22BR forming brass from 6BR - neck area?

[CT10ring]

Hello,

I am forming 22BR cases from 6BR brass.

I bought a used rifle - came with 200 loaded rounds - years back. I deconstructed this ammo - had VERY tight tension. Primers cratered... I reloaded, inside neck reamed - as the necks were thick & bullet tension was way too high.
These "reloads" all shot quite well with several Sierra bullets.

Rifle is a walking varminter. .253" neck engraved on bbl. Loaded round measures .2505" dia/neck.

I'm using a Redding type S die w @ .250 bushing, sizing is very easy, size 1/2 case, rotate 180 deg, finish sizing. no expander ball. smooth and even sizing. I will use a mandrel to align necks, then trim to 1.510", chamfer etc.

As the bushing does not engage / size the entire neck, there is an area bottom of neck about .060" that is unsized, essentially the 6mm case dimension.

I trimmed + seated a dummy round with 55g SIE Blitz -- had even tension .002" and smooth seating.

When I chambered the round, I felt some resistance on bolt close (firing pin removed) - I'm thinking due to the unturned portion of the neck (?). I'm inclined to shoot as is, and the fired brass will then match the chamber. I'll inside ream any donut if appears.

I do not neck turn-so far...

Does this all sound reasonable? Suggestions?

photo attached.

thx!

 

[dkhunt14]

I believe if you get a full length size die it will size to shoulder junction. Then I would neck turn to the size I want. Bushing dies are not good at forming cases. They also make forming dies. (Not sure about 22 Dasher) They are usually cheaper and would form your cases. Matt

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Bump it back enough to fire it. Itll form just right if the necks are not too thick. As for the loaded rounds neck tension they all do that when loaded too long. You can run them in a seating die and seat em .001 deeper and crack that corrosion

 

[hogpatrol]

You could remove some off the top of the shell holder and just use a neck sizing only bushing die.

Here's another option, just does the neck, micrometer adjustable neck only "S" type bushing die.

http://www.redding-reloading.com/online-catalog/118-type-s-bushing-dies

 

[Elwood]

Measured case length? My chamber is done off a old 22BR reamer and max case length is 1.530.

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/22br-brass-length.3890340/

 

[CT10ring]

You could remove some off the top of the shell holder and just use a neck sizing only bushing die.

Here's another option, just does the neck, micrometer adjustable neck only "S" type bushing die.

http://www.redding-reloading.com/online-catalog/118-type-s-bushing-dies

Good idea. shellholder mod.

 

[CT10ring]

Measured case length? My chamber is done off a old 22BR reamer and max case length is 1.530.

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/22br-brass-length.3890340/

I don't know what the chamber's OAL length is - no reamer print. This rifle was purchased secondhand - chambered by Shilen over 10 yrs ago...reamer unknown.
I did a quick test - started w 1.510" brass length (new, sized cases, chamfered) to 1.507" BIG Difference. the cases hit the end of chamber
at 1.510" and do not at 1.507". Very clear difference. Seems like a short case / neck length. But that is what it measures.

 

[LCazador]

You are headspacing on the neck and not the shoulder until fire form takes place. With that said your brass will fireform to that dimension. Not the greatest of ways to shoot good groups. Buy a body die and size the neck fully or take some off the shell holder till you get the neck fully sized.

 

[CT10ring]

thanks all for the info.

You are headspacing on the neck and not the shoulder until fire form takes place. With that said your brass will fireform to that dimension. Not the greatest of ways to shoot good groups. Buy a body die and size the neck fully or take some off the shell holder till you get the neck fully sized.

headspacing on the neck - understood.
thx- I have ordered a f/l Redding 22BR f/l die (non bushing). A body die will set back the shoulder, return the tapered case to specs,
but NOT touch the neck, right? How can a body die size down the 6mmBR neck to a 22BR neck if it only...sizes the body?
"Buy a body die and size the neck fully" ?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

judging by those pics youre gonna have to trim them a long way too. or somebody trimmed the previous cases way too much. be careful with that or you'll have a disastrous pressure spike if you can even close the bolt (if those cases are trimmed correctly)

 

[CT10ring]

judging by those pics youre gonna have to trim them a long way too. or somebody trimmed the previous cases way too much. be careful with that or you'll have a disastrous pressure spike if you can even close the bolt (if those cases are trimmed correctly)

Photo on left is an untrimmed 6mmBR case; necked down only-it measures 1.556". Photo was to show the "problem" area.

The previous cases are 1.510" - 1.512" long and chamber /shoot fine. I was wrong in thinking max OAL was 1.507" stated earlier.

These 200 cases have been fired 3X each in PD towns. Using 30.5g Varget & 55 sierra Blitz mostly. no issues.

I shot ammo loaded in 2012 - last fall - with good results. My Sierra manual lists case trim to as 1.510" but the case specs on Accurate Shooter show case length as 1.520" (?). Reacquainting myself w the process from years back.

I will investigate, thanks...great advice & appreciated.

