I am interesting in starting neck turning. I don't have any idea where to start. I reload 30-06, 30/30, .223, 7mm Rem Mag and 300 Win Mag. could anyone point me in the right direction in terms of what equipment to buy?
Neck Turning- where to start?
- Thread starter jtcoinflip
- Start date
Neck turning is usually associated with brass that is too thick to fit a tighter than normal chamber neck. You turn necks to add needed clearance. At the same time the operation is piloted so that the turned neck is of uniform thickness.
If you do not have a tight chamber neck then you may not have a good reason to turn the necks.
Equipment is listed at K&Ws web site.
If you survey the existing equipment offered you will find turners that are part of trimmers such as Wilson and Forster.
There are simple hand tools like K&W and Marquart. There are the larger hand tools like the orange pumpkin and a number of others. Shooters that often do a lot of turning set a tool up for each caliber or even each rifle and leave it. That runs the cost up but the turning is more uniform since resetting the tool from one caliber or chamber to another can be time consuming.
If you do not have a tight chamber neck then you may not have a good reason to turn the necks.
Equipment is listed at K&Ws web site.
If you survey the existing equipment offered you will find turners that are part of trimmers such as Wilson and Forster.
There are simple hand tools like K&W and Marquart. There are the larger hand tools like the orange pumpkin and a number of others. Shooters that often do a lot of turning set a tool up for each caliber or even each rifle and leave it. That runs the cost up but the turning is more uniform since resetting the tool from one caliber or chamber to another can be time consuming.
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Some tech articles on this site to check out are listed below. You-tube videos demonstrating various setups/methods can be informative too.
1. Complete precision case prep
2. Neck turning basics
3. Tools for measuring case necks
4. Neck turning tool cutting tips
5. Neck turning with lathe or mill
1. Complete precision case prep
2. Neck turning basics
3. Tools for measuring case necks
4. Neck turning tool cutting tips
5. Neck turning with lathe or mill
Thanks for the tech articles. those helped!
Just wanted to add that some of us are accuracy freaks that turn necks to have the same clearance on all cartridges even if they did fit. Rounds typically 1.5 or 2 thousands diff from the chamber. Not much sense in doing this for a production rifle though.
Without denigration to the last two posters, I turn necks when I'm dragged kicking & screaming to do so - and that's only with rifles specifically chambered for accuracy with specifically wall thickness reduced necks. My not turn accuracy chambers & my factory rifles, I use the brass with the neck as it comes.
I'm getting old & have plenty more important stuff to waste my time on.
I'm getting old & have plenty more important stuff to waste my time on.
I turn a lot of brass because I have several custom tight necked rifles. I quit turning neck for factory chambers years ago. I never got enough increase in accuracy that I could measure it, and it does shorten case life because you work your brass more. With my chambers that I neck turn for I turn for .002 neck expansion and brass is worked very little and last along time. Even the barrel burners that I have to inside neck turn to get the doughnut out of after the 2 nd loading. If your going to start neck turning the first thing you need is a rifle with a tight chamber. Just mu opinion.
I have a couple of Steyr manufactured Dutch M95 Mannlicher rifles in 6.5X53R. This is the company that manufactured the Mannlicher-Schoenauer sporting rifles that are renown for fine workmanship.
The best way to get brass for these rifles is by reforming .303 British cases. People always recommend that you turn the necks to make sure they are not too thick.
The chamber neck on these rifles is .300 as measured a with .001 increment pin gauge.
The bullets are .264 diameter. It takes a .286 die neck to size the brass about .002 under the bullet diameter.
The loaded round is about .288 in diameter over the neck. That is .012 clearance or .006 per side. That is already excessive.
Turning the necks would make no sense at all.
As you say, turning necks just because you can is largely a waste of time
The best way to get brass for these rifles is by reforming .303 British cases. People always recommend that you turn the necks to make sure they are not too thick.
The chamber neck on these rifles is .300 as measured a with .001 increment pin gauge.
The bullets are .264 diameter. It takes a .286 die neck to size the brass about .002 under the bullet diameter.
The loaded round is about .288 in diameter over the neck. That is .012 clearance or .006 per side. That is already excessive.
Turning the necks would make no sense at all.
As you say, turning necks just because you can is largely a waste of time
If your turning your tight neck guns for .002 clearance, you may be letting a lot of accuracy on the table. It has been proven that .003 minimum clearance hurts nothing. It has been proven that some cartridges like 284 and 284 IMP like 005 to get better accuracy. A bullet must be able to get released cleanly. If you have even the slightest bit of carbon, or a donut or a piece of brass not turned perfectly all the way, it wouldn't take much to hold a bullet a little. Matt
I absolutely agree! Barlow
R.Morehouse
Gold $$ Contributor
Where to start you ask. When it comes time to spend do your self a favor and get a Benchrite Case Lathe with assorted equip. to go with your brass and in short order you will be glad you did........
