside of the neck should be a smaller diameter afterwards.
The way the collet die is made you need to put it in the press run an empty shell in it and keep turning the die down until you feel a bit of pressure on the press handle when you move it all the way to the bottom.
Then take the brass out and try to push a bullet in the neck with your fingers you should be able to just push it in a bit.
Read the instructions you got with the dies it is there, good luck.
Then take the brass out and try to push a bullet in the neck with your fingers you should be able to just push it in a bit.
Read the instructions you got with the dies it is there, good luck.
BattleRife
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- of No Fixed Address
It hasn't been stated explicitly, so I'll say it: a properly resized case will hold a bullet very tightly without any crimp at all. You have a sizing problem.
If they are loose after neck sizing in the Lee Collet die it is because you are not pulling the press lever hard enough. Try it really hard, then turn case half way around and do it again. Rarely the collet could be too large but lack of pressure on lever is the usual culprit.
If your are seating a .308" bullet, the neck would be sized to about .306" inside, so the .308" bullet has to squeeze in when you seat it and it stays tightly in place.
If your are seating a .308" bullet, the neck would be sized to about .306" inside, so the .308" bullet has to squeeze in when you seat it and it stays tightly in place.
X2 on this both Lee neck sizers I have had this issue. Even the instructions that come with the set tell you to do this. Just do it in small steps. Once it is gone you can't put it back.
If you are using a lee collet neck sizing die then set the die to touch the shell holder in the press with the handle about in the middle of the press stroke. If you try to do it with the handle at the bottom of the stroke you have the most leverage and run the risk of popping the aluminium disc that holds the die together out. It is there so you can't damage the die with excessive pressure. You will have to put pressure on the handle and try the neck with a bullet, continue this process until you have the neck tension you want. I use this process to load long range rifle ammunition with the bullets held by neck tension only and no crimp. Hope this helps.
PerversPépère
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Shawinigan (Quebec)
You can adjust it to the cam-over point but it is a very delicate adjustment because the press reaches its maximum mechanical advantage in a very short space.
But once adjusted, it is simply a matter of putting the brass in and going to the stop; nothing to watch and the sizing is always the same with quality brass.
I do this with my Forster Co-Ax and never managed to harm a Lee Collet Die but you have to be very careful when adjusting because you can litterally crush the sizing fingers and ramp and destroy the die in one single pass.
BTW, I absolutely love the concentricity resulting of that Lee die.
PP.
But once adjusted, it is simply a matter of putting the brass in and going to the stop; nothing to watch and the sizing is always the same with quality brass.
I do this with my Forster Co-Ax and never managed to harm a Lee Collet Die but you have to be very careful when adjusting because you can litterally crush the sizing fingers and ramp and destroy the die in one single pass.
BTW, I absolutely love the concentricity resulting of that Lee die.
PP.
Thank you for all the help guys. I talked to a good friend today and got things straightened out. I was only turning my sizing die in till it hit the ram and then 1/4 more turn like the instructions said. I now turned it in 2 full turns and can now "feel" the leverage and the neck sizes are coming out at .256 so the bullets sit on top but can't be pushed in at all. I think I've got this down to the point I can start to play with the powder and make bang. Thanks
