Neck turning and expansion tools

[drpbroun5]

Guys,

I'm just before starting into neck turning. I've seen Sinclair and K&M tools advertised as well as a Pumpkin. Please give me a run down of the tools available with the positives and negatives of each. Also please give me ideas of how to get started in neck turning with explicit instructions (set up, adjusting the cutter, lub, with power and without, etc., etc., etc.). I do not know anyone locally that can teach me. Do y'all know of any resources such as great videos that teach advanced loading techniques such as brass prep, neck turning, concentricity, load development for accuracy, etc? I would rather watch someone do it correctly than my trying to figure things out from a text. My experience has been loading standard rounds with a Rock Chucker press as well as using an arbor press - trying to produce the most accurate rounds that I can. I hunt, have no interest in competition. I'm attempting to make the jump to accurate, advanced loading for long range hunting. Most of my shooting has been out to about 400 yards. I realize the quantum leap it is to go beyond 600. I want to get there. I have shot at 1000 and 1300 yards with coaching. I'm hooked. Please give as much detail as you can. Thank you.

Paul

 

[Eaglet]

Paul,

Hand Loading for long Range Shooting DVD Seems like the right one to have. I would definitely give them a try.

Good luck to you!

 

[woods]

I have the Forster hand held turner - MidwayUSA - Forster Hand Held Outside Neck Turner

I like it because it is economical, has a wider blade than most

and you can also buy an inside neck reamer that will interchange with the outside neck turning mandrel

For expanding for the Forster, I just neck size with a Lee Collet and it works perfect, no separate expander needed.

I have used a friend's K & M and it is certainly a fine tool. The blade was a lot narrower and it costs a lot more, especially if you get all the attachements and cutting mandrels.

The most important thing you will need to make neck turning more accurate is a ball micrometer and a stand to hold it is worth the money

a caliper just won't cut it.

Outside neck turning is not necessary with factory chambers. I have 3 tight necked chambers that all require that I take off brass in order to get the recommended .003" clearance around the neck. If you don't have a custom chamber tight neck then just skimming the high points off the neck can't hurt and IMO it will decrease the amount of runout.

 

[drpbroun5]

Deos anyone know what a Pumpkin neck turning tool is and can you give me any information about it?

Paul

 

[kostianych]

hi guys.....could somebody take and post a close picture of the Forester neck turning tool when the cutter is slightly touching the pilot.....
I think I have a problem with missallaignmnet.....
thanks a lot

 

[woods]

hi guys.....could somebody take and post a close picture of the Forester neck turning tool when the cutter is slightly touching the pilot.....
I think I have a problem with missallaignmnet.....
thanks a lot

 

[kostianych]

thanks a lot, woods seems like my Forster has a problem.....
when I move the cutter to the pilot, it touches it only in one point, opposite to the shoulder angle.... in this case I have not a cylindrical but conical neck.....
if you look at the light though the tool, does it have an angular space between cutter and pilot?

notice a contact point.......does yours one have the same?

 

[woods]

Nope, mine is perfectly square. You've got a bad cutter. Get another one or two.

Forster Precision Products Individual Component Price List

$18.00 seems a little steep but I don't think you could do a good job with that cutter.

 

[nheninge]

There is a brief explanation of Don Nielson's pumpkin on 6mmbr.com. But I think they can be a little harder to come by. If you try to contact him, the numbers are disconnected and website down. Heard it has great results, but unless you are BR, then not likely what you need.

My Forster is also perfectly square. Replace the cutter

Any videos by David Tubb's, Darryl Holland, How to shoot beyond belief (reloading section) are all ok for the "new to reloading"

 

[kostianych]

thanks guys, just sent it back to the dealer....for refund now I need a new tool

 

[killahog]

That is not going to make a difference I have a sinclair neck turning tool that does the same thing, what you will see is some slight tooling marks on the outside of the neck. Thats all. What cases are you turning and are you doing it for a tight neck chamber?

 

[nheninge]

If your cutter is not square as in the picture, it will produce a conical neck because the deepest part of the cut is at the back. When you get to the shoulder, it cant cut anymore and you have a case mouth thinner than the brass at the shoulder. This would be very undesirable, replace the cutter. Since you already sent it back, I think you were wise.

 

[kostianych]

that how I was thinking about the problem.....
but the dealer advised me that this is the way to have the neck survive longer, in his words: "...this conical part will become thiner with time and it will give you more life-time for brass...: what a.......just convinced him and sent it back )))))

thanks a lot, guys )))

 

[woods]

It will not make the neck brass thinner or thicker at any one place or conical. Think about it. The point of the blade that is closest to the mandrel still needs to rotate around the neck as the mandrel is being pushed into the neck toward the shoulder and it will cut as it goes. It will also cut as the mandrel and cutter is being pulled back toward the case mouth.

What it will do is to make it harder to get a smooth cut and it will make striations around and around the neck for a very uneven finish, depending upon how wide the tip is closest to the mandrel. Sorta like the K & M does with it's narrow cutter.