NECK REAMING ?

[TC260]

When using "donut cutters" or reamers to remove donuts, does the action of removing the donuts weaken the neck in any manner?

The short answer is no. Tony Boyer has a good description of the process in his book which Al summed up nicely in his post above. If the reamer is sized properly it only removes the donut without effecting neck wall thickness

 

[markm87]

I'm just now beginning to work with these so not real sure of all the details but from seeing the amount removed from the inside of the necks I doubt if there was enough removed to do any harm The micrometer only showed .001 - .0015 difference with before and after.

Would I be looking to ream after firing/before any sizing? Based on the dimensions above, that's my assumption.

 

[Bill Norris]

Would I be looking to ream after firing/before any sizing? Based on the dimensions above, that's my assumption.

Yes Sir, Wilson states to only use their reamers on fired un-sized brass.

 

[hoghunter55]

Must one own the Wilson case trimmer to use the reamer? I'm using a Frankfort Arsenal universal trimmer (drill mount). I also have a Redding lathe Model #1400-XT. I'm wondering if it can be done by hand, off the lathe. I guess another way to ask is, what is the diameter of the non-cutting end of the Forester and/or RCBS reamer?

 

[Nick50471]

 

[Bill Norris]

Must one own the Wilson case trimmer to use the reamer? I'm using a Frankfort Arsenal universal trimmer (drill mount). I also have a Redding lathe Model #1400-XT. I'm wondering if it can be done by hand, off the lathe. I guess another way to ask is, what is the diameter of the non-cutting end of the Forester and/or RCBS reamer.

Not real sure but the Wilson reamers have a shoulder designed to fit into the Wilson case trimmer in place of the trimming tool. So far from my limited experience it appears the case trimmer is milled so that the reamer is centered on the tool base. I removed the knob that comes with the reamer and replaced it with a 3/8 x 24 lock nut so as to use a 9/16 socket and 1/4 inch drill adapter along with my varible speed small cordless screwdriver to power the reamer just as I do with the trimming tool. Makes for an easy job and saves the hands. LOL.

 

[Multiracer]

Dry cutting ?

 

[AlNyhus]

Yes Sir, Wilson states to only use their reamers on fired un-sized brass.

That's definitely the way to do it.

Fired necks are as close to perfectly straight as possible (relative to the case body) this way.

Good shootin' .-Al

 

[Bill Norris]

That's definitely the way to do it.

Fired necks are as close to perfectly straight as possible (relative to the case body) this way.

Good shootin' .-Al

From experimenting with an expanded old re-sized case I don't think the case will come out evenly reamed.

 

[AlNyhus]

From experimenting with an expanded old re-sized case I don't think the case will come out evenly reamed.

I push the shoulders back on cases prior to neck turning. When the shoulder blows forward on the first firing, it gives a nice blend at the neck/shoulder junction. You start out ahead of the donuts that way, too. -Al

 

[60723]

I may just be clumsy but the Wilson didn’t work for me. Couldn’t stop removing brass in front of the donut on some fired cases. 6 BRA no turn neck

 

[AlNyhus]

I may just be clumsy but the Wilson didn’t work for me. Couldn’t stop removing brass in front of the donut on some fired cases. 6 BRA no turn neck

You may have needed a thou or two smaller reamer. Unless you specify a size, the.standard reamers for a caliber are larger than the bullet diameter.

Not all 'donuts' are nicely ring-shaped. Quite often, they manifest as a thickened area at the neck/shoulder junction and extend forward from that...decreasing in thickness as they move up the neck. Think funnel shaped.

 

[Bill Norris]

You may have needed a thou or two smaller reamer. Unless you specify a size, the.standard reamers for a caliber are larger than the bullet diameter.

Not all 'donuts' are nicely ring-shaped. Quite often, they manifest as a thickened area at the neck/shoulder junction and extend forward from that...decreasing in thickness as they move up the neck. Think funnel shaped.

