I can't seem to find a reason to neck turning.

[creedmoor664]

I bought a new micrometer cuz I wasn't sure of the accuracy of my 1963 year old one. I bought an Anytime Tools ball anvil 0-1" micrometer that had good reviews. I started micing them and out of 450 Hornady new and 1, 2, 3, and 4 times fired cases, I couldn't find any more than 1/2 of a thousands off. I had a couple that were close to a thousand off from one side to the other. All cases were prepped including cleaned, primed, trimmed, reamed, champhered and full sized. 150 of them were annealed. I expected to see .002 to .004 difference but didn't. It's hard to make a case for neck turning with those results. What do you think?

 

[mdmp5]

Here’s my take on neck turning. Only do it if your chamber is tight and can’t fit the brass without doing it, or if you are necking down a wildcat and the brass is too thick.

 

[creedmoor664]

Well, I've got a new Bartlein 9-8 gain twist 6.5 Creed barrel that will be here Monday, but it's a drop in for my RPR from Greg at SPR, so I don't think it's going to be exceptionally tight, but after micing all my cases, I'm not sure I'm going to need to neck turn at all unless future cases are really inconsistent.

 

[mdmp5]

I wouldn’t bother. Anything outside of necessity is fanatical. I hold contention that you won’t see the difference on target.

 

[Torchy]

Here’s my take on neck turning. Only do it if your chamber is tight and can’t fit the brass without doing it, or if you are necking down a wildcat and the brass is too thick.

This guy gets it, along with everyone else in here. Personally don't have time for that and would rather buy quality brass that just doesn't have that problem.

Probably own over 3000 various Lapua cases and none are over a thou from each other. Don't see the need to turn either.

 

[creedmoor664]

I've kind of been led to believe that almost everyone who shoots well neck turns their cases, but I'm starting to believe it's a myth. Mine are consistently at .014 or .0145.

 

[wpgk58]

Start with great brass and the consistency will be there. My Peterson brass is generally .0005' or less.
If you start with commercial brass there will be some inconsistencies, but once you have fired them a couple of time it will equalize.

 

[BoltActionBrotherhood]

Not worth it with good brass, I did it with my norma and it was such a pain in the ass. I didnt see any benefits to it at all, I was just taking off the high spots .001-.0005 off.
Mine were pretty much the same as yours .014- .0145

 

[kthomas]

I've kind of been led to believe that almost everyone who shoots well neck turns their cases, but I'm starting to believe it's a myth. Mine are consistently at .014 or .0145.

Some people do, some people don't.

I've never seen the need to turn necks, and I would rather not add another process/task to the reloading process. My reloads are more then accurate and consistent enough that I don't see the need to neck turn.

Turning necks seems to be one of those reloading fables that has two camps: one that believes that you absolutely need to neck turn to get utmost precision, and others that say it's a reloading myth. Alex Wheeler is in camp #1, but there's other benchrest shooters in camp #2. Seems to be an unsettled science.

I'm in the camp that thinks you don't need it unless your rifle is telling you that you have to do it, especially for the discipline we shoot. Why make things more complicated if you don't have to?

 

[creedmoor664]

Start with great brass and the consistency will be there. My Peterson brass is generally .0005' or less.
If you start with commercial brass there will be some inconsistencies, but once you have fired them a couple of time it will equalize.

I am not sure why the last same die lot Hornady cases were so good, because normally in the past they haven't been that close. Having said that, I am looking at Lapua, Nosler, and Norma. I hadn't considered Peterson but after looking at their site they seem to be very good quality and tolerances. All the best brass seems to be between $85 and $100 for 100 cases in 6.5 Creed. I don't have a problem with that as long as I can get 14 to 15 firings from each case. I do anneal every other time. I guess the old adage of you get what you pay for ring screw in brass.....

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

If your looking for that last little bit to win a bench rest match I can see it but,... unless you can read the wind to 1/4 mph past 600 yds I don't see being worth the effort myself.

 

[Threadcutter308]

I agree with both points of view. If you are getting the accuracy and velocity results that you desire and you don't feel the need, then there probably isn't one.

