Neck turning - newbie or veteran procedure?

tpcollins · March 22, 2009, 11:59 AM

CAn neck turning be a newbie procedure or for the more seasoned reloader? I've ben reading alot and think it's a procedure I could do reasonably well. I'm just concerned on how to keep from removing brass from the radius where the shoulder starts. I assume there are is an adjustment somewhere on the turner to prevent this. Thanks.

Shoney · March 22, 2009, 01:26 PM

What neck turner do you have? or Are you looking to buy?

The procedure is not complicated. and if you read the instructions with the tools, you can do a good job.

IllinoisCoyoteHunter · March 22, 2009, 01:51 PM

Neck turners have a pilot the neck slips on. It has a stop on the end that when adjusted properly will not let you take the brass off in the shoulder area. Neck turning is mainly done for custom chambers that normal brass neck's are too thick for. But, I neck turn my .243 brass and just "knock down" the high spots. Do not adust your cutter depth to take brass off all the way around. You want to clean up around 70-75% of the surface area of the neck (this will take care of the high spots). Therefore, you will have some spots that are shaved off (the high spots) and some that are not. Good luck!

wncchester · March 22, 2009, 04:43 PM

"CAn neck turning be a newbie procedure or for the more seasoned reloader?"

Newbies need not neck turn. It offers precious little benefit, if any at all, in factory chambers. Nor for seasoned reloaders either but they already know that!

The question is not how hard it is, it isn't, but if it will do anything for us. Unless it's in a tight neck chamber, the answer is usually no and even it it does, a little, it won't be much.

HiBC · March 22, 2009, 05:22 PM

It depends on your reason for neck turinng

If you are forming brass,say you were making 25-06 out of 30-06,as was done before the 25-06 became a facory round,the thickening of the neck needs to be corrected.

If you have a special micrometer to measure case wall thickness,and you discover your case wall thickness varies ,as was mentioned,knocking the hi spots off can be beneficial if you are pursuing the last degree of accuracy.

But,neck turning can create problems that hurt accuracy,(review the dread donut,that is about displacing metal inward.

At some point,"How much time do I have in each round" becomes a factor.I load to shoot.It is like washing dishes.
I will add steps to loading (like neck chamfering,brass cleaning) on a time/benefit priority.At some point,how much is it worth to go from a 3/4 in group to a 3/8 in group? The radius change is 3/16 @ 100yds.At 400 yds,it would be 3/4 inch.Can I shoot well enough in the field to notice? Not me.

Better to spend my neck turning time dry firing.

fourdogs · March 22, 2009, 06:22 PM

I deleted my advice because of your comment below about pounding cyots. I have no respect for people who kill for recreation. I've got some real advice for you. Get a life.

tpcollins · March 23, 2009, 09:04 AM

Thanks guys, no I haven't bought a neck turner yet - just was wondering if I should. For pounding coyotes at 200 yards, it doesn't seem like I need to. Thanks again.

IllinoisCoyoteHunter · March 23, 2009, 12:43 PM

Coyotes are more fun to shoot at 600 yards!

wncchester · March 23, 2009, 05:42 PM

"Coyotes are more fun to shoot at 600 yards! "

Sounds cool to me!

Those damp desert dogs are overrunning much of our game land, kill a lot of deer, turkey and small game. AND they have moved into rural neighborhoods like mine and eat a LOT of yard pets. Wish I could line them up ten deep and use .308 AP rounds on them.

HiBC · March 23, 2009, 08:01 PM

I do appreciate a disdain for wanton killing,however,I once attended a DOW meeting about the decline in deer population.
There was the official,politically correct version,which talked about contraceptives for coyotes and such.They did not really talk about shooting coyotes,but there was a case made that coyotes were a factor in fawn mortality,and fawn mortality was the issue.
At the break,I approached a DOW official,and said "It seems like you guys are dancing around asking us to shoot coyotes"
He answered "There are powers that be that dictate what I have to say to this group,but between you and me,the best thing you can do for the deer is shoot every coyote you see."

He then told me of how Utah had just resumed shooting coyotes from the air,and Co did not.On the Utah side,the deer herd recovered,but in Co,it was still on the decline.

