Question about Lee Neck Sizing collet dies

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docsleepy

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Newbie question here.

I use Lee neck sizing collet dies to neck size remington .223 brass and it has worked well.

In a different thread, I read that one should have good tight contact for at least a "caliber" worth (.224) on the bullet.

However, when I look at my brass that comes out of the collet die, I see an interrupted line visible about 0.1 inch from the end of the neck. Bullets seat so that they cannot be removed by hand, and they fire accurately.

I have the collet adjusted according to the Lee instructions: bring the ram up til it touches the metal part that hangs down, then move ram out of the way and go 1 or 1.25 more turns down.

Can anyone enlighten me as to whether this is normal, or what the meaning of the line that I am seeing is? I would swear that just the last 0.1" of the neck is being sized by this die and that is why I see the interrupted line that matches what I see as the collet when I look up into the die (or disassemble it). While I have much more than .224 worth of (69 grain SMK) bullet still within the neck after seating to an OAL of 2.260, it appears to me that I really only have "purchase" on the bullet for 0.10 inch or so.

Comment?
 
OK, I read a ton of threads on other sites as well as several questions/answers on the Lee site and when I get home I'll disassemble the die and be certain I have it assembled correctly. I think I understand it much better now.
 
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