Alpha 6BRA brass

[moorepower1]

I bought 100pc Alpha OCD 6BRA brass, before I read about all the issues specific to Alpha 6BRA brass. My question is, should I use it? I used the JGS #1 with .272 neck. It's use will be Pdogs and local club matches, so I don't "need" max velocity. I should have done more research before I bought them. I also shoot a 6br, so I was going to use different head stamps. Thanks.

 

[gmr4]

I bought 100pc Alpha OCD 6BRA brass, before I read about all the issues specific to Alpha 6BRA brass. My question is, should I use it? I used the JGS #1 with .272 neck. It's use will be Pdogs and local club matches, so I don't "need" max velocity. I should have done more research before I bought them. I also shoot a 6br, so I was going to use different head stamps. Thanks.

Call Alpha and speak to them…. Have that reamer print in front of you and /or send a copy of the print and ask.. they will respond. It is great brass when you have the correct mix, chamber / sizing die …

 

[Rick300]

I have 4 firings on Alpha brass with that reamer. I use a Harrell's 3.5 die and don't have any problems. You need to have a small base die to avoid clickers

 

[sbrady]

Measure a fired piece of brass out of that barrel the measure the alpha brass with the bullet seated you will want the alpha brass with bullet to be at least .0015 smaller.

 

[64Rambler]

I have 4 firings on Alpha brass with that reamer. I use a Harrell's 3.5 die and don't have any problems. You need to have a small base die to avoid clickers

Yep, a Harrells die dialed me into my Criterion 6BRA chamber with both Alpha and Lapua brass. Send them some 3x fired brass and they'll send you the right die. Mine's a #2, for instance.

 

[Clancy]

I have the same reamer, and Alpha brass didn’t work for me.

 

[wasskeet]

I think the same applies in the 6/25/6.5x47 cartridges. Got a barrel chambered with Alpha reamer and once-fired Lapua can't be sized enough in a Micron die to chamber. Alpha brass works fine.

 

[Bell]

The first firing of Alpha 6 BRA brass "might" give you some bolt lift pressure but after that it's been great in my rifles.
Because Alpha (out of the box) is a little smaller in circumference at the base than Lapua it needs a firing or two to expand fully to a non Alpha reamer chamber...After that my Micron die handles it perfectly producing easy extraction.
A good tip is to rough up your barrel chamber with some abrasive cloth ( if your gunsmith hasn't already done this ) which helps new brass "grab" the chamber walls, reducing bolt thrust for the first firing.
Once your cases are fully expanded it should be plain sailing!

 

[Northridge]

I think the same applies in the 6/25/6.5x47 cartridges. Got a barrel chambered with Alpha reamer and once-fired Lapua can't be sized enough in a Micron die to chamber. Alpha brass works fine.

6/25/6.5x47 alpha brass works fine in a non alpha spec reamer

Shawn Williams

 

[jackieschmidt]

Everybody knows that the Lapua 6BR case is larger than the old original Remington and Norma.

So much so that the Lapua would not chamber in earlier chambers.

Since the vast majority of 6BRA cases are, (or were), made from the Lapua Case, why did Alpha choose to make their case smaller. That sounds like a swing and a miss.

 

[topclass2017]

does this issue extend to regular" 6BR Alpha brass?

 

[LCazador]

When you fireform do a moderate middle of the suggested powder charges to fireform. Seat your bullets long so that the brass is held against the bolt face and try a few cases. Check the head diameter before and after fireform you should not have more than a half a thousandths difference. Once fireformed set the shoulder bump to .002" and work on your loads. Keep monitoring the head diameter as you move up on your powder charges. Fireform the rest of your brass only after you've completed your load testing with your trial samples.

 

[LCazador]

does this issue extend to regular" 6BR Alpha brass?

It extends to all brands of brass. Brand of brass has nothing to do with proper initial load work and die setup!

 

[Clancy]

It extends to all brands of brass. Brand of brass has nothing to do with proper initial load work and die setup!

Well… I couldn’t get within 225 fps of Lapua. So maybe not when it comes to the Alpha OCD BRA.

 

[JFrank]

Once fired Alpha Dasher brass has been pretty good to me with a PTG reamer.
When Lapua Dasher brass finally hits the market I may switch over.

 

[Ccrider]

Use a lighter load for the first firing. After that, you should be fine as long as you are not trying to shoot the high middle or upper node (2950+).

Keeping my velocity below 2940, I found two nodes that shot as small as Lapua. When I say as small, I mean agging under 2 inch 5 shot groups at 600, using both Varget and H4895.

 

[Rick300]

I just shot some today on the 5th firing . Worked fine and getting the same velocity as Lapua

 

[AM_ARixon]

Everybody knows that the Lapua 6BR case is larger than the old original Remington and Norma.

So much so that the Lapua would not chamber in earlier chambers.

Since the vast majority of 6BRA cases are, (or were), made from the Lapua Case, why did Alpha choose to make their case smaller. That sounds like a swing and a miss.

We designed the brass according to CIP chamber spec to work in min spec chambers. We have had very good luck in multiple different chamber designs when cut correctly. The major issue we found with the bra is the shoulder lengths being upwards of .010 different depending on what chamber or gauged is used. We also found that the trend of opening up base diameter to avoid clickers with weaker brass is not good to do with our brass. The increased diameter, when firing our brass which is far stronger and does not expand nearly as much, will decrease the surface area which the brass contacts the chamber upon firing, this increases bolt thrust.

One of the most important measurements to take when getting a barrel is the base diameter of the chamber. If it is a 308 base cartridge, it should pin .472 at the 0.2 mark, a .473 pin will just start but not reach the .2 point. If you don't have pin gauges you can measure a fired piece of brass at the 0.2 location. If you are measuring over .471 (you'll have spring back so the brass will measure under the actual size) then most likely the base is larger. Two reasons the base can be large is either the reamer or improper alignment of the tool to bore when setting up to cut the chamber.

If you want to use our brass, I recommend a reamer with .4714 diameter at the 0.2 point location and cut by a competent gunsmith. Always check the base diameter once cut!

 

[Canuckienns]

Bought Alpha. Gave it away. Use Lapua only.

 

[jackieschmidt]

We designed the brass according to CIP chamber spec to work in min spec chambers. We have had very good luck in multiple different chamber designs when cut correctly. The major issue we found with the bra is the shoulder lengths being upwards of .010 different depending on what chamber or gauged is used. We also found that the trend of opening up base diameter to avoid clickers with weaker brass is not good to do with our brass. The increased diameter, when firing our brass which is far stronger and does not expand nearly as much, will decrease the surface area which the brass contacts the chamber upon firing, this increases bolt thrust.

One of the most important measurements to take when getting a barrel is the base diameter of the chamber. If it is a 308 base cartridge, it should pin .472 at the 0.2 mark, a .473 pin will just start but not reach the .2 point. If you don't have pin gauges you can measure a fired piece of brass at the 0.2 location. If you are measuring over .471 (you'll have spring back so the brass will measure under the actual size) then most likely the base is larger. Two reasons the base can be large is either the reamer or improper alignment of the tool to bore when setting up to cut the chamber.

If you want to use our brass, I recommend a reamer with .4714 diameter at the 0.2 point location and cut by a competent gunsmith. Always check the base diameter once cut!

Years ago, when Lapua first brought out their version of the 6BR case, Sinclair sent out a notice saying that shooters were having trouble using the new Lapua Brass in their Remington Chambers, or custom chambers that were reamed with the older reamers.

They recommended the .4714 at .200 dimension on reamers ground for the Lapua case. That is the number I have always used on any of my reamers for chambers using the 6BR case as the parent.