• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

Sizing down Alpha Munitions 6mm Norma BR brass

CWB

Thinking about building a 22 BR . Cannot find any Lapua 6 BR brass.
Has anybody sized down the 6mm Alpha Munitions Brass to the 22 BR caliber?
Wondering about Problems or Issues that I may run into?

​

 
CWB said:
Thinking about building a 22 BR . Cannot find any Lapua 6 BR brass.
Has anybody sized down the 6mm Alpha Munitions Brass to the 22 BR caliber?
Wondering about Problems or Issues that I may run into?

​

Click to expand...
Alpha makes very good brass, on par with Lapua according to many users, but keep in mind they have LARGE flash hole.

So it depends on your intended use. For hunting go with Alpha. For target, wait on Lapua.
 
I have a lot of Lapua and Alpha brass in different rifles from 22GT to 6 Creed, I have to admit that Alpha is every bit as good as Lapua. My 6GT target rifle has run Alpha brass for years; it is very accurate and has over 8 firings and I'm sure it will go another 8 easy.
 
I am running Alpha 6BR brass in my 22BR. No issues at all. Yes it does have a larger flash hole but have not seen any ill effects. Using a BR4 primer. Will also try some 450s next go around on loads. I really like how the brass also cleans up and sizes. Is it as good as Lapua? Cant really say. It works for me and I like how it runs in the press.
 
ASbobcat said:
Alpha makes very good brass, on par with Lapua according to many users, but keep in mind they have LARGE flash hole.

So it depends on your intended use. For hunting go with Alpha. For target, wait on Lapua.
Click to expand...
I use Lapua and Alpha brass in my Dashers for mid-range F Class. I have not noticed any difference in precision, due to the flash hole size or anything else. I say this after thousands of rounds fired in competition, practice and load development. If there is a difference, I'll never be good enough to see it.

I will say that fire formed Lapua brass refuses to wear out. I haven't been using Alpha nearly as long, but it's hanging in there admirably after 11 cycles or so.
 
Last edited:
I just did this a few weeks ago and it took me a few cases to figure it out.

I have a 22 BR Lapua chamber with a .254 neck. I used a Redding Type s FL bushing die with a Whidden .247 bushing.

I originally had the bushing installed correctly with the V down it took me a few cases and I finally figured out that I just had to flip the bushing inside the die because the way the bushing is designed it was not sizing the neck all the way, all my brass chambers no issues and the brass looks good to me.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_5493.jpeg
    IMG_5493.jpeg
    280.4 KB · Views: 61
CWB said:
Thinking about building a 22 BR . Cannot find any Lapua 6 BR brass.
Has anybody sized down the 6mm Alpha Munitions Brass to the 22 BR caliber?
Wondering about Problems or Issues that I may run into?

​

Click to expand...
I am adding a 22BR Brux Barrel 1:7.5 twist to my Rem700 in 308 Win. I like to add varmint barrels to my target rifles to get the most use out of them. I'm expecting the 22BR will overlap with my 22-250 but have more flexibility due to the fast twist.

While I have a few cases of Lapua 6BR, it has all been fired. I wanted to resize virgin brass.
No sense in importing a problem from another chamber. Alpha was the only vendor available at the time. Small primer pocket with a normal .080 flash hole. Brass came in 100 round cases.

I checked the necks and they had a slight taper from mouth to shoulder which I removed by uniforming the necks on a lathe just enough to remove the taper. Not as pretty as a full turn but consistent.

I'm not a fan of donuts so I've moved away from bushing dies as much as possible replacing them with honed full length sizing dies from Forster. For the 22BR, the strength required to size a virgin piece of 6BR brass in the Forster FL sizing die is minimal. Ballistol or a micro amount of imperial sizing wax is all it takes.

While I'm not expecting any issues, I won't know for sure till I have tested some rounds down the barrel.

Update: 6/7/24
Shot both 62gr ELD-VT and 60gr V-max and both shot very well with Varget.
Alpha brass is going to work fine.
 
Last edited:
Clancy said:
You have to have an alpha spec Reamer, because the necks are thicker and the .200 line is quite a bit different.

I’d buy PETERSON, because it’s a lot better than alpha anyway, and works well with Lapua reamers.
Click to expand...
At .200”, Lapua gold box .469, Alpha 6BRA .4675.
And my 6BRAI is from Urbanrifleman. I use Alpha brass, no clickers.
 
Clancy said:
Clickers would be the OPPOSITE of the problem so many of us had with alpha BRA.
Click to expand...
I mentioned clickers bcause past posts have mentioned them and also reamers and Alpha brass. Brad’s reamer works just fine wrth Alpha BRA.
 
Alpha delivers the best results I've seen in .20, .22, and 6BRA. It's all I buy anymore. Couldn't care less that Lapua isn't available. Alpha is better anyway, so buy with confidence.

I always get a good laugh around 4th of July weekend. Every shooter out there running around screaming "'Mericuh!!!!"

Then on monday they buy foreign product over domestic.

Just got a few boxes in the other day. Happy to have a bit of breathing room again!
tqx4KZrl.jpg


Many of us don't have a lick of problems with Alpha. It's almost like the people having problems, are doing things that might not be the right things, if they need weak brass instead of strong brass to do it.
 
nakneker said:
We could use a few more guys running around screaming America, flying flags and being patriotic, always makes me smile in a good way.
Click to expand...
I wasn't saying that part was wrong, and I agree.

I was saying many shooters are hypocrites in that they act like they bleed red white and blue... right up until they go to buy something. Especially when that something is superior to the foreign product.
 
orkan said:
I wasn't saying that part was wrong, and I agree.

I was saying many shooters are hypocrites in that they act like they bleed red white and blue... right up until they go to buy something. Especially when that something is superior to the foreign product.
Click to expand...
Budgets vary, I understand why they make that decision. I try and buy American as much as I can, granted there are some who buy without any consideration of what your talking about, where it is made and where the money goes but I think most guys are fairly aware of where their hard earned money goes. I know my own inner circle is certainly aware of it, doesn’t mean we always buy American but we try when we can.

Alpha is good stuff and they are offering more and more cartridge options, good company. I’ve been using their 22GT brass, it’s nice to have a proper head stamp.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Upgrades & Donations

This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.


Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.

You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.


To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.

Classified Ads

Forum statistics

Threads
165,859
Messages
2,204,403
Members
79,157
Latest member
Bud1029

Share This Page

Back
Top