Honing the Neck in Sizing Die

[Turpentine]

For those of you that have honed a die to match what you want for neck tension instead of using an expander ball. Are y'all just taking it to a machine shop and giving them a number for your desired outside neck diameter? Or going .001 or so under and running it over a mandrel? Seems like the mandrel would give a more consistent inside neck diameter. I'd like to know what you guys think.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Just MHO but I have not found value on the TARGET to using a mandrel. YMMV

 

[Lance21]

I've had 2 Forster fl dies honed. Pretty much all it accomplished was it sizes the neck all the way to the shoulder.

 

[Turpentine]

I've had 2 Forster fl dies honed. Pretty much all it accomplished was it sizes the neck all the way to the shoulder.

That is all I'm looking for. A way to size and not work the neck to much with brass for my 6.5-06.

 

[marine52]

I would say to keep the sized neck OD at least 1k under the diameter you desire after running the mandrel through (assuming annealed brass). This allows more consistent brass yielding. Keith explains it well in this video

 

[jepp2]

I'd like to know what you guys think.

I hone my own die necks. I hone them to the diameter I want for the brass I am going to be using in them with the neck tension I want to use. I use mandrels occasionally for other needs, but I wouldn't undersize a case neck when sizing just so I could use a mandrel.

I much prefer a die with a honed neck to the proper diameter. I've found bushing dies have greater case neck runout than FL dies that have the expander removed.

 

[Turpentine]

I hone my own die necks. I hone them to the diameter I want for the brass I am going to be using in them with the neck tension I want to use. I use mandrels occasionally for other needs, but I wouldn't undersize a case neck when sizing just so I could use a mandrel.

I much prefer a die with a honed neck to the proper diameter. I've found bushing dies have greater case neck runout than FL dies that have the expander removed.

How are you honing them? I'm very mechanical. I do have a drill press. I do not have a lathe.

 

[Turpentine]

I would say to keep the sized neck OD at least 1k under the diameter you desire after running the mandrel through (assuming annealed brass). This allows more consistent brass yielding. Keith explains it well in this video

I do anneal, pretty much after every firing.

 

[jepp2]

How are you honing them?

I stole shamelessly from Rick Averill. Scroll down

Lapping Reloading Dies

In this project I will take you through the steps and method of altering the neck dimension on a standard reloading die. The purpose of this is to maintain neck alignment to the case body for the b…

rickaverill.com

Here is a pic of my lap setup. I used the tape to make sure I stayed centered, but it hasn't been necessary.

 

[BoydAllen]

The best article I have seen about honing die necks....

Lapping Reloading Dies

In this project I will take you through the steps and method of altering the neck dimension on a standard reloading die. The purpose of this is to maintain neck alignment to the case body for the b…

rickaverill.com

 

[Turpentine]

I stole shamelessly from Rick Averill. Scroll down

Lapping Reloading Dies

In this project I will take you through the steps and method of altering the neck dimension on a standard reloading die. The purpose of this is to maintain neck alignment to the case body for the b…

rickaverill.com

Here is a pic of my lap setup. I used the tape to make sure I stayed centered, but it hasn't been necessary.

View attachment 1505623

Thank you, exactly what I needed. I have the necessary tools other than the laps themselves and can do it myself. I have some old dies to practice on if need be

 

[Turpentine]

The best article I have seen about honing die necks....

Lapping Reloading Dies

In this project I will take you through the steps and method of altering the neck dimension on a standard reloading die. The purpose of this is to maintain neck alignment to the case body for the b…

rickaverill.com

Exactly what I was looking for. I actually have a Lee Collet I can use for a mandrel if need be but I don't get consistent enough results sizing with the collet for some reason.

 

[whatsupdoc]

I have honed a few FL dies, not difficult at all. I did it in a small lathe and used
30 micron diamond abrasive paste mixed with oil and a couple of gauge pins
to confirm the final size.

I have read that article by Rick and see no reason you cant do it using a hand drill as the hone will follow the existing hole.

The one thing you need to be careful of is you dont want to expand the hone
too much where it binds in the hole and you want smooth consistent passes.

 

[Tesoro]

Exactly what I was looking for. I actually have a Lee Collet I can use for a mandrel if need be but I don't get consistent enough results sizing with the collet for some reason.

Take that 4th world finish quality die apart and put the anvil and collet on a lathe to rid it of the horrific factory imperfections, polish it to a mirror finish and then start measuring your runout! If you dont have a lathe then there is a way to do it with a hand drill. Can post a video if you want.

 

[DiRTY DOG]

Forster will hone one of their FL dies for you for $17. A very safe way for you to try it compared to experimenting yourself in your garage with lapping compound.

 

[Straightshooter1]

For those of you that have honed a die to match what you want for neck tension instead of using an expander ball. Are y'all just taking it to a machine shop and giving them a number for your desired outside neck diameter? Or going .001 or so under and running it over a mandrel? Seems like the mandrel would give a more consistent inside neck diameter. I'd like to know what you guys think.

You're right, you'll get a more consistent diameter inside the neck, which is an important issue to me giving variations in neck thicknesses within a neck or just from lot to lot or from one brand to another. So I chose to have the dies honed to .003 below the size of the mandrel I'll be using. This helps to reduce the work hardening and allows for room for various neck tension along will allowing for springback. I thought about going with .002 below the mandrel size, but didn't feel that was enough room to play with for any other brass I might choose to use. Though, I guess I could have more than individual dies for the different brass I choose to use. It just doesn't seem to me that .001 under mandrel size allows for room for adjustment you might want to make. Also, it doesn't allow for enough movement to get the brass to actually form to the size you want.???

 

[Clancy]

I’ve used the Forster service twice and it seems to be a bargain. There’s about .0007 spring back on the one I’m using now, which is great because my loaded round measures .2687. For $17, I’d just let them do it for you.

I ordered a 264 and 265 neck for my new 6BR. That’ll let me go to .003 or .004 tension and if I wish I can get .001 or .002 by using a mandrel. I’ve tried .005 in several rifles in the past and for me, it’s just been over-handling so I didn’t go that small (although, my Redding 6BR die sizes them down to .261 before the ball passes back through, so I still have the option of setting tension to pretty much whatever I want, and it was less than $60.

 

[Turpentine]

I like Forster Dies. I use them in other calibers. But I do not see where they make a 6.5-06 A Square die.

 

[Fuj]

I use a Dumore grinder, then finish polish with crocus on a wood dowel.

 

[valkson99]

Take that 4th world finish quality die apart and put the anvil and collet on a lathe to rid it of the horrific factory imperfections, polish it to a mirror finish and then start measuring your runout! If you dont have a lathe then there is a way to do it with a hand drill. Can post a video if you want.

Post the video please.