Lee collet die / 250-3000 AI

[gotcha]

All cases that are true Ackley's (no change in base to neck/ shoulder measurement) can be neck sized w/ a Lee collet for the parent case....... Could a 22-250 collet die be modified to neck size a 250-3000 savage AI case?????? I'm assuming ( uh oh) this could be done by simply drilling out the 22-250 collet to accept a 25 cal mandrel & cutting the 25 cal mandrel to match the 250AI case length........... Has anyone done this or considered doing it?? Is there an obvious flaw in my thinking here??? Thanx for any input, Dale

[GaCop]

Sending you an e-mail Dale.

[Eric in NC]

Lee will make you one pretty cheap if you want to go that way.

[gotcha]

Thanks Eric! I've considered that. ............ Sometimes it's more fun to DIY ;) I was hoping to find someone who had made this or similar conversion for input. Or someone knowledgeable enough w/ Lee dies to provide input. Lee die parts are cheap and I think could be modified quickly and inexpensively. Then I could pass on info here on the forum for others to benefit as well :D Thanks again for the input :)

[KRP]

All cases that are true Ackley's (no change in base to neck/ shoulder measurement) can be neck sized w/ a Lee collet for the parent case....... Could a 22-250 collet die be modified to neck size a 250-3000 savage AI case?????? I'm assuming ( uh oh) this could be done by simply drilling out the 22-250 collet to accept a 25 cal mandrel & cutting the 25 cal mandrel to match the 250AI case length........... Has anyone done this or considered doing it?? Is there an obvious flaw in my thinking here??? Thanx for any input, Dale


I think you may have a hard time "drilling" that collet out. I think you would be better off to start with a 257 Roberts die, take ~.3"(difference between 250 Sav/257 Bob) off the bottom of the collet and the shoulder that keeps it in the die body and then use a spacer in the top of the die(between the sleeve and cap) so the mandrel/decapping pin/sleeve is in the correct spot. I've been thinking about this off and on all day and took a couple collet dies apart to look at even. Probably fairly easy with access to a lathe, could be done by hand with enough time and patience though I think.

[nsaqam]

I did precisely what you're proposing.

Here's a link to pics and an explanation of the procedure.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/5260128/Modifying_a_Lee_collet_neck_si#Post5260128

[KRP]

I did precisely what you're proposing.

Here's a link to pics and an explanation of the procedure.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/5260128/Modifying_a_Lee_collet_neck_si#Post5260128


Nice work, exactly what I had in mind.

[Luckus]

Gotcha, I have a Redding 250 AI fullength sizing die #91416 I would sell for 30.00. This die has not had over 20 cases run thru it. Let me know if you are interested. Luckus

[gotcha]

NASAQAM, KRP, Thanks so much for the input ;) I have both .223 & .257 collets & noted the inter-changeability of the various internal parts. What hadn't occured to me was simply machining the outer "step" to ride higher on the collet..... Brilliant! ( coupled w/ die body shortening) This question is purely academic: Since a .25 cal mandrel & sleeve can be dropped into a 22/250 collet die (sleeve dia.'s are same) Could a 22/250 collet die also be converted to size the the 250AI without creating more machine work than a 25/06 conversion? (unfortunately, Lee no longer stocks the .257 Rob Collet)................. Also, how do you determine the amount to be machined from the bottom of the die body on a 25/06 conversion? Thanx, Dale

[gotcha]

Luckus, PM sent............ Sometimes pm's get through to non members sometimes not ? If you don't receive the PM, post here & I'll give you my email address. Thanx, Dale

[KRP]

NASAQAM, KRP, Thanks so much for the input ;) I have both .223 & .257 collets & noted the inter-changeability of the various internal parts. What hadn't occured to me was simply machining the outer "step" to ride higher on the collet..... Brilliant! ( coupled w/ die body shortening) This question is purely academic: Since a .25 cal mandrel & sleeve can be dropped into a 22/250 collet die (sleeve dia.'s are same) Could a 22/250 collet die also be converted to size the the 250AI without creating more machine work than a 25/06 conversion? (unfortunately, Lee no longer stocks the .257 Rob Collet)................. Also, how do you determine the amount to be machined from the bottom of the die body on a 25/06 conversion? Thanx, Dale


You don't want to the machine the die body, there is a shoulder in it that keeps the collet from falling out. The Roberts/06 use the long die body and the 22/250 uses the short version so more would probably need machined off the shoulder on the collet to fit the short die body. The mandrel will need to be shortened also. Midway, Midsouth and others have the 257 Roberts dies in stock.

[gotcha]

KRP, Thanks again! Let me see if I've got this right. (1) Shorten the collet by the difference between the O.A.L. of the .257 Rob 2.233" & the 250 Sav 1.912" = .311" (2) Re-cut the "step" in the collet to match the original dimension. (3) Machine a spacer to .311"........... The mandrel will still locate on the bottom of the cap. Have I got it?

[gotcha]

OOPS, Make that .321" ( measure twice cut once) :D

[KRP]

Sounds like you've got it.

[nsaqam]

The only thing I would correct would be that the measurement of the two cases would not be their OAL but instead would be the measurement to the neck/shoulder junction.
This takes the differing neck lengths into account and ensures that the entire neck of the 250AI is sized.

The relevant measurements are;

257R is 1.912" to neck/shoulder junction.

250AI is 1.638" to neck/shoulder junction.

Difference is .274" .

The spacer is made .274" thick and the bottom of the collet is lathed off the same amount.

[gotcha]

Good point nsaqam !................... 8)

[Fat Albert]

With Lee collet neck sizers you can neck size any case of the same cal that is longer than the dies case and the same body dia or smaller by useing a stack of washer on top of the shell holder. In a 308 collet die I have sized 30-30,30/06,7.5x55 Swiss,300H&H,300Win Mag and 300 Weatherby. By the amount of washer that you uses you can size just part of the neck. 0.1" of washers will not size the lower 0.1" of the neck. You can also change the mandrels and mandrel holder and do different calibers. I took the mandrel and mandrel holder out of my 303 Brit collet die and put it into my 308 Win die and with the right stack of washer was able to neck size 7.62x54R Nagant cases. The shortest case that they make is for the 22Hornet( will not make custom dies that uses a case shorter than 1.5"). If the inside of the collet could be opened up and with spacers it would work up to 22 UltraMag.

[gotcha]

Fat albert, Thanks for the input. Makes good sense to me.