I've got donuts, and I need advise.

[half]

I bought some used lapua brass, now I need some help. I need options and opinions on what gear to buy. Should I buy a setup to trim, turn, and ream? Or do I buy three tools to handle the same task? I have a Lyman trimmer and RCBS neck turner now, but wouldn't mind upgrading if that's what I need to do. Any input on what works for you would be great.
Thanks,

 

[savagedasher]

I bought some used lapua brass, now I need some help. I need options and opinions on what gear to buy. Should I buy a setup to trim, turn, and ream? Or do I buy three tools to handle the same task? I have a Lyman trimmer and RCBS neck turner now, but wouldn't mind upgrading if that's what I need to do. Any input on what works for you would be great.
Thanks,

My chamber let's me seat the boat tail foward of the donut. When sizing I don't use the expander ball . Larry

 

[Sniper338]

What the above post means is "it depends"...

It depends on how your rifle is set up chamer wise and where you need to seat bullets... if you need to seat deeper, then yes you need to clean up the brass.

 

[dkhunt14]

I would only buy and use used brass for a hunting gun. I like the brass to be fired in my chamber. You never know how big the previous chamber was. If it was big you probably will have nothing but trouble with this brass. Once it is oversize it is hard to get it back and have it stay there.

I don't like reamers in brass. It is hard to control reaming brass and they will end up different. If you neck turn, you will need a full length regular die so they will be sized all the way to the shoulder with the expander ball out. Then you need to expand with the expander for your neck turner so they match. Neck turning is the best way. Matt

 

[joshb]

Get coffee? I just woke up, so it's on my mind.

 

[JAnderson94]

I use a PMA neck turner. It has different angled cutters to cut into the shoulder. Works great, and gets rid of doughnuts for several firings. I think it might also limit case growth as well, but don't hold me to that.

 

[22BRGUY]

Not to hijack hopefully, but how do you more experienced shooters determine how much to cut into the shoulder with your angled turners? I thought of turning a couple and then cutting them in half lengthways to measure the thickness of the shoulder after turning. Thanks and just trying to be helpful.

 

[dkhunt14]

Not to hijack hopefully, but how do you more experienced shooters determine how much to cut into the shoulder with your angled turners? I thought of turning a couple and then cutting them in half lengthways to measure the thickness of the shoulder after turning. Thanks and just trying to be helpful.

I have done that to be sure I wasn't going to far. If the angle matches the shoulder, it is hard to go to far. Matt

 

[22BRGUY]

Call me one to do hard things but on a 22BR I bought that had a .246 necked chamber, I was turning the brass down to around .009 and suddenly one of the necks on a brand new Lapua case just fell off...the whole neck. I was allowing it to cut too high up on the shoulder obviously.

 

[dkhunt14]

Call me one to do hard things but on a 22BR I bought that had a .246 necked chamber, I was turning the brass down to around .009 and suddenly one of the necks on a brand new Lapua case just fell off...the whole neck. I was allowing it to cut too high up on the shoulder obviously.

I have seen more then one barrel ruined by shooting a neck down a barrel. They just weren't made to have the neck go with the bullet. It usually bulges the barrel. Matt

 

[22BRGUY]

I have seen more then one barrel ruined by shooting a neck down a barrel. They just weren't made to have the neck go with the bullet. It usually bulges the barrel. Matt

Thanks Matt..will need to pay close attention for sure. One of the drawbacks of a tight neck chamber. The thing shoots lights out (for my skill level) so I hate to mess with it.

 

[dkhunt14]

Thanks Matt..will need to pay close attention for sure. One of the drawbacks of a tight neck chamber. The thing shoots lights out (for my skill level) so I hate to mess with it.

That's why the throat should be out far enough to not seat the pressure ring in the donut area. If your cutter matches the angle, it is hard to cut deep enough to get the shoulder too thin. The guys that shot necks through their guns were turning the second time. When you do that you have to be extremely careful. Matt

 

[22BRGUY]

That's why the throat should be out far enough to not seat the pressure ring in the donut area. If your cutter matches the angle, it is hard to cut deep enough to get the shoulder too thin. The guys that shot necks through their guns were turning the second time. When you do that you have to be extremely careful. Matt

Big 10-4

 

[LCazador]

I bought some used lapua brass, now I need some help. I need options and opinions on what gear to buy. Should I buy a setup to trim, turn, and ream? Or do I buy three tools to handle the same task? I have a Lyman trimmer and RCBS neck turner now, but wouldn't mind upgrading if that's what I need to do. Any input on what works for you would be great.
Thanks,

I'd get rid of the Lyman trimmer and RCBS neck turner. Neither are very accurate. Buy a K&M turner with the donut cutter if you want to recover this brass. Best bet is start with new brass, a bushing full length die, a Wilson trimmer, and a K&M turner. I cut 1/32 into the shoulder but the depth of the cut is only 2 or 3 thousands. This will polish out and will be unnoticeable. Been doing this since 1975. Always full length size first, then trim, then neck turn, in that order. Your cases must be of the same length, with the shoulder pushed back the same amount in order to have the cut into the shoulder consistent.

 

[noload]

I bought some used lapua brass, now I need some help. I need options and opinions on what gear to buy. Should I buy a setup to trim, turn, and ream? Or do I buy three tools to handle the same task? I have a Lyman trimmer and RCBS neck turner now, but wouldn't mind upgrading if that's what I need to do. Any input on what works for you would be great.
Thanks,

I may have missed it but I saw no advise on how to get rid of your donuts. Buy a reamer that matches the bullet diameter and ream the ID of your brass. This is easily done by hand, brass must be in fired condition before you neck size it ( this way neck ID will be bullet size). If money is a consern, you don't need the most expensive reloading equipment just learn and master the equipment you have now.

 

[savagedasher]

I may have missed it but I saw no advise on how to get rid of your donuts. Buy a reamer that matches the bullet diameter and ream the ID of your brass. This is easily done by hand, brass must be in fired condition before you neck size it ( this way neck ID will be bullet size). If money is a consern, you don't need the most expensive reloading equipment just learn and master the equipment you have now.

You can take them away with a proper size reamer. But they will come back. Pressure from shooting pushes the brass foward from the base The least amount you size the brass the less donut you get. Larry

 

[asauer]

I've never been convinced an inside neck reamer could work properly without either thinning the entire neck (larger reamer than just the donut). Using an undersize reamer will not allow you to get all of the donut, and you'll have to worry about scarring up the inside of the neck trying to get the case started and piloted.

What rifle is this for? As Matt said, I'd abandon ship on this once fired brass. Send it down the road and use cheaper brass if you want to practice neck turning. If it's possible, I'd highly recommend having a gunsmith lengthen the freebore so your bullet shank will clear the donut area.

 

[savagedasher]

I've never been convinced an inside neck reamer could work properly without either thinning the entire neck (larger reamer than just the donut). Using an undersize reamer will not allow you to get all of the donut, and you'll have to worry about scarring up the inside of the neck trying to get the case started and piloted.

What rifle is this for? As Matt said, I'd abandon ship on this once fired brass. Send it down the road and use cheaper brass if you want to practice neck turning. If it's possible, I'd highly recommend having a gunsmith lengthen the freebore so your bullet shank will clear the donut area.

The donut don't come from the neck it is from the shoulder and the case being moved forward. Larry

 

[fguffey]

What rifle is this for?

"What rifle is this for?: Seems that would be the first question asked.


F. Guffey

 

[/VH]

"I've got donuts, and I need advise."

Better build yourself a pot of coffee to go with em!