Been wanting to try.....

[PopCharlie]

I've been wanting to try pin gauges to set neck tension. So I ordered the die, collets and pins from Kenny Porter. My question is, what is the correct process? Here is what I'm thinking (my wife always laughs at me when I say that):
1.Clean, decap and anneal as normal
2. Remove decap assembly from my FL sizer and size case.
3. Check dimensions, if ok, trim, debur, and chamfor
4. Size neck with pin gauge, check dimensions again.

At this point if I'm all good, I will prime, powder and seat bullets. The goal is to improve consistency shot to shot, load to load.
PopCharlie

 

[David Christian]

Your list of steps looks good. Be sure to have a bevel on one side of your pins.

 

[mac86951]

May want to think about what lube you're going to use, after the trim step you may experience brass buildup on the pin gauges.

Maybe graphite, others will probably have better recommendations on that subject
-Mac

 

[PopCharlie]

Your list of steps looks good. Be sure to have a bevel on one side of your pins.

Yup, Kenny Porter does the beveling.

 

[rardoin]

May want to think about what lube you're going to use, after the trim step you may experience brass buildup on the pin gauges.

Maybe graphite, others will probably have better recommendations on that subject
-Mac

I've used graphite with K&M pins and get brass buildup and more drag over time. I now dip the necks in One Shot and let dry for a few minutes. No more brass galling and much less resistance when expanding. As per @Down South , I spray some into the base of a small medicine type cup so a pool of liquid forms about the depth of the neck and dip the necks. I replenish the One Shot as it evaporates. More recently I use a lanolin/hexanol mix that I make up myself; this mix is the same as One Shot just more convenient.

 

[PopCharlie]

May want to think about what lube you're going to use, after the trim step you may experience brass buildup on the pin gauges.

Maybe graphite, others will probably have better recommendations on that subject
-Mac

I have imperial sizing wax and dry graphite lube. I'll try both.

 

[mac86951]

I have imperial sizing wax and dry graphite lube. I'll try both.

I've used graphite with my sinclair expanders, but ~150 cases one time makes me still new.

 

[PatMiles]

I use powdered molbdenum applied with a q-tip inside the necks before expanding with a pin gauge, also before seating bullets. A bit time consuming but no problems with brass build up on the pin and bullets seat much smoother.

 

[DNotti]

I'm very interested in this process and wonder what size pin gauge(s) you would use with 6mm cartridges like 6BR and 6x47?

 

[PopCharlie]

May want to think about what lube you're going to use, after the trim step you may experience brass buildup on the pin gauges.

Maybe graphite, others will probably have better recommendations on that subject
-Mac

I have imperial sizing wax and dry graphite lube. I'll try both

I'm very interested in this process and wonder what size pin gauge(s) you would use with 6mm cartridges like 6BR and 6x47?

I ordered 4 pins for my .223 bolt gun and 4 pins for my 6.5x47L. Pin sizes are
.222, 2225. 223, 2235.
262, .2625, 263 and 2635. I don't have my 6br yet, still being built. But I do plan to order 241, .2415, 242, 2425 from Kenny.

PopCharlie

 

[David Christian]

I switched to a carbide pin about a year ago. I now don’t use lube and don’t have any brass build up on the pin.

 

[Martin52]

I have imperial sizing wax and dry graphite lube. I'll try both

With imperial wax you risk getting powder kernels sticking inside the neck unless you clean it out. I don't get that problem (or the extra step) using graphite.

 

[Hoot]

I switched to a carbide pin about a year ago. I now don’t use lube and don’t have any brass build up on the pin.

Where did you find carbide pin gauges in the 6.0 to 6.1mm range?

Hoot

 

[David Christian]

willrich.com

You can contact
Lisa@willrich.com

They’re about $60+ each and they come with NO taper. They charge almost the same to put a taper on it. It takes special grinding material to taper a carbide pin.

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

You may want to trim after using the pins to open up neck inside diameter. Depending how much your FL die sizes down the neck, your trimmer pilot may be too tight a fit.

Frank

 

[PopCharlie]

With imperial wax you risk getting powder kernels sticking inside the neck unless you clean it out. I don't get that problem (or the extra step) using graphite.

Yes, I've experienced this before. I will use graphite.

 

[D-4297]

I have a slight difference in sequence .
Deprime
Quick clean primer pocket - w/tool
Clean
Anneal
DEBURR NECKS - "NOW"
Size
Clean lube - quick wash
Trim , if needed
Prime
Load
The obvious question is why do so many state they "size" their cases before deburring the neck ? That is so counter productive to creating low run-out rounds ? Don't think there is a burr on the outside of the neck when you run it into the sizing die , with or without a bushing ? Check again .

 

[foxguy]

Reading thru your steps, I have to ask...

Deprime
Quick clean primer pocket - w/tool
Clean
Anneal
DEBURR NECKS - "NOW"
Size
Clean lube - quick wash
Trim , if needed
Prime
Load

After the Clean and Lube you. - Trim, if needed, Do you deburr the necks again?
I suspect that you would.

Thanks

 

[PopCharlie]

Update:
Loaded 20 rounds of 6.5x47L today using my new Porter die and pin gauge. My process was as follows:
The brass was already cleaned, decapped and annealed . I had turned the necks to .011 after the 3rd firing. This is the 5th loading.
1. Deburred case mouth.
2. Lube body with imperial.
3. F/L sized case. No expander ball installed.
4. Checked TIR on neck. >= .0005. Neck thickness variance >= .0005
5. Trimmed, deburred, chamfered. Cleaned primer pocket.
6. Cleaned inside of neck with nylon brush. Wiped off excess imperial.
7. Lubed inside of neck with powdered graphite.
8. Sized neck with .2625 pin.
9. Measured ID of neck was .2623.
10. Primed, charged.
11. Seated 140 gr Berger Vlds using arbor press with force back and Wilson die. Seating force was very consistent. Low was 15, high was 18. Most were 17 or 18.
The next range day will finish the story.
PopCharlie

 

[Ned Ludd]

My only suggestion would be putting the trim/chamfer step after the sizing with the mandrel. Once a case has been chamfered a fair amount of the bevel seems to remain through the next brass prep or two, and a properly ground pin gauge/mandrel doesn't "care" whether you re-chamfered the case mouth or not. It will provide the same sizing results either way. Although it's probably not a huge deal, I view trimming/chamfering as a step in the brass preparation process after which I do not want to handle the cases any more than absolutely necessary to prevent any damage or distortion to the trimmed and chamfered case mouth or neck. I always trim/chamfer cases as the very last step in the process, then they go directly into a tupperware container for safe storage until they are reloaded.

In fairness, I also use Hornady One Shot lube to re-size cases. I pretty much soak them down in One Shot lube inside and out, so it is natural for me to first resize the case, followed directly by the mandrel step while the lube is still present. That way I only have to lube cases and then clean the lube off once. As you are using two different lube steps for re-sizing the cases and sizing the necks, I can certainly see why you'd want to remove the Imperial before whipping out the graphite.