Neck Tool Recommendations

[Mike in Oregon]

Now that I have crossed over that magical threshold and entered the world of wildcats. I'm in need for a quality neck turning tool for the 17teens, 20's and 22's.

 

[RegionRat]

Best to narrow down your request a little, by way of describing the volume you plan to run, and how much automation you want.

Neck turning tools run from very simple manual tools to powered automated tools.

 

[Mike in Oregon]

Best to narrow down your request a little, by way of describing the volume you plan to run, and how much automation you want.

Neck turning tools run from very simple manual tools to powered automated tools.

Copy. To start, I'm planning on doing 1000 20VT and 1000 20 Practical. Who knows what this will grow into though.

 

[RegionRat]

For varmint sized batches, I would consider motorized tools if I were your fingers....

And, not that you asked about this, but you can run a no-turn neck for the 20VT and 20P.

https://21stcenturyinnovation.com/buy-online/ols/products/power-lathe

https://fclassproducts.com/the-autodod-case-neck-turner/

These two options are turnkey, but you can also just run a regular turning tool and spin the case or tool with a power drive.

Long ago, I ran my 20P brass through a Forster tool but with a powered driver.
https://www.forsterproducts.com/product/outside-neck-turner/
https://www.forsterproducts.com/product/classic-case-trimmer/

There are many good hand tools here.
https://www.brownells.com/reloading/case-cleaning-prep/case-neck-turning/

And here.
https://www.midwayusa.com/case-neck-turners-and-reamers/br?cid=10455

https://kmshooting.com/product/neck-turner-prebuilt-kits/

Just depends on how much stuff you already have. To turn necks, the brass ID usually needs to pilot on tooling at a very specific diameter to be happy. So, most hand turn tooling requires a very specific brass prep just for turning and then it all runs smooth.

 

[Mike in Oregon]

For varmint sized batches, I would consider motorized tools if I were your fingers....

And, not that you asked about this, but you can run a no-turn neck for the 20VT and 20P.

https://21stcenturyinnovation.com/buy-online/ols/products/power-lathe

https://fclassproducts.com/the-autodod-case-neck-turner/

These two options are turnkey, but you can also just run a regular turning tool and spin the case or tool with a power drive.

Long ago, I ran my 20P brass through a Forster tool but with a powered driver.
https://www.forsterproducts.com/product/outside-neck-turner/
https://www.forsterproducts.com/product/classic-case-trimmer/

There are many good hand tools here.
https://www.brownells.com/reloading/case-cleaning-prep/case-neck-turning/

And here.
https://www.midwayusa.com/case-neck-turners-and-reamers/br?cid=10455

https://kmshooting.com/product/neck-turner-prebuilt-kits/

Just depends on how much stuff you already have. To turn necks, the brass ID usually needs to pilot on tooling at a very specific diameter to be happy. So, most hand turn tooling requires a very specific brass prep just for turning and then it all runs smooth.

Wow!! Thank you for taking the time, sir. You gave me a lot co consider. Right now, I'm leaning towards a manual. My first thought was the K&M handheld. Perhaps a bench mount might be a better choice and more forgiving on the hands and wrists.

 

[SeabeeKen]

I use a K&M in conjunction with a drill for my match ammo. FWIW

 

[chester999]

When I first started working with wildcats, I bought an Emco Unimat 3. Great little tool.

 

[boltfluter]

Wow!! Thank you for taking the time, sir. You gave me a lot co consider. Right now, I'm leaning towards a manual. My first thought was the K&M handheld. Perhaps a bench mount might be a better choice and more forgiving on the hands and wrists.

My K&M works great. My poor hands cringe at the thought of turning thousands of cases. A power screwdriver is at a minimum needed.
Paul

 

[Steve Donlon]

I have always talked to Pat at PMA Tool. He has always offered great advice on what his opinion was on what I was needing to do. Then he had or would make what I needed to do it. When I built a 30 -06 bench rifle I bought 500 pieces of 30-06 brass when Silver State was acquired by Nosler for .25 cents a piece. Turned the necks on all of them in a few days with a PMA neck turning tool. Easy to use with a Battery powered drill with the shell holding attachment. Now 6.5 Creedmoor brass also.

 

[dthomas]

21st century has a good neck turner.

 

[Mike in Oregon]

My K&M works great. My poor hands cringe at the thought of turning thousands of cases. A power screwdriver is at a minimum needed.
Paul

Exactly what I was thinking! Thank you, sir.

 

[ebb]

What Seebee Ken said. I have not done that amount ever but it doesn't seem undoable with a drill. I bought a bunch of stuff in a box at the gun show and gave 1 or 2 K&Ms to a friend that made brass for and helped me with a 6PPC. The box also had a Marquet neck turner that I added to my K&M turner and mandrels and it looks to be an earlier version of the K&M.

 

[LHSmith]

Used K&M's for 20 + years. Inexpensive enough to have one pre-set for each chambering. Depending on the cartridge I have one pre-set for initial pass and one for final pass. I spin with a drill. Upgraded 1/ to Sinclair case holders (specific to casehead- Not universal design) 2/ use Ergo holder 3/ On comp cartridges I use K&M's carbide tooling.

 

[AWS]

I just recently bought a Forester outside neck turner for making 350 RM brass, pretty easy to use and is bench mounted. I like it. I already had an ancient Forester case trimmer.

 

[Mike in Oregon]

I just recently bought a Forester outside neck turner for making 350 RM brass, pretty easy to use and is bench mounted. I like it. I already had an ancient Forester case trimmer.

I looked at the Forster. I'm now weighing out handheld vs bench mount??? Leaning really hard to the K&M.

 

[TTE]

IMO .... anything over 50 cases requires something other than a K&M (hand held) set up.

I have one, so I am speaking from experience.

OR ... you can just do 25 - 50 at a time.
It gets boring pretty fast.

 

[Mike in Oregon]

IMO .... anything over 50 cases requires something other than a K&M (hand held) set up.

I have one, so I am speaking from experience.

OR ... you can just do 25 - 50 at a time.
It gets boring pretty fast.

I get it. Nothing but time when I'm retire!

 

[gmr4]

I turned 450 on a rainy day with my K&M set up using a rechargable screwdriver. I looked hard at more automation but ended up calling K&M and they were awesome helpful. Once you buy everything its not cheep but way less than the autodod . I bought the kit and made sure everything was carbide.

 

[X Count]

When your doing 100s -1000s the turning mandrel can get warm and expand. At a minimum go with carbide mandrels for both expanding and turning.

I really like the PMA neck turner. I haven't done 1000 of one batch but several different cals in the 500 ish range. I just use a drill and case driver and hold the turner by hand. Do 50-100 while sitting the turner on an ice pack between each case and then get sick of it and do something else for a while.

A while ago I saw a guy machine a mandrel in the lathe, push the case neck onto the mandrel and support it with the live centre in the tailstock, then turn the neck with the lathe. This idea has the benifits that the mandrel is not turning inside the neck creating friction. How well it holds tolerance is up to the operator and lathe. Speedy did it the other way around using a small lathe to hold and spin the case while holding a pumpkin turner by hand. Cortina was doing it in a milling machine.

 

[JSH]

I use a Forster for what you mention.