Body die and Lee Collet vs FL sizing?

[Igloo]

Would you guys have a preference between resizing 6.5 Creedmoor brass using a Redding body sizer and Lee collet die, or just FL sizing with a Redding FL die set?

Or am i really just overthinking this?

Currently have a Lee 4 die set but their FL die seems to suck.

 

[83cj-7]

I only use a Lee collet die for all my resizing unless I’m going to shoot the brass in a different rifle or they start to get slightly tight going in the chamber. If I need to resize the body, I like to use a Redding small base body die to get them back to a minimum spec.
I think a lot of others on here use the same practices with their reloading as well.

 

[Igloo]

I only use a Lee collet die for all my resizing unless I’m going to shoot the brass in a different rifle or they start to get slightly tight going in the chamber. If I need to resize the body, I like to use a Redding small base body die to get them back to a minimum spec.
I think a lot of others on here use the same practices with their reloading as well.

Tried the Lee Collet Die on once fired Starline brass from my Tikka, and it chambers with perceptible resistance. A couple pieces, more than that

 

[Ram94]

I use the Redding Body die and Lee Collet die for 7mm-08. Not sure you’ll notice much difference at the target from FL sizing, but I convinced myself it’s the best way without stressing brass too much.

 

[Castle Rock]

Tried the Lee Collet Die on once fired Starline brass from my Tikka, and it chambers with perceptible resistance. A couple pieces, more than that

That is what you want, your brass will last forever.

 

[Igloo]

That is what you want, your brass will last forever.

You want it to actually take effort to close the bolt on your brass? Doesn't sound like your bolt lugs will last forever.

Why should I believe the brass will last any longer than with a slight resize?

I use the Redding Body die and Lee Collet die for 7mm-08. Not sure you’ll notice much difference at the target from FL sizing, but I convinced myself it’s the best way without stressing brass too much.

That's pretty much where my mind was at...and why I was wondering if i was overthinking vs just plain resizing.

 

[Wizbang]

Would you guys have a preference between resizing 6.5 Creedmoor brass using a Redding body sizer and Lee collet die, or just FL sizing with a Redding FL die set?

Or am i really just overthinking this?

Currently have a Lee 4 die set but their FL die seems to suck.

I do this process with all my rifles I reload for. It makes for little to no run out in my cases so trimming is almost non existent.
FL sizing is a thing of the past for me.

 

[coast range]

Yeah I have been running the LCD and body dies on my 6.5 Prc and 7mm08

 

[Hondo64d]

Would you guys have a preference between resizing 6.5 Creedmoor brass using a Redding body sizer and Lee collet die, or just FL sizing with a Redding FL die set?

Or am i really just overthinking this?

Currently have a Lee 4 die set but their FL die seems to suck.

The Redding Body/Lee Collet combo have made straighter ammo for me than any others I have tried. I also like the Forster FL sizer, as long as I have them hone the neck to my specified diameter.

John

 

[wapitibob]

For my STW I use a neck bushing die, makes it easy to change neck tension. I use a body die for the shoulder bump. I also use a competition shell holder so every die has some cam over.
For my 7PRC I use the all in one SAC bushing die. Totally different processes between the two and both shoot equally well.

 

[huntsd]

I’ve been told about this way. Can some one explain why the lcd and Redding body die would have a more favorable result then regular full length die? Arnt you accomplishing the exact same thing (setting shoulders back and neck tension) just in 2 steps rather than 1 with a fl die?

 

[wapitibob]

I’ve been told about this way. Can some one explain why the lcd and Redding body die would have a more favorable result then regular full length die? Arnt you accomplishing the exact same thing (setting shoulders back and neck tension) just in 2 steps rather than 1 with a fl die?

If the collet die is a true collet, (I haven't seen one) it doesn't extrude the brass to resize, it compresses 360 degrees around the diameter. The body die just bumps the shoulder and might size a little around the body/shoulder junction. My body die sized right at the shoulder radius only. They do the same thing but do it differently.

 

[Hondo64d]

I’ve been told about this way. Can some one explain why the lcd and body die would have a more favorable result then regular full length die? Arnt you accomplishing the exact same thing (setting shoulders back and neck tension) just in 2 steps rather than 1 with a fl die?

A standard FL sizing die sizes the neck down far more than necessary then expands it back to set neck tension via an expander ball. They do this to allow for widely varying neck wall thickness between manufacturers. With many conventional FL dies, if the expander is not perfectly centered, the expander can pull the neck off center. Forster is better than most with this, because the expander is up high on the spindle so the neck is still supported by the die body as the expander enters the neck. They work even better if you have Forster hone the neck of the die so it only sizes the neck down about .005” below loaded diameter. Mighty Armory’s design works well too, because their expander is more of a mandrel and is held perfectly centered within the die by its cone shape. The LCD works well because it only sizes the neck down as far as necessary to get the desired neck tension, so doesn’t overwork the brass. It does this by squeezing the neck around a mandrel. Any inconcentricity is pushed to the outside of of the case, keeping the bullet well centered within the cartridge. Unlike bushing dies, conventional FL dies and the Lee Collet Die size the neck all the way to the shoulder junction. Having tried all of these types of dies, most often, the LCD/ Redding Body die combo produces ammo with the least runout for me.

John

 

[huntsd]

A standard FL sizing die sizes the neck down far more than necessary then expands it back to set neck tension via an expander ball. They do this to allow for widely varying neck wall thickness between manufacturers. With many conventional FL dies, if the expander is not perfectly centered, the expander can pull the neck off center. Forster is better than most with this, because the expander is up high on the spindle so the neck is still supported by the die body as the expander enters the neck. They work even better if you have Forster hone the neck of the die so it only sizes the neck down about .005” below loaded diameter. Mighty Armory’s design works well too, because their expander is more of a mandrel and is held perfectly centered within the die by its cone shape. The LCD works well because it only sizes the neck down as far as necessary to get the desired neck tension, so doesn’t overwork the brass. It does this by squeezing the neck around a mandrel. Any inconcentricity is pushed to the outside of of the case, keeping the bullet well centered within the cartridge. Unlike bushing dies, conventional FL dies and the Lee Collet Die size the neck all the way to the shoulder junction. Having tried all of these types of dies, most often, the LCD/ Redding Body die combo produces ammo with the least runout for me.

John

Thank you for the explanation. So if one were to use a fl die with the expander removed and then use a mandrel die for neck tension would this accomplish the same thing as the lcd/redding body combo? I am looking at doing this with a Forster fl die than been honed out

 

[Hondo64d]

Thank you for the explanation. So if one were to use a fl die with the expander removed and then use a mandrel die for neck tension would this accomplish the same thing as the lcd/redding body combo? I am looking at doing this with a Forster fl die than been honed out

Yes, but you may not enjoy any better results than just the honed Forster by itself. The combination of the honed neck and the expander being supported by the neck makes pretty straight ammo.

John

 

[Castle Rock]

Edit John just beat me
Just use the honed die with its expander

 

[huntsd]

Yes, but you may not enjoy any better results than just the honed Forster by itself. The combination of the honed neck and the expander being supported by the neck makes pretty straight ammo.

John

Edit John just beat me
Just use the honed die with its expander

You guys are probably right but technically speaking isn’t the point of foregoing the expander in the fl die and using a mandrel die to not “pull on the brass” and push inconsistencies out? Again I doubt I’d see difference in paper just asking purely out of technical curiosity