[Damascus]

I was looking around natchezss.com for some dies earlier, and would up ordering a set of Lee Pacesetter dies. For $5 more, I could've gotten the Lee Deluxe dies, but the deluxe dies didn't come with the Factory Crimp die, and I really wanted that, since most of the bullets I shoot do not have a cannelure, and I want to crimp at least a tiny bit, for piece of mind... Instead of the FCD, the deluxe kit comes with a Lee collet neck sizing die, as well as a full length resizing die, and a seater/crimp die.
The Collet neck sizing dies are supposed to make your cases last 10 times longer, since the entire case needn't be resized every go-round, only the neck size. This is only for shooting the rounds in the same rifle every time, and allows the cases to be perfectly fire-formed to that chamber, and only the neck resized... sounds like a good idea, but is it really all that much better than a regular full-length sizing die?
I would up getting the Pacesetters, which come with a normal full length sizer, seater/crimper, and factory crimp die... I also got the Auto Prime II, since I needed an extremely cheap tool for priming cases.
Anyone care to give me their experience with these dies? You can buy the neck sizing die by itself, and I was contemplating getting one to add to my pacesetter kit, so I'd have everything I'd ever need for a .308. Thanks!

 

[GRPfan]

You did the right thing, Damascus. At least in my opinion.

Eventually you'll want to get one of these things. (RCBS Precision Mic)

http://www.realguns.com/archives/035.htm

I use it and then use the full length resizing die to resize my cases, but only pushing the shoulder back 1/1000th. I'm barely resizing at all, so I'm not working the brass much, but I'm still ensuring ease of chambering and extraction. In a sense, I'm "custom" full-length resizing for my specific chamber.

You are all over this topic, by the way. May I suggest you read every stickied thread at snipercentral in the cartridges and calibers section? Read every one of the stickies all the way through a couple times.

What happens is one thread will talk about something you don't know about, but another will explain it. Then you read them all again.

I just started reloading this year and learned almost all of it from there, and the Lee reloading manual. There are a lot of things to pick up in those threads. Mine them for all they are worth.

John

 

[FLL1911]

I do reload for my bolt action rifles 22-250, 30-06 and 375 H&H. All my dies are Lee with collet die and FCD. I am favorable to neck sizing for a few reasons: I do use the same rifle for each caliber I reload, and none are semi-auto; Full length resizing dies are not available with carbide insert, and they will scratch your brass very soon (it is not a matter of if, but when); Full length resizing does add an additional step on reloading: lubing the case. If you do not have a good reason for full length resizing, stay with the neck sizing die. It does work for me, but your requirements for sizing may be a little different than mine.

 

[Damascus]

Thanks John and FL1911.
Took your advice and have been lurking on snipercentral since the server change. Right now, I am just loading for my Rem M700 .308 till' I get the hang of it and get decent at it... THEN, I will start loading for my .308 DPMS LR-308... and I just found out that with gas rifles, you need to full-length resize every time..
I'll save for one of those setups you mentioned. Thanks for the help!

 

[WalterGC]

You don't need to crimp .308 rounds. If "piece of mind" is an issue, take a Paxil!

 

[Damascus]

You don't need to crimp .308 rounds. If "piece of mind" is an issue, take a Paxil!

I'm partial to prozac anyways... :biglaugh:
I'm not going to worry about crimping my target or competition loads, but my hunting loads, I HAVE to make sure they can take a beating and not loose their COL, I'm into long range deer hunting, and a round that gets backed out in my magazine when I am zeroing that load will almost definitely be the round I have chambered when I am trying to squeeze off a 500 yard shot at a trophy... My hunting load that I am trying, 165 Nosler Ballistic Tip, doesn't have cannelures, BUT, I am going to use my Lee factory crimp die to put the smallest crimp in it that I can, when I figure out how to use it (still in the mail) just to be sure..
My rifle also takes a beating on the ATV ride... it IS clamped down into a mount, but I DONT ride some big utility 4x4 that rides like a Cadillac, I have to take my sport bike up into the woods, and I just cant seem to go slow lol. Lots of vibration etc, never had rounds run out before, but I also have always hunted with factory loads... I just have too much to learn still! Every time I think that I have a good grasp on this handloading concept, another part of the process just steps out and confuses the heck outta me :bawling: lol... eventually...... eventually