If you’re using a body die or a full-length sizing die, try using Ballistol (in the aerosol can) as a lube. It works GREAT without the tacky or gooey residue left by most case lubes. It will also clean off carbon residues on the neck as you lube the case. Just spray a little on a cotton patch (or your fingertips) and wipe each case before you run it up into the die. If you are using a steel neck bushing, be sure to wipe the neck as well. You can usually do a 6-10 BR-sized cases before you need to re-apply Ballistol on the patch. Ballistol is non-toxic, non-petroleum based, and will not harm your skin. It is very slippery, but can easily be removed with a rag or paper towel. Try it–you may retire your One-Shot. Derived from Pine Oil, Ballistol can also be used to protect wood stocks.
Use Heavier Lube for Case-Forming
Note, for heavy case-forming or necking up case necks, we still recommend a thicker lubricant, such as Imperial die wax. But for normal case sizing, after your neck has been expanded, Ballistol will do the job, and you won’t need to tumble the brass afterwards. All you need is a very thin layer of Ballistol, and this easily wipes off with a paper towel.
Neck-Turning Lubes
For lubing the neck-turning tool mandrel while turning case necks, many folks use a blend of STP® Oil Treatment and Mobil 1 lube. Chuckw2 reports: “Try STP and Mobile 1 Synthetic oil in a 50/50 mixture. Very slick, but it sticks so you will need to tumble your cases after turning.” STP is a very thick lubricant, that flows and clings almost like honey. Jason reports the STP blend comes off easily in an ultra-sound bath, using a bit of detergent. STP is also now available in a convenient 7-ounce tube, so you don’t have to buy a large bottle. Another even cheaper option is assembly lubricant. For turning his case necks, RStreich uses assembly lube from an auto parts store. He notes: “The brand I have is reddish in color and kind of sticky like honey. It’s far better than the Imperial die wax I was using before.”
Share the post "Recommended Lubes for Case Sizing and Neck-Turning"
Grant, one of our Forum members from New Zealand, asked if there was a universal shell-holder that could hold cartridges securely for neck-turning, trimming, and case prep. He complained that the screwdriver-type case holder he was using didn’t center easily, was hard to tighten, and the case sometimes came loose during rotation. Another forum member agreed that he has experienced the same problems using a screwdriver-type case-holder.
This editor has found that a K&M screwdriver-type case holder CAN work securely if you tighten the locking mechanism tightly with the supplied wrench. But then you need the wrench again to get the case OUT. We were interested to see if there was a better solution that held the case securely, yet was easy to lock and unlock without tools.
Forum member Gunamonth provided a solution: “I use a Lee Zip Trim three-jaw case holder. With a little practice it centers the case quite nicely and holds just about anything. Chuck it in a cordless drill and have at it. It is much better than either the K&M or Sinclair [case-holder] in my opinion and the Zip Trim jaw is a lot cheaper (about $12.00). To use with power, you also need the Zip Trim three-jaw spindle, which is another $2.00.”
Share the post "Three-Jaw Caseholder For Neck-Turning"
This do-it-yourself project comes from ace silhouette shooter Larry Medler. He devised a hand-crank system for turning case necks that offers the best of both worlds — the speed and “muscle” of powered neck-turning with the “feel” afforded by manual methods. The flywheel, salvaged from an old grape crusher, delivers plenty of RPM when needed, but Larry still has total control over the neck-turning speed and torque.
Larry explains: “My neck turner is a home-made model with a 15.5″ crank flywheel. This arrangement almost makes turning necks fun. I’ve learned that the secret to neck turning is how easy it is to turn the case. If it takes too much force or effort you’re probably not going to do a good job. However, when you turn by hand you have the best feel for the cutting process. So I wanted a system that reduced the effort required, but still retained good “feel”. My hand crank system fits the bill — it makes cutting easy, but you still have good sensitivity throughout the process.
The case holder was made for 308 Winchester cartridges. The case holder fits into a rubber heater hose that connects to a 0.5-inch rod. The rod is fed through two bearing blocks which mount on a frame on my work bench. The rod is turned using a crank on the grape crusher flywheel. This system works great for neck turning. It is easy to crank and you still have a feel for how the cutter is working. While I now use an electric screwdriver to power other case prep tools, at one time I attached a variety of tools to this simple crank system.