I neck turn all my brass. I chamber my own barrels and specify my own reamers. I spec the reamers "snug neck", meaning that factory rounds will just barely/safely fit. I rarely full length resize my brass at any time throughout it's life. The brass will tell you when it needs it by sticky bolt lift. I weight sort my brass and it lives with a specific rifle for the life of the brass. I only have to neck turn new, un-fired brass once. I prep the cases by doing both sides of the flash holes, the primer pocket, OAL, inside and outside neck chamfer. In other words, the brass is perfect once all of that is done. I shoot Lapua exclusively. For those of you who say it doesn't need it, I would agree, for the most part. It's pretty damned good right out of the box. I weight sort my brass because I am looking for the best of the best. I usually retire my brass at 20 firings, so my (per firing) brass costs are ridiculously low.

I either buy Wilson neck sizer blanks and finish them with the same reamer, or if I'm lazy, I'll buy Wilson finished neck dies. I would suggest that if you are going to go to the extent of neck sizing, that you should neck turn, if for no other reason than consistency. You can always adjust the sizing of the neck by buying a different sized button.

Neck sizing will not turn a 1 MOA round into a .1 MOA round all by itself. It's all the small things, including neck sizing that add up to improve consistency in the direction of .1 MOA. If you are getting .3 to .5 MOA without neck sizing and are happy with it, then by all means, stay that course and don't let anyone tell you there is anything wrong with that, because there isn't.

edit; I should also add that I don't shoot PRS, or anything along those lines. So, losing my brass in those kinds of comps isn't going to be a factor. I just shoot single shot, off of a bench, I suppose "Fudd style"

 

[wpgk58]

I am not sure why the last same die lot Hornady cases were so good, because normally in the past they haven't been that close. Having said that, I am looking at Lapua, Nosler, and Norma. I hadn't considered Peterson but after looking at their site they seem to be very good quality and tolerances. All the best brass seems to be between $85 and $100 for 100 cases in 6.5 Creed. I don't have a problem with that as long as I can get 14 to 15 firings from each case. I do anneal every other time. I guess the old adage of you get what you pay for ring screw in brass.....

I have been running Peterson for the past 2+ years. I have one 50 batch of .308 that has been reloaded 16 times. And 6.5 and 6.0 are both as consistent. Grafs is one of the distributors.
PS I understand that PRIME is using Peterson Brass, so buy a case of PRIME and then you will have the brass.
PSS I also run some Lapua and Norma brass. Lapua is also great. The Norma though seems to blow out primer pockets after only 4-5 reloadings.

 

[creedmoor664]

I have been running Peterson for the past 2+ years. I have one 50 batch of .308 that has been reloaded 16 times. And 6.5 and 6.0 are both as consistent. Grafs is one of the distributors.
PS I understand that PRIME is using Peterson Brass, so buy a case of PRIME and then you will have the brass.
PSS I also run some Lapua and Norma brass. Lapua is also great. The Norma though seems to blow out primer pockets after only 4-5 reloadings.

I'm only an hour and 15 min from Graf and Sons, so it's a nice quick trip to get just about everything, and they are extremely competitive. I did see where Lapua brass has a large primer 6.5 Creedmoor now?

 

[6brshooter]

I had 200 pieces of lapua 243win that had nk thickness variations, on same case, that was .003....apparently cost of brass doesnt preclude it from needing help.

Edit: most cases had one side that was .016 and other side was .013-.014

 

[Threadcutter308]

I had 200 pieces of lapua 243win that had nk thickness variations, on same case, that was .003....apparently cost of brass doesnt preclude it from needing help.

Edit: most cases had one side that was .016 and other side was .013-.014

Hmm......the .223, 6x47 and .308 Lapua that I get usually varies by not more than .001" to .00125" or so. It's not perfect, but damn near.

 

[Dthomas3523]

I see my ES drop around half when neck turning vs non neck turning. But we are talking going from 20 to 10 or 16 to 8. Is that going to show up downrange? Maybe, maybe not.

I think part of it has to do with smoothing out the exterior surface of the neck that will be contacting the bushing or what not. It *should* create a more uniform mating to the inside of the bushing or die.

