Help me put Together a Neck Turning Shopping List-Bought it!

[Ccrider]

I have both Pma and 21 century. They both work well. I prefer using the 21 century lathe. It is easier to get the setup for each cartridge and then change them out on the lathe. Takes a couple of minutes.

 

[Fotheringill]

I suggest you get-

A feeler gauge from auto parts store for about $5 to accurately set the depth of the cut. (learned that here)
If you are going with a real power drill, make sure it runs at much slower constant speeds than the norm. Otherwise you are going to have no control. You might want to try one of the power screwdrivers if you have one handy. They run at much slower speeds.
I use the K&M setup without comparison to others and am happy with it. Of course, ignorance may be bliss with me.
Use a thin lubricating oil on the outside of the neck to be cut.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

The one model pma has that micrometer adjustment and its spot on and very easy to dial it in after your first cut. Sneak up on it

 

[alb]

Of the many fine options available, I went with 21st Century, as everything else I've bought from them has been excellent, and the neck turning setup was no exception.

So far as your shopping list, you can just select one of their 'complete' packages, which will include everything you need in one shot, i.e., lathe, turning tool, cutter, case holder and driver, expander die body, and the turning and expander mandrels. That's the complete package; if you opted for the non-powered lathe then you'll also need a driver of some type. I went with the powered option and it's excellent. There are YouTube videos showing the non-powered version and that also seems to work well.

I'd add to that a quality tube micrometer; I like the Mitutoyo 115-313, but there are many options available. Additionally, a micrometer stand is a very handy thing to have if you didn't come equipped with more than 2 hands. I think the Moore and Wright MW279-01A is a nice one in terms of value. Finally, a lube of some type; I use Lee lubricant for sizing, so I also use it for turning. It's very easy to clean up, which is sort of the selling feature for me. Likely any decent lube would work fine.

Back to the turning setup, can't say enough good things about the 21st Century stuff. You hear a lot about how horrible neck turning is, etc., but honestly, it's incredibly fast and easy with their setup; takes very little time and produces excellent results.

 

[jimmymac]

I use a bar clamp to hold my cordless drill to my bench. Works great. You probably already have one and it will save you some bucks instead of buying a dedicated lathe or motor setup.

 

[HTSmith]

Thanks for all the great input! I'm either gonna

I use a bar clamp to hold my cordless drill to my bench. Works great. You probably already have one and it will save you some bucks instead of buying a dedicated lathe or motor setup.

I was going to use hose clamps on a block of wood. I like your idea better.

 

[PGK]

+1 on the 21rst Century products

 

[9ring]

21st Century one stop shopping.

I have been using a 21st Century lathe and I love how it works... small battery drill , one hand and very consistent results. spend once / buy once

 

[PRR1957]

I use a RCBS, Case Trimmer 2 with the older collet case head clamp for heavy neck turning leaving .002-.003 for a final clean up with a home made (I used to work as a machinist) hand neck turning tool similar to a K&M.

As for lubricants for neck turning, I use Tap Magic, Aqueous, biodegradable, noncorrosive, water based cutting fluid on the outside and inside of the neck, and to also lubricate the arbor/pilot. I also use it to lubricate the pilot for case trimming. To clean the lubricant from the case, I put the case in stainless steel cooking pot with a small squirt of Dawn (the blue colored) dish washing soap and run hot, hot, hot water over them while agitating the pot. Then when all the soap has flushed out of the pot, I pour the cases into a colander to drain them, and dry the cases in front of a space heater for how ever long till they are dry.

 

[dcali]

If you’re on a tight budget and won’t be adjusting the tool often, the old model (cheap) Sinclair tool will do the job and save you a bunch. (I’ll sell you mine for a good price if you’re interested). Be warned, though, you can easily outgrow this tool. It’s a pain to set up compared to the nicer adjustable ones.

I would spring for carbide turning mandrels. You get less heat, less brass sticking to the mandrel, and need less lube. It makes a big difference.

I have a Sinclair case holder. Works fine.

 

[searcher]

I respectfully disagree with responder recommending a "no-turn" reamer. Whether one has a tight neck or not - one gets significant benefit by turning just for consistent bullet release. Can't imagine not doing this if accuracy is important. I use a Sinclair but several mentioned are all great. Since you are going to set it up for 6BR only, you probably won't need feeler gauge if your cutter is adjustable after getting it set - as the Sinclair is. If the mandrels are sold separately - you will need to order as well. The brass holders are a waste of money in my opinion. I check mine directly into a 18-volt DeWalt batter-powered drill which has several speeds and simply sits upright on the battery on the workbench - no clamping needed. Most 115-volt electric drills operate at far too fast of a speed. You want SLOW speed. High speed results in friction heating the neck up too quickly and you will find that your finished thickness will vary. Using a water-based neck lube is best, otherwise you will need to use a solvent to remove all traces of oil from your cases. Simpler and safer to use water to clean and dry. Good Luck.

 

[Mark W]

I don’t do a lot of neck turning, but when I do the Sinclair kit serves my purposes. I use a shell holder from Lee to spin the case in my drill. It may not be the nicest set up out there, but it works and is a good value.

https://www.sinclairintl.com/reload...1000-standard-neck-turning-kit-prod38664.aspx

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Since you fireform after turning anyway just wipe the cases off with a paper towel and fire them. No need in complicated cleaning regimens and no need to worry about neck tension

 

[HTSmith]

Thanks to all that gave advice. I bought the 21st Century kit on their Black Friday special. I was able to get it set up and turn some necks this morning. I'll list some learnings and ask some more advice from you generous folks.

• The cutter tool from 21st Century took a little fiddling to get set up but was not too bad. It appears well made.
• I lubed inside the neck even though I bought the coated mandrels. Is this necessary?
• I was worried about trimming the necks to exact length. With the 30 degree cutter, I think this was needless worry. The cutter stops by itself at the shoulder and you have to push it pretty good to take a leedle bit out of the shoulder.
• I didn't have a ball micrometer, so I just went slow and seated bullets to get a .268" neck diameter measurement after turning. Does this sound about right for a .271" chamber? How about for my .272" chamber?
• The Lee lock nut from a case trimmer I bought prolly 30 years ago worked fine chucked into my drill.
• A final spin in 0000 steel wool made it look slick
• It may be that these neck turned rounds prove to be more accurate--hope so. But I suspect my future chambers will have a .273 or .274" neck diameter.
• Overall it was not as difficult as I thought, and I'm not the most mechanically inclined person. It is time consuming and I'm not one that enjoys fiddling with brass.

Thanks again for all your help

 

[BoydAllen]

Lube your necks.

 

[alb]

I lube, though I have the coated mandrels. I figure that you've got metal turning against metal, so I lube it. The Lee lube works well for me; in that it's white, it's easily visible in terms of how much you're using and where it is. Cleans up easily, too.

 

[Rodney]

When neck turning, I use the RCBS case lube on the mandrel and the outside of the necks. Seems work well and cleans up easy. Just a dab will do ya. I was nervous about turning necks when I first got into competitive shooting, but now it's just part of my process when prepping brass.