6BR / 22BR Sizing Question

[17cal Fan]

So I'm new to 22BR and Lapua brass. When I size a case to reduce from 6BR to 22BR I know that I should size the neck to the shoulder junction. However, when I do go far enough to get rid of the step/ring/donut, I will be pushing the shoulder back 1 to 3k.

Should I stop shy of moving the shoulder as pictured or go on and let it move the shoulder?

I have 300 new pieces of 6BR and would rather not screw them up right out of the gate. Not competing, just killing paper and PD's. Using Redding FL die set.

Thanks in advance

 

[El Matador]

You're not going to screw them up by sizing an extra few thousandths. However, new brass is usually a few thousandths short anyway. I would size them just enough so they'll chamber smoothly in your rifle. After the first firing they'll be nicely formed to your chamber and you can do the usual FL sizing thing by pushing the shoulder back 0.002" or so.

 

[RegionRat]

If the work is done with a Type-S bushing die, you won't get to the shoulder junction due to the nature of the chamfer on the bushing.

If the work is done with one of the newer bushings that has the shoulder integrated, then it should not show such a large neck-shoulder blend.

If the work is done with a traditional FL sizing die, then I would recommend you use the chamber as a gage and only size the shoulder datum enough to get the bolt to close.

I always tend to spend other people's money like it was free, but I still recommend owning the chamber Go Gage and using that to reference both the chamber and to set the size in your reloading procedure. When this is combined with the use of the rifle's chamber as a gage, you will be able to make progress with more confidence.

Done this way, if a piece of brass doesn't chamber when the shoulder datum is known to be within specs, then we know to start looking for other reasons like the diameters, over-all lengths, chamfer radius, etc..

 

[17cal Fan]

I always tend to spend other people's money like it was free, but I still recommend owning the chamber Go Gage and using that to reference both the chamber and to set the size in your reloading procedure. When this is combined with the use of the rifle's chamber as a gage, you will be able to make progress with more confidence.

Done this way, if a piece of brass doesn't chamber when the shoulder datum is known to be within specs, then we know to start looking for other reasons like the diameters, over-all lengths, chamfer radius, etc..

I'm good at spending other peoples money too
I chambered this rifle but it's my first 22BR. I've shot it all ready and come up with a couple of decent loads just using a batch of 50 cases. Once fired I use a Innovative tech. headspace gauge to set my die.

Wanted to make sure I wasn't going to mess up anything if I stop short of the shoulder on the next pile of new brass that I'm prepping for the 2026 PD season. Liking the cartridge so far.

 

[ELR LVR]

I would turn your brass and ensure you turn a little into the neck shoulder junction
if you turn the brass with the neck shoulder jct. expanded ---like it appears in your 2nd pic
or if you short sized the neck to allow that portion to remain larger in OD then turn it.
--- then the brass will then expand again upon the next firing at the neck shoulder junction removing the internal donut
---
I dont know your twist but, if you want more accuracy I would start with some 50 to 55 grn bullets and something in the realm of W-748 burn rate
50 Blitzking, 50 Speer TNT's, 55 Nosler Varmint BT, 52 Bergers (leaning heavily to the Bergers)
I find AA-2520 to be my most accurate powder in 22 BR
BLC-2 is a good 2nd choice as is W-748
W-748 is one of the most versatile, reliably accurate powders, it is often my first go to for starting load development on a .224 caliber cartridge before experimenting with other powders
Meaning, if it don't shoot well with W-748, something is wrong with the gun.
and seems linear in pressure build as charge increases which helps in load development
vs spikey once you get to max charge - CFE-223 is a spikey powder by comparison
---
next play with seating depth starting at touching then work backward
those 4 shots will suddenly all be touching if not in the same hole once you find your seating depth,
I assure you
---
the 22 BR is such a fun cartridge
---
Pic - I use a round profile cutter to touch the neck/shoulder junction as it more closely matches the radius

 

[AndrewB]

I would turn your brass and ensure you turn a little into the neck shoulder junction
if you turn the brass with the neck shoulder jct. expanded ---like it appears in your 2nd pic
or if you short sized the neck to allow that portion to remain larger in OD then turn it.
--- then the brass will then expand again upon the next firing at the neck shoulder junction removing the internal donut
---
I dont know your twist but, if you want more accuracy I would start with some 50 to 55 grn bullets and something in the realm of W-748 burn rate
50 Blitzking, 50 Speer TNT's, 55 Nosler Varmint BT, 52 Bergers (leaning heavily to the Bergers)
I find AA-2520 to be my most accurate powder in 22 BR
BLC-2 is a good 2nd choice as is W-748
W-748 is one of the most versatile, reliably accurate powders, it is often my first go to for starting load development on a .224 caliber cartridge before experimenting with other powders
Meaning, if it don't shoot well with W-748, something is wrong with the gun.
and seems linear in pressure build as charge increases which helps in load development
vs spikey once you get to max charge - CFE-223 is a spikey powder by comparison
---
next play with seating depth starting at touching then work backward
those 4 shots will suddenly all be touching if not in the same hole once you find your seating depth,
I assure you
---
the 22 BR is such a fun cartridge
---
Pic - I use a round profile cutter to touch the neck/shoulder junction as it more closely matches the radi

 

[AndrewB]

I have shot many many thousands of rounds of 22 BR using lapua brass

I just run them through a regular Redding full length size and then I load them. I load them on a Dillon 650 for this. I’d use an RCS charge master for the powder throw in a Dillon powder drop die in station two


No reason to overthink this

53 grain Hornady Vmax with varget

In a 30 inch barrel I’m getting 3900 ft./s with that and 1 inch groups of 300 yards.

Deadly on prairie dogs. This is by far my favorite prairie dog cartridge.

12 twist

 

[Sniper338]

Yeah like everyone said just size em, load em and get the fire form on the brass. After that you can bump the shoulders back a hair.

What I would do personally.

Size em, fl bushing die. Then turn the necks and a touch into the shoulder. Just cleaning up any high spots only, it prolly want skim some parts of the neck, just the high spots. Just to keep any donut in the base of the neck from being pushed inside when fire forming. Last thing you want is an inside the neck donut. Then get the first round fired.

Come back, annual the brass to take out any stress of the new shape, then FL bushing size again bump the shoulder a hair, then check for case length and trim as needed, clean up primer pockets to ensure a flat seat. Nylon brush the necks only.. then load again.

Something like that..