Neck turner advice.

[bullcanyon]

Been reloading for a handful of years just doing the basic stuff.  Usually get good results. I can get all my rifles shooting under an inch.  Looking to up my game for long range shooting. Sounds like neck turning is something I should be doing to get more consistent loads. Never done it and only briefly read about it.  I understand why it is important and plan on getting one.  What do you guys recommend?  Looking to start out with one for my 338 rum and will probably end up getting the extras to do other cal down the road.  So what should I buy?

Thanks

[iusmc2002]

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/219509/forster-hand-held-outside-neck-turner?cm_vc=ProductFinding

This is what I use.  Seems to work pretty well, my accuracy is more consistent past 600 yards than it was before I started neck turning.  The case holder is kind of lame, so I use a Lee lock stud and shell holder in a cordless drill.  Is quick and easy.  The only problem I have had is it doesn't seem to like once-fired, military brass, the necks were too tight to get onto the mandrel.  After I reloaded, fired and FL resized the brass, I don't have any problem getting them on the mandrel.

[wadu1]

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/795961/lyman-universal-case-trimmer-kit-with-9-pilots?cm_vc=ProductFinding
This what I use, mine is an older silver body. I works great for me, the only thing I've purchased for it in the last 10 years is a .36 cal pilot for my 9.3. Got it at a garage sale for $10. 

[Rising Sight]

These guys make some good quality tools.
http://www.kmshooting.com/

[Biggerhammer]

I like the Sinclair turner.

[b23]

Been reloading for a handful of years just doing the basic stuff.  Usually get good results. I can get all my rifles shooting under an inch.  Looking to up my game for long range shooting. Sounds like neck turning is something I should be doing to get more consistent loads. Never done it and only briefly read about it.  I understand why it is important and plan on getting one.  What do you guys recommend?  Looking to start out with one for my 338 rum and will probably end up getting the extras to do other cal down the road.  So what should I buy?

Thanks

Take this for what it's worth but there are quite a few other things you can do to improve your reloads for long range shooting that will net you higher gains than neck turning.  There's nothing really wrong with neck turning and if you want to spend the time and money to get equipped so you can neck turn cases, by all means, go for it.  But, be prepared to see very little or no difference in your results, too.

If you have a gun with a aftermarket barrel that the smith used a reamer that has a specific tight neck, there's a good chance you'll likely have to neck turn.  Or, if you're starting with a parent case that has to be necked down multiple steps before it goes in your gun, depending on the neck dia. of your gun, there's a good chance you'll need to turn the necks.

Again, if in your mind it will make a difference, that's all that matters and you should do it.  Just don't let anyone tell you you're missing the boat or leaving a lot on the table because you aren't neck turning.  Shawn Carlock, who owns Defensive Edge, builds some of the most bad azz long range shooting rifles you'll find.  He also teaches some of the best long range shooting classes you could go to and he's also one of the finest long range and extended long range shooters you'll find.  We were talking about different reloading theories and the importance we sometimes put on things that should be further down the list.  Neck turning came up and his comments were nearly identical to those I had heard from other fine shooters and gunsmiths, that if you took whatever amount of time and money you put into necking turning and instead put that same time and money into actually shooting more, that you would see a bigger gain from more shooting than you would from turning necks.

[Heredoggydoggy]

I've used a Forster trimmer for 40 years.  It is basically a case trimmer (which is more important, because bottlenecked cases tend to grow longer the more times they are fired), but I have a neck-turner attachment and collets which I found to be very useful for when I neck 6.5 Grendel brass down to 20 caliber.  For some reason, there's a "bell" at the mouth of the case after they are necked down, so I skim this off with the neck turner.  What is more important is a good set of calipers to see if the necks need turning.  Recently I resized some 30-30 brass down to 219 Donaldson Wasp, and on checking the specs, found that they didn't need to be turned.    I think the reason there are so many different case trimmers out there now is that Forster did it first.  But there are some nice ones out there now, but be warned: the collets and pilots are NOT interchangeable!

[mountainman]

Been reloading for a handful of years just doing the basic stuff.  Usually get good results. I can get all my rifles shooting under an inch.  Looking to up my game for long range shooting. Sounds like neck turning is something I should be doing to get more consistent loads. Never done it and only briefly read about it.  I understand why it is important and plan on getting one.  What do you guys recommend?  Looking to start out with one for my 338 rum and will probably end up getting the extras to do other cal down the road.  So what should I buy?

Thanks

Take this for what it's worth but there are quite a few other things you can do to improve your reloads for long range shooting that will net you higher gains than neck turning.  There's nothing really wrong with neck turning and if you want to spend the time and money to get equipped so you can neck turn cases, by all means, go for it.  But, be prepared to see very little or no difference in your results, too.

If you have a gun with a aftermarket barrel that the smith used a reamer that has a specific tight neck, there's a good chance you'll likely have to neck turn.  Or, if you're starting with a parent case that has to be necked down multiple steps before it goes in your gun, depending on the neck dia. of your gun, there's a good chance you'll need to turn the necks.

Again, if in your mind it will make a difference, that's all that matters and you should do it.  Just don't let anyone tell you you're missing the boat or leaving a lot on the table because you aren't neck turning.  Shawn Carlock, who owns Defensive Edge, builds some of the most bad azz long range shooting rifles you'll find.  He also teaches some of the best long range shooting classes you could go to and he's also one of the finest long range and extended long range shooters you'll find.  We were talking about different reloading theories and the importance we sometimes put on things that should be further down the list.  Neck turning came up and his comments were nearly identical to those I had heard from other fine shooters and gunsmiths, that if you took whatever amount of time and money you put into necking turning and instead put that same time and money into actually shooting more, that you would see a bigger gain from more shooting than you would from turning necks.

[Biggerhammer]

Concentricity is everything! Draw a imaginary line through the center of the cartridge. Primer, case, ogive and your there case/ cartridge wise. Neck turning isn't a must but it is a huge plus, even just cleaning the necks up slightly helps with consistent neck tension and a more consistent bullet release. Consistency shrinks groups and relates directly to repeatability. Concentricity, consistency & repeatability are the big factors at distance. Every rifle/ cartridge combo is it's own creature. I have had rifle's that will pull 1/2" groups at 300 yards that required no brass prep. I have also had my share of rifles  that required a little more time and brass prep to shrink those 300 yard groups.

Years ago I spent hours on the phone with Bruce Baer discussing every aspect of long range shooting and hand loading. He talked and I took notes. I saved years worth of "Live & Learn" in those conversations.

[bullcanyon]

Thanks for the suggestions.  Trigger time is never a bad thing, but I don't shoot at night and can do some prep work than.  Just want to eliminate any of the variables that I can.  I'm mostly hoping for less variance in my chrono speeds.  Had a few strings of 50fps difference.  Should be much better than that.

Thanks again
Kris

[Heredoggydoggy]

Lots of good info here.  The last time I got a neck turning pilot from Forster, it said on the package: "Neck turn every time you reload".  I think it's BS, but then I'm an old set-in-your-ways codger.  I did read an article about a guy that had a custom Cooper rifle built, and the first thing he did was turn the necks on his new brass before he loaded them. 
He did get some nice accuracy, though.  It was a 20 Vartarg.