284Win Reloading Questions

[brado16]

I apologize in advance for my ignorance but I am new to reloading- currently I only reload of 338 Lapua and 308 win and I feel these are much easier to reload for with less brass prep.

I just purchased a 284win mag that has only been fired about 100 times from the previous owner. He gave me the load details that shoot well for him and off I went purchasing components:

200 New 6.5x284 Lapua Brass
650 162gr Amax
3 pounds H4831SC
Fed 210 Primers

I have read several threads on the necking up process of Lapua Brass but am still quite confused in the correct components that need to be purchased for properly necking up the Brass, last thing I want to do is ruin new pcs of Lapua Brass. Some of the questions I have are:

1) Are you using Mandrels for necking up or tapered sizing buttons on resizing dies?
2) Once necked up will I need to turn the necks?
3) Will I need a Full length sizing die or do I need a neck sizing die with bushing(s). As far as I know, the old owner had the gun reamed for necking up Lapua Brass and did not neck turn.
4) I have also read about the possible donut issue with necking up Lapua brass but to be honest I am not too familiar with the term, a little help with this would be appreciated.

If someone could walk me through their process of Necking up Lapua Brass as well as share a component list for each step it would be a great help to me.

Thank you in advance for the help.

 

[barnesuser28]

I have the sinclair expander mandrel and the special die that is needed for it. Necking up is very simple. I just put some hornady unique case lube in the neck and on the mandrel and put more lube on the mandrel every 10 cases. Then you just run the case up into the die. On a side note, where did you get all those A-Maxs? I am looking for abour 400-600 of them and cannot find them anywhere.

Take care

 

[brado16]

Barnesuser28- thanks for the prompt reply. I cannot find the sinclair die that is used with the expander mandrel on Sinclair's website. I looks like their expander mandrel is similar to KM Shooting expanding mandrel that does not need a die, it screws directly into the press, correct?:

http://www.kmshooting.com/catalog/case-neck-expanding-tools/expand-iron_complete.html

As far as the Amax's- I have search high and low with little luck but have been able to find a few individuals on here and other sights that have been generous to sell me a few here and there over the last month. I have not found any available at and retail stores yet though.

Thanks again!

 

[barnesuser28]

Heres the one i use. http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-equipment/case-preparation/neck-turning/turning-expander-mandrels/sinclair-generation-ii-expander-dies-prod38807.aspx?avs

and the 7mm mandrel http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-equipment/case-preparation/neck-turning/turning-expander-mandrels/sinclair-expander-mandrel-oversized-prod33134.aspx?avs

As for the bullets, i have 260 of them coming to me from a guy on another site and am asking people left and right if anyone has any they are willing to sell. With the 260 that are coming i will have 460 total so that should hold me off for a while. I am also shooting them out of a 284 win. using necked up 6.5x284 Lapua brass.

 

[brado16]

Heres the one i use. http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-equipment/case-preparation/neck-turning/turning-expander-mandrels/sinclair-generation-ii-expander-dies-prod38807.aspx?avs

and the 7mm mandrel http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-equipment/case-preparation/neck-turning/turning-expander-mandrels/sinclair-expander-mandrel-oversized-prod33134.aspx?avs

As for the bullets, i have 260 of them coming to me from a guy on another site and am asking people left and right if anyone has any they are willing to sell. With the 260 that are coming i will have 460 total so that should hold me off for a while. I am also shooting them out of a 284 win. using necked up 6.5x284 Lapua brass.

Thank you for the link. The video on the link was also helpful!

 

[barnesuser28]

No problem.

 

[turbo54]

About the "donut":

When you increase the neck size from 6.5mm to 7mm, a little bit of the shoulder material becomes part of the neck.

If you section a piece of Lapua brass, you'd see the casewalls begin to get thicker right at the shoulder, and from there, continue to get thicker and thicker all the way down to the caseweb.

Anyway, that slightly thicker material that WAS shoulder and is NOW neck, tends to leave a slight ring of excess material right where the neck meets the shoulder.

This becomes a BIG problem if you are seating bullets deep enough that the bearing surface of the bullet must pass the neck shoulder junction (NSJ). From memory, that is a COAL of ~3.150" in 284 with the 162amax.

If you'll be loading cartridges with the bullets hanging out far enough the bullet doesn't interfere with the donut, it doesn't matter if it's there. If you seat bullets deeper though, the donut must be removed, which is a big pain in the rear.

 

[brado16]

Turbo,

Thank you for the explanation of the doughnut. This was built on a long action and the COAL is 3.210'' so hopefully I will not have to worry about the doughnut however I do plan on testing some Berger 168 and 180's out of this too so those might cause an issue in the future.

 

[barnesuser28]

I had my freebore cut long, i think i ended up with .265 i think, reason being is i wanted to try the 195 berger EOL when it comes out and didnt want an issue with the donut. It has an insane bc!! I am building mine on a savage LA and it should be done in about a week and a half!