64Rambler
Gold $$ Contributor
Maybe a good opportunity for a very light turning (like only 3/4 to 7/8 of the neck circumference gets shiny) to get consistent wall thickness - should be good for half a thou or so.
6 BRA sizing issue?
- Thread starter kyotekiller25
- Start date
kyotekiller25
Silver $$ Contributor
PM sent sir
kyotekiller25
Silver $$ Contributor
I believe it's a custom reamer. He has like 4 different ones he uses from what he told me, but this is his personal favorite and the one he uses. Said a pile of matches have been won with it...
Mark W
Gold $$ Contributor
I’m at a loss as to why he would need a whole different die. There’s been lots of accurate ammo loaded with those Harrel’s dies. He can throw a .265 bushing in that die and he’s good to go, but I would probably test a .264, .265, and a .266 just to see what his combo likes best.
Clancy
Silver $$ Contributor
If the other guy didn’t use a bushing…
I have a couple of Harrel’s BRA dies and they look similar to that but not exactly. The finish on the thing is ROUGH.
kyotekiller25
Silver $$ Contributor
I've got a .265" bushing on the way from a nice gentleman. Once I get a load figured out and some rounds downrange, I'll pick up another 1 or 2 bushing to play with, was thinking .264/.266 For now the .265" should get me started. Should be roughly 3.5 thou neck tension. I've been seeing and told a lot of guys say the BRA and particularly H4895 likes around 3-5 thou neck tension, which to me is kinda odd. I never knew powders liked certain tensions. Mainly just hear of guys saying to use 1 or 2 thou and call it good. I've never really heard or seen much about using 3-5 thou on little 6mms. But you guys would know. This is my first BRA so I'll take all the help and advice I can get!
Thank again for all the help! I knew you guys would get me straightened out here.
kyotekiller25
Silver $$ Contributor
The finish is definitely a little rough, but as long as it loads straight/accurate ammo, I can live with it for now, and the price was right! Really only the locking ring and the very bottom base of the die is rough. I can swap out the lock ring with a new hornady locl ring as I keep them on hand to swap out all my RCBS lock rings. Take a little 000 steel wool and a few swipes to the bottom of the die and might take some of that surface rust off also.
6BRA
Gold $$ Contributor
"the sizer was/is "honed" and there is no expander. There are no marking on said sizer, so I don't even know who the manufacturer is to get a bushing. Fired case neck measures .2705" and my "sized" case necks are coming out to .2705" also. It is definitely bumping the shoulder back, as they come out at 1.175" fired, and its now at 1.171", after sizing. I thought if I kept screwing the die further down, it would size some of the neck...It is also sizing down to the .200" line just fine. Fired case is .4715" and sized is .4695" So the dies are sizing everything but the neck correctly...
So I finally took the die apart and started looking into it. This is where I finally came up with the conclusion I needed a bushing. Can anyone verify this and tell me what brand or type of bushing to get for this die?"
My loaded rounds are coming out to .2685" so for the 2 thou
On one hand resizing wont hold the bullet. But in another statement your loaded round is .268 something. On one hand the die is honed. Are you sure this die is a bushing die and will accept a bushing? Nonetheless the die is in rough shape imo.
Some conflicting info on OPs original statement.
So I finally took the die apart and started looking into it. This is where I finally came up with the conclusion I needed a bushing. Can anyone verify this and tell me what brand or type of bushing to get for this die?"
My loaded rounds are coming out to .2685" so for the 2 thou
On one hand resizing wont hold the bullet. But in another statement your loaded round is .268 something. On one hand the die is honed. Are you sure this die is a bushing die and will accept a bushing? Nonetheless the die is in rough shape imo.
Some conflicting info on OPs original statement.
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Most likely it will use a "standard" bushing from Wilson, redding, rcbs, SAC, micron, etc. if you have any other bushing dies, simply drop the bushing in to see if it fits. There are a few does that use a neck/shoulder bushing like select SAC and Cortina dies. However, I doubt this die will use that type.
kyotekiller25
Silver $$ Contributor
Where's the conflicting info? My loaded rounds are .2685" from a few virgin cases I got in the box along with the fired brass from the rifle. I shot those and then proceeded to size them and that's when I found out the sizer wouldn't size the necks any. I didn't need to use the sizer to seat bullets in virgin brass to begin with...
As far as the die being honed, just passing along what info I was told by the seller...It is indeed a bushing sizer and come to find out his son got into his equipment and robbed the bushing without his knowledge...So that's why it's not touching the necks any, no bushing in it! I took the die apart and that's when I kinda knew and figured it was missing the bushing. I have a .265" redding bushing on the way. Should take care of the issue. I think maybe it was just a 6 BR die to begin with, and was possibly just "reamed/honed" out to the 6 BRA. That's my thoughts on it anyway. It is bumping the shoulders and sizing down the .200 line just fine.
There is absolutely no markings on this die anywhere I can see or find... I took it apart again today and cleaned it all up with alcohol, qtips, and steel wool. Also put a new lock ring on it. I think it looks pretty good now. Just needed a little TLC was all.
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It’s not marked cause like you said - it started as a Dasher die marked with D2.5 on the bottom. Since you asked for a 6BRA die - they cut about ~ .085 off the bottom - thus removing the D2.5 dasher marking ….
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Mark W
Gold $$ Contributor
Yep, my Harrels 6 BRA die looks exactly like these ones pictured above.
Mark W
Gold $$ Contributor
Yes, Lapua is the only brass I’ve used in either of my BRAs.
64Rambler
Gold $$ Contributor
Also matches my Harrells #2 die - no markings. I removed the decap rod/pin as I do that as a first step before annealing. I use primarily Alpha brass, but also have Lapua. I can't get the same accuracy from the Lapua, though I keep trying. I started with a Wilson bushing die, and it was not a good match for my chamber, so I sent 3X fired brass to Harrells. Looks like that shortcut has already been taken for you. Good luck and keep us posted.
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