I recently upgraded to a K&M Neck Turner (from a Sinclair previously). K&M makes a great tool. It’s easy to make very small adjustments to the cutting depth. I use the K&M case-holder that came with the neck turner for triming cases. It grips a little better than the Sinclair case-holder and both are easier to use than the Lee case-holder.”
You’ll find more helpful, illustrated tips on uniforming cartridge brass on Larry Medler’s Case Prep and Loading web page.
Share the post "Flywheel Hand Crank for Neck-Turning"
When neck-turning cases, it’s a good idea to extend the cut slightly below the neck-shoulder junction. This helps keep neck tension more uniform after repeated firings, by preventing a build-up of brass where the neck meets the shoulder. One of our Forum members, Craig from Ireland, a self-declared “neck-turning novice”, was having some problems turning brass for his 20 Tactical cases. He was correctly attempting to continue the cut slightly past the neck-shoulder junction, but he was concerned that brass was being removed too far down the shoulder.
Craig writes: “Everywhere I have read about neck turning, [it says] you need to cut slightly into the neck/shoulder junction to stop doughnutting. I completely understand this but I cant seem to get my neck-turning tool set-up to just touch the neck/shoulder junction. It either just doesn’t touch [the shoulder] or cuts nearly the whole shoulder and that just looks very messy. No matter how I adjust the mandrel to set how far down the neck it cuts, it either doesn’t touch it or it cuts far too much. I think it may relate to the bevel on the cutter in my neck-turing tool…”
Looking at Craig’s pictures, we’d agree that he didn’t need to cut so far down into the shoulder. There is a simple solution for this situation. Craig is using a neck-turning tool with a rather shallow cutter bevel angle. This 20-degree angle is set up as “universal geometry” that will work with any shoulder angle. Unfortunately, as you work the cutter down the neck, a shallow angled-cutter tip such as this will remove brass fairly far down. You only want to extend the cut about 1/32 of an inch past the neck-shoulder junction. This is enough to eliminate brass build-up at the base of the neck that can cause doughnuts to form.
The answer here is simply to use a cutter tip with a wider angle — 30 to 40 degrees. The cutter for the K&M neck-turning tool (above) has a shorter bevel that better matches a 30° shoulder. There is also a 40° tip available. WalkerTexasRanger reports: “I went to a 40-degree cutter head just to address this same issue, and I have been much happier with the results. The 40-degree heads are available from Sinclair Int’l for $13 or so.” Forum Member CBonner concurs: “I had the same problem with my 7WSM… The 40-degree cutter was the answer.” Below is Sinclair’s 40° cutter for its NT1000 neck-turning tool. Item NT3140, it sells for $12.95. There is also a slightly more expensive 40° cutter for the NT3000 tool, item NT3340.
Share the post "Neck-Turning Tip: Match Your Cutter Angle to the Shoulder"
Neck-Turning: I found that a 1/2 inch Dewalt drill with a keyless chuck will hold many caliber cases without an adapter. Just place the case in the chuck and twist it hand tight. Does the same work as a $250 case lathe. When neck-turning cases, you can hold the drill in one hand and the neck-turning tool in the other. But it’s much more efficient if you clamp the 1/2″ drill in a vise (with some carpet for padding). Then it’s very easy to control the turning speed and add/remove cartridge brass.
Powder Measures: If you’re throwing powder charges in the fall or winter and have problems with bridging or sticking powder, use a ground wire. This will help reduce static charge that causes clinging and clumping. I have a 25-foot piece of real small wire with alligator clips on each end. It’s that long so I can run it down the hall to a water pipe. Use the wire tie from a bread bag to hold it in a small roll to put in the range box. When using it at the range use a 6″ nail from the co-op or Lowe’s / Home Depot and just push it into the ground.
