6.5MM BullBerry Improved & The UGLY Bullet

[tred1956]

Hi,
First let me say I own 7 Contender barrels and all but one are Wldcats. Forming brass is a routine around my loading shop. Been forming brass for my new to me Contender chambered in 6.5MM BB IMP. A relatively simple task if you have the right equipment, which I do. I start out with a 30/30 based shoulder set back die. (can go down to 17 caliber if I need to). Once setup a case is sized down to .277 then a pass through the 6.5 BB IMP full sizing die, a little trim to proper length and while quiet ugly the case is now ready to fireform. OK now is where it got interesting. Seated a primer, dropped a powder charge and seated a bullet. Grabbed the gun, my one loaded UGLY bullet and headed to the back yard range. Sat down at the bench and attempted to load my one UGLY bullet into the gun. Yes I said attempted. Gun would NOT close. Went back to loading shop and pondered over my unfortunate situation. Figuring I did something wrong (which is usually the problem) I grabbed another empty case and dropped it in the chamber. Was very pleased when I closed the action and heard the reassuring click of a solid lock up. Another primer, powder charge and seated bullet. Now with my second UGLY bullet in hand, didn't even go to the range but again tried to chamber my second UGLY bullet. Again no luck. After several more attempts I finally decide I have been blessed with a tight necked chamber. So once the 6.5 neck turning equipment arrived, I set it up just to clean the high spots and even the brass. Now another UGLY bullet and this time I got the reassuring click of a solid lock up. A quick trip to the back yard range and my third UGLY bullet fell easily (after fire forming) from the chamber. Now that is one BEAUTIFUL case. Sorry for all the rambling but it was a slow learning and enjoyable LOL endeavor.

I now have 50 BEAUTIFUL fire formed 6.5 BB IMP cases. So I sat down to reload my new beautiful cases and stumbled on another interesting find. The necks of the cases only needed running over the expander iron to be ready to reload. Did not even run them through the sizer die just over the iron. Probably a good time to say there were NO signs whatsoever of any pressure problems. Cases fell from the chamber, primers were rounded, & no shiny rings anywhere. I removed primer with universal die, seated primer , charged case and seated bullet. Shot great groups and again showed no signs of excess pressure.
Just wondering if this is a situation regularly encountered with a tight neck chamber? What are your thoughts? Am I asking for problems or should I continue what seems to be working so well. I think brass will last for a long time with no more working than it is receiving.

Never ran into this before. ALL opinions appreciated.
Thanks for listening to an old man ramble
Happy Holiday
Doug

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Ill just say this one thing then let everybody else run it to 4 pages this time- if a bullet does not drop into a fired case your necks are too thick. And it sounds like yours are teetering on the dangerous edge of too thick so turn them another .0015 at least for your application

 

[JSH]

Doug what brass are you using?
Bobby T has shot that round more than anyone I know of. He may have input, dunno if he post here or not.
Jeff

 

[#40Fan]

That is the nice thing about tight neck chambers. You can get away with not even touching a sizing die for a few firings.

 

[219DW]

That is the nice thing about tight neck chambers. You can get away with not even touching a sizing die for a few firings.

Doug,
I've been shooting a 15" 6.5 BB Imp. match barrel in handgun silhouette competition for 18 years. I traded for the slightly used barrel at a gun show and also got a set of Redding dies and some fireformed brass with it. That brass when fired could be reloaded as fired like yours. I knew some benchrest guns are set up that way but didn't trust that tight of neck clearance with a TC. I made all new brass with .002 neck clearance, a loaded round measures .284 dia. The Redding dies were for a none match chamber and were fine for shoulder and body but didn't size the neck at all. After some research I found that a .250 Savage FL die could be used for a neck sizer. Several years later I sent my Redding FL die along with two others to Jim Carstenson at JLC Precision to be converted to bushing dies. I use a .282 bushing in the 6.5 die. The load I use on Big Bore targets is 140 SMK, 29.0gr N140, Fed 210, 2.795 oal, 2000 fps. Nowhere near max but accurate and knocks over Rams, even 500 meter Rams. My half-size load is 120 SMK, 18.5 IMR 4759 for 1850 fps. Both loads shot .6 to .7 groups at 100 yds.
One year I decided to take it along to S.D. on a PD trip. Loaded 32.0gr of N135 and the 95gr V-Max for 2500fps. I didn't work up many big game type loads but do have some with H4350, Rel 19, H380, and a few others with the 129 and 140 Hornady. Glad to help anyway I can.
Dave

 

[tred1956]

Dave,
Thanks for all the info. I have just started working with mine. Only 50 shots so far. Had an old can (the flat one ) of 4064. Put 27 grains behind a 120 Sierra and case formed great. Can't wait to start with some other powders. May even give the 4064 a shot. Probably going to shoot 120 grain Nosler BT when I get serious with load development. Any info always appreciated

My next case forming adventure will be for a 219 DW


Thanks
Doug