Brass question

[Jeff Von Rosenberg]

I have some 6.5-284 Lapua brass that was sized down to 6-284 and shot once. It has been annealed and would it be safe to re expand it to 6.5 again for a new project? I have way more of the 6-284 than I need but no 6.5-284. Thanks for putting up with my many questions . You would think after 45 years of doing this I wouldn't be so uninformed!!! JVO

 

[ShootDots]

I tried that with 6-6.5 x 47.. I sized it from 6.5 x 47 DOWN to 6-6.5 x 47 and turned my necks down. After the initial fireforming to my chamber, they were only fired 2 times.. So I annealed them and ran them thru my 6.5 expander mandrel. I "re-fireformed" them to my 6.5 x 47 chamber. After sizing, I noticed a "small", yet distinct, difference between the diameter of the neck shoulder junction and the rest of the neck upward. The neck shoulder junction was thinner than the rest of the neck, even though the rest of the neck had been turned.. I believe what had happened was that from firing SOME of the brass moved forward from the shoulder area into the neck area.. So I thought "I will just turn the necks down a bit again"... As I did that and it "worked" for about 9 or 10 cases. However, the slight "wobble" of the cases on the turning mandrel proved too much for 1 piece of brass and it broke off at the neck shoulder juncture... I tosses all the brass and had an expensive lesson taught.. Now whether the turning of my necks caused the "problem" or whether it is a matter of you should not "re-neck up" I don't know... All I know is, is that it did not work for me...

 

[mikecr]

JVON, yes you can re -expand/form them
Ben, you wouldn't have had the thinning issue if you had turned necks before sizing with a die.

 

[22BRGUY]

I tried that with 6-6.5 x 47.. I sized it from 6.5 x 47 DOWN to 6-6.5 x 47 and turned my necks down. After the initial fireforming to my chamber, they were only fired 2 times.. So I annealed them and ran them thru my 6.5 expander mandrel. I "re-fireformed" them to my 6.5 x 47 chamber. After sizing, I noticed a "small", yet distinct, difference between the diameter of the neck shoulder junction and the rest of the neck upward. The neck shoulder junction was thinner than the rest of the neck, even though the rest of the neck had been turned.. I believe what had happened was that from firing SOME of the brass moved forward from the shoulder area into the neck area.. So I thought "I will just turn the necks down a bit again"... As I did that and it "worked" for about 9 or 10 cases. However, the slight "wobble" of the cases on the turning mandrel proved too much for 1 piece of brass and it broke off at the neck shoulder juncture... I tosses all the brass and had an expensive lesson taught.. Now whether the turning of my necks caused the "problem" or whether it is a matter of you should not "re-neck up" I don't know... All I know is, is that it did not work for me...

I think this first hand info is great. I'm sure you can do it, the question will be what "quality" they will be after. Perhaps try a small number and see what kind of runnout etc. you end up with and then decide if its worth doing more.
JMHO