Lee Collet Die "cool" Factor

[Luke45]

So is it just me or are LCDs not cool anymore for the precision rifle crowd? people laugh at me when i tell them i use them for almost every caliber LOL. they all want some "redding comp bushing FL seater plug bump die" or some BS! LCDs have and continue to make the most accurate ammo i have ever loaded, and have not looked back

any love for LCDs?

[Robinhood]

I know people that curse them. I like them. If you anneal and don't put to much pressure on the neck you can get some consistent neck tension. Press to hard and get strirations. I had federal brass split from that. There are other issues but the case head space doesn't change when you use them. I give them a thumbs up. i cant complain about my Redding Competition dies, But I have 290 plus or minus in each set of those.

[fgw_in_fla]

I've been using Lee NS dies for quite a while and have done very well with them. My brass gets annealed every 4th firing with a full sizing and neck sized in between.
I can't say for 100% certain they affect accuracy but they do help the brass live longer.

Cool?
Are you more concerned about reloading safely with greater consistency & accuracy or are you concerned about being cool?

[foxx]

Good point, Frank.
I am not cool.
Never was.

Just good! :)

[Steelhead]

I'm not cool or fashionable.
I use a collet die for every rifle load.
Anneal every fifth shot or so and run brass through a body die similarly.
I've used the bushing dies and the lee collet is in no way inferior in the results it produces.

It's fast, easy, cheap and effective.

[fgw_in_fla]

Good point, Frank.
I am not cool.
Never was.

Just good! :)

Yeah, same here. I stopped being cool about 20 years ago. It was getting too expensive.
Now I'm totally completely & thoroughly uncool. I use my NS collets on a regular basis.
How uncool is that?...

[LongRange]

I've been using redding bushing dies for years and just started using the LCD...my bushing dies now collect dust!

I run my brass through a redding body die and tumble every firing,anneal every second firing and may start annealing every time(still playing with annealing times)and love the collet die.
I think you'd be surprised at how many top shooters use the collet die. I know a lotta guys FL size every firing using Forster BR FL dies as Forster will hone their dies to give you the neck tension you want but personally I don't like dragging an expander ball back through my brass.

[Luke45]

im ok with outshooting someone with a 5000$ custom rifle with a savage i built for less than 1000$ using Lee dies ;) thats cool to me

[fgw_in_fla]

im ok with outshooting someone with a 5000$ custom rifle with a savage i built for less than 1000$ using Lee dies ;) thats cool to me

Very uncool, Luke.

Very uncool...

[LoneWolf]

I use LCD for NS as well. I did not like the feeling of the expander ball. Not only did it feel rough on the brass, but felt like it was hard on the press as well. I need to get into the world of annealing though. Just haven't decided on making that commitment yet.

However, as much as I like my Savage, I really love the Shilen Build I just did lol! Getting it to the range tomorrow afternoon and a match on Sunday.

[Luke45]

I use LCD for NS as well. I did not like the feeling of the expander ball. Not only did it feel rough on the brass, but felt like it was hard on the press as well. I need to get into the world of annealing though. Just haven't decided on making that commitment yet.

However, as much as I like my Savage, I really love the Shilen Build I just did lol! Getting it to the range tomorrow afternoon and a match on Sunday.

Pics Please!!

[Robinhood]

I need to get into the world of annealing though. Just haven't decided on making that commitment yet.

Reading your post I would have figured you to be all over that. To be perfect you need a cool machine either DIY or purchased, but to dramatically improve the quality and consistency of your neck tension, the drill and torch method will get you started. You may ruin a dozen cases or so before you understand what your looking(That's what Federal brass is for) at but once you get the hang of it you will ask yourself what took so long to get started.

[LoneWolf]

Pics Please!!

Look here http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?41372-Shilen-SA-DGR-Heart-of-new-build.

Robin- I haven't needed to anneal. I was shooting 308 before and had so much brass for it I just grabbed another bunch and prepped it. Will start soon though as I need to pick up a trimmer as well.

[Robinhood]

I use a motorized Lyman. It requires a lot of de-burring on anything over .005 cut. My bud has a Worlds Finest Trimmer and praises it often.

[fgw_in_fla]

Look here http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?41372-Shilen-SA-DGR-Heart-of-new-build.

Robin- I haven't needed to anneal. I was shooting 308 before and had so much brass for it I just grabbed another bunch and prepped it. Will start soon though as I need to pick up a trimmer as well.


Hey Sarge,
If you want I can send you my batch of photos that show step by step how to do the 'ol hand job annealing. Works like a sweetheart as long as you're only doing 30 - 40 pieces. More than that and it gets pretty boring.

[Luke45]

question: with neck sizing, i usually get loose primer pockets before i need to anneal, so i have pretty much ignored annealing. so your saying you get more uniform neck tension by anealing? or are there other benefits to?

[Robinhood]

If you're only get 4 loadings out of brass before you loose the pockets, you might be hot. Are you using FC or R-P brass?

[Luke45]

If you're only get 4 loadings out of brass before you loose the pockets, you might be hot. Are you using FC or R-P brass?

I usually load 4-5 Times, then run through body die then go aniter 4-5 times then loose pockets. Nosler and win brass mostly

[Robinhood]

Pm sent

[fgw_in_fla]

question: with neck sizing, i usually get loose primer pockets before i need to anneal, so i have pretty much ignored annealing. so your saying you get more uniform neck tension by anealing? or are there other benefits to?

Sounds like your loads are hot or, try different primers (or both).
CCI primers fit a little tighter. So do Wolf.

I notice Federal brass tends to wear out sooner than Remington or Winchester. Prvi Partizan isn't too awfully bad, either.

And to answer your question, I find annealing gives me more consistency with neck tension although I look to get as much life out of my brass as possible. I have some 30.06 brass that I can't read the head stamp from use. If it wasn't for the bag marked Rem 12X I wouldn't know what it was or how many times it was fired.