I had some idle time and started thinking that the -47 case is very similar to the 308, so I took a 308 Winchester case and put it through a 308 body die, trimmed it and put it into a 6.5x47 body die, trimmed a lot of neck off and put it into a necksizer then seated a bullet. It looked alright so I chambered it and it worked. Don't know if I'm going to go any farther with it. So, I was wondering if anyone that was economically inclined was/or has done this for this cartridge and their experience with fire forming and shooting it? I know it's not Lapua, but it would be cheaper in a pinch. Also wondering how the large primer would work for this round?
6.5x47 Lapua case forming
- Thread starter hdbiker1
- Start date
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
I am doing quite well with 22/250 brass
I fire form with 9.0g of Bullseye, fill the case with cream of wheat, tuft of paper towel in the end of the case. I am shooting 123g Sierra's with 37.5g of R#15, Fed 210 primer and groups are very small at 200 yards.
You have have very thick necks necking down 308 brass and need to neck turn.
22/250 cases are very easy to form to this cartridge.
I fire form with 9.0g of Bullseye, fill the case with cream of wheat, tuft of paper towel in the end of the case. I am shooting 123g Sierra's with 37.5g of R#15, Fed 210 primer and groups are very small at 200 yards.
You have have very thick necks necking down 308 brass and need to neck turn.
22/250 cases are very easy to form to this cartridge.
Well thanks Keith, I was wondering if there was a better alternative. Is there anyone else doing this? Are there any problems associated to reforming cases for this round?
The load I use is the 123 SMK with 39gr of RL15 and CCI 450 @ 3016 fps. Started working with H4350 and am going to stick with it. Seems to hold tighter groups and more consistent.
The load I use is the 123 SMK with 39gr of RL15 and CCI 450 @ 3016 fps. Started working with H4350 and am going to stick with it. Seems to hold tighter groups and more consistent.
I like the idea of an alternative source for brass. I will try the 22-250 route first. I have a lot of .308 brass though... I will only have a Foster seater and collet neck sizer bump die right now. The neck sizer with a .288" collect doesn't seem to have any effect on the neck. I will definately need something different to resize brass. An tips there?
Another note. I just put my 6.5 x 47 Lapua 30" 1-8 Criterion barrel on a Savage action Thurs last week. Went to the range on Friday with a Varget ladder all loaded up and some 8208 XBR rounds I was going to use to get the scope dialed in. Imagine my surprise when I shot a .5" 5 shot group after finding the target. The 37 grn 2.73" OAL, CCI BR primer 8208 loads were very accurate. I am shooting the 123 Scenars in new Lapua brass seated to the length on the Lapua website. I will do more work on that powder and post my results.
Another note. I just put my 6.5 x 47 Lapua 30" 1-8 Criterion barrel on a Savage action Thurs last week. Went to the range on Friday with a Varget ladder all loaded up and some 8208 XBR rounds I was going to use to get the scope dialed in. Imagine my surprise when I shot a .5" 5 shot group after finding the target. The 37 grn 2.73" OAL, CCI BR primer 8208 loads were very accurate. I am shooting the 123 Scenars in new Lapua brass seated to the length on the Lapua website. I will do more work on that powder and post my results.
I wouldn't waste my time making 6.5x47 out of 308 brass, not worth the effort.
Just buy 100 pc of Lapua and shoot it 20 or 30 times or more, seems to last forever
But i have necked down 308 to 6.5 BRX to get a longer neck then when using 6 br brass to form.
The hardest part is reaming the necks.But still a lot of work.
Any body want a bug hole 6.5 brx?
John H.
Just buy 100 pc of Lapua and shoot it 20 or 30 times or more, seems to last forever
But i have necked down 308 to 6.5 BRX to get a longer neck then when using 6 br brass to form.
The hardest part is reaming the necks.But still a lot of work.
Any body want a bug hole 6.5 brx?
John H.
I've made 6XC cases from Lapua's new Palma brass with great results. Motivation was to determine if the small primer pocket case heads would resist the pocket growth I've seen in just about all the alternatives, both factory (Norma) and formed-up (Win, R/P, etc.).
Yes, it's a LOT of work figuring out then performing the various operations needed but the end result so far appears to be worth it, at least to me. The Palma brass is a little less costly than the Norma factory stuff & seems generally more available as well so I may run another batch sometime.
As a tinkerer it was worth it but not something I'd want to make a routine practice of.
Yes, it's a LOT of work figuring out then performing the various operations needed but the end result so far appears to be worth it, at least to me. The Palma brass is a little less costly than the Norma factory stuff & seems generally more available as well so I may run another batch sometime.
As a tinkerer it was worth it but not something I'd want to make a routine practice of.
I doubt whether expanding the neck first would have much effect on your success rate. When I started working out the process of making 6XC from Lapua Palma brass last year, I ruined a couple in the manner you describe. (I'll try to post a pic later.)
I think most 22-250 brass is a little thinner at the case wall / shoulder than 308 or the Palma cases so the degree of force used will be limited by the ability of the case wall to resist folding before the shoulder moves.
Too, 22-250 tapers rather more than 308 so the case wall isn't benefiting from any support in the 6.5x47 sizing die.
Is this new 22-250 you're using? Do you anneal case shoulders / necks already?
I found that annealing the new Lapua Palma brass I used helped but allowing the case wall to anneal too far below the 308 shoulder softened it to the point it folded under die pressure rather than follow the die shape as shoulder was pushed back.
I think most 22-250 brass is a little thinner at the case wall / shoulder than 308 or the Palma cases so the degree of force used will be limited by the ability of the case wall to resist folding before the shoulder moves.
Too, 22-250 tapers rather more than 308 so the case wall isn't benefiting from any support in the 6.5x47 sizing die.
Is this new 22-250 you're using? Do you anneal case shoulders / necks already?
I found that annealing the new Lapua Palma brass I used helped but allowing the case wall to anneal too far below the 308 shoulder softened it to the point it folded under die pressure rather than follow the die shape as shoulder was pushed back.
BigDMT
There was another fella that posted a topic about forming 6.5x47 from 22-250 and he said it shot excellent. In the .2's at 200 yards or something like that. Not totally sure. Can't remember his name...
Nice thing about forming 6.5x47 cases from .308 win is that Lapua makes .308 brass with a small primer pocket. Lapua calls it ".308 Palma" brass, so you are not limited to a large rifle primer when using a .308 case. And although that brass isn't cheap either, the Lapua .308 Palma brass is still a good bit cheaper than the 6.5x47 Lapua brass.
Here's a link to the Lapua .308 Palma brass at Graf & Sons;
http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/20789
Nice thing about forming 6.5x47 cases from .308 win is that Lapua makes .308 brass with a small primer pocket. Lapua calls it ".308 Palma" brass, so you are not limited to a large rifle primer when using a .308 case. And although that brass isn't cheap either, the Lapua .308 Palma brass is still a good bit cheaper than the 6.5x47 Lapua brass.
Here's a link to the Lapua .308 Palma brass at Graf & Sons;
http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/20789
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