I have seen coyotes go for a calf as it was being born,still in the birth canal

They are smart and adaptable.If they can safely eat veal rather than prairie dog,they learn how.
I actually like coyotes,myself.I like to see them,and I love to listen to them.But,I will shoot them.

So,its OK to neck turn brass used to shoot coyotes,but thats just my opinion.
Its OK to disagree

Tex S · March 23, 2009, 08:33 PM

Quote:

I deleted my advice because of your comment below about pounding cyots. I have no respect for people who kill for recreation. I've got some real advice for you. Get a life.

Seriously? You are really going to log into a gun talk discussion board and say something like that? Wow...

tpcollins · March 24, 2009, 08:26 AM

If you get a small bore varmint rifle, are you going to: shoot only, eat what you shoot, or just think it would be pretty dang cool?

From a reloaders standpoint...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

would you rather have a 220 Swift or 204 Ruger for varmints? I currently do not own a small bore varmint rifle, but I am seriously considering buying one. I have never shot either caliber so I dont really know all that much about them, but something about a bullet screaming at 4000fps + sounds pretty dang cool. Any comments would be great, especially if you own one of these rifles.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Last edited by Tex S; 2009-02-24 at 08:19 PM. Reason: sp

Crosshair · March 24, 2009, 12:25 PM

Quote:

I deleted my advice because of your comment below about pounding cyots. I have no respect for people who kill for recreation.

So you're saying you hate hunters and fishermen? This isn't exactly the place to be if you don't like those activities.

Shoney · March 24, 2009, 02:27 PM

I've extensively shot bolt weapons in 22-250, 223, and 220 Swift. The Swift was definitely the most impressive, both in accuracy and terminal effect. I've not shot the 207, but my feeling is that it would definitely be prone to wind drift, more so than the 22 calibers.

The Swift was the first cartridge with which I experimented with primer brands and strengths. They made a considerable and very noticeable difference in accuracy.

I must also confess that my experimentation with these cartridges was way back when, before the long heavy bullets and fast twist rifling.

Tex S · March 24, 2009, 10:22 PM

Quote:

If you get a small bore varmint rifle, are you going to: shoot only, eat what you shoot, or just think it would be pretty dang cool?

All of the above!

Sam06 · March 25, 2009, 08:18 AM

This one went off track fast from neck turning to killing. Well Neck turning will make you want to kill something after you have done a bunch of cases. The only good thing about neck turning is you only have to do it once!

I neck turn for only 3 cartridges and 2 of them have a special "tight Neck" chamber, a 6mmBR and a 30BR. The other is a stock chamber 223 Rem 700PSS. For the factory chambered gun you only need to neck turn to take the high spots off. So you pick 10 cases and turn them until you have removed just a little from all of them maybe 75% all the way around. That is where I set my cutter and away i go. I am probable not explaining this very good but if you search the forum you will find instructions written by me and others that go into it ad-nausum.

The way you ensure you don't cut into the shoulder is when you set up the cutter you ensure the pilot is properly adjusted.

It is an easy process that takes some time and is a Pain to do but is it worth it????? I say yes........Others will dispute it but hey its my time and effort if I was not doing that I would be doing yard work or some other nonsense

Oh yea I almost forgot..............The best Ground Hog Pounder is a 6mmBR. I have one set up with a 1-14" twist and shooting 60gr bullets it will make a Hog do a back flip at 500yds....I am a seeker of the red mist. The 22 Swift is another great woodchuck gun. When I was kid we ate them(Don't ask) and the 22 Hornet was the go to gun for chucks. I thought I would throw that in. I still eat a woodchuck/Ground Hog occasionally if I head shoot a nice fat young one. They are best baked like a opossum.

March 22, 2009, 11:59 AM	#1
tpcollins Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2009 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 558	Neck turning - newbie or veteran procedure? CAn neck turning be a newbie procedure or for the more seasoned reloader? I've ben reading alot and think it's a procedure I could do reasonably well. I'm just concerned on how to keep from removing brass from the radius where the shoulder starts. I assume there are is an adjustment somewhere on the turner to prevent this. Thanks. __________________ What direction did that last shot at Kennedy come from?

