Forming 6XC Brass - Picture
- Thread starter Ledd Slinger
- Start date
http://www.davidtubb.com/tubb-accuracy-reloading/xc-brass-norma
D. Tubb seems to have plenty of the Norma brass on hand now, even slightly discounted.
I ventured into making 6XC out of Lapua's Palma brass because there wasn't any Norma to be had back then and I was curious if the small primer'd change anything.
D. Tubb seems to have plenty of the Norma brass on hand now, even slightly discounted.
I ventured into making 6XC out of Lapua's Palma brass because there wasn't any Norma to be had back then and I was curious if the small primer'd change anything.
Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
Another piece of info...
No need for the dremel tool to initially shorten the neck length if you have a trimmer with a shaft that will chuck up in a cordless drill. I bought a RCBS trimmer and set it up specifically for trimming down the long necks after forming to 6XC. I just screwed the crank handle off and chucked up the shaft in my DeWalt cordless drill and let it rip. With decent pressure and and reasonably fast drill speed, I can shorten the necks to proper length in about 5 seconds. How fast you want to go is up to you though.
No need for the dremel tool to initially shorten the neck length if you have a trimmer with a shaft that will chuck up in a cordless drill. I bought a RCBS trimmer and set it up specifically for trimming down the long necks after forming to 6XC. I just screwed the crank handle off and chucked up the shaft in my DeWalt cordless drill and let it rip. With decent pressure and and reasonably fast drill speed, I can shorten the necks to proper length in about 5 seconds. How fast you want to go is up to you though.
TAJ45
Silver $$ Contributor
"I ventured into making 6XC out of Lapua's Palma brass because there wasn't any Norma to be had back then and I was curious if the small primer'd change anything.
[/quote]
It seems I've read here, in colder weather, ignition could be problematic. This is from actual experience and not theory with X slow burning powder. I also think I remember that it wasn't frigid cold either - maybe 40° - but - do not specifically remember the ambient when erratic ignition characteristics reared their heads.
[/quote]
It seems I've read here, in colder weather, ignition could be problematic. This is from actual experience and not theory with X slow burning powder. I also think I remember that it wasn't frigid cold either - maybe 40° - but - do not specifically remember the ambient when erratic ignition characteristics reared their heads.
Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
TAJ45 said:
Then you may want to go with brass having a large rifle primer pocket. The Black Hills Match brass I use is very consistent and good quality. Of course there are numerous other manufacturers producing quality 308 brass as well.
Interesting read, Ledd Slinger. I have two Forster 6XC sizing dies - one is screwed out .122" to size 6SLR brass which, of course, also includes converting 243 brass to 6SLR.
So I am going to see how straight 243 brass turns out by first sizing it to 6SLR then to 6XC with no steps in between.
So I am going to see how straight 243 brass turns out by first sizing it to 6SLR then to 6XC with no steps in between.
Milo-The neck will end up a bit short I am near sure? Never tried it but think the x47 is about .050 shorter than the XC? Too lazy to go measure right now.lol Unless there is a bit to gain necking down from 6.5 to make up for length?
I looked at that, by my calcs, neck length on xc is .3027", and x47 case, .303", this is off diagrams in Berger manual.
I guess my point was why try size down substandard brass IMO to make this work, I bought 500 pcs of Norma for mine, and will run it till I feel I need another option.
Those using Lapua brass to make XC I am guessing are only doing so to find out how well a small rifle primer works or has any benefits vs large pocket in the Norma brass. Maybe then also find out if brass life is comparable to Norma? Least that is how I am interpreting it.
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
I got bit by the XC bug. So, as a hunter, I wanted to "test" the inherent capabilities of the round. I formed brass from Chinese 308 military brass that had probably been fired in an M60. I turned the necks to a thickness of .013.
Groups fired from the worst brass imaginable was in the very low 2's, but the primer pockets did not last but 3 firings of 39.5g of R#17.
So, next I tried once fired 308 PMC brass, great brass with long lasting primer pockets, groups in the very low 2's.
Then went with some once fired Lapua 308 bought off this site. Again, great groups in the very low 2's.
Next, new Palma 308 brass with cci 450's, and here are the groups:
39.0
39.5
40.0g of H4350
107g Sierra
31" X caliber barrel, throated .130,8T
39.5g of H4350 shot the .070 group, large rifle primer likes 39.0g.
As a hunter, I wanted to see what kind of accuracy I could get out of cheap brass, and obviously, the 6 XC has a lot going for it. I used Paul Bike's form die set. Fire formed the cases with 14g of Bullseye + COW, which gave a 95%+ case form.
First firing after
COW, was in the 2's...good to go hunt with.
R#17 is exactly 100 fps faster than H4350, it will be up to you if you want to put up with the fire cracking that goes along with it. Max load in this 31" bbl is at 3270 fps(3200 is the best node), and I use a 308 small base die cut off to act as a web sizer die on cases fired at this speed, but small rifle pockets are fine.
I have yet to fire any Norma 6 XC brass.
Groups fired from the worst brass imaginable was in the very low 2's, but the primer pockets did not last but 3 firings of 39.5g of R#17.
So, next I tried once fired 308 PMC brass, great brass with long lasting primer pockets, groups in the very low 2's.
Then went with some once fired Lapua 308 bought off this site. Again, great groups in the very low 2's.
Next, new Palma 308 brass with cci 450's, and here are the groups:
39.0
39.5
40.0g of H4350
107g Sierra
31" X caliber barrel, throated .130,8T
39.5g of H4350 shot the .070 group, large rifle primer likes 39.0g.
As a hunter, I wanted to see what kind of accuracy I could get out of cheap brass, and obviously, the 6 XC has a lot going for it. I used Paul Bike's form die set. Fire formed the cases with 14g of Bullseye + COW, which gave a 95%+ case form.
First firing after
COW, was in the 2's...good to go hunt with.
R#17 is exactly 100 fps faster than H4350, it will be up to you if you want to put up with the fire cracking that goes along with it. Max load in this 31" bbl is at 3270 fps(3200 is the best node), and I use a 308 small base die cut off to act as a web sizer die on cases fired at this speed, but small rifle pockets are fine.
I have yet to fire any Norma 6 XC brass.
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Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
No. The 6.5x47 is a little too short.
Just buy the Lapua 308 Palma brass if you want a small rifle primer pocket
Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
I have no issues.
Clownbuster
Just enough to hurt
I make and sell a ton of this brass in 6XC, both 6mm & 6.5 Creedmoor. Very consistent. My 6mm and 6.5 Creedmoor large primer and Palma converted brass has over 30+firings and still going. It takes a bit of work, but it's worth it.
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atombomb
Silver $$ Contributor
I have some of Clown's brass... very nice quality and even shot very well on the first firing...
Not the Palma 308 stuff, no. I've been using it for making up into 6XC since early the year after it appeared on dealer shelves.
I just last month started to work with the new 6.5 Creedmoor brass (shorter to start with, less to reshape only to saw it off for scrap, thinner necks) but using the exact same load profile in my original 6XC Bartlein (Henriksen reamer profile) I'm finding velocity bumped up ~ 150 fps & exceedingly hard primary extraction. Not quite sure just why as the two reformed cases are within 1 grain water capacity after forming so case volume's nearly identical.
I did make the mistake of using that barrel fitted to a new (to me) action I just acquired late last year. Both RPA Quadlites but there may be dimensional differences that are affecting how these cases perform.
The key may be in what RCW III used to justify his 6XC II ST/LT reamer profiles which are designed around 308 case dimensions rather than 22-250 case dimensions as is Hugh Henriksen's / D. Tubb's.
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