Share the post "Reloading Tips: Neck-Turning and Powder Measures"
He who dies with the most toys wins — right? Well Sinclair has another interesting gadget you can add to your reloading bench. The Sinclair Case Neck Sorting Tool lets you quickly sort brass by neck-wall thickness. For those who shoot “no-turn” brass, this can improve neck-tension consistency. Large variances in neck-wall thickness can cause inconsistent neck “grip” on the bullet. Generally, we’ve found that more consistent neck tension will lower ES and (usually) improve accuracy. We know some guys who shoot no-turn 6mmBR brass in competition with considerable success — but their secret is pre-sorting their brass by neck-wall thickness. Cases that are out-of-spec are set aside for sighters (or are later skim-turned).
Watch Case Neck Sorting Tool Operation in Video
How the Case Neck Sorting Tool Works
Here’s how the Sinclair tool works. Cases are rotated under an indicator tip while they are supported on a case-neck pilot and a support pin through the flash hole. The unit has a nice, wide base and low profile so it is stable in use. The tool works for .22 through .45 caliber cases and can be used on .17- and .20-caliber cases with the optional carbide alignment rod. The MIC-4 pin fits both .060 (PPC size) and .080 (standard size) flash holes. Sinclair’s Case Neck Sorting Tool can be ordered with or without a dial indicator. The basic unit without dial indicator (item item 749006612) is priced at $59.99. You can also buy the tool complete with dial indicator (item 749007129) for $89.99. IMPORTANT: This sorting tool requires caliber-specific Case Neck Pilots which must be ordered separately.
Editor’s Comment: The purpose of this Sinclair tool is rapid, high-quantity sorting of cartridge brass to ascertain significant case-neck-wall thickness variations. Consider this a rapid culling/sorting tool. If you are turning your necks, you will still need a quality ball micrometer tool to measure neck-wall thickness (to .0005) before and after neck-turning operations.
Share the post "Handy Case Neck Sorting Tool for Non-Neck-Turned Brass"
Here’s good news for 30BR shooters. Paul Parosky, maker of the excellent PRP Custom Bullets, is now offering 30BR neck-turned brass. This can save you considerable time and effort forming 30BR cases from Lapua 6mmBR brass. And the neck-turning is superb, again representing time savings (and no tools to buy). You can order this 30BR brass from PRPbullets.com. If you communicate with the PRP team, Paul may be able to neck-turn to your specific thickness. Paul notes: “Here are necks turned for a 0.330 neck. I’ll try my best to accommodate anyone’s neck dimensions as they wish. Just contact us through our website PRPBullets.com.”
About this Neck-Turning set-up — Paul Parosky notes: “For neck-turning I’m using an old drill press that has been re-worked. The cutter and spindle are all indicated before neck turning to ensure no runout. The RPM is around 520. The lube I use is a mixture of royal and mystery oil.”
Why the 30 BR Dominates 100/200 Benchrest for Score Competition
The 30BR, along with some wildcat variants, remains the dominant cartridge in short-range (100/200) benchrest-for-score competition. The 30BR’s .308″-diameter bullets are larger than the 6mm bullets used by the 6PPC (which rules group BR competition). The bigger 30-Cal diameter has an advantage in touching scoring rings. In addition, the 30BR is also relatively easy to tune, and barrel life is considerably better than with smaller-caliber benchrest cartridges. For more information, see our AccurateShooter 30BR Cartridge Guide.
Cases are Expanded, Then Neck-Turned
To produce his 30BR brass, Parosky first uses a series of expander mandrels. Then he neck-turns with power using a converted drill press. Paul tells us: “This is done the old school way, I use three different tapered expander mandrels, then neck-turn it to the proper neck chamber, then run them up through a FL expander mandrel to ensure necks are straight. Then I clean all the cases.”
Paul Parosky Can Also Neck-Turn 6PPC Brass
Paul Parosky also expands and neck-turns 6PPC cases that are made from parent Lapua .220 Russian cartridge brass. Here, illustrating his 6PPC neck-turning operation, is a Paul Parosky post on the USA Benchrest & Extreme Precision Shooters Facebook page.
