Im just starting to reload, Have some second fired 243 win brass, 20% of the brass I can't fit in a bullet by hand. Shall I neck turn or reamout the necks?

[ 03-22-2003, 08:45: Message edited by: wolfman ]

wolfman,
Both require some work. Reaming is easier, but it does nothing to uniform the thickness of the case necks. Uniform neck thickness helps to improve accuracy. Usually cases that have been fired will accept a bullet without trouble. You didn't say if these cases were fired in your rifle. If they were, you may have a tight chamber. Measure the diameter of the cleaned case necks and compare this measurement against a unfired factory round. If they are the same as your cases then I doubt if your cases have been resized. The norm for a sized case neck, without a bullet seated, is about .003" smaller than the same neck that holds a bullet. If this doesn't help, measure a neck, resize the case and remeasure. If there is no difference, I'd think the cases had been resized. Benchrest shooters like to have their case necks .001" smaller than the actual chamber neck. With a case that has been customized to give this diameter when a bullet is seated, will not accept a bullet when the round is fired. When fired, the .001" difference will allow the neck to expand enough to release the bullet, and then when pressures drop, spring back to its prefired diameter. I'd suggest that if you cannot find a reason for this, have a good gunsmith check your chamber. A chamber neck that is too tight too allow the neck to expand to release the bullet may result in dangerous pressures. Good luck.

wolfman,

Welcome to the forum.

Before you do anything, you should ascertain the neck diameter of your chamber.

You also have to tell us if these cases were fired in this rifle or another one.

If you were able to chamber and fire them without any hassle, then you really do not need to turn the necks.

Not being able to fit a bullet by hand into a fired case is not an indication for a requirement to turn the necks.

We chamber our tight neck rifles, and turn the brass necks to allow no more than about 0.8 of a thou clearance for the bullet release.

In these cases we cannot fit a bullet in by hand in a fired case.

wolfman
If you have a standard chamber you might want to check your case length, that is more likely your problem.
If your necks are too thick neck turning is much better, it will reduce pressure and increase concentricity, therefore accuracy, while reaming only reduces pressure.
Guy

if the ammo is loaded with slow burning powder(IMR4350 or 4831) and a light load and a light bullet (58-70 gr) the neck will not expand on firing, making it hard to fit a bullet in to a fired case.

Appreciate all your help guys, rounds were fired fr/ a factory Rem. 700, i use. All fired necks meas. .276 before resizing. resized a few they vary fr/ .270 to .272 thank you all for replying.

More folks get into trouble with neck reaming than anything I know of...Most would do well to read up on this subject least you end up with loose bullets, too much expansion, short lived brass....

I only outside neck ream one rifle I own...A zero tolerance chamber that I have to ream one thousands off factory brass to get it to chamber and I could reload that case without resizing but I have a custom resizer for it.

What is important in any rifle is trimming.