Neck Turning vs Neck Reaming

[Tony]

IIRC, the Lee inside neck reamer was an offset design that removed more metal from the thick side of the neck. I've never owned or used one so I can not be certain.

Again, IIRC, the Hodgdon Data Manual No. 26 had an article by G. Sitton about case prep for factory/hunting rifles. I believe that Gary was spot on in his recommendations and he did not call for a lot of exotic case prep. Most rifles will not benefit all that much from bench rest case prep procedures. Most factory/hunting rifles can not be made to shoot 0.25" groups unless you know a good smith experienced in BR standards, throw away the barrel, stock and the bolt innards. The action will then be trued and match grade parts can be installed. Be prepared to spend more than $3,000 and that does not include scope and mounts.

 

[Ian]

Most of the information out there regarding the benefits and reasoning behind neck turning or neck uniforming is based on jacketed bullets. Jacketed bullets have the distinct disadvantage of being limited by the quality of the rifle barrel and chamber. With cast bullets, there is a lot beyond those limitations that we can overcome. At a certain point in the pursuit, a uniformly thick and centered case neck will prove its merit much of the time.

 

[Reed]

IIRC, the Lee inside neck reamer was an offset design that removed more metal from the thick side of the neck. I've never owned or used one so I can not be certain.

I was told the same thing by the previous owner of my set. I also remember reading that somewhere as well. I'll have to study the reamer a little more closely.

 

[Reed]

Most of the information out there regarding the benefits and reasoning behind neck turning or neck uniforming is based on jacketed bullets. Jacketed bullets have the distinct disadvantage of being limited by the quality of the rifle barrel and chamber. With cast bullets, there is a lot beyond those limitations that we can overcome. At a certain point in the pursuit, a uniformly thick and centered case neck will prove its merit much of the time.

I just finished reading all your Basement Articles. You bring out this notion thoroughly in your series. Very well written. A roadmap to cast bullet accuracy!

 

[RicinYakima]

Since I orient my cases to the chamber, and having done both operations, the "centered" part is important to me. If the hole in the case neck is centered to the bore, accuracy seems to be much better. How well the chamber is oriented to the bore seems to make the determination of which way to go for me.

 

[Ian]

I feel that it is imperative to make the distinction between cast or jacketed, and "standard production" vs. precision rifle when discussing the benefits of neck uniformity. It may also be important to make the distinction between match accuracy, velocity/pressure levels, type of action, field reliability of the ammunition, and other factors.

Jacketed bullets can and do tolerate crooked starts and lots of loaded neck clearance extremely well compared to cast bullets, therefore perfectly centered, uniform necks and tight tolerances of the whole cartridge to chamber are far less important than they may be when considering a cast bullet load in the same rifle. Don't sell a production rifle's capability short when discussing cast bullets. Some people think a precision-built, "match" rifle will automatically shoot cast bullets into bugholes just because it's a precision piece....but nothing could be further from the truth. A rifle will only shoot cast bullets as well as you can craft your ammunition to its particular likes, regardless of how well it is made. Many times a decent but not perfect rifle can be made to shoot cast bullets extremely well, far better than it would ever shoot jacketed bullets, provided you do your part at the loading bench. Neck uniformity can play a very important part to getting that all-important concentricity built into your cast bullet load and help you squeeze those groups down the last bit that you can, but doing the same thing to the necks in the same rifle with a jacketed bullet may have no effect whatsoever and it is folly to take conclusions drawn from one system and compare to the the other.

Some rifles, like our beloved old pogo-sticks, require a sloppy cartridge fit in the chamber and have very strong ejector pin and extractor claw pressures which force the entire cartridge to sit quite crooked in the chamber. For these, an entirely unique approach to handloading is required for both function and accuracy, and that approach tends to make off-center neck holes less important. When you are selecting a bullet design, load, and formulating your alloy to handle a big jump to the throat at an oblique angle, the particulars of neck hole concentricity tend to be minor since the load is already engineered to compensate for a less than ideal launch.

 

[Intheshop]

Neck turning is worth it but there's a laundry list of......not necessarily,"more" important but things that help,faster if that makes sense?

I'd rate the tools needed,$$ tubing mic and $$ coincentricity gage as having more benefit.You're no better than what can be repeatedly measured.Once "there" you're in a nicer position to decide how far you want to go.

Learn to shoot.....I've put tack driving sporters' in guys hands and have it just wasting ammo.Want to shoot BR,learn to tune a skinny brrl sporter.Want to get better BR table manners,shoot a hunting rifle.Folks think equipment makes a difference.....well it does but,not in the way most think.

Oh,buy enough factory rifles and pay attention,because some are spot on.And be aware that there's a few really good "drivers" (shooter).....out there,with not a dang thing better to do than practice.Old story,beware of that guy with the "wore out",one gun thing.