Share the post "30 BR Brass by Parosky — Expanded and Neck-Turned"
He who dies with the most toys wins — right? Well Sinclair has another interesting gadget you can add to your reloading bench. The Sinclair Case Neck Sorting Tool lets you quickly sort brass by neck-wall thickness. For those who shoot “no-turn” brass, this can improve neck-tension consistency. Large variances in neck-wall thickness can cause inconsistent neck “grip” on the bullet. Generally, we’ve found that more consistent neck tension will lower ES and (usually) improve accuracy. We know some guys who shoot no-turn 6mmBR brass in competition with considerable success — but their secret is pre-sorting their brass by neck-wall thickness. Cases that are out-of-spec are set aside for sighters (or are later skim-turned).
Watch Case Neck Sorting Tool Operation in Video
How the Case Neck Sorting Tool Works
Here’s how the Sinclair tool works. Cases are rotated under an indicator tip while they are supported on a case-neck pilot and a support pin through the flash hole. The unit has a nice, wide base and low profile so it is stable in use. The tool works for .22 through .45 caliber cases and can be used on .17- and .20-caliber cases with the optional carbide alignment rod. The MIC-4 pin fits both .060 (PPC size) and .080 (standard size) flash holes. Sinclair’s Case Neck Sorting Tool can be ordered with or without a dial indicator. The basic unit without dial indicator (item item 749006612) is priced at $59.99. You can also buy the tool complete with dial indicator (item 749007129) for $89.99. IMPORTANT: This sorting tool requires caliber-specific Case Neck Pilots which must be ordered separately.
Editor’s Comment: The purpose of this Sinclair tool is rapid, high-quantity sorting of cartridge brass to ascertain significant case-neck-wall thickness variations. Consider this a rapid culling/sorting tool. If you are turning your necks, you will still need a quality ball micrometer tool to measure neck-wall thickness (to .0005) before and after neck-turning operations.
Share the post "Sort Brass By Neck Thickness with Case Neck Sorting Tool"
Here’s good news for 30BR shooters. Paul Parosky, maker of the excellent PRP Custom Bullets, is now offering 30BR neck-turned brass. This can save you considerable time and effort forming 30BR cases from Lapua 6mmBR brass. And the neck-turning is superb, again representing time save (and no tools to buy). You will soon be able to order this 30BR brass from Bruno Shooters Supply. If you communicate with Amy at Bruno’s, Paul may be able to neck-turn to your specific thickness. Paul notes: “Here are necks turned for a 0.330 neck. I’ll try my best to accommodate anyone’s neck dimensions as they wish. Just message Amy Bruno Parosky (at Bruno’s) for details.”
About this Neck-Turning set-up — Paul Parosky notes: “For neck-turning I’m using an old drill press that has been re-worked. The cutter and spindle are all indicated before neck turning to ensure no runout. The RPM is around 520. The lube I use is a mixture of royal and mystery oil.”
Why the 30 BR Dominates 100/200 Benchrest for Score Competition
The 30BR, along with some wildcat variants, remains the dominant cartridge in short-range (100/200) benchrest-for-score competition. The 30BR’s .308″-diameter bullets are larger than the 6mm bullets used by the 6PPC (which rules group BR competition). The bigger 30-Cal diameter has an advantage in touching scoring rings. In addition, the 30BR is also relatively easy to tune, and barrel life is considerably better than with smaller-caliber benchrest cartridges. For more information, see our AccurateShooter 30BR Cartridge Guide.
Cases are Expanded, Then Neck-Turned
To produce his 30BR brass, Parosky first uses a series of expander mandrels. Then he neck-turns with power using a converted drill press. Paul tells us: “This is done the old school way, I use three different tapered expander mandrels, then neck-turn it to the proper neck chamber, then run them up through a FL expander mandrel to ensure necks are straight. Then I clean all the cases.”
Paul Parosky Can Also Neck-Turn 6PPC Brass
Paul Parosky also expands and neck-turns 6PPC cases that are made from parent Lapua .220 Russian cartridge brass. Here, illustrating his 6PPC neck-turning operation, is a Paul Parosky post on the USA Benchrest & Extreme Precision Shooters Facebook page.
