Reaming Donuts

[Catfur]

Sitting here reaming out donuts... I use the Wilson reamer, and it does the job very well, but is a tool designed by a torturer. I have to use gloves, and even then I can only go through 40 or so cases before I get blisters on my fingertips from that dratted "knurled knob" that is just evil. Wilson enjoys the tears of pain from reloaders, and doesn't offer it with a crank, and you can't remove the knob yourself to replace with a crank.

Any suggestions?

 

[#40Fan]

Could you dill a hole in the end, tap it, put a small bolt in it, cut the head of the bolt off and use an electric drill?

 

[Immike]

Sitting here reaming out donuts... I use the Wilson reamer, and it does the job very well, but is a tool designed by a torturer. I have to use gloves, and even then I can only go through 40 or so cases before I get blisters on my fingertips from that dratted "knurled knob" that is just evil. Wilson enjoys the tears of pain from reloaders, and doesn't offer it with a crank, and you can't remove the knob yourself to replace with a crank.

Any suggestions?

I tried the same and after about 20-30 I ordered new brass. I feel your pain brother!

 

[Catfur]

I tried the same and after about 20-30 I ordered new brass. I feel your pain brother!

I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling the agony.

Tossing it is not in the offing, it's neck-turned, fire-formed (.22-250 to 6XC), Lapua brass with lots of life left aside from the donut.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Throat your chamber out and forget the donuts. Or get a different cartridge next time. The xc is not worth even the smallest bit of torture- theres plenty out there that dont give problems.

 

[Texas10]

My Lapua brass in 22-250 was making donuts, so I measured carefully and bought a reamer from a Machine shop supply. Chuck it up in a cordless drill and reamed 'um out. Didn't cut the sides of the neck, just the donut and worked fast and easy. YMMV.

 

[NorCalMikie]

You're neck turning anyway so why not just push the donut to the outside and turn it off? Worked for me but I dinn't have many to deal with.

 

[Steve Jennings]

I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling the agony.

Tossing it is not in the offing, it's neck-turned, fire-formed (.22-250 to 6XC), Lapua brass with lots of life left aside from the donut.

Try making a disc 2 1/4" od X about .73" id and 1/2" thick. Press or set screw it onto the Wilson reamer . As soon as the knurling on the od wears down a bit it might work.

 

[Mulligan]

I believe a longer throat to keep the base of the bullet out of the donut area like @Dusty Stevens said is the right approach.
I have used a mandrel and pushed the donut to the outside and returned a few times. It works well.
I think the knob is pressed on, maybe you could drive it off and use a low-speed drill to help?
CW

 

[SWRichmond]

I chuck one of these

https://m.lowes.com/pd/Dremel-Tungs...MIl4_TzIuJ3QIVUj0MCh32gAVCEAQYASABEgJPf_D_BwE

into a dremel, wrap the dremel in a towel and put it in a vice on my work bench with the bit pointing at me. Spin it reasonably fast. I hold brass in my fingers, get the bit in the mouth far enough to reach the donut, hold the brass case at an angle so the bit is just against the donut, and spin the case against the bit slowly with my fingers.

Fast and painless. A few seconds per case. Tap the case upside down afterwards to dump the chips.

Be careful if you try this at home.

 

[ckaberna]

This is what I have been using in a drill. Measures .2445 some type of endmill. Works great.

 

[NorCalMikie]

"I believe a longer throat to keep the base of the bullet out of the donut area like @Dusty Stevens said is the right approach."

The only problem with that is? You'll end up with the throat long enough that there's no way to get close to the lands when seating your favorite bullet.
I go ZERO or next to nothing freebore when I spec my chambers. That way, I can start off with lighter/shorter bullets and go heavier/longer as the throat wears. Nothing worse than having a bug hole shooter with your favorite bullet, the throat wears and you can't reach the lands anymore. You go to a heavier bullet and have to start all over again with the load workup. Been there, done that. Got rid of a good shooter because of that. Sold it to someone that would shoot heavier bullets than I wanted.
In some cases, you can go to a BT bullet and be able to seat above the donut.

 

[Don Shelton]

21st century makes a donut cutter that attaches to their neck turning tool…I think K&M makes an adaptor for it also,,I have 1 for my 6mm and 1 for my 7 mm,,they work great

 

[wildcatter]

I got the K&M with the cutter pilot and driver adapter, takes out the donut only on the inside and super easy to adjust for the outside neck, makes life easy, and is the easiest to adjust I have found.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I've used the Forster and it does s good job, but the one, can't remember the name, with the shark fin holds the case better from what I understand.

 

[wildcatter]

I've used the Forster and it does s good job, but the one, can't remember the name, with the shark fin holds the case better from what I understand.

I think your referring to the Sinclair Wilson, if so I have it as well as the forster, the K&M is my preference for inside and outside neck turning, over the other two, it does the best job as well as most precise, mine is the entire kit, holder, case driver adapter and with the carbide inside doughnut cutter.

For case trimming, the Sinclair Wilson is my preferred case length trimmer, again does the best job.

The forster is in my opinion a Jack of all trades, not as precise at any one job, but with the two case head collets, and the number of inside mandrels it comes with, covers about anything you want for trimming and neck turning inside and out, just don't expect precision work.

 

[jnyfeler]

The folks at Wilson are sadistic! On the other end of the spectrum -- and quite expensive -- is this dream of a neck turner. Turns inside, outside and removes the donut simultaneously. I have no affiliation with the mfr, but this thing looks sweet!

If anyone wants to start a go fund me page so I can buy one, feel free!!

Jeff