Neck Tension Consistency w/non match brass: Will this piss me off?

[PFG]

I FL size without a button, no bushings.
I have pin gages
I have mandrel die and sets

But before I go further down this road, I have to ask:

Is chasing neck tension consistency with non match brass just going to piss me off?

Like many, I've got a bucket load of 1x shot Hornady. But also a nice blue box of virgin Lapua. I like things that work, and if chasing consistent neck tension with non-match brass is just a sand pounding effort...then save me now before I start.

 

[spife7980]

I wouldnt bother.

 

[918v]

If you neck size using a Lee collet neck die and body size using a Redding body die then variable neck thickness becomes a non issue. With that said, Hornady brass is excellent.

 

[NoDopes]

Perhaps weight sorting the brass and neck turning would be enough to get pretty good results from standard cases.

 

[Steel head]

If you neck size using a Lee collet neck die and body size using a Redding body die then variable neck thickness becomes a non issue. With that said, Hornady brass is excellent.

That die combination regularly gets me single digit SD’s with Winchester brass.

 

[PFG]

If you neck size using a Lee collet neck die and body size using a Redding body die then variable neck thickness becomes a non issue. With that said, Hornady brass is excellent.

Good to know I shouldn't discount my brass, but maybe temper by neck tension expectations.

I was under the impression that controlled tension with the Lee collet was somewhat difficult as the neck sizing can be changed by amount of pressure with the downstroke.

 

[918v]

Good to know I shouldn't discount my brass, but maybe temper by neck tension expectations.

I was under the impression that controlled tension with the Lee collet was somewhat difficult as the neck sizing can be changed by amount of pressure with the downstroke.

Not if you set the die correctly. The amount of neck tension is controlled by the diameter of the decapping rod. The collet compresses the neck against the decapping rod. If you set the die so that the downstroke stops when the collet can’t compress the neck anymore then you will have consistent neck tension.

I set this die to do the above outside the range of maximum leverage so as to not damage it because it’s pretty easy to tear the threads off the aluminum cap. The way I have it set, the downstroke stops when the handle is 2/3 of the way down and the collet is at maximum compression of the neck against the decapping rod.