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Old May 18, 2017, 11:26 AM   #1
tranders
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Lee collet neck sizer

Looking to buy dies for 30/06 and was looking at the Lee Supreme 4 die set that includes the collet neck sizer.
I would like to hear opinions on this set and or other better options.

Thank you!
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Old May 18, 2017, 11:52 AM   #2
emcon5
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I think the collet dies are great, my first choice for bolt action rifles.
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Old May 18, 2017, 12:01 PM   #3
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There fine as long as you do not use brass from someone else. I have one and use it for my .243. but I have to make sure when friends give me used brass from their rifles I do a full length resize, otherwise it may not cycle in yours. I made that mistake once and learned my lesson.

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Old May 18, 2017, 03:20 PM   #4
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Agree with the above. They take a bit of getting used to, but once you do, they keep the case neck very concentric, as this video shows. I even size necks in these dies followed by separate sizing in a Redding Body Die for the part of the case below the neck, just to get that low neck runout.
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Old May 18, 2017, 11:27 PM   #5
tranders
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Thank you Unclenick for the video.
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Old May 19, 2017, 05:20 AM   #6
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I use the Lee collet die for a few rifle calibers, and it works very well.

my latest project rifle is a remington in 22-250. Switching from Full length sizing to the Lee collet die reduced my groups by .1" at 100 yards with no other changes in my loading process.
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Old May 19, 2017, 07:00 AM   #7
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Two advantages of using a Lee Collet sizer is no possibility of stuck cases stuck in a die and no need to lubricate the cases before sizing.
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Old May 23, 2017, 07:23 AM   #8
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I've tried a few neck sizing / full length dies; I always go back to the Lee collet die for the neck. I'll use a full length with the neck portion removed, then roll over to the Lee. Another thing I do is run each piece twice in the Lee die; size it once, then clock it 45 degrees and hit it again. This doesn't improve concentricity because it's already close to perfect, but it does keep the die from putting little pinch marks on the outside of my cases. Picking nits.
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Old May 23, 2017, 08:40 AM   #9
Don Fischer
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I use the Lee collet die for a few rifle calibers, and it works very well.

my latest project rifle is a remington in 22-250. Switching from Full length sizing to the Lee collet die reduced my groups by .1" at 100 yards with no other changes in my loading process.
_______________________________________-

Just wondering how you know you reduced your load by .1 at 100 yds?
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Old May 23, 2017, 11:54 AM   #10
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I believe the Ultimate die set includes a F/L sizing die along with the neck sizing die. So, yer covered; F/L for questionable brass and neck sizer for your fire formed brass...
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Old May 23, 2017, 05:05 PM   #11
mikejonestkd
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Quote:
Just wondering how you know you reduced your load by .1 at 100 yds?
Don, I used a caliper to measure the groups after I switched to the Lee collet die, and compared them to my records of previous groups that I had shot with regular FL dies.

The difference was .1" in favor of the collet die loads

Mike
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Old May 24, 2017, 10:44 AM   #12
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Two sets of groups. The set shot with ammo loaded using the Lee Collet averaged 0.1" smaller ctc than the other set. Is that the result? If so, then you fired a lot of groups. My guess is it would take a comparison of two sets of at least 100 groups each to support a statistically reliable difference of 0.1" in the ctc measurement of the two sets. Maybe more.

That said, I also like the Lee Collet. I feel it gives more accurate reloaded ammo. But, if you compare by firing two sets of five groups, Lee vs. the other, and the difference in average size is only 0.1", it means nothing. On the next trip to the range you could easily find the opposite result. There are statistical methods for this sort of thing.
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Old May 24, 2017, 02:54 PM   #13
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I think something about using someone else's case's is run them into your rifle before starting loading. If the fir your chamber fine before then they will when your done also. I have used some once fired military case's and have never had to re-sive before loading them. Now if you got the case's from someone that adjust's the sizing die to fit the case's to their chamber two things. #1, they are most likely not once fired case's and #2 then if their chamber is larger than your's they may not work in your chamber. On the other hand if you got them from a non-handloader and they are factory once fired case's, they won't expand and stay there enough from one shooting, they will fit your chamber if new unfired factory or one fired factory is what they are.

I have some Lee collet dies now and like them, no case stretch coming over the expander nipple, no expander nipple! I've only done two of three loading's with those dies and I'm thinking they do just neck size which meand after a few loading's your gonna have to FL size the case's to get them to chamber again. At that point, your FL die should be set to fit the case to your chamber. Takes just a bit but once it's set I lock the die there and don't worry about it again. I might add that for the first time in my life, I have two rifle's in the same cartridge, each has it's own set of dies. That way I don't have to fool with re-setting the FL die going from one rifle to the other. If you want to do two rifle's with one set of dies, you can. Either FL everything or set the FL die to work with the tightest chamber. It will work with both that way just a bit oversizing with one, not a big deal!
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Old May 24, 2017, 02:56 PM   #14
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Mike, don't know you but are you really that good of a shot to determine .1 difference in the two group's is the difference in the dies rather than very slight shooter error? If so my hat is off to you!
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Old May 24, 2017, 04:55 PM   #15
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My sample is about 50 groups before and 50 groups afterward to determine the improvements in my groups.

My latest 22-250 pet project rifle went from .6" to .5" @ 100 yards consistently after switching to the Lee collet die.

McShooty- I have a degrees in Math and Physics, and fully understand statistics, and appreciate your commitment to ensure a large sample size. Please send me money so I can meet your expectations for a larger sample size.
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Old May 24, 2017, 05:34 PM   #16
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I don't have a degree so please send me more money and I'll study this in my education...

Oh wait, I also have substantial education in physics and mathematics and work research currently and still didn't find the simple correlation offensive to my intellect. While large sample sizes are great, enough repeated small sample sizes are just as effective and more likely to rule out individual bias/skill. To understand what I'm talking about, I get better results when I wear my favorite shows no matter what I do but no one needs to know that if I'm testing a scientific hypothesis.
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Old May 30, 2017, 07:06 PM   #17
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Mike, you fully understand statisics so I am wondering if you did the Student T-test calculation using your data for the two populations of groups. For other readers, this would indicate the probability that the mean values of the two populations are really different. I will send no money because you are getting this fine advice for free already.
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Old May 31, 2017, 12:47 PM   #18
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Combat diver, you are pretty well correct there, but many small tests may have the small individual tests slightly skewed by low test count and less efficient testing methods.

You are, however, correct. A solid yes or no answer will probably be the same either way.

Some people are insisting that DNA is the only way to provide guilt, since probability of suspects with matching DNA is ridiculously small.

People forget that while DNA depends on only a few markers, circumstantial evidence can provide even better evidence.

Security cameras recorded suspect nearby, suspect caught with box of ammo from same lot, finding matching expended casings at another location, fibers, shoe prints, threatening emails, the list of possible"markers" is pretty long. If enough of these markers are there, if they are solid enough, they represent a case that's just as solid as DNA.
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Old May 31, 2017, 04:54 PM   #19
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If you guys are willing to send money to someone, I'm willing to accept it. Just PM me.

The video made the Hornady product look pretty bad compared to the Lee. I love the Collet Neck Dies.
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