rifle hunter
Member
gun)how important is it to accuracy i debur the flash hole uniform the primer pocket just wondering if i should do the necks well it make a big dif on accuracy for the time spent doing it
neck turning
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I've asked myself the same thing over and over. I'm getting pretty tired of watching guys at the range use their custom rifles with FACTORY ammo shoot groups better than I can with handloads and custom rifles!
I'm talking about only a very few but it gets frustrating. The "rule" is if you have a SAAMI spec chamber (not tight necked), then neck turning does virtually nothing. I don't know that I subscribe to that rule.
I have noticed on my loads that neck turned brass has repeatedly shot better for me. But I get so sick of doing brass prep. It is NOT fun anymore.
Factory chamber? Mostly a warm fuzzy benefit, IMO.
There is a marginally measurable benefit as I see it and that is that it assures that your bullet is released from the neck evenly upon firing.
Even release > Centered bullet axis to the bores axis > Better consistency > Better accuracy. How much? YMMV!
Honestly though, for a factory chamber you only really need to turn down the high spots. AND you'll likely only realize any benefit to accuracy and consistency if you use some sort of bushing type die to help adjust your neck tension and control runout as much as possible. Don't expect miracles by any means.
It benefits me by knowing my brass is more uniform through each piece (warm fuzzy). In reality, (being honest with myself) I shoot a well sorted, well prepped lot of UNturned once fired brass as well as I shoot my brass with turned necks.
There is a marginally measurable benefit as I see it and that is that it assures that your bullet is released from the neck evenly upon firing.
Even release > Centered bullet axis to the bores axis > Better consistency > Better accuracy. How much? YMMV!
Honestly though, for a factory chamber you only really need to turn down the high spots. AND you'll likely only realize any benefit to accuracy and consistency if you use some sort of bushing type die to help adjust your neck tension and control runout as much as possible. Don't expect miracles by any means.
It benefits me by knowing my brass is more uniform through each piece (warm fuzzy). In reality, (being honest with myself) I shoot a well sorted, well prepped lot of UNturned once fired brass as well as I shoot my brass with turned necks.
J E Custom
Well-Known Member
The only thing I can say Is that it makes your loads more consistant shot to shot if the loads are
well tested and prepared.
If you are shooting targets from 100 to 300 yards it will be hard to see any improvement,
But if you have a good chronograph you can see the difference in SDs and ES.
If you mic. a case neck wall you will find a difference from one side to the other, This effects
sizing and bullet tension. When you size a case with different neck wall thicknesses it moves
the bullet off center by the difference when using standard dies.
I like to turn all case necks on new brass before the first firing just enough to clean them up and
then size them for loading.
I know its a pain but if you are looking for the most accuracy from your rifle at long range it is
just one of the many things required.
J E CUSTOM
well tested and prepared.
If you are shooting targets from 100 to 300 yards it will be hard to see any improvement,
But if you have a good chronograph you can see the difference in SDs and ES.
If you mic. a case neck wall you will find a difference from one side to the other, This effects
sizing and bullet tension. When you size a case with different neck wall thicknesses it moves
the bullet off center by the difference when using standard dies.
I like to turn all case necks on new brass before the first firing just enough to clean them up and
then size them for loading.
I know its a pain but if you are looking for the most accuracy from your rifle at long range it is
just one of the many things required.
J E CUSTOM
JeffVN
Well-Known Member
Although I too have been afflicted with the desire to neck-turn most everything I shoot, I am able to fight off the urge when I am shooting a cartridge that allows me to use Lapua or other very good brass (like RWS).
I have a 6x47L that uses 6.5x47L Lapua brass. I went snug but no-turn neck (0.003 clearance total) on that one and it continues to be one of the most accurate rifles that I own. I had the brass in hand before I got the reamer so I could design the chamber based on the brass that I had. I also have a 338LM Improved that uses Lapua brass that is snug but no-turn. Again I had the brass before the reamer.
Jeffvn
I have a 6x47L that uses 6.5x47L Lapua brass. I went snug but no-turn neck (0.003 clearance total) on that one and it continues to be one of the most accurate rifles that I own. I had the brass in hand before I got the reamer so I could design the chamber based on the brass that I had. I also have a 338LM Improved that uses Lapua brass that is snug but no-turn. Again I had the brass before the reamer.
Jeffvn
Just my .02$. I turn the necks on my lapua and lake city lr brass. A man I meet up with gave me the best advice I have recieved. No one thing in brass prep will make a super big difference, its the compliation of all the small things that add up. trim, flash hole, neck size and all the other stuff that make the round accurate and speeds very close . I turn my 308 necks all to .014. some brass it just takes the high spots off. My lapua seems to shoot the best with an average sd of 9 or less on a ten shoot string with my oehler 35p. I think the redding comp dies helped me alot so I can set neck tension, and a turned neck will be more uniform. I shoot long range and elr only so I need the lowest variation in bullet velocity. I am by no means an expert but for the 75 bucks a k/n neck turner cost I do it. Best of luck
COBrad
Well-Known Member
Good points made here already. My experience has been that unless I have a really accurate rifle it doesn't make a measurable difference. That said I have 300 Norma 22-250 cases I turned to within .0005, but I can't see that they really shoot any better than cases I have sorted with a tube micrometer to keep neck thickness variation to .001 or less. I do this step with all my rifles to minimize runout.
I forgot to mention this also, I agree. after neck turning and the redding neck sizing and seating die i'm under .001 on runout with most all my loads. also when I neck size I leave about 1/8 inch of the neck just above the shoulder alone. A man with many years of reloading told me it helps to keep the cartridge centered , but I still have the majority of the neck sized to hold .002 tension. If I shoot from my magazine feed 308 I use .004 tension to avoid bullet change from mag feeding
COBrad
Well-Known Member
That is the same procedure I use, including sizing just the top 2/3 of the neck.