Even with “no neck turn” reamers, I’ll measure a loaded round. If the neck clearance isn’t .005-.006, I’ll turn to get that clearance.

I also do it because I enjoy making as perfect of ammo as I can make. So that helps a lot. I also have a motorized turning lathe which speeds things up dramatically.

If you’re not turning, I’d absolutely use mandrels to set neck tension (I use them when turning too) so that you’re at leas keeping the inside of the neck perfectly uniform.

 

[Dthomas3523]

I agree with both points of view. If you are getting the accuracy and velocity results that you desire and you don't feel the need, then there probably isn't one.

I neck turn all my brass. I chamber my own barrels and specify my own reamers. I spec the reamers "snug neck", meaning that factory rounds will just barely/safely fit. I rarely full length resize my brass at any time throughout it's life. The brass will tell you when it needs it by sticky bolt lift. I weight sort my brass and it lives with a specific rifle for the life of the brass. I only have to neck turn new, un-fired brass once. I prep the cases by doing both sides of the flash holes, the primer pocket, OAL, inside and outside neck chamfer. In other words, the brass is perfect once all of that is done. I shoot Lapua exclusively. For those of you who say it doesn't need it, I would agree, for the most part. It's pretty damned good right out of the box. I weight sort my brass because I am looking for the best of the best. I usually retire my brass at 20 firings, so my (per firing) brass costs are ridiculously low.

I either buy Wilson neck sizer blanks and finish them with the same reamer, or if I'm lazy, I'll buy Wilson finished neck dies. I would suggest that if you are going to go to the extent of neck sizing, that you should neck turn, if for no other reason than consistency. You can always adjust the sizing of the neck by buying a different sized button.

Neck sizing will not turn a 1 MOA round into a .1 MOA round all by itself. It's all the small things, including neck sizing that add up to improve consistency in the direction of .1 MOA. If you are getting .3 to .5 MOA without neck sizing and are happy with it, then by all means, stay that course and don't let anyone tell you there is anything wrong with that, because there isn't.

edit; I should also add that I don't shoot PRS, or anything along those lines. So, losing my brass in those kinds of comps isn't going to be a factor. I just shoot single shot, off of a bench, I supposed "Fudd style"

Or you can just FL size and never get sticky bolt lift without any detrimental effects.

Most any top f class or benchrest shooters have moved away from neck sizing only and always FL size.

 

[Threadcutter308]

Or you can just FL size and never get sticky bolt lift without any detrimental effects.

Most any top f class or benchrest shooters have moved away from neck sizing only and always FL size.

AND................funny you should mention that. I have a 6 x 47L TL2 that shoots 105 Hybrids with lights out accuracy. The necked down 6.5 x 47 Lapua brass that I use seems to like to grow in length, such that I have to FLR after every 2nd or 3rd firing. But, I use a Wilson FLR die with a neck sizer button. No Expander ball. Have had excellent results so far.

I've historically had allergies to FLR'ing brass, but in this case, accuracy doesn't suffer from it at all. Another pleasant surprise. And I do anneal the necks during each clean/reload session.

I'm not warm to the idea/complaint about neck turning brass being a pain. Like I said, a person only has to do it once. If you get 15 or 20 reloads out of each piece of brass, it's really a small amount of work, spread over the life of the brass.

 

[6brshooter]

I've never had an issue with 308, 6br, or 223 lapua brass. But those 243 needed turned. The sad part was I had 300+ pieces of "inferior" cheap win brass that was all within .0005, lol.

 

[Steel head]

I neck up Winchester 243 brass to 260 and have always turned the necks to prevent donuts.

I also recently turned my ADG 7 saum brass.

My neck clearance to the chamber was pretty minimal so I did a 60-80% cut.

My SD got slightly better but I can’t say I noticed any difference in how it shoots.

I did notice a difference in bullet seating force equalization between cases.

 

[chevy_man]

It's not needed unless it's needed.


I quit neck sizing and never bothered turning. Only reason to turn down the neck is a tight chamber that the brass won't fit.

Using a bushing die or inside mandrel to set neck tension is important. Huge gains in SD's with every load since I started that.