222 Brass from 223 Lapua?

[kchw7gsv]

As mentioned on this forum, I did full-length resize Lapua 223 brass down to 222 Rem brass and it sized very nicely. But- there is a terrible donut now in the neck of the new 222 brass. I must neck-turn for my chamber and my K & M expander mandrel won't take out the donut and let me move the cartridge over the K & M cutting mandrel. Any ideas?

Kurt

 

[Joe Entrekin]

Kurt, I'm a 30BR benchrest score shooter & have delt with that issue a lot. IMO, you will need to re-anneal the necks to get good workability. Another possibility is a Wilson neck reamer, but I much prefer to work with the outside of the neck than reaming the inside. Also, K & M makes a turner mandrel in carbide that reams the tight spot out as it goes in. You have to be very careful with those to avoid damaging the case mouth, i.e. develop a good technique for starting the mandrel into the case neck. Good luck. I'm reading this with interest because I'm wanting to make up some 222 brass myself.

 

[kchw7gsv]

Kurt, I'm a 30BR benchrest score shooter & have delt with that issue a lot. IMO, you will need to re-anneal the necks to get good workability. Another possibility is a Wilson neck reamer, but I much prefer to work with the outside of the neck than reaming the inside. Also, K & M makes a turner mandrel in carbide that reams the tight spot out as it goes in. You have to be very careful with those to avoid damaging the case mouth, i.e. develop a good technique for starting the mandrel into the case neck. Good luck. I'm reading this with interest because I'm wanting to make up some 222 brass myself.

Joe
I have used the K & M carbide inside cutter mandrel in my 6mm's to take out a tiny donut, but boy what a huge donut where the shoulder of the 223 is now the neck of the 222. I don't have a 22 caliber inside cutter at this time. I have used Lapua 222 brass while I could get it, but I guess those days are over.
I am now using Norma 222 brass and It seems just fine. Some people on this forum hate the Norma brass for benchrest, but as of yet I see no problems with it in my 222. I honestly couldn't tell any difference in groups or in the reloading process with either the Lapua or Norma brass.
I feel more confident using the Norma brass with light neck-turning than I do annealing and trying to inside ream every case and then go to neck-turning.

Kurt