Forming 308 to 6.5X47L

[GaCop]

A friend and I are going to build 6.5 Lapuas. I was wondering if it's feasible to run 308 match brass and/or 260 Rem into the 6.5X47L sizing die. Would it require neck turning at all? I ran 308 brass in my 260 die w/o any problems BUT, I wasn't setting the shoulder back 4mm either. I've got a lot of 308 and 260 brass hence the question.

[Aircraftmech76]

i'm interested in this as well. I don't have the dies for this caliber, but lots of 308 to sacrifice ;D

[82boy]

All I can say is you are a gluten for punishment.

[Aircraftmech76]

The punishment, as I see it, is paying over $1 apiece for brass... :)

I take it you've been down this road? How'd it turn out?

Kevin

[GaCop]

Yes, still wondering about the feasibility of converting. What exactly are the pitfalls..........inquiring minds want to know.

[82boy]

Just grab a couple of piece of cheap winchester brass and give it a try. Trying to do that much work to the brass with out a form die can be problematic, you can push the shoulder out shape, bulging it out from the taper of the brass, you need to get the right type of lube and the right amount, enough to where the brass will form, and not cause hundreds of dents, let alone keeping everything strait. Before I would ever try 308 brass I would do 6xc brass.

Yes I feel your pain on the price of 6.5x47L brass. This is why the next barrel I bought I had chambered in 6mmbr. Tubbs has listed 6xc brass for $69.00 a 100.
http://www.superiorshootingsystems.com/Reloading-DIES_BRASS_ETC.html
The 6xc brass is closer in dimension to 6.5x47 than 308, and even thought it is a bit of a pain to form, it would still take less work to form it than 308 brass. 6xc brass can be done in a Lapau FL sizing die. There has been a few people that have done it with success, the down side is it has the large primer, but so does 90% of 308 brass.

[223Rem]

The punishment, as I see it, is paying over $1 apiece for brass... :)

I take it you've been down this road? How'd it turn out?

Kevin


But that native Laupa brass will last you much much longer than any "formed" brass, without the headaches.

[GaCop]

Looks like I'm better off just buying Lapua brass in 6.5 rather than going through the expense of buying 6XC AND then having to form it. I already have a 6mm Norma BR so that route is out for me. Just for S&Gs, I'll try a few 260 Rem cases as soon as my RCBS dies get here. No loss if I ruin a few cheap cases trying!

[SMK Shoe]

Powder valley has the 6.5 X 47 Lapua brass for 88$ a hundred. much cheaper than Midway

[GaCop]

I just ran twenty 260 Rem RP cases through the full length 6.5 Lapua sizing die. I had a few cases with wrinkles in the shoulder but overall, they came out pretty good. I tried Norma 260 brass and it was a total failure. The case necks came out weird and wrinkled on the two cases I tried so gave up on Norma.

I trimmed the 260 RP brass to the 6.5 Lapua length (1.845") then lowered the sizing die 3/4 turn, sized the case, 3/4 turn, sized the case, etc, to slowly form the shoulder and neck. This worked far better than trying to size the brass in one pass really wrinkling the case shoulder. I also found that minimal sizing wax in the shoulder area cut down on wrinkles. The few that did wrinkle a bit, I'll straighten it out the first time their fired. I was curious to see if it could be done..............now I know!

[Aircraftmech76]

Powder valley has the 6.5 X 47 Lapua brass for 88$ a hundred. much cheaper than Midway


That's about $20 cheaper than the last time I saw that brass for sale. Thanks for the tip!

Kevin

[gotcha]

Aircraft mech., Bruno's has 6.5X47L @ .87 cents each. buy 5.............. buy 99 same price.