Thread: Neck turning - School me...

So have a rifle with a relatively tight neck. Fine with necked up 6.5/284 brass but get intermittent pressure spikes with regular 284 brass. Have a heaps of 284 brass and the necked up 6.5 brass is tired so need a basic setup to zap a couple thou off and get rid of the pressure outliers.

So given I haven't the foggiest about the process. What's a good simple kit, how best to go about it and any tips tricks or pitfalls?

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Originally Posted by Nick-D

So have a rifle with a relatively tight neck. Fine with necked up 6.5/284 brass but get intermittent pressure spikes with regular 284 brass. Have a heaps of 284 brass and the necked up 6.5 brass is tired so need a basic setup to zap a couple thou off and get rid of the pressure outliers.

So given I haven't the foggiest about the process. What's a good simple kit, how best to go about it and any tips tricks or pitfalls?

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If you borrow mine I will send it with instructions how I do it or I am pretty sure you can download a manual for free off uncle Google as well.
If you're doing a heap, a case head holder for a drill is bloody handy.
I will send the hand winder thingy but I find the drill quicker and it gives a better finish.
It's not a hard or technical task if you setup right.


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Have a look at the K&M neck turning gear.

The carbide cutters are awesome.

And like R93 said, if you have more than a handful of cases to do, invest in a power drill adapter.

I just use gear oil w90 as a cutting fluid.

Neck turning - School me...

If she's "HOT" yes
If she's not then "NO"

Save yourself the time, brass, money and effort and just go get the chambers neck opened up to no turn specs.

I neck turn all of my brass when new as I use bushing neck dies.

In my .284 and 7 RM I turn down to 14 thou’ thickness on expanded cases, which gives 2 thou’ of neck tension with a .310 bushing in my dies.

There seems to be a general opinion that neck turning is time consuming and difficult, but it’s actually quick and easy, especially using a drill. I only do it once to new brass.

You need to trim to length first so you are neck turning to the same consistent depth on each case.

I use a K&M expander mandrel then turn down and a bit into the neck/shoulder junction with the K&M turner and carbide cutter. I’m really only taking off the high points to uniform everything up and give consistent neck tension. Even in Lapua brass there is 1-1.5 thou of variance in neck thickness.

It’s also useful to have a ball micrometer like a Mitutoyo to accurately measure neck wall thickness.

Assuming your standard case prep, powder measuring, seating are all as good as can be, I think neck turning and bushing dies are the single best way to improve consistency.

Good luck.

If you have access to a lathe it is even easier than turning on a K&M tool (the easiest to use hand tool). How to neck turn on the lathe info is on the web.

I can understand neck turning because of certain issues with case to chamber fit etc.
But if comparing with good unturned annealed brass, has anyone really noted a marked improvement in accuracy or ES?

I have turned several cases from a batch of brass and shot them against unturned from same batch in a few different calibers and barrels. While I believe consistent neck tension aids ES and SD, it is imo, not as critical as some other component fixes I do now that have dramatically reduced ES in my rifles.
Especially if there is not that much in it as far as neck thickness variances go, that you will find in reputable brass.

Definitely didnt see any accuracy improvement and only seen negligible variations in ES for what I have experimented with.
To be fair I have not experimented with any brass other than lapua, Norma or Nosler.
Just curious.




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Originally Posted by rupert

If you have access to a lathe it is even easier than turning on a K&M tool (the easiest to use hand tool). How to neck turn on the lathe info is on the web.

I'd love to have access to a lathe but unfortunately that's not a thing at the moment. Have ordered the K&M kit. Not stupid expensive so will keep it for tidying up necks as needed.

Will hopefully get to actually go shoot at some point this year.

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Time is easily available for those stuck at home at the moment. Perfect for all those long reloading tasks

k&m, cordless screwdriver. because I have to, otherwise most likely wouldn't bother

Originally Posted by ebf

Have a look at the K&M neck turning gear.

The carbide cutters are awesome.

And like R93 said, if you have more than a handful of cases to do, invest in a power drill adapter.

I just use gear oil w90 as a cutting fluid.

As he said and follow the last line carefully. A good cutting oil will get your necks with a mirror finish.