Best Neck Turning Tool

[joe0121]

I have the Forster and Hornady. Both work very well. The Forster has a wider cutter and is easier to set up. I use the Lee 3 jaw chuck in my cordless drill. I make small adjustment and only cut the absolute minimum on the necks. This with Forster dies and a Forster CO-AX produces ammo with almost zero runout.

IMO you can spend a lot more money but for hunting/target ammo it is a waste. gun)

 

[TracySes23]

After doing a lot of reading, I've pretty much come to the conclusion that I agree with Gary's thinking a bit more than others, but I also MikeCR's logic. I know there are many others very experienced, but I'm old & can't remember the names of all of the ones, I highly respect. I recognize them when I see them on other threads. Long Range Hunting is by far the best site I've seen.

I've wondered though, "Why haven't I noticed any mention of annealing the case necks & shoulders before neck turning." Maybe it is on this thread & I just didn't see it.

The biggest reason I consider this important is because, when the neck is expanded on annealed cases, the neck bore should be more consistently the same size. I also think it would be beneficial if the case was fire formed before doing any turning. I realize that if the neck needs turned the neck wall won't be concentric with the outside of the case after turning, simply because the OD of the neck will be turned concentric to the ID of the neck, which also isn't concentric. However firing that case a second time should bring everything back into concentricity. I'm even wondering if annealing a 2nd time before firing a second time might be beneficial, since the 2nd annealing would insure the there would be less spring back. I have no experience that says it's necessary, but I have read some Bench Rest shooters anneal after every firing.

The only downside I can see, is more time involved & more money spent for fire forming. I suppose it might be cheaper to buy Lapua brass instead, if you can find it.

Spencer

 

[Mikecr]

All you're considering can make good turning mandrel fit a battle.
Unless you're forming into a new cartridge, you can turn new brass perfectly well with no more than a run over it's matched expander mandrel & with NORMAL springback.
Honestly, it takes a lot of effort, the kind you're considering, to screw up neck turning.
You can anneal afterwords.

Also, neck turning is unrelated to concentricity(which is fire formed for later).

 

[TracySes23]

All you're considering can make good turning mandrel fit a battle.
Unless you're forming into a new cartridge, you can turn new brass perfectly well with no more than a run over it's matched expander mandrel & with NORMAL springback.
Honestly, it takes a lot of effort, the kind you're considering, to screw up neck turning.
You can anneal afterwords.

Also, neck turning is unrelated to concentricity(which is fire formed for later).

I can't dispute what you're saying because I simply don't have experience with neck turning. However, when it comes to machining anything to high tolerance level I know exactly how to do this. I also have had a lot of experience discovering things that work better, simply because I consider everything possible that could possibly cause a problem. Any work hardening can always change something, even if it isn't considered significant enough to be a problem. This is where I can't possibly know what is or isn't significant enough to be important. I'm thankful there are people like you who do have the experience in area I don't. I get a bit anal sometimes when fabricating or modifying things. I always work to my limits of very close tolerances & I'm never completely satisfied. That's my own fault.
Your input to this novice in neck turning is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Spencer

 

[TracySes23]

I recently purchased a neck turning tool from 21st Century. I can't compare it to another tool, but as a retired toolmaker, machinist, tool/cutter grinder & shop supervisor of 46 years, I can attest to the quality fabrication of this product. I consider it very well made.
The only problem I had with it wasn't the fault of the tool. It seems the fit between the neck ID & the spindle which fits into the neck is more critical that I first suspected. A difference of .0002" one way or the other was either enough to make it too loose or too tight on the spindle in my judgement. After checking the neck IDs with gauge pins & making a few suitable, expander punches in .0002" increments, I finally got the fit to suit my tastes.
I now assume the level of work hardening in the brass neck can give more or less spring buck that I considered in the beginning. I lubricate the spindle slightly with Imperial sizing die wax on a Q-tip. It still heats the spindle up slightly, but to insure there isn't too much heat expansion, I cool the spindle well with an air hose after each turning & re-lube it for the next brass case. It probably wouldn't normally get as warm, but I'm turning the brass in my lathe at approx. 150 - 200 rpm.

I've also learned, I'll never buy Remington brass again. I'm very disappointed with the batch I purchased. The old unused Herter's brass is better.

Spencer

 

[JohnMill]

I have been turning necks since '91.Based on my experience; Always use the expandiron b4 turning to avoid brass transfer to the mandrel, Sinclair cutters are the sharpest,easiest cutting BUT hitting the mark (your preffered dimension) is much harder than with the K&M. I also like the K&M holder chucked in the small Rigid cordless. One fully charged batt. will turn 25 6SuperLRs to .0012".
One caution; if it seems to be dragging kind of hard DO NOT TOUCH THE MANDREL. It will smear your fingerprints.
The reasons to turn are centering the bullet in the bore and equalizing bullet pull though to keep the bullet pull equal you will have to start annealing pretty quick.
I'm not certain that this is at all important for hunting Long Range or other but if you want to hit the X not just the x-ring you 'bout gotta.