6BRX forming brass

[DennisH]

What is the exact procedure for prepping and fire forming 6BRX brass?

Thanks in advance for the information, Dennis

 

[rcw3]

I have a "no neck turn" BRX chamber so I just take Lapua 6BR brass, load it with a max 6BR loading and make it so the bullet is .025" in the lands with good neck tension (new brass out of the box works fine) and chamber them in the rifle and shoot them - Done!

The false shoulder method can be helpful with certain rifles, like if the rifle has a stiff spring plunger ejector and an extractor that is hard to snap over the rim of the cases, as these features can drive the loaded 6BR case too far into the chamber when you close the bolt on the 6BR round before it is fire formed. For the rifle I have (Barnard P action with no ejector and a Sako type extractor that slips easily over the rim of the brass) just loading the bullet .025" into the lands with decent neck tension of the brass on the bullet works fine and yields very consistent fire formed brass. The false shoulder method (in my opinion) is a pain to do, it overworks the neck brass, and if you can avoid having to do it, all the better!

Robert Whitley

 

[Rustystud]

Robert has covered it pretty well. I use 29.5 grains of Varget. Good enough for matches out to 600 yards or practice. Then find a load between 31.5 and 32.5 grains that runs a 105-107 bullet between 3020 and 3080 fps. Ten shot groups should be .4 or less. With extreme spreads in the single digits.
Nat Lambeth

 

[shooter63]

all the above are good in bad weather .you could also use 6.5 nk. expander then come back down nk. far enough to feel fairly tight bolt closure using 268nk.bushing followed by small mag pistol primer&8.5gr.of hodgens clays powder &filltonk. with cream of wheat then pack to hold with polester fiber or cotton ive used this method everything measures good in my rifle no wear on rifling no mess to speak of i take bundle of attic insulation cut hole in the end open up channel for barrel &fire away hardly any noise could be done in basement or outside building good nasty weather way to try but if weather is bearable . nothing like trying to figure out how i shot those beautiful groups fireforming brx cases. shooter63.

 

[DennisH]

What die do you use to resize the next, shoulder, and body?

I seems you should use a neck/bump die when reloading.

Let me know how you reload your 6BRX's

 

[fdshuster]

Keep the info coming. I've got a 6BRX chambering job (my first "improved" case) in the shop now, so have a lot to learn. shooter63: Your false shoulder method looks inviting to me, especially now when we're locked into some really nasty weather, making outdoor work impossible. Do you get any debris in the bore that must be cleaned out before the next shot?

 

[TheBlueEyedBear]

I agree with Robert. I have tried both the JAM load method and the false shoulder method and have received the same results (in my 6DASHER). Only difference,,,,,, lots more work with the false shoulder method. The key (IMHO) is the neck tension when doing the JAM & SHOOT method. I use a .265 bushing for my .271 necked chamber when fire-forming new brass.

 

[jr600yd]

I think Robert hit the nail on the head. I use 29.5 of Varget and shoot/fireform the cases at local 600yd matches. The only problem I had was with the primers. They were backed out and looked like little volcanos. I had the bolt bushed and that solved the problem.

 

[TheBlueEyedBear]

My loads are 30.2gr H4895 pushing a 105gr A-Max, ignited by WOLF SRM primer. No problems with this load.

 

[rcw3]

What die do you use to resize the next, shoulder, and body?

I seems you should use a neck/bump die when reloading.

Let me know how you reload your 6BRX's

Dennis

I cannot speak to what others do but here's how I have done it:

For just neck sizing: A 6BR Redding Type S Bushing Neck Sizing Die with the lock ring set so it sits up about .100" from it's normal position in the press. Use the appropriate bushing and your off and running.

For FL sizing: A 6BR Redding Type S FL Bushing FL Sizing Die with the lock ring set so the die sits up about .100" from it's normal position in the press. Use the appropriate bushing and this will get the neck sized and bump the shoulder and size most of the body (just leaving the very base of the case in front of the web undone). This set up works as is for a lot of people and doing nothing more. If you need to hit the very base of the case, then before you remove the lube from the cases, run the cases into another die that will just hit the base. The ideal are dies (with the decap rod assy removed) like a 243 Win AI FL die or a 280 Rem AI FL die, but if you are stuck and don't have anything like that you can use a 243 Win or a 308 Win FL re-size die with the decapping rod assembly removed (although the 243 or 308 dies may also reduce the shoulder diameter more than you might like). I personally use a 6mm Dasher FL die with a cardboard spacer that holds it up about .027" up from its normal position and that hits the base of the BRX case enough, and that works for me (i.e. I have the Dasher die already).