Carbide is your friend.......
Carbide is your friend.......
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Shynloco
You can lead a horse to water, but ........
I agree with VaRandy and Lloyd 1000%!!!!!!!! Having experimented extensively over the years with all makes of brass I could find (even Lapua), you will find that if you are chasing concentricity and accuracy, you will end up turning every piece of brass you shoot, however slight. I just had a rebarrel and caliber change to a .260 Remington and bought new Lapua Brass. I use a 21st Century Neck Necking Lathe which I've found works best for me after trying several others. Anyways, I purposefully SLIGHTLY turned every piece of the Lapua brass to remove any high spots. Guess what, every piece was every so slightly off on one side and I checked concentricity on every piece before and after turning it. After turning, the needle on the 21st Century Concentricity gauge didn't hardly even budge whereas before it would move slightly as you rotated the brass. SO don't believe the statement that there is no good reason to turn brass. Tight chambers are certainly a legitimate reason to turn brass. But that is done because of the chamber size of the barrel (is tight) and not the brass which is not as near perfectly concentric as possible. I have a few rifles that I've had to turn brass to match the chamber. But I've also learned to turn every piece of new brass as there is no such thing as perfectly concentric brass coming from a manufacturer. And I use strickly Lapua brass in my bolt guns.
Lastly jtcoinflip, practice turning brass on junk brass. It may take a few tries to learn whats the best method for you and is easiest to accomplish, depending on what equipment you choose to use. Just my .02 worth.
Alex
I am not going to debate the pros and cons of neck turning, but do have a suggestion.
If you already have a machine lathe, ignore the following. If not-
To save your hands, fingers from fatigue and also inaccuracy if using solely a power drill, get a lathe setup from any of the neck turning manufacturers that will attach to you bench and can be operated either by hand or with a power drill attachment. Life will be easier.
If you already have a machine lathe, ignore the following. If not-
To save your hands, fingers from fatigue and also inaccuracy if using solely a power drill, get a lathe setup from any of the neck turning manufacturers that will attach to you bench and can be operated either by hand or with a power drill attachment. Life will be easier.
I think you mean K &M. However, I agree for the average reloader who does not load for a tight neck chamber, it is not necessary. If you want to improve accuracy, buy/ make a set of windflags, learn how to read wind conditions and time spent behind the gun will net more accuracy gains than turning down necks for factory chambers.
BoydAllen
Gold $$ Contributor
Some people enjoy playing with every single too that can be bought, spending hours on their brass. If you are one of them then buy a tool and turn, but if you only want to do the things that show up on your targets, you might find that turning brass for factory chambers is a waste of time. Years back, I did a test using a pretty good Remington .222. There was no advantage....for me, at that time. On the other hand there are several things that can be done to improve the size of any rifle's groups. One is to have a rest setup that allows you to keep the cross hairs perfectly motionless as you are firing the rifle, the other is to use some sort of wind indicating devices, either a set of wind flags, or something like some sticks that are sharpened on one end, with surveyor's tape attached to the other (long enough to reach the ground). Being able to "see" the wind is a huge advantage. Another common tool that I have seen no advantage from is the primer pocket uniformer. If you have burrs in your flash holes then by all means remedy them with the proper tool, but if you seat primers by feel, properly, I do not think that you will see any improvement from cutting your pockets. Some shooters become preoccupied with cleaning their brass. Unfortunately if their cleaning procedure removes all of the fouling from the inside of their case necks it can cause a couple of problems, cold welding of bullets in necks, and less consistent seating force. You can do things to fix these problems, but why create them in the first place? My point is that just because someone sells a tool does not mean that using it will improve your rifles' accuracy. I turn necks all of the time, for chambers that require it. I have several different brands of turners. They all work, but some are easier to set than others. My main advice on turners would be to make sure that you have the right tools to measure your necks after they are turned. At a minimum you will need a decent 1" mic. that reads to .0001". In addition to that a special designed neck mic. that also reads to .0001" is a good idea. If you do not have all of your bolt action rifles' barrels floated and actions properly pillar bedded, I would take care of that first. If you have already done that, good for you. Often I see where guys are worrying about loading minutia when loading for an unmodified factory rifle. IMO they have the cart before the horse. Good luck. Do your own experiments and believe your targets.
I think the only reason for turning brass is for getting enough clearence on the neck for bullet release in a chamber . Too much and you over work the brass . Not enough and you can have pressure problems. Skimming to make it the same is ok . Everyone has their own way . Inside neck Reaming will not stop donuts or will out side turning .
I have a step I uses The back half centers on the chamber the front I use for bullet hold . It as a double process when sizeing .
Is the correct way of doing It works for me that is all it matters. Larry
I have a step I uses The back half centers on the chamber the front I use for bullet hold . It as a double process when sizeing .
Is the correct way of doing It works for me that is all it matters. Larry
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