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  #1  
Old 07-12-2014, 05:58 PM
SDguy605 SDguy605 is offline
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Default Lee Collet die question

Hello:

I was looking at Lee's collet die options (stock & custom) and was surprised that while they have a offering for 22 hornet - they do not do 17 Fireball or .221 Fireball. Seems the reason they give for not being able to offer a 17 or 221 fireball is due to the cartridge length being to short.

Anyone understand why they can do 22 hornet and not, the the Fireball family?
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  #2  
Old 07-12-2014, 06:21 PM
Bill K Bill K is offline
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Default Lee Collet die question

My understanding is that if you send Lee a fired case, they will make a die for you, for said cartridge.. As to not carrying them, right now, maybe they believe sales would be low. Just a thought and for sure I do not know that too be a fact. Bill K
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  #3  
Old 07-12-2014, 07:18 PM
SDguy605 SDguy605 is offline
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Default Custom Dies Not avail in following cal

See link below where they indicate that they are not able to provide collet dies for the following cartridges due to length or lack of shell holders.

http://leeprecision.com/custom-servi...ding-die-sets/

Suppose I can give them a call next week.
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Galatians 5:22-23New Living Translation (NLT)

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
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  #4  
Old 07-12-2014, 08:34 PM
Alan in GA Alan in GA is offline
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Default 17 FireBall 17 Mach IV....can do...

You could used a lathe trimmed extended shell holder for .221/222/223 cases and run it into a 17 Remington Collet die. I've loaded 500 rounds of 17 Mach IV and thousands of rounds of 17AH (w/Hornet extended shell holder) that way and shot them all successfully.
However I didn't read that I couldn't do that so...maybe it didn't happen?!
I also made new top caps for the Lee Collet die threaded center for a hex socket screw for 'fine' adjustments to the center mandrel rod.
Should work for 22PPC and 221FB,...others using a PPC die [I think LEE made them at one time???] or a .223 Rem collet die and modified extended shell holders.

Did I mention that I like Lee dies, and think the COLLET DIE is one of the major innovations of the reloading world?


I used the same 17 REM LEE COLLET die and a HORNET extended shell holder for 17AH too. Could be used for the new 17HH also.
[IMG][/IMG]

Showing the larger knurled top cap. Comes in handy depending on how far you trim you extended shell holder for how much case neck you want to size. I size about 2/3 of the neck. Leaving expanded, unsized 1/3 portion of neck gives 'centering in chamber' effect, at least in theory.
[IMG][/IMG]

I also trimmed a shell holder too far down. Fit a machine washer to the holder with tight fit and epoxy glue and trimmed. SHOWS how SHIMS could be slipped on without gluing to 'adjust' desired length of neck you wish to size.
I thought it was this the modified 'shimmed' shell holder but I see that it is the one in above picture in yellow die case [see line about a nickle's thickness in shell holder?]
17 Mach IV in modified extended shell holder:
[IMG][/IMG]

Last edited by Alan in GA; 07-12-2014 at 08:50 PM.
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  #5  
Old 07-13-2014, 12:19 AM
SDguy605 SDguy605 is offline
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Default Thanks AlinGa

So if I understand this right one only needs the custom shell holder.

No modification to the die is necessary, would I be on the right track here?

Thanks Al!
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Galatians 5:22-23New Living Translation (NLT)

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
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  #6  
Old 07-13-2014, 12:43 AM
Alan in GA Alan in GA is offline
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Default one change....

quick answer: yes, if you only want a bit of the upper case neck resized.
However, when sizing a hornet case you also are depriming it. The sizing mandrel also is the decapping rod. A hornet case is thinner from the face of the case to the bottom of the inner case web than a 17 Remington/221/223 case. So if you want to resize a lot of a hornet case neck you run the case further up into the die which ALSO runs the decap rod pin farther down into the primer hole at the web. You can hit the larger section of the deprime rod to where it hits the web in the bottom of the thinner hornet case- the decap pin sticks farther through the flash hole down through the case. We made new 'top caps' with a hex socket screw in it to allow the mandrel to rise up a bit higher in the die during sizing/depriming so as to not 'bottom out' on the case web.
Hope that made sense.
IF you size only a bit of the case mouth by not trimming the extended shell holder as much, OR putting a shim on the trimmed area of the extended shell holder, you can use the factory top cap. That works fine if you are ok with only some of the upper case neck sized.

As I think about this, you could also shorten the decap/sizing mandrel by grinding some off the top, but then it may not work on the 17 Rem case by not being long enough to push out a fired primer. If you delegate the die to your 17 FB, OR buy a second mandrel to keep one 'stock' it should work out well....less work than making a new knurled top cap!
There is a small flare at the top of the rod which keeps it from falling out of the die so you would also have to flare it after grinding(heat and hammer like a buck rivet I guess].
Yep, now I'VE got a headache...LOL.

Last edited by Alan in GA; 07-13-2014 at 12:50 AM.
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  #7  
Old 07-13-2014, 02:57 PM
SmokinJoe SmokinJoe is offline
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Default Collet Die

Has Lee discontinued the 22PPC collet sizer? I have one and use it for both 221FB & 22 K-Hornet; seems to work just fine for those two cartridges.
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  #8  
Old 07-13-2014, 04:12 PM
Alan in GA Alan in GA is offline
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Default link to list of today's collet dies...

Must be that the 22PPC and Fireball dies didn't sell...?..or what? I have LEE 250 Savage collet die that I use for my .250 Savage Ackley Improved. MidwayUSA used to offer limited run collet dies and I think I remember seeing 22PPC on that list. What gives?

http://leeprecision.com/reloading-di...e-collet-dies/
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  #9  
Old 07-13-2014, 04:18 PM
Alan in GA Alan in GA is offline
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Default 22 Hornet....alteration...

I had a 22 K Hornet at one time. Took a Lee Collet die for 22 Hornet, took measurements, and reamed out the 4 section collet inside to make room for the 'K's expanded/moved forward body. Still sizes 2/3's of a standard 22 Hornet, and sizes a 22 K Hornet without sizing the new expanded body/shoulder back to standard profile.

"Have tools, will hack away at stuff"
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  #10  
Old 07-23-2014, 02:47 PM
weewilly weewilly is offline
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Default

Is there any place you can buy the turned down extended shell holders for the 17 neck dies? I would love to have one as I use several lee neck dies and really like them. Thanks weewilly
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