Short action customs say there's not a 6.5 PRC die that sizes correctly, ever since I had a new bbl and chamber cut into my rifle. It's a tight fit, a little bit harder on extraction. So I am currently using RCBS Matchmaker FL sizing with bushing. Are forester dies a better option?
6.5 PRC sizing dies
- Thread starter Ironworker
- Start date
I've fired my Hornady brass 4 times that I've FL sized with a Forster die after annealing and use an expander mandrel afterwards, so I'm not using the die with an expander button. Also, I've turned the necks to .014. So far, I've not had any issues with chambering or extraction.
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My redding 6.5prc does size fine for a jgs sammi spec body dimension reamer.
Very odd they’re telling you -no- reamers work, that’s pretty much the exact opposite of what a sammi spec is supposed to do.
I just finished sizing some brass in an RCBS Matchmaker bushing die. The brass chambered just fine using a forester co-ax press if I adjust the die to cam over hard!
drop_point
Silver $$ Contributor
Seems to me that if none of the dies work for that chamber, the gunsmith ordered a bad reamer or botched the job. It would seem that if a gunsmith had this knowledge prior and didn't inform you before taking the job, he isn't the kind of gunsmith I'd want to build me a rifle.
ETA: Redding dies seem to work fine for my TWO 6.5 PRC rifles.
ETA: Redding dies seem to work fine for my TWO 6.5 PRC rifles.
Agree - something seems not right. SAC is a reputable shop though which makes it even more odd.
Alex Wheeler
Site $$ Sponsor
Its true. Same for the 300 PRC. The case head is too close in size to the chamber, you cant make a die small enough to work. The fix is to open up the chamber, JGS sells those reamers. Bullet central makes the tightest PRC dies on the market and they have told me that they still get guys with clickers. All you have to do is look at the saami print and measure a virgin case and you will know why theres a problem. Lots of guys have been down this road, trying all kinds of things. The real fix is to correct the chamber. https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/the-prc-die-problem.253223/
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Yes, factory ammo and virgin brass(That's been sized) close fine.
Interesting - thanks for link to the other thread. Looks like you've increased 200 line by .003 on chamber with appropriate taper. Wonder if my ADG+ .5330 .200 line reamer is going to eventually show clickers on a fe more releads... Good to keep in the back of my head if it does!
I have this same issue. Factory loads or hand loads with virgin brass bolt closes good. Once fired feels like shoulder needs set back but brass is FL sized. Feel this with hornady and Lapua brass. Tried them in a friends Browning and felt no issue. What can be done to fix this does anyone know? Just got this rifle shooting good and dont want to give up on it just yet.
Assuming your FL sizing is bumping the shoulder back enough (like .002 or so), you might be having a problem some have reported on the Long Range Only blog where some initially thought it might have something to do with the brass. But, apparently, its with the way some 6.5 PRC chambers are cut. The solution was a special reamer that took off a little of the inside of the chamber.
When I got my 6.5 PRC, I thought I might the same problem since so many other were having with their barrels. But my factory barrel and the new barrel (Preferred Barrel Blanks) I swapped in had not had that problem (neither of them). My Forster FL sizing die works fine and no problem after 8 firings.
WSnyder
Silver $$ Contributor
The back end of the chamber needs to be opened up to .535”. To do it properly the barrel should be pulled and put in a lathe. You can open the chamber with emery cloth or source the modified reamer and open it up that way. It doesn’t take much to open one up .003” in the lathe with emery.
If you go to the link at Long Range Hunting Alex posted advice there will be all the info you need.
Did you have an issue using any other sizing die of have you tried another one? From what i read about that set its just a regular FL sizing die.
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I just had my Ruger Hawkeye 6.5 PRC rebarreled with a Shilen #5 barrel as the factory barrel, which shot a consistent. 4 to .5 MOA out to a thousand yards was on its last legs. The new barrel shoots a little better, with an occasional .25 MOA. I have never used anything but the same set of Redding Hunter dies. These barrels are both high quality barrels, but without the incorporation of exceptional dies I doubt their potential could ever have been achieved. Redding products are somewhat pricey, but they're worth every penny.
I have had similar results using Redding dies and press with my Bergara 6.5 Creedmoor and with my .223 Windham Weaponry Varminter.
I must say that Berger, Lapua, K&M, Hodgdon and Federal did their part, too, in my quest for accuracy.
I have not tried another sizing die. Must have been lucky as this was the only one I could find last year.
drop_point
Silver $$ Contributor
I keep waiting to run into these problems I keep hearing about with my 6.5 PRC rifles. My custom I've got 8x on ADG brass without issue. I also have a Browning factory rifle that I've now loaded the same few pieces of Hornady brass 11x now without the problem surfacing. I've got some Lapua brass I'm saving for when the barrel needs replaced on the custom.
I have a Redding Type-S FL die I'm using in the custom rifle and a Forster FL die for the Browning. The Browning (with their lightest barrel contour) will put three rounds in the .2s consistently.
Perhaps the problem is high pressure and reamer prints on the extreme? I don't know, but I haven't seen the problem and I'm darn happy about it. Its a great round for hunting and has tolerable recoil.
I have a Redding Type-S FL die I'm using in the custom rifle and a Forster FL die for the Browning. The Browning (with their lightest barrel contour) will put three rounds in the .2s consistently.
Perhaps the problem is high pressure and reamer prints on the extreme? I don't know, but I haven't seen the problem and I'm darn happy about it. Its a great round for hunting and has tolerable recoil.
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