Share the post "30 BR Brass Perfected by Parosky — Expanded and Neck-Turned"
Here’s good news for 30BR shooters. Paul Parosky, maker of the excellent PRP Custom Bullets, is now offering 30BR neck-turned brass. This can save you considerable time and effort forming 30BR cases from Lapua 6mmBR brass. And the neck-turning is superb, again representing time save (and no tools to buy). You will soon be able to order this 30BR brass from Bruno Shooters Supply. If you communicate with Amy at Bruno’s, Paul may be able to neck-turn to your specific thickness. Paul notes: “Here are necks turned for a 0.330 neck. I’ll try my best to accommodate anyone’s neck dimensions as they wish. Just message Amy Bruno Parosky (at Bruno’s) for details.”
About this Neck-Turning set-up — Paul Parosky notes: “For neck-turning I’m using an old drill press that has been re-worked. The cutter and spindle are all indicated before neck turning to ensure no runout. The RPM is around 520. The lube I use is a mixture of royal and mystery oil.”
Why the 30 BR Dominates 100/200 Benchrest for Score Competition
The 30BR, along with some wildcat variants, remains the dominant cartridge in short-range (100/200) benchrest-for-score competition. The 30BR’s .308″-diameter bullets are larger than the 6mm bullets used by the 6PPC (which rules group BR competition). The bigger 30-Cal diameter has an advantage in touching scoring rings. In addition, the 30BR is also relatively easy to tune, and barrel life is considerably better than with smaller-caliber benchrest cartridges. For more information, see our AccurateShooter 30BR Cartridge Guide.
Cases are Expanded, Then Neck-Turned
To produce his 30BR brass, Parosky first uses a series of expander mandrels. Then he neck-turns with power using a converted drill press. Paul tells us: “This is done the old school way, I use three different tapered expander mandrels, then neck-turn it to the proper neck chamber, then run them up through a FL expander mandrel to ensure necks are straight. Then I clean all the cases.”
Paul Parosky Can Also Neck-Turn 6PPC Brass
Paul Parosky also expands and neck-turns 6PPC cases that are made from parent Lapua .220 Russian cartridge brass. Here, illustrating his 6PPC neck-turning operation, is a recent Paul Parosky post on the USA Benchrest & Extreme Precision Shooters Facebook page.
Share the post "30BR Brass with Necks Expanded and Turned from Paul Parosky"
He who dies with the most toys wins — right? Well Sinclair has another interesting gadget you can add to your reloading bench. The Sinclair Case Neck Sorting Tool lets you quickly sort brass by neck-wall thickness. For those who shoot “no-turn” brass, this can improve neck-tension consistency. Large variances in neck-wall thickness can cause inconsistent neck “grip” on the bullet. Generally, we’ve found that more consistent neck tension will lower ES and (usually) improve accuracy. We know some guys who shoot no-turn 6mmBR brass in competition with considerable success — but their secret is pre-sorting their brass by neck-wall thickness. Cases that are out-of-spec are set aside for sighters (or are later skim-turned).
Watch Case Neck Sorting Tool Operation in Video
How the Case Neck Sorting Tool Works
Here’s how the Sinclair tool works. Cases are rotated under an indicator tip while they are supported on a case-neck pilot and a support pin through the flash hole. The unit has a nice, wide base and low profile so it is stable in use. The tool works for .22 through .45 caliber cases and can be used on .17- and .20-caliber cases with the optional carbide alignment rod. The MIC-4 pin fits both .060 (PPC size) and .080 (standard size) flash holes. Sinclair’s Case Neck Sorting Tool can be ordered with or without a dial indicator. The basic unit without dial indicator (item 749-006-612WB) is priced at $59.99. You can also buy the tool complete with dial indicator (item 749-007-129WB) for $89.99. IMPORTANT: This sorting tool requires caliber-specific Case Neck Pilots which must be ordered separately.
Editor’s Comment: The purpose of this Sinclair tool is rapid, high-quantity sorting of cartridge brass to ascertain significant case-neck-wall thickness variations. Consider this a rapid culling/sorting tool. If you are turning your necks, you will still need a quality ball micrometer tool to measure neck-wall thickness (to .0005) before and after neck-turning operations.
