6.5 Creedmore from Lapua 308 Palma (small primer)

[LitLBoy]

Going to form 6.5 Creedmore from Lapua 308 Palma brass --- good idea or bad?? Any advise?
Thanks,
Stan

 

[BradY]

You may have to neck turn your cases so they fit the chamber. Ive necked 308 palmas down to 260 for fireforming to 260R with a 30 degree improved shoulder. They measure 0.296" loaded where the standard lapua 260 rem cases measure 0.294". Will have to neck turn 1 thou all round off them.

 

[LitLBoy]

By1983
Thanks-- I know I have to turn the necks and trim to length, maybe ;my big question is the change to small rifle primer and the effect that will have on my load.
Stan

 

[D-mon]

Hi,
I have done it with 308 federal brass. I have not tried with 308 lapua or Norma brass as the rumour is that their case is much thicker on the shoulder and not easy to size down.
You can have a look at what I and others have written on the following link:
http://www.65creedmoor.com/index.php?topic=356.msg3584#msg3584
I hope it helps.
Nic

 

[D-mon]

Turning the case 1/4 turn as you progressively push up and down with the arm of your press is good trick for not having your brass caving in.
Good luck
Nic

 

[280man]

If you want small primer 6.5 brass from Lapua have you thought about the 6.5x47?

Also when Lapua designed the Palma brass with the small primer it was for Varget or RL15 powder not H4350.

Is the Hornady factory brass not good enough for your needs or can you not get any right now?

 

[LitLBoy]

Hornady brass is good enough I guess, can't get it now. I have a bunch of federal 308 and I bought the lapua just to try it. Last group I shot with the federal formed brass was .163@100yds. No I can't do that every day, but I've done it several times with the hornady also. This is how I form either from federal or lapua. Use imperial sizing die wax(GREAT STUFF), neck or FL size with 308 die, form with Redding body size die, expand neck to just fit mandrel of trimming and turning tool, trim to length, then turn neck wall to proper size. Haven't lost a single piece of brass in the forming process yet.
Finished rounds are .294 O.D. with bullet seated, fired rounds coming out of the gun are .294 O.D. They chamber easy and they come out of the gun just as easy as they went in, no pressure sign that I can find.
Am I walking to close to the edge on my neck wall thickness??? Barrel is a 3 grove Lilja, 8 twist, chambered with what I assume is a standard Creedmore chamber. My load is Fed match primer, 41.7/H4350 and a 120 SMK. Any and all help greatly appreciated.
Stan

 

[wapiti25]

You may want to anneal the shoulder before forming. Should work fine for you otherwise. You do need to watch as some powders could give hang fires.

 

[SF-Guy]

I have had success from forming .308 in Lake City Match brass, as well as Federal. I have tons of it from many years on service teams and competition. It was such a waste to not give it a try. I like using the LC Match brass as it does not have the caliber stamped on it. the 6.5mm case neck is easy to distinguish from the .30 cal neck so that makes the problem of finding one in the wrong "fired brass" buckets an easy one.

I was initially using a 7mm-08 body die until I received a 6.5CM body die. Worked well. The big thing is to set your headspace so it is one step in the FL die to set the shoulder where you want it. I use an O-ring under my FL dies to "float them" to center up.
don't give up on the .308 brass. maybe there will be a 2nd manufacturer coming up or more brass in the future at a good price

Good luck, good shooting