Building a new 6 SLR

[XTR]

I'd go with an 8 unless you think you need to stabilize the longest match bullets. An 8 will stabilize the 105/107 class bullets fine, and they give up almost nothing to the 115s.

In bullets this skinny going from 90 to 115 makes a very big difference in bullet length. If it were mine I'd forget the 110s and 115s. Set it up with a 100 to 115 freebore, which will be fantastic for the 105/107s and the more tangent ogive 90s should shoot fine with some jump (if you even need to jump them).

You can't set a 6mm up to be ideal for everything from a 90 to a 115. It's like setting a 223 up for 77s and 90s.

As for .236 vs. .237. Take which ever barrel you can find in the contour you are looking for. I think the BR guys may have an opinion that one works better than the other for short vs long range, but in the world of the rest of us I don't think it matters.

 

[Nvreloader]

XTR

Thanks for the info,
My main concern was NOT blowing up/poofing the lighter weights of bullets,
with the 6 SLR case, with the wrong twist, for varmint thumping.
I have a wildcat 224 case with a 1x7 twist that runs 3800fps for 75gr Amax bullets,
I can poof bullets lighter than 50grs etc, and I didn't want to go down that road again.

What I am thinking of doing, is set up to throat for 100-107 gr weights,
then I have the neck length to move these lighter weights seated farther out in the neck etc, and hopefully get decent throating, for the light weights.

I am looking real hard at the Horn AMax 105 gr weight,
as they work very well in my 224 wildcat case.

I guess, I just have to buy a box of each weight,
so I can set up some 243 cases to see what the results are.

Never played with the 6 caliber before,
I usually run in the 17/224 class.

Tia,
Don

 

[Nvreloader]

Guys,

Attempting to remove the donut at the neck/shoulder jct in 6 SLR cases.

Need some help on this end,
I just received the Redding die set for the 6 SLR build,
I sized some junker brass, then attempted to to very lightly clean up the necks, using my Forster case trimmer.

I want to remove any high spots/thickness by removing less than
.001" - .002" etc, to uniform the necks etc.
This brass is from the 80's, in Win/Rem brand names, once fired 800+ pcs,
which will be sorted for weight etc.

When I run the cutter up to the neck/shoulder jct,
I have about 50-60 thousands+ in length for this donut in the base of the neck at this jct, which can be miked and is approximately .002-.004+" thicker than the average neck wall thickness etc.

I find that the Forster tool/cutter cuts into the shoulder very deeply,
when removing this donut, and I am afraid that this cut will weaken the shoulder causing problems later on down the road etc.

I have turned a mandrel that barely fits inside the sized neck,
for the Forster tool and can feel this donut etc.

Need some suggestions/Ideas on how to proceed, so I don't ruin this brass etc.

Tia,
Don

 

[spclark]

PM member Erud here, he's shooting one & hasn't mentioned the issue.

I deal with incipient donuts by neck-reaming when making 6XC from Palma or 6.5 Creedmore small rifle primer brass, after the shoulders have been pushed back & neck dia. reduced.

Only needs doing once when first forming brass: push the thick stuff into the neck insides then clean it out, move on to next steps which typically are only skim-turn, trim to length then deburr / chamfer / clean.

Using my Wilson-style trimming rig fitted with an appropriate neck reamer accessory each case takes maybe 25-30 seconds when done in batches of 50-100.

 

[XTR]

What is the angle on your cutter? If it's got a 20* angle you need one with a 30* to match the angle on the shoulder of the brass.

I haven't tried turning any yet, but I got a K&M setup with a 30* cutter for when I do.

 

[Nvreloader]

Thanks Guys,

XTR,
This Forster neck turner does not have any degree angled cutter blade/bit, see info here on the cutter bit,
http://www.forsterproducts.com/product/outside-neck-turner/

And I don't think I can adapt it's cutter to any angle etc.

I may end up buying another type of neck turner etc.

Tia,
Don

 

[Nvreloader]

SP Clark

I normally inside neck ream on my standard calibers also, but this new wildcat is a slightly different road for me and supposed to be a very accurate case, so I thought I would do the WHOLE accuracy process/steps just to see how the results turn out.

I just picked up some once fired 243 brass at the range, Win/Rem brands, I sized this brass using the new Redding die set and found that this new brass does NOT have any donuts when formed etc.

So it may be that my older brass is made differently and have slightly thicker in the necks ??????

I normally use a spiral fluted chucking reamer, as I like the cleaner smoother finish left in the necks when cutting, as I build a reaming die to fit the reamer dimensions for the wildcats and use the chambering reamer and fitting the die top to the reamer shank etc.

Still learning on this accuracy road trip.

Tia,
Don

 

[Rtheurer]

Seems lately Neck thickeness can be anywhere on the map with the 243 cases. Winchester during the on slot of shortage produced some real garbage. Deformed necks and shoulders. Wild variation in thickness.

Not all cases will develop donuts in the shoulder neck junction. My Older Winchester brass Pre shortage and better QC area never did. But now I am running a .128 freebore and the 105 class bullets never get back there so I don't care if there is a donut or not.

Russel

 

[lloydx2]

What is the angle on your cutter? If it's got a 20* angle you need one with a 30* to match the angle on the shoulder of the brass.

I haven't tried turning any yet, but I got a K&M setup with a 30* cutter for when I do.

I thought when you neck down from 243 the neck angle is still 20 until you fireform

 

[Rtheurer]

I thought when you neck down from 243 the neck angle is still 20 until you fireform

To make that nice long neck its fromed into a 30* shoulder right from the first sizing. Its the Body /Shoulder junction that stays in the same spot and the Shoulder/ Neck junction moves backward to make the neck from some of that shoulder. There for creating the 30* shoulder.