Share the post "Tool Time: Sort Cases By Neck-Thickness with Sinclair Tool"
Bryan Blake, a very clever machinist and gunsmith, has created an ultra-precise and speedy neck-turning machine. Bryan, who runs Blake Machine, Blake Barrel, and F-Class Products has created a system that uses twin precision cutter tips to turn case necks inside and out quickly and efficiently, with superior precision. This advanced IDOD Neck Turning Machine holds cases securely in a precision-machined spindle attached to an electric motor. Twin blades move precisely during the cutting process, milling the necks inside and out. The turned necks come out perfect every time, with the shoulders trimmed exactly (with doughnut removed) as well. If you turn hundreds of cases during a shooting season, you may want to consider getting an IDOD from F-Class Products. Bryan was able to turn 30 cases in just 6 minutes. And there is an even more advanced version, called the AUTODOD, shown in the last video below.
Our friend Erik Cortina recently visited Bryan Blake in Phoenix. Erik saw the IDOD in action and was impressed. Erik notes: “For a very long time, we have been turning brass the exact same way. Use a mandrel as a pilot and have a cutter with a specified gap go around the perimeter and turn the necks to specified thickness. The IDOD uses a technique called ‘pinch turning’ to turn the ID and the OD (IDOD) at the same time.” You can watch how it works in Erik’s video below (action starts at 7:55 time-mark):
The secret to the efficiency of the Blake IDOD is a vibration-free motor, high-mass case-holder, precision OD/ID-adjustable cutter, along with an advanced tracking system that moves the cutter heads towards the case neck (and back again) with absolute, 100% repeatable precision. Watch the video from 8:30 to 10:10 to see Bryan explain how to adjust the system for a perfect result.
This shows how to set up the IDOD Neck-turning machine for a particular cartridge type:
This video shows a close-up of a neck being with perfect neck-wall consistency:
This latest video from Blake Machine shows the new AUTODOD machine with power controls. This speeds up and simplifies neck-turning process.
Share the post "The Most Advanced Neck-Turners — Blake IDOD and AUTODOD"
If you’re using a body die or a full-length sizing die, try using Ballistol (in the aerosol can) as a lube. It works GREAT without the tacky or gooey residue left by most case lubes. It will also clean off carbon residues on the neck as you lube the case. Just spray a little on a cotton patch (or your fingertips) and wipe each case before you run it up into the die. If you are using a steel neck bushing, be sure to wipe the neck as well. You can usually do a 6-10 BR-sized cases before you need to re-apply Ballistol on the patch. Ballistol is non-toxic, non-petroleum based, and will not harm your skin. It is very slippery, but can easily be removed with a rag or paper towel. Try it–you may retire your One-Shot. Derived from Pine Oil, Ballistol can also be used to protect wood stocks.
Neck-Turning Lubes
When neck-turning cases, it’s a good idea to extend the cut slightly below the neck-shoulder junction. This helps keep neck tension more uniform after repeated firings, by preventing a build-up of brass where the neck meets the shoulder. One of our Forum members, Craig from Ireland, a self-declared “neck-turning novice”, was having some problems turning brass for his 20 Tactical cases. He was correctly attempting to continue the cut slightly past the neck-shoulder junction, but he was concerned that brass was being removed too far down the shoulder.
Neck-Turning: I found that a 1/2 inch Dewalt drill with a keyless chuck will hold many caliber cases without an adapter. Just place the case in the chuck and twist it hand tight. Does the same work as a $250 case lathe. When neck-turning cases, you can hold the drill in one hand and the neck-turning tool in the other. But it’s much more efficient if you clamp the 1/2″ drill in a vise (with some carpet for padding). Then it’s very easy to control the turning speed and add/remove cartridge brass.
He who dies with the most toys wins — right? Well Sinclair has another interesting gadget you can add to your reloading bench. The Sinclair 
He who dies with the most toys wins — right? Well Sinclair has another interesting gadget you can add to your reloading bench. The Sinclair 