That's exactly what I found in my 6mm brass. It's not simply a ring at the junction. It is spread to a lesser degree up the neck towards the mouth as well.

 

[Shooter13]

That's exactly what I found in my 6mm brass. It's not simply a ring at the junction. It is spread to a lesser degree up the neck towards the mouth as well.

It’s thicker at the neck shoulder junction gets smaller in the middle of the neck, then gets larger again toward the case mouth

 

[charlie b]

When using "donut cutters" or reamers to remove donuts, does the action of removing the donuts weaken the neck in any manner?

The Wilson reamer is designed to be used with fired brass, not sized. During use I find it does not really touch the forward part of the neck, only the donut area. So, no it doesn't weaken the neck junction.

I have also found I don't use the reamer except in extreme cases. Most of my shooting the bearing portion of the bullet does not touch the donut area.

 

[Paddyd]

There is quite a bit of good info on the net concerning neck reaming vs. neck turning for consistency of neck wall thickness and removing the dreaded donut. I am just now realizing some of this if not all of it has some merits to consider. I never thought much about how wide the donut may be or how far up the neck it would actually be spread until recently purchasing a Wilson neck reamer in order to see exactly how it would affectively clear the donut and uniform the wall thickness from inside. I like what I am seeing so far on the surface and plan to test fire a few cases to see any further results either good or not so good. My questions are for those that neck ream what is your experiences and how many firings does it take in order for the donut to re-appear sizing with bushing dies?

If doughnuts were an issue, Id invest in an inside reamer, vs turning. Seems like it might be a dual purpose tool. Uniform neck thickness and doughnut cutter all in one, but I never have bothered with either so...

 

[Nick50471]

Dry cutting ?

I use Hornady One-Shot to lube the cases.

The reamer is sized to .001” under caliber. I ream after full length sizing. Neck bushing with .001-.004 works well. Anything over .004 is too much.
This just kisses the inside and keeps a true surface.

 

[Bill Norris]

I use Hornady One-Shot to lube the cases.

The reamer is sized to .001” under caliber. I ream after full length sizing. Neck bushing with .001-.004 works well. Anything over .004 is too much.
This just kisses the inside and keeps a true surface.

Wilson reamers are sized as listed below​

​

Wilson Inside Neck Reamer 30 Caliber (.311-.3115 Finish)​

WILINR030

Wilson Inside Neck Reamer 6mm Caliber (.2455-.246 Finish)​

WILINR060

 

[ELR LVR]

If there is enough meat and thickness, I do sometimes like to inside ream
then neck turn
this establishes a near perfect plane both inside and outside
bullets also seem to seat more uniformly with a smooth feel inside a reamed neck
I will also take some 600 or 1000 grit paper and roll it up and spin the inside after reaming to smooth out any cut marks and average the surface better
---
Gives good accuracy

 

[Homerange]

OLD Huntington/RCBS neck reamers, held the neck in a die, while reaming.

Then the other Lee made a hand loading tool, that reamed while neck was held in a die. This didnt help accuracy for me. Made neck tension almost non existing, in 30-06 & 243 Win. There were no bushing dies at the time??

When forming a wildcat, where the shoulder becomes the neck, reaming would seem to be a must do. More brass is removed at 1 time, reaming, compared to outside neck turning.

Ream, then finish with neck turning?

View attachment 1767709

Neck reaming would seem to need brass fl sized in a standard die, before reaming.

Likewise.
The 308W model I have was our first reloading tool Pop purchased and some years later I discovered it reamed too much material from the brass and never produced great accuracy from a sporter chamber whereas from a tighter/custom neck chambered rifle it may have been the bee knees.
I've always wanted to bore the neck in this Lee wackamole Target model die a little larger for the reamer to remove less brass......
I still have some of the brass it formed and reamed and should do some measurements vs a FL or NS die to see how much the die neck needs boring out.....then get a tiny boring bar and try to remedy it in my lathe......
Might be a good winter project.....