Cortina mandrel prc die

[JB10]

I have had issues sizing twards the base of my 6.5 prc brass. I can chamber a round but there is small resistance. It does not scare me but dont want it to be an issue later down the road. The only way i was able to correct it was to shave a little bit off a shell holder and this did correct my issue, and no it was not a shoulder set back issue. I saw last week a video on Eric Cortina 6.5 prc mandrel die and it also sizes down by the base. He stressed it is not a small base die. Has anyone on here tried it that has had a sizing issue, and did it work. I will buy it if it sizes better down by the base. Im using redding F/L die and have also tried Hornady F/L die with same results.

 

[F Class John]

I have both his sizing die and the mandrel die and I haven't had a clicker yet. The mandrel die definitely does its job but of course a lot of has to do with what your chamber dimensions are as well down by the .200 line.

Yes I'm a little biased as he's my friend BUT I did look at him half-crazy when I first got the mandrel die but he told me to just try and see and sure enough it did it's job.

 

[Straightshooter1]

I have had issues sizing twards the base of my 6.5 prc brass. I can chamber a round but there is small resistance. It does not scare me but dont want it to be an issue later down the road. The only way i was able to correct it was to shave a little bit off a shell holder and this did correct my issue, and no it was not a shoulder set back issue. I saw last week a video on Eric Cortina 6.5 prc mandrel die and it also sizes down by the base. He stressed it is not a small base die. Has anyone on here tried it that has had a sizing issue, and did it work. I will buy it if it sizes better down by the base. Im using redding F/L die and have also tried Hornady F/L die with same results.

What measurements are you getting at "towards the base"?

I use a Forster FL dies and a fired case measures .533 and after sizing it measures .532. I've not had any such issues in over 1500 cases sized.

 

[JB10]

I would have to look over all my measurements again, i have posted them on here several months back before i shaved down a shell holder. I know it was just slightly different than a virgin lapua brass. I have also tried hornady. My rifle is a factory Christiansen arms mesa. I have compared with a friends browning xbolt. My brass fit in his rifle just fine, but his brass( hornady) was also snug in mine. I even had tried factory loads and then resized, same issues. I have read about this a lot and it just seems like an issue depending on reamer specs used.

 

[JB10]

I am going to lower powder charges also after my daughters elk hunt this year. I know my charge is on the high end but shoots very well. I want to come up with a lighter load after her hunt is over. Im at 57.7 gr of N565 with 156 bergers. Only signs i have is primers starting to flatten. I thought this was beating my brass up causing my issue but i even tried loads down at 54.0gr and still had sizing issues.

 

[Straightshooter1]

I would have to look over all my measurements again, i have posted them on here several months back before i shaved down a shell holder. I know it was just slightly different than a virgin lapua brass. I have also tried hornady. My rifle is a factory Christiansen arms mesa. I have compared with a friends browning xbolt. My brass fit in his rifle just fine, but his brass( hornady) was also snug in mine. I even had tried factory loads and then resized, same issues. I have read about this a lot and it just seems like an issue depending on reamer specs used.

Yeah, I read many reports of this issue with the Christiansen Arms 6.5 PRC. Alex Wheeler had produced a JGW AW2 reamer that can be used by hand that had fixed the issue for many of them.

PRC SAAMI Chamber Issue - The JGS AW2 (Alex Wheeler) Finish Reamer Fix

Since I was taking my 300 PRC apart today I thought I would do a step by step, with pics, of how I use the JGS AW2 Reamer on a SAAMI chamber. The chamber on my rifle is already an AW2 chamber but this should help those with SAAMI chambers. This is the reamer. Thanks to Alex Wheeler for making...

www.longrangeonly.com

 

[drop_point]

looks like they work.

 

[nmkid]

I emailed their shop asking if they would ever make one for a 243 AI. They responded that the .308 mandrel should work. Don't know if I should try it.

 

[drop_point]

I emailed their shop asking if they would ever make one for a 243 AI. They responded that the .308 mandrel should work. Don't know if I should try it.

Its only going to size around the .200" line and down. The .308 Win and .243 Win/AI, 7mm-08, .260 Rem, etc are all the same. You buy the mandrel that you want to use for your caliber. If they made one specific for .243 AI it would be the same as the .308 Win die.

 

[nmkid]

Well, guess I'll just have to get one. Thanks.

 

[SKWERLZ]

I’m definitely getting a 6BR version when back in stock

I made a lower case sizer for my 7 saum as that brass has a ton of firings on it(for a magnum) and was definitely improved with the double size of lower case.

 

[JB10]

I think ill be ordering one also

 

[tonyb]

looks like they work.

Beautiful press, who makes that?

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

FWIW, a good GENERAL rule is bolt closing problems are normally length related and bolt opening problems are usually related to diameter. Yes, there can be exceptions but that's a good rule of thumb. I see people mention issues like this on here a lot and see lots of well intentioned users giving advice that is usually not correct for the issue. This sport is loaded with exceptions to rules but I think this rule of thumb will save a lot of people headaches, chasing rabbits down the wrong hole.

 

[JB10]

I know my bolt closing issue is not length. Virgin brass fits just fine untill fired. At that point theres an issue in my rifle. I can place it in a friends rifle with ease. Its a sizing issue with mine. Id have to say a tighter chamber for me

 

[rijndael]

Beautiful press, who makes that?

Area419.

 

[tonyb]

Area419.

Thank you.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I know my bolt closing issue is not length. Virgin brass fits just fine untill fired. At that point theres an issue in my rifle. I can place it in a friends rifle with ease. Its a sizing issue with mine. Id have to say a tighter chamber for me

It may be but you can't use virgin brass to come to that conclusion. Virgin brass dimensions really tell us very close to nothing in this regard. Does fired but unsized brass go back in the chamber ok? Preferably, once fired and not high pressured. If so, that narrows it down to sizing. Fwiw, brass gets a bit longer in the sizing die prior to the shoulder getting pushed back, due to it getting squeezed down on the diameter. So, it may be as simple as needing to run the die down a tad further. This is very common if the chamber was headspaced with virgin brass but can happen with a chamber that is at absolute minimum with a go gage. That's when the shell holder or die needs to be shortened a bit.

 

[JB10]

It may be but you can't use virgin brass to come to that conclusion. Virgin brass dimensions really tell us very close to nothing in this regard. Does fired but unsized brass go back in the chamber ok? Preferably, once fired and not high pressured. If so, that narrows it down to sizing. Fwiw, brass gets a bit longer in the sizing die prior to the shoulder getting pushed back, due to it getting squeezed down on the diameter. So, it may be as simple as needing to run the die down a tad further. This is very common if the chamber was headspaced with virgin brass but can happen with a chamber that is at absolute minimum with a go gage. That's when the shell holder or die needs to be shortened a bit.

Unsized just fired brass fits snug. Hornady factory loads as well as hand loads. Lapua brass handloaded same thing. I can take them same pieces and put them in a friends rifle unsized and no resistance closing the bolt.

 

[60723]

I was having issues with resistance to closing the bolt on a 6.5 SAUM. Ordered the mandrel die and problem solved.
Also have a 6BRA that a stripped bolt would never fall on a sized case. Used the mandrel and problem solved.