Neck tension

[sbhooper]

I am processing a large batch of .308 Hornady Match brass. It is amazing to me how much variation in neck thickness there is in several hundred pieces.

My question is, how does Hornady produce real accurate ammo, when there is that much variation in the brass? Is the neck tension etc. really not even an issue? I started turning the necks for all my .308 brass when I bought the rifle. I am not sure if makes a difference or not for my shooting (hunting accuracy). This rifle-a Ruger American-is phenomenally accurate with 51 grains of CFE223 and a 150-grain Interlock. It shoots half minute at 300 yards if I keep my stuff together.

I will keep turning the necks on fresh brass for this rifle, but I am really wondering if it is worth the time in real performance with factory chambers, when even the match ammo is so varied.

 

[SHootSTraight22]

For just hunting purposes I wouldn't bother with turning necks.. That's alot of work!! I'm dreading having to possibly do it on a future project of mine I've been writing about on here! (I want to convert Palma 308 brass into a hot 3,230fps 6mm..) The only experience I have with bad necks is when I didn't step by 6.5Lapua cases down in intervals but instead one big swipe from .292 to .288.. It causes funneling with my cases and somehow at the mouth of the case the measurement was .287 even though my bushing isn't that small.. I'm wondering if annealing shrunk them or something, LOL!! I have no idea!! But, in the end the bullets would still group good enough that if I noticed something it could be written off as paranoia! So, you should be okay hunting without turned necks unless you just have a tight neck chamber???

 

['Freak]

One half MOA at 300 yards is center to center 1.5708” groups from rolling your own ammo for a factory rifle. If you can maintain that kind of shootin’, don’t change a thing, not even underwear, in what and how you’re doing stuff now.

Turning necks for a typically cavernous factory chamber making neck wall thickness nearer to all the same, or the same, will make neck ‘tension’ equally nearer to all the same which will increase the potential of producing ammo that’s gonna shoot well, but, it’ll also cause the neck to have to expand more to fill that typically cavernous factory chamber neck, then have to reduce it back down more, so working the brass more, and so end up reducing case life expectancy, proper annealing should help, but again, long as it’s worth it…

Read up, there’s more where these came from:
http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/reloading/fl-bushing-dies-vs-honed-fl-dies/
http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/reloading/neck-tension-not-just-bushing-size/
http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/reloading/expander-mandrels-and-neck-tension/

 

[sbhooper]

I figure that I will continue with what I am doing, just to keep things consistent. I have never done it with my 7 mags and they shoot as good or better. I just find it interesting that Hornady ammo is accurate in heavy barreled target-type rifles when there is that much difference from one lot of brass to the next.

 

[SHootSTraight22]

I figure that I will continue with what I am doing, just to keep things consistent. I have never done it with my 7 mags and they shoot as good or better. I just find it interesting that Hornady ammo is accurate in heavy barreled target-type rifles when there is that much difference from one lot of brass to the next.

I know!! I don't understand why American brass/companies won't take a listen from European ones when it comes to brass cases??? Unless it's just good ole American Capitalism at work, knowing that if they make their brass not last or suck that you will have to purchase more in the end!!!

 

[SHootSTraight22]

He is right above although.. If your turning your cases thinner they will have to expand a lot more during firing which will work harden the hell out of them!! This all depends on your chamber neck diameter though... What's your measurement on a fired case from this gun?? What size bushing are you using or sizing to?? Sizing them cases everytime over .006 is working them necks.. You may look into annealing after every firing, that's what I do an I enjoy it.. I do it by hand with my hand drill.. I like to say I have a "pentented" method of making pretty rainbow colors around my freshly annealed cases.. I've been told a lot of people would pay for that certain look!!

 

[sbhooper]

I do not work them every time. I only do them the first time and then only to make sure they are uniform. Most just have a couple of high spots, but some are thicker all the way along. I use an RCBS hand turner and go by their instructions. I don't remember right off what the exact measurements are. They say to measure several casings and then trim to whatever the thinnest neck is. I do that and most are pretty close. I was just amazed at how thick some of the necks are with "match" brass.

 

[Martin52]

I am processing a large batch of .308 Hornady Match brass. It is amazing to me how much variation in neck thickness there is in several hundred pieces.

My question is, how does Hornady produce real accurate ammo, when there is that much variation in the brass?

How much variance are you getting ?

 

[Catfish]

I neck turn for several rifles, but all have tight neck chambers. I have tried turning necks for some factory chambers, but never found better accuracy but it does shorten the case life. The more the neck has to expand the fewer time you`ll fire it without the neck splitting.

 

[sbhooper]

I am processing a large batch of .308 Hornady Match brass. It is amazing to me how much variation in neck thickness there is in several hundred pieces.

My question is, how does Hornady produce real accurate ammo, when there is that much variation in the brass?

How much variance are you getting ?

I have not exactly measured it, but it goes from just planning off a high spot or two, to actually turning brass off the entire length of the neck. Most just scrape in a spot or two-just making them uniform-but some are way thicker. They must have quite a bit of tolerance in their specs.

I have not noticed a difference in case life, doing it the way I do. Some of the cases have been loaded five or six times with no ill effects.