When do you turn your necks?

[redleg1013]

So here's one to throw out there, just because I didn't find a thread that addressed it.
When do you turn your necks? By that I mean do you rip open the bag and chuck em up, do you FL size them, do you wait until they're fire formed?

Personally I wait until after fire forming and resizing, what's your preference or yields best results?

 

[dok7mm]

Generally, I prefer to turn new brass. I check base to datum to see if I need to resize, then expand necks. I then set up my turner to get .004" clearance in my chamber neck.

 

[rsmithsr]

driven buy the rifle/chamber
cant do it your way on a custom tight neck chamber

 

[dok7mm]

driven buy the rifle/chamber
cant do it your way on a custom tight neck chamber

Explain that please.

 

[elf]

Explain that please.

I think what he means is that if your barrel is a custom cut tight neck, you cannot turn necks AFTER firing, because the neck is too large, i.e., the large virgin neck will not chamber with bullet seated.

 

[Tiny Tim]

If I plan to turn them, I do it immediately. I expand the necks, trim to length if not consistent, and turn. Consistent trim length is necessary because I use a Sinclair turning tool which uses the case mouth to control how far down the neck it turns.

 

[338 dude]

I think what he means is that if your barrel is a custom cut tight neck, you cannot turn necks AFTER firing, because the neck is too large, i.e., the large virgin neck will not chamber with bullet seated.

I believe your explanation is exactly right and I don't have that problem but this was just a thought could you use the cream of wheat or some other method without actually firing a bullet down the barrel

 

[Tiny Tim]

Agree if not tight neck, but the neck would still require turning in a tight neck prior to putting a bullet in it. The added benefit of turning prior to fire forming is if done correctly, it may help stave off the dreaded doughnut on certain cartridges.

I believe your explanation is exactly right and I don't have that problem but this was just a thought could you use the cream of wheat or some other method without actually firing a bullet down the barrel

 

[Rich Coyle]

I turn new brass.

 

[DUSTY NOGGIN]

first thing new brass or new to me once fired .. no need to fire form to crooked necks just to have to fire form back to straight on axis

 

[Mikecr]

I only turn new cases.
They're expanded per turning system, and turned, with no other preps to them.
With this, they fit correctly on the turning mandrel. I just touch the neck-shoulder junction, so donuts are mitigated with forming. I do not trim necks until it is appropriate to do so (after full fire-forming, if needed then).

 

[jasonco]

I just did a batch of 28 Nosler Hornady, new and once fired. I first anneal, then run through FL Redding sizer dies, with a tapered button sizer, then through a Sinclair 7mm mandrel to open it up so the neck fits snugly on the turning mandrel, then, run the in a Forster Bump Neck Sizing Die Kit, to set final neck dimension. I only do this for my low use hunting rifles,(28Nos, 300RUM, 6.5x284, 6.5CM) just so I'm getting the most accuracy I can out of them and eliminate as much inconsistencies as possible. My high use rifles, that's way too much work (6CM, 25CM, 6.5CM)!

 

[dblizzard]

I turn when brass is new. I size with a Redding Type S bushing die which only sizes a portion of the neck & the mandrel that sizes the neck for turning will not expand the upper portion of the neck to the same diameter as the shoulder area of the neck. I prefer the entire neck to be the same thickness & the bushing leaves a small step part way down the neck.

 

[IHFarmer07]

I FL size or anneal new brass first, depends on what brass because some manufacturers actually anneal before selling so it depends there, expand brass necks with proper mandrel, measure all brass, trim and then neck turn.