Russel

 

[XTR]

I thought when you neck down from 243 the neck angle is still 20 until you fireform

further expand on what Russ said..

You don't fire form a 6SLR any more than you do any other chambering on the first firing. You push the shoulder back at the neck then once you shoot it you have once fired brass, but the dimensions are right from the start, it's not like blowing the shoulder out on an AI.

 

[Nvreloader]

OK Guys

Have another question for you,
The reamer spec's for my PTG reamer is spec'd at .275" neck diameter,
the Redding size bushing button is .265 dia (as stamped).
Also which side goes up/top on this bushing, stamped side?

Do I need to get some different size bushings,
.265" seems to me to be a little on the tight side??

If I need different size bushing's which size would be the best,
this is my first time dealing with a bushing type die.

My turned neck thickness (at this time) is .0135" to .0140",
runs about 80%+ clean up this is on the junk brass I just turned,
not counting the donut that is formed at the neck/shoulder jct.

Tia,
Don

 

[Brians356]

OK Guys

Have another question for you,
The reamer spec's for my PTG reamer is spec'd at .275" neck diameter,
the Redding size bushing button is .265 dia (as stamped).
Also which side goes up/top on this bushing, stamped side?

Do I need to get some different size bushings,
.265" seems to me to be a little on the tight side??

If I need different size bushing's which size would be the best,
this is my first time dealing with a bushing type die.

My turned neck thickness (at this time) is .0135" to .0140",
runs about 80%+ clean up this is on the junk brass I just turned,
not counting the donut that is formed at the neck/shoulder jct.

Tia,
Don

Your loaded rounds should be .270 to .271, so a .265 bushing seems pretty tight. I feel my bushings' IDs with pin gages to determine which end is tighter, then push the necks into the other end. I'm not sure they are always predictable based on the stamping.
-

 

[spclark]

.275" neck is .002" clearance per side using 0.014" neck thickness... I'd feel more comfortable with 0.003" - maybe more - in this chambering.

Redding's bushings typically aren't marked with the accuracy we'd like to see either (marked side goes down seems to be accepted practice) but in any event 0.265" I think is too small l... unless you want to overwork your brass or find you need a lot of neck tension.

Expander ball (less preferred) or expander mandrel (better) will open 'em up yet with 0.001"-0.002" needed on each side, I'd opt for 0.267" or 0.268" instead.

 

[lloydx2]

further expand on what Russ said..

You don't fire form a 6SLR any more than you do any other chambering on the first firing. You push the shoulder back at the neck then once you shoot it you have once fired brass, but the dimensions are right from the start, it's not like blowing the shoulder out on an AI.

I see, By bringing the neck down I am changing the angle of the shoulder.
Thanks XTR and Russ.

 

[Nvreloader]

Guys
What neck thickness would be the best for a 6 SLR, for all bullet weights,
from 80 > 110 grs, with a .275 neck reamer diameter, from a magazine fed action?

Right now, using junker brass (same brand as pending use Win/Rem brass),
I am getting about 80% clean up on the necks, with .0135 to .0140" neck thickness.

When I cut for a 95%+ neck clean up, the neck thickness runs about .012/.013",
I don't want to get the necks too thin, causing more unforeseen headaches down the road,
I realize that reamer neck diameter spec's dictates the safety end, for bullet release etc.

All this brass is being neck sized with the new Redding button die,
first time using this type of die etc.
I found out that the sizing button has different bevels angles on each end,
and the stamped numbered end had a larger bevel than the other end etc.

All this neck turning is with a Forster tool set up, which I am NOT happy with, at this time,
I am researching other neck tuning tools, for better results etc.

Tia,
Don
ps, the reason I am using the same original post, is so I have all the info one one post instead of scattered all over the site etc.

 

[spclark]

I think 0.013" is fine, leaves 0.003" clearance in that 0.275" neck dia.

Of all the turners I've tried I settled on 21st Century's for its feel as much as the results.

 

[Rtheurer]

My Forester sits on the shelf now too. I also went with the 21st Centry. Its set up for my SLR and stays there. I cut mine to .012 but I have a .274 Neck on my Reamer Which worked good for the old Winchester brass before they went all bat Shiz Crazy.
Bullets styles wont matter on neck thickness or I never gave it any thought anyway. Its about having enough release and room for expansion. At least that is how I have looked at it for the last 20 years anyway.

Russel

 

[Nvreloader]

Guys
More questions,
I have been looking the 21 C and K&M neck turners,
both will cover all my calibers,
from 17, 22, 6mm, 257, 270, 7mm, 30 and 35 cal.

I have a problem holding objects in my right hand being cripple up etc,
which of the 2 above turners has the largest gripping surface?

When buying the degree of angle for the cutter blade,
would it be better to go with a sharper angle, ie; a 35* or 40* angle?
Would a 40* angle cause any problems using it on 20*, 30* 35* shoulder angles,
for the above range of calibers?

Thanks to all for the info provided,
being very new to the accurate side of reloading with this 6 SLR case etc.

Tia,
Don

 

[Rtheurer]

I would match the cutter to the angle of the shoulder. Especially for the 6SLR if you trying to alleviate the donut. This you will see once you do a couple. I went too deep with the Forester a few times and it made a nice cut into the shoulder and it came apart during firing one time. All that work to create nice brass down the tube. The Round Button does not work as well in cutting that Neck Shoulder junction like the 21st Centrey one does.
I believe once you move onto a new cutter you will see what we are talking about right away.