Neck turning brass
- Thread starter Ajshooter
- Start date
Dick Grosbier
Club Coordinator
You can probably find a lot of answers here http://www.benchrest.com/FAQ/2.shtml
Mike Bryant
Active member
The last brass I turned I expanded it with an expander to match the carbide mandrel in my Pumkin turner. Chucked the neck turner in a three jaw chuck and then fed the case neck into the neck turner using the tail stock on my lathe. Held the case with a Sinclair drill holder. Never turned off the kathe while I was turning necks and turned a box of .220 Russian cases in an hour. As good a way as any I've found for turning necks if you happen to have a lathe.
May i ask how you put the pumpkin in the lathe without putting bit markers from the jaws on the pumpkin?
what speed do you run your lathe
I currently turn my necks with a pumpkin but use a drill and think i could get better results with a lathe..
Thank you
Trevor
Boyd Allen
Active member
I think that the majority of shooters expand, trim to the shortest length that will clean up all the necks, and set up their turners so that the step in the mandrel acts as a stop, turning at 6mm.
As of late, for my .262 neck chamber, I have expanded .220 Russian to .22 caliber, turned the necks to .010 thickness, and used Bullseye powder to fire form WITHOUT A BULLET, and then expanded at 6mm and finished turning to about .0082 neck thickness.
I am sure that lots of matches have been won with brass that was made by simply expanding directly to 6mm, and turning before fire forming with normal PPC burning rate powders (not pistol powder) and bullets that were seated a little longer than jam length, with heavy neck tension.
As of late, for my .262 neck chamber, I have expanded .220 Russian to .22 caliber, turned the necks to .010 thickness, and used Bullseye powder to fire form WITHOUT A BULLET, and then expanded at 6mm and finished turning to about .0082 neck thickness.
I am sure that lots of matches have been won with brass that was made by simply expanding directly to 6mm, and turning before fire forming with normal PPC burning rate powders (not pistol powder) and bullets that were seated a little longer than jam length, with heavy neck tension.
Mike Bryant
Active member
Trevor, I wrap the front part of the Pumkin with a piece of worn out 600 grit shop roll about an inch wide, then indicate the mandrel in with the adjust tru chuck. That will still let you make slight adjustments with the back ring on the Pumkin. I was wrong though about the chuck I'm using as I have it set up in a Buck 6 jaw chuck.
Lee Martin
Active member
Mike Bryant
Active member
I've done them that way as well, but not with a collet and mandrel, but by turning a sacrificial mandrel every time I neck turned. Lee when you push the case on the mandrel is the lathe spinning while you do it or are you turning the lathe off every time you do a case? Turning necks is just like everything else. Lots of ways to do it and get the same results. I hate turning necks and anything that will make it easier is a good thing to me.
Lee Martin
Active member
Mike - I turn the lathe off after each case for the reasons you cited. The cutter is carbide and we run speeds on the slow side. Otherwise the brass over heats and expands off the mandrel. We also use a dial indicator on the feed to hold to tenths.
-Lee
www.singleactions.com
-Lee
www.singleactions.com
A
abintx
Guest
F/L size without bushing, expand, trim to shortest case length, turn. [Always trim before turning so that the turning into the neck/shoulder junction is the same length from the end of the neck on each case.] 
Get a sizing mandrel that matches your turner....or get a turner mandrel that matches your sizing mandrel. Not too tight, not too loose. That's where the guys with a lathe have it over us regular ol' guys. Once you have that out of the way, turn your cases however you wish.
All you really do here is make the case neck fit the chamber. Sure, the better you do it the better you feel but perfect is no better on the target than pretty good. There's near perfect case necks at the bottom of any match results.
As alinwa says...opinions by Wilbur...
All you really do here is make the case neck fit the chamber. Sure, the better you do it the better you feel but perfect is no better on the target than pretty good. There's near perfect case necks at the bottom of any match results.
As alinwa says...opinions by Wilbur...
jackie schmidt
New member
Wilbur, through the years, I have checked a lot of cases turned by various shooters.
From a machinist point of view, many were worse than when they started as far as consistency of neck thickness.
M
mks
Guest
If you checked mine, you would find the same. I am not satisfied that the small aluminum hand turners are a good way to turn necks. Too much heating and thermal expansion. Large bodies, like Pumpkin and Stiller, result in lower temperature change and less expansion. Steel bodies would expand a lot less. But there is also the issue of the slop between the neck and the mandrel. Turning on a lathe with the neck force-fit onto the mandrel eliminates the slop and the friction heating between the neck and the mandrel. I'm going to try lathe turning next time.
I am curious, does the case spinning in the shell holder (in the tailstock) ever cause any problems?
Thanks,
Keith
Jackie - There's nothing involved in my question other than giving those that shoot these days some straight info. What worked for me is history. You wrote that most necks you measured were not "perfect" and I'm saying I agree with that. Just so we'll have at least two points of interest:
How did those imperfect necks you measured place in the shootin' match - generally speaking?
Keep in mind that I'm not saying that perfect necks is not good. I am saying that perfect necks is not better.
How did those imperfect necks you measured place in the shootin' match - generally speaking?
Keep in mind that I'm not saying that perfect necks is not good. I am saying that perfect necks is not better.
Dusty Stevens
Hollow Point Dispenser
I keep my k&m turner submerged in a tray of ice water between each case while im lubing it, trimming and deburring the last case, etc. ive found it helps tons on the consistency. I used to have to stop turning because it would be too hot to hold
jackie schmidt
New member
Wilber, my attitude right now is I'm not even turning necks now. I am shooting a .274 neck with unturned brass.
Now, I haven't shot this set-up in a Match as of yet, and you know that through the years I have always said that I don't put faith in anything until it proves it's self under match conditions.
But as of now, I am shooting just as small of groups with the no turn set up as I ever have with turned necks. Whether it translates into good Aggs will have to be seen.
Wayne Shaw
Active member
With regards to hand held turners, there is a world of difference between a steel mandrel and a carbide one. Carbide is the only way to go.
M
mks
Guest
Lee,
Does the base of the case ever catch in shellholder and ruin the case? Just wondering.
Thanks,
Keith
Lee Martin
Active member
No Keith....the lathe set-up works like a charm and I've never lost a case.
-Lee
www.singleactions.com
-Lee
www.singleactions.com
adamsgt
Jerry Adams
Hmm, on my Rutland 12 X 36 I have a Bison 3 jaw adjust tru chuck. That probably should be good enough?