Thread: Collet getting pushed up

Hi all, I’m getting back to reloading after 20 years.
The collet / expander ball keeps getting pushed up on the very last part of pushing the ram up.
I’ve set the collet flush with the top of the die.
I’m not sure what is happening.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Cheers, Brent

Possibly the expander ball bottoming out on inside base of case and pushing shaft up through locking collet.

Sorry, don't quite understand your question. You mention collet but your die would not seem to be a Lee Collet die. Is it an early Hornady die in which case @woods223 is on to it with bottoming out?

I had an early Hornady die and it drove me nuts. More when pulling the expander ball back thru the neck. I could not get the stupid locking nut tight enough to stop the shaft from slipping. Hornady later modified the decapping rod/expander ball shaft by putting ridges on it to stop it slipping.

Originally Posted by brent17

Hi all, I’m getting back to reloading after 20 years.
The collet / expander ball keeps getting pushed up on the very last part of pushing the ram up.
I’ve set the collet flush with the top of the die.
I’m not sure what is happening.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Cheers, Brent

I get similar issues if I do not lube the inside of the case neck a bit. Just apply a bit of case lube with a cotton ear bud on the in side and see if it helps.

powdered graphite powder in jar lid with some birdshot..dip case neck in before sizing....

if the rod is being pushed UP... it suggests you have it too deep,the depriming pin should poke out about 5mm from bottom of die...just enough to pop primer out. two cresent spanners often come in handy when you dont get it right....

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

if the rod is being pushed UP... it suggests you have it too deep,the depriming pin should poke out about 5mm from bottom of die...just enough to pop primer out. two cresent spanners often come in handy when you dont get it right....

Hi, thanks for your reply. I realised yesterday that I should have only 5mn protruding. I had set it up flush.
Thank you for reconfirming the mandrel was set far to low.

How much do you undersize your necks? .001. Or .002 or .003” undersize?
For correct neck tension

Cheers Brent

I mean the top of the mandrel was flush at the top of the die. It was protruding approximately 20-25mm.
They should make it clearer in the die instructions. Cheers

Originally Posted by brent17

Hi, thanks for your reply. I realised yesterday that I should have only 5mn protruding. I had set it up flush.
Thank you for reconfirming the mandrel was set far to low.

How much do you undersize your necks? .001. Or .002 or .003” undersize?
For correct neck tension

Cheers Brent

I trust the clever fellas who made the dies....measuring these things just makes for more to worry about...by all means take expanding ball/rod out and put in drill and give a polish up....just enough to make it smooth...it does help,the powdered graphite makes huge difference.

Originally Posted by brent17

How much do you undersize your necks? .001. Or .002 or .003” undersize?
For correct neck tension

Cheers Brent

For target shooting 2 thou is just about the standard.
3 thou perfectly ok for hunting rounds.