March 22, 2009, 01:26 PM	#2
Shoney Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2002 Location: Transplanted from Montana Posts: 2,311	What neck turner do you have? or Are you looking to buy? The procedure is not complicated. and if you read the instructions with the tools, you can do a good job. __________________ I pledge allegiance to the Flag - - -, and to the Republic for which it stands….Our Forefathers were brilliant for giving us a Republic, not a democracy! Do you know the difference??? and WHY?http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissue...les.asp?id=111

March 22, 2009, 01:51 PM	#3
IllinoisCoyoteHunter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,527	Neck turners have a pilot the neck slips on. It has a stop on the end that when adjusted properly will not let you take the brass off in the shoulder area. Neck turning is mainly done for custom chambers that normal brass neck's are too thick for. But, I neck turn my .243 brass and just "knock down" the high spots. Do not adust your cutter depth to take brass off all the way around. You want to clean up around 70-75% of the surface area of the neck (this will take care of the high spots). Therefore, you will have some spots that are shaved off (the high spots) and some that are not. Good luck! __________________ ~~IllinoisCoyoteHunter~~ ~NRA LIFE MEMBER~ ~NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR~ Last edited by IllinoisCoyoteHunter; March 22, 2009 at 02:40 PM.

March 22, 2009, 06:22 PM	#6
fourdogs Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2008 Posts: 152	I deleted my advice because of your comment below about pounding cyots. I have no respect for people who kill for recreation. I've got some real advice for you. Get a life. Last edited by fourdogs; March 23, 2009 at 09:41 AM.

March 23, 2009, 09:04 AM	#7
tpcollins Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2009 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 558	Thanks guys, no I haven't bought a neck turner yet - just was wondering if I should. For pounding coyotes at 200 yards, it doesn't seem like I need to. Thanks again. __________________ What direction did that last shot at Kennedy come from?

March 22, 2009, 04:43 PM	#4
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	"CAn neck turning be a newbie procedure or for the more seasoned reloader?" Newbies need not neck turn. It offers precious little benefit, if any at all, in factory chambers. Nor for seasoned reloaders either but they already know that! The question is not how hard it is, it isn't, but if it will do anything for us. Unless it's in a tight neck chamber, the answer is usually no and even it it does, a little, it won't be much.

March 22, 2009, 05:22 PM	#5
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,288	It depends on your reason for neck turinng If you are forming brass,say you were making 25-06 out of 30-06,as was done before the 25-06 became a facory round,the thickening of the neck needs to be corrected. If you have a special micrometer to measure case wall thickness,and you discover your case wall thickness varies ,as was mentioned,knocking the hi spots off can be beneficial if you are pursuing the last degree of accuracy. But,neck turning can create problems that hurt accuracy,(review the dread donut,that is about displacing metal inward. At some point,"How much time do I have in each round" becomes a factor.I load to shoot.It is like washing dishes. I will add steps to loading (like neck chamfering,brass cleaning) on a time/benefit priority.At some point,how much is it worth to go from a 3/4 in group to a 3/8 in group? The radius change is 3/16 @ 100yds.At 400 yds,it would be 3/4 inch.Can I shoot well enough in the field to notice? Not me. Better to spend my neck turning time dry firing.

March 23, 2009, 12:43 PM	#8
IllinoisCoyoteHunter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,527	Coyotes are more fun to shoot at 600 yards! __________________ ~~IllinoisCoyoteHunter~~ ~NRA LIFE MEMBER~ ~NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR~

March 23, 2009, 05:42 PM	#9
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	"Coyotes are more fun to shoot at 600 yards! " Sounds cool to me! Those damp desert dogs are overrunning much of our game land, kill a lot of deer, turkey and small game. AND they have moved into rural neighborhoods like mine and eat a LOT of yard pets. Wish I could line them up ten deep and use .308 AP rounds on them.

