Homemade collet neck sizing die

Glad to inspire. Now I just need someone to inspire me to get the reamer, get the barrel done, and shoot the darn thing. My FIL and I usually go shoot prairie dogs in September, maybe that should be my deadline to get it done. Might be tight, but gives me something to aim for.

Patrick
 
I guess this thread was the push I needed, just sent the specs and dummy rounds to the reamer maker to get a reamer ground. After that's here in hopefully a month or 6 weeks I can get the barrel done. I really wish I had access to the machines I used to use at my old job, but this will keep me going forward in the meantime.

Patrick
 
I have a really rough sketch I can post, let me dig it out and check some dimensions and get back to you.

Patrick
 
Couldn't find my original sketch, but this one shows the basics without dimensions. The inside of the Lee die body runs around 0.705", so all the inserts are around 0.703" OD. The ID will depend on what cartridge dimensions you need. The length of the body insert will also vary based on the length of your case. There's a slight shoulder at the bottom of the die body, with a corresponding recess in the bottom of the body insert. When the threaded cap is tight, it holds all the inserts together and tight against the bottom shoulder. I made two different spacers, one for forming, and another with a decapping pin in it, so I can use the die like a sizer/decapper after all the brass is formed.

img002.jpg 17 MG Die exploded pic.jpg
 
I know I didn't invent this idea. I found out about the collet die body from another forum, after I tried making my own dies out of O-1. Much easier to start with the factory built die body and just make the guts. It's a really flexible system as you can vary all the dimensions with just another bushing or two. I formed some brass out of .223 to get a rimless version of the same case, also left a few at 7mm, .22 and .20 and seated bullets in them just for fun. Probably won't go the trouble of getting reamers and barrels for these variants, but fun to play with.
 
You correctly identified the small powder funnel I made to fit these cases! Actually the first thing I made on the lathe, playing around with the compound and learning to cut in aluminum first. The middle section of the wood box has all my spare parts, extra o-rings, lock rings, etc, and the funnel fit so I left it in there. Not needed when using the dies though!
 
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