 

[LCazador]

thanks all for the info.



headspacing on the neck - understood.
thx- I have ordered a f/l Redding 22BR f/l die (non bushing). A body die will set back the shoulder, return the tapered case to specs,
but NOT touch the neck, right? How can a body die size down the 6mmBR neck to a 22BR neck if it only...sizes the body?
"Buy a body die and size the neck fully" ?

A body die sizes the neck to a certain extent so it can set the shoulder at the right amount. You probably should have bought a bushing die but the FL will work. More neck tension versatility with bushings. When trimming keep in mind that the difference between 22BR Remington and 22BR Norma chambers are quite different. The 22BR length at 1.520" and the Norma at 1.560". With that said it will depend on reamer used. If you don't have chamber dimensions a small investment in a Sinclair chamber length guage(about $8) will be worth every cent! BTW you use the term "max OAL" I think you meant max case length, right?

 

[CT10ring]

All understood, thx. I have a Redding F/L Type S (used w a .250" bushing) that gave me the unsized neck portion.
Have a f/l non bushing sizing die coming.

Will get a body die also as needed...

may even buy a neck turning rig also & a Sinclair gauge.

Max OAL - meant max case, yes. The fellow who sold me the rifle (along with his loaded ammo) had trimmed cases to 1.510" so I followed this precedent.

There is alot of info "here" using a 22BR search, which I am reading.
Thx for the reply.

 

[RussellJ]

Hello,

I am forming 22BR cases from 6BR brass.

I bought a used rifle - came with 200 loaded rounds - years back. I deconstructed this ammo - had VERY tight tension. Primers cratered... I reloaded, inside neck reamed - as the necks were thick & bullet tension was way too high.
These "reloads" all shot quite well with several Sierra bullets.

Rifle is a walking varminter. .253" neck engraved on bbl. Loaded round measures .2505" dia/neck.

I'm using a Redding type S die w @ .250 bushing, sizing is very easy, size 1/2 case, rotate 180 deg, finish sizing. no expander ball. smooth and even sizing. I will use a mandrel to align necks, then trim to 1.510", chamfer etc.

As the bushing does not engage / size the entire neck, there is an area bottom of neck about .060" that is unsized, essentially the 6mm case dimension.

I trimmed + seated a dummy round with 55g SIE Blitz -- had even tension .002" and smooth seating.

When I chambered the round, I felt some resistance on bolt close (firing pin removed) - I'm thinking due to the unturned portion of the neck (?). I'm inclined to shoot as is, and the fired brass will then match the chamber. I'll inside ream any donut if appears.

I do not neck turn-so far...

Does this all sound reasonable? Suggestions?

photo attached.

thx!

View attachment 1040612

I have always neck turned the last .050" of the neck. Below is the first five step I take with new 6BR brass.

(1): Size neck of brass case with .255” Redding bushing

(2): Size neck of brass case with .246” Redding bushing

(3): Expanded the neck with K&M mandrel

(4): Neck turned last .050” (+/-) of neck with K&M tool

(5): Size brass with .246” Redding Bushing

 

[boltfluter]

You have one of the first or original .22 BR chambers. This chamber was designed around Remington brass. Not bad, just some info to help. Max length of these is 1.520, trim to 1.510 . I have several rifles with this chamber. Lapua brass works fine in mine. Just a lot of trimming initially and off you go. Have fun.

Paul

 

[CT10ring]

I have always neck turned the last .050" of the neck. Below is the first five step I take with new 6BR brass.

(1): Size neck of brass case with .255” Redding bushing

(2): Size neck of brass case with .246” Redding bushing

(3): Expanded the neck with K&M mandrel

(4): Neck turned last .050” (+/-) of neck with K&M tool

(5): Size brass with .246” Redding Bushing

great info! you must have a .248 neck. Do you recommend the K&M tool? Use by hand? Better than Sinclair 4000?

 

[CT10ring]

You have one of the first or original .22 BR chambers. This chamber was designed around Remington brass. Not bad, just some info to help. Max length of these is 1.520, trim to 1.510 . I have several rifles with this chamber. Lapua brass works fine in mine. Just a lot of trimming initially and off you go. Have fun.

Paul

My 22BR is a relatively modern Rem 700, fwiw. Shilen Match SS bead blasted bbl. .253" neck - no turn.

I called Shilen & they advise all of their 22BR reamers are .246 - .248", and that the customer (original owner) must have supplied the
reamer, so no chamber / print info there...

Exactly - alot of trimming. A great shooting rifle, zero freebore.

I have been trimming my newly formed brass in incremental lengths to find the max length. I tried 1.520" down to 1.510". Only when trimmed to 1.510" or less will brass chamber. at 1.512", I feel a definite "crush/resistance".


thx for the info!

 

[hogpatrol]

My 22BR reamer print shows 1.575 Minimum length.

 

[CT10ring]

My 22BR reamer print shows 1.575 Minimum length.

Yeah, I'd like to use all of that long BR neck... Have a sinclair chamber length gauge on the way.

 

[RussellJ]

great info! you must have a .248 neck. Do you recommend the K&M tool? Use by hand? Better than Sinclair 4000?

I use the K&M neck turner and a cordless drill.