March 23, 2009, 08:01 PM	#10
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,288	I do appreciate a disdain for wanton killing,however,I once attended a DOW meeting about the decline in deer population. There was the official,politically correct version,which talked about contraceptives for coyotes and such.They did not really talk about shooting coyotes,but there was a case made that coyotes were a factor in fawn mortality,and fawn mortality was the issue. At the break,I approached a DOW official,and said "It seems like you guys are dancing around asking us to shoot coyotes" He answered "There are powers that be that dictate what I have to say to this group,but between you and me,the best thing you can do for the deer is shoot every coyote you see." He then told me of how Utah had just resumed shooting coyotes from the air,and Co did not.On the Utah side,the deer herd recovered,but in Co,it was still on the decline. I have seen coyotes go for a calf as it was being born,still in the birth canal They are smart and adaptable.If they can safely eat veal rather than prairie dog,they learn how. I actually like coyotes,myself.I like to see them,and I love to listen to them.But,I will shoot them. So,its OK to neck turn brass used to shoot coyotes,but thats just my opinion. Its OK to disagree

March 24, 2009, 08:26 AM	#12
tpcollins Senior Member Join Date: February 18, 2009 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 558	If you get a small bore varmint rifle, are you going to: shoot only, eat what you shoot, or just think it would be pretty dang cool? From a reloaders standpoint... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- would you rather have a 220 Swift or 204 Ruger for varmints? I currently do not own a small bore varmint rifle, but I am seriously considering buying one. I have never shot either caliber so I dont really know all that much about them, but something about a bullet screaming at 4000fps + sounds pretty dang cool. Any comments would be great, especially if you own one of these rifles. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last edited by Tex S; 2009-02-24 at 08:19 PM. Reason: sp __________________ What direction did that last shot at Kennedy come from? Last edited by tpcollins; March 24, 2009 at 08:33 AM.

March 24, 2009, 02:27 PM	#14
Shoney Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2002 Location: Transplanted from Montana Posts: 2,311	I've extensively shot bolt weapons in 22-250, 223, and 220 Swift. The Swift was definitely the most impressive, both in accuracy and terminal effect. I've not shot the 207, but my feeling is that it would definitely be prone to wind drift, more so than the 22 calibers. The Swift was the first cartridge with which I experimented with primer brands and strengths. They made a considerable and very noticeable difference in accuracy. I must also confess that my experimentation with these cartridges was way back when, before the long heavy bullets and fast twist rifling. __________________ I pledge allegiance to the Flag - - -, and to the Republic for which it stands….Our Forefathers were brilliant for giving us a Republic, not a democracy! Do you know the difference??? and WHY?http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissue...les.asp?id=111

March 25, 2009, 08:18 AM	#16
Sam06 Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2008 Location: Fayettenam Posts: 1,086	This one went off track fast from neck turning to killing. Well Neck turning will make you want to kill something after you have done a bunch of cases. The only good thing about neck turning is you only have to do it once! I neck turn for only 3 cartridges and 2 of them have a special "tight Neck" chamber, a 6mmBR and a 30BR. The other is a stock chamber 223 Rem 700PSS. For the factory chambered gun you only need to neck turn to take the high spots off. So you pick 10 cases and turn them until you have removed just a little from all of them maybe 75% all the way around. That is where I set my cutter and away i go. I am probable not explaining this very good but if you search the forum you will find instructions written by me and others that go into it ad-nausum. The way you ensure you don't cut into the shoulder is when you set up the cutter you ensure the pilot is properly adjusted. It is an easy process that takes some time and is a Pain to do but is it worth it????? I say yes........Others will dispute it but hey its my time and effort if I was not doing that I would be doing yard work or some other nonsense Oh yea I almost forgot..............The best Ground Hog Pounder is a 6mmBR. I have one set up with a 1-14" twist and shooting 60gr bullets it will make a Hog do a back flip at 500yds....I am a seeker of the red mist. The 22 Swift is another great woodchuck gun. When I was kid we ate them(Don't ask) and the 22 Hornet was the go to gun for chucks. I thought I would throw that in. I still eat a woodchuck/Ground Hog occasionally if I head shoot a nice fat young one. They are best baked like a opossum. __________________ The two most abundant elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity.