Neck tension help

[Linedog]

I have made a mistake and need to know ifI can fix it or not . I am new at this but here goes . I set up my Lee neck sizing die according to their instructions and sized and deprimed my cases , trimmed to all the same length and debured . My new Lee hand primer came and I primed 20 cases , measured out and filled them and started to seat my bullets . The first couple worked great and the next ones the bullet would drop right in with little or no resistance . When I resized I didn't even think of trying a bullet to see if the neck was tight enough , just assumed would be right .now that the cases are primed is there any way I can neck size them again or are they garbage .

[foxx]

I have re-sized (de-primed) primed cases before. I suppose you should do so very carefully...( it may be safer to just fire the primed case in your rifle without loading with powder and bullet, then de-prime the spent primer ). My guess is your cases did not get necked properly the first time because the collet is getting hung-up inside the die. Before proceeding, take it apart, polish the collet with fine grit sand paper or emery cloth, clean, and then lube with white lithium grease. You may have to do this several times until everything moves freely inside the die. After that, you should be good to go.

[Linedog]

Thanks for the information , I will fire off the primed cases and take the die apart like you suggested .

[Linedog]

I did what you said and took the die apart . The first piece came out ok and the decamping pin was a struggle and is covered in rust , but the tapered , slotted piece will barley move . can't get the MF out . You are right it must be hanging up . These are new Lee dies just came from Titan Reloading last week .have sprayed gun oil on it and will keep trying .

[nso123]

No need to fire the primers. Take the decapper out of the die and then resize them.

[earl39]

No need to fire the primers. Take the decapper out of the die and then resize them.

That won't work with a lee collet die

[fgw_in_fla]

Use the Lee neck size die to v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y press out the primer. Never had one go off.
Yet. I reuse them, too.
Also, I've neck sized brass where I may have missed one or two & I really hate it when I reload & the bullet falls in the case full of powder.

You're not alone.

[Linedog]

Not sure if I am brave enough to try that , I think that I will fire off the primers and decap and resize them .I did what foxx said and got the collet out and all shined up and seems to move freely now .Thanks for all the help . My wife keeps asking " what are you doing down there ". She can't if quire out why I'm down in the basement so much .

[fgw_in_fla]

I can understand the reluctance to punch out a hot primer. The first time I did it I had my old drag racing fire suit on along with a full face shield, gloves, fire extinguisher next to me, bucket of water in the room.

Once you try it once its pretty easy.

Still scary, but easy.

[brtelec]

I have deprimed quite a few hot primers. I imagine there is some risk involved but I use a universal decapping die, and just as fgw said, I go really slow. I have not had a problem.

[scope eye]

Just put some safety glasses on, and go to town It's just a primer, or submerge the case in liquid, it is not rare for me to set off a couple of primers, from a new tray just to see how hot they are, there is a difference from batch to batch.

Dean

[fgw_in_fla]

Yeah.... Its just a primer.
You can put that on the fire report & tell the insurance co. that...

Remember - NO IMPACT. Press slow & smooth. Treat like a lady.

Maybe that's not a good idea either.
No Impact.

[MacDR]

Titan sold you a rusty die? Call them and explain what you discovered and give them the chance to correct their mistake. Post their response so we know what happened.

[foxx]

Rather than firing the empty case in your rifle, another option might be to use a long handled pair of channel locks to hold 'em over a flame a couple of minutes. You could do it right there in your basement. You might want to wear good hearing protection, though... if your wife is anything like mine, you'll need them!

[MacDR]

Really, heat the cases till the primer goes bang???

I have deprimed hundreds of surplus 7.62 nato ammo with my full length sizer. Just go slow. You can reuse the primers or put them in an oil filled bottle before disposing of them.

[eddiesindian]

Titan sold you a rusty die? Call them and explain what you discovered and give them the chance to correct their mistake. Post their response so we know what happened.

+1..............
as far the primers?.....chamber and fire them to let your mind at ezz....
Ive personally deprimed live primers bunch of times over the past 30 yrs

[scope eye]

+1..............
as far the primers?.....chamber and fire them to let your mind at ezz....
Ive personally deprimed live primers bunch of times over the past 30 yrs

When I do that, I can't find my cat for three days, and my dogs starts whining to go fetch the fresh kill.LOL

Dean

[stangfish]

To this whole situation.... Wow!

As others have said pushing primers out is no big deal. Just do it. Piss on Titan for that. Lee collet dies are a piece of junk that works good if you do this and do that and turn it and do it again.

Your lucky if you dont push the shoulder out and can't chamber your round. I guess once you get use to it it will load just as good as say an RCBS die. NOT

[eddiesindian]

Ive been using Lee dies for the many yrs....been using collet in 4 different calibers and never had an issue....junk?......I think not....
the world of reloaders is so subjective to say the least

[brtelec]

I have had nothing but good luck with my Lee Collet neck dies. I use them for all calibers that are not for semi-autos or my lever guns. I have had custom collet dies made for calibers they do not offer also. I would not be as surprised by a bad die as I would with RCBS or Redding, but I would hardly call them junk, and their customer service is excellent.

[stangfish]

Anything that leaves grooves in the outside of a case neck and has the potential to force the shoulder out of spec is junk. When my lapua brass looked like it had been run through a HK I put it on the shelf and left it. I think the concept is great but after using my starret small bore gauges and found .003 taper I decided to tear it apart and look at it. I feel that if it was made by a company that was interested in quality machining they could make the Collet Die system a formidable nemisis in the reloading die market. I am OK if you disagree with that observation. I don't find the need to out cheap everyone and on the same token I don't feel the price of an object determines quality. My experience determines that.

[MacDR]

I can only recount my own experience. I use the collet dies in three calibers, 223, 308Win and 35 Rem without any problems. The 35Rem is particularily sensitive as it has only a slight shoulder and cases that are sized too much will suffer early failure in the form of neck splits. I neck size only even though my rifle is a pump action. I do the same for 308 Win which I use in my 99f. Now these are hunting rifles and my accuracy expectations are in keeping with this designation. My .223 is a varmint model which means it should have closer to target rifle accuracy. With collet die neck sized brass and careful attention to consistency in loading components and process and shooting from a bench rest this rifle will give .5 or better MOA all day. Now I am only a sample of one so it would be presumptuous of me to draw any general conclusions about Lee dies or other reloading equipment based just on my own experience. If I were so inclined I would declare all Lyman dies junk because I had to send one back that had such rough cut threads that it felt like there was sand in the connection.

[Linedog]

I emailed them yesterday (Saturday) and explained what happened , I'll see if they respond . Their website says not to call as they are too busy to answer the phone . I did what foxx said and took the die apart ,clean it and it works fine now . I chickened out on depriming the brass and just fired them off in the basement after my wife went for a walk :)

[eddiesindian]

well done.
I kinda figured you,d go that route....besides.....you know the wife would have reamed you a new one if she knew what you were up to.....olololo