Do you turn before or after firing the brass for the first time?

Also, when turning, does the little cutter cut a tiny groove such that you have to turn the case a million times to make the neck smooth and shiny? The Hornady tool I have has the cutter angled such that the very tip is cutting a micro groove. I thought these tools are supposed to shave the brass off.

I don't see any advantage to turn neck unless you are looking for benchrest accuracy, have extremely bad brass or you have a tight neck chamber where un-turned brass will not chamber or give sufficient clearance to release the bullet when fired.

That being said, turn them before you fire them the first time. On new brass it is helpful to at least neck size or use a mandrel to slightly expand the neck so it will not be too tight on the neck turning mandrel. When I turn necks, I use the Sinclair case holder on a variable speed drill to turn the cases. When turning, I ususally make two full passes (back and forth) and after I'm done, I polish out the tiny grooves left by the cutting tool with steel wool.

[ 03-28-2003, 10:24: Message edited by: David ]

I cannot see why only new brass should be neck turned.

To my understanding,to prepare (any) cases for neck turning, they need to be uniformed by using a sizing die with a sizing button, NOT a bushing style die.

While the bushing shapes the exterior neck diameter (leaving the interior dia uneven), the sizing button shapes a uniform interior neck diameter thus the neck turner cutting off areas of exceeding wall thickness.

Later it may be of advantage to use a bushing style neck die.

[ 03-28-2003, 18:14: Message edited by: waitaminit ]

I neck size, trim to length even if they are withing tolerance, neck turn and fire form. In that order. I have my cutter set so as to only "clean up" the neck. Removing material from 75% or so of the neck.

When you have set your cutter to one position (material thickness) - do you force the blade thru thick material, do you readjust the cutter for two cuttings, or do you discard the case ?

I haven't had that problem. I just take a smaller bite laterally. The only time I've had to double cut was when I resized some .308's down to 7-08. But then I was recutting the necks not just "cleaning them up"{.