For seating: Use a Redding 6BR Competition Seater up about .100" from its normal position in the press.

Robert Whitley

 

[MarkS]

I just got a new 6BRX barrel . I firedformed some brass yesterdayand broke in the barrel. I used the Jam and shoot.. It is a no turned 0.272 neck. I used a 0.264 bushing, just want I have. Jammed he bullets 0.030" worked great. If you use the FS and COW. Have something to blow out the chambered, after each shot, you will get some stuff in the barrel and chamber. Clean everthing very well when you are done. watch you heat, it will heat like full powder loads.

I have a custom F/L die made $200.00. I will not do that again. Just F/L the base first with a 7mm 08 or 308 f/l die. Next bump the shoulder and neck size with a Redding "S" F/L die. When I shooting 600 yds Benchrest "before the custom die", I bumped with a 6BR boby die and necked sized with a Wilson die and arbor press.


Mark Schronce

 

[shooter63]

Keep the info coming. I've got a 6BRX chambering job (my first "improved" case) in the shop now, so have a lot to learn. shooter63: Your false shoulder method looks inviting to me, especially now when we're locked into some really nasty weather, making outdoor work impossible. Do you get any debris in the bore that must be cleaned out before the next shot?

probably every 10to 15rds. clean with dry nylon brush &clean chamber shoot slowly no hurry in my own personal opinion just an alternative for bad weather if you want blow chamber out after cleaning compressed air keep every thing dry shooter63.

 

[DCRYDER]

rcw3, I hadn't thought of the AI dies, good idea, I have tried the .308 resizer and it does squeeze the shoulder way too much for me. I have 280Ai dies, but I also bought a Redding 6mmbr body die. I was going to drill out the neck and shoulder with a 1/2" cobalt or carbide drillbit and run the die all the way to the shellholder. This should also work well right? I resize with Redding Type-S FL up .100" and a Redding Comp seater up .100".

 

[limbic]

260 FL die for the body, then a 6BR FL die adjusted to bump the shoulder back .002. Redding comp die and either 267 or 268 bushing.

 

[boogershooter]

Hey Blue Eyed Bear, did you fire-form with those primers? I had a bit of trouble in a Bat with the pin driving the case forward and it failed to ignite, so I switched to Federals and they must be much softer as it eliminated my problems.

 

[TheBlueEyedBear]

Yes, I did use the WOLF primers for fire-forming. Just the opposite of you, I had problems with the FEDERAL GM205. I have a .271 neck in my DASHER so I use a .265 bushing when fire-forming. My problems are gone. Missfires are few and far between.

 

[Nomo4me]

Reading this thread tonight has me a bit concerned. I used a .266 bushing but only seated to jam .013 'cause I was concerned about galling the lug seats on my new stiller stainless action. Primers are 450's. It's a dasher but germain to this conversation.
Bullet is a 75gr V-max. I hope .013 will be enough to prevent case stretching.

 

[Nomo4me]

In answer to my own question:
Out of 24 rounds 4 failed to fire. I used .13" jam and a .266 neck sizer bushing. Need more tension or more jam. Don't have a smaller bushing so will try .020 jam.

 

[limbic]

I found when I had a misfire that the flash hole/ base of the primer pocket would bulge up - away from the body of the case. This made seating primers impossible. They always sat up above the case base. I'm a fan of the false sholder. I don' t have to fool with seating depth or neck tension that much. I means I have to run my brass through an extra die but I guess that is what the History Channel is for. To give me something to do. ;D

 

[bozo699]

In answer to my own question:
Out of 24 rounds 4 failed to fire. I used .13" jam and a .266 neck sizer bushing. Need more tension or more jam. Don't have a smaller bushing so will try .020 jam.

Nomo4me,
I started off with about the same as you with the same problems and worse I ended up with .030+ jam,...keep my lugs well greased! and a .264 bushing, no more problems with the savage, the Witchita is another matter it doesn't like jamming or the false shoulder method, the ones that don't fire in it goes in the savage, which ticks me off because I screwed that barrel on the Witchita with fireforming in mind for the Savage not the other way around.
Wayne.