I am shooting a 31° 6mm Competition Match. I read in the "Big Stuff" forum that some are necking down to 6.5mm with good results. Is 6mm to much?
Thanks!
Thanks!
How far can 308 Palma Lapua Brass be necked down?
- Thread starter montana_native
- Start date
ShootDots said:
Yes,
It sounds like it will take high pressure loads a little better... I need to get some brass for this thing anyway so I figured maybe I'd give the Palma stuff a try.
montana_native said:
I'm doing the same thing with a 7-08 and 243. Palma brass is almost indestructible but you can get hang fires in cold weather.
jsthntn247 said:
Hang fires due to case capacity' slow powder and small primer? Magnum primers help?
montana_native said:
If I were to use a small rifle primer for a hunting application in C-O-L-D weather, I would use a Winchester Small Rifle Primer. They were made for Winchester BALL powders, which are harder to ignite effectively than stick powders are. They (the Win primers) have a H-O-T flame..
montana_native said:
No, I've been using Lapua's Palma brass to make 6XC since about 2010. Works great but does require neck turning. As I like my necks at 0.011" thickness I'm also advocating taking some of the excess out of the inside too (Wilson neck reamer) then turning the outside as the final step.
I don't shoot when it's below about 40 degrees so the caveat about small primers & ignition problems is something I can't comment on. Given the number of magnum primer products out there I'd have to think that if the problem shows up it'd be easily fixed with a different orimer choice.
I think the palma brass with the small rifle primer was designed with more (meat) in the web and base to allow a higher pressure load (I think). I have made the 308 palma's into 6.5 creedmoore..The reason I did was..i also wonder if anyone else has ran into this. I had Hornady brass in 6.5 creed and it had been fired several times FL sized in reg Hornady FL die.
I started to work up a load with RL17 and wow I saw some incredible velocity's . and I showed no pressure signs..looking for any bolt lift or ejector plunger marks..so I loaded that load on some new brass. shot one the bolt opened fine and the primer fell out of the back of the case.i did several more. now I could shoot them cases 200 FPS slower. so after I had seen the big velocity numbers I was out to get it. so I did make I think 70 308 palma's into 6.5 creed. it is quite a job. but seemed woth it for testing purposes . Yes I had to turn necks and I found I had to anneal them or I split a few shoulders.
But anyhow I cut the primer pockets and flash holes all the same and I only used CCI450 primers..On the cases I tested I had like 10 that I fired 6 times and the primer pockets were still tight. I was able to run the heavy dose of RL17 behind a Berger 140 VLD at 2,950 FPS year round..I shot a whitetail doe at 400 yards it was 25 deg F and the wind was around 10 mph gusting to 20 or more, I held for 10 and shot the let up and droped her in her tracks. I chrony tested down to -10 deg F Yep I really did..at -10 deg F it was down to 2,900 FPS.. so I was unaware of a issue with the primers and never have I experienced any . I do not think there is any advantage in turning them into a 6mm CM that 6CM can run more velocity than you will ever need on any good brass .. I also shoot a 6XC and the new norma brass I have been shooting seems good ..I know Norma is making 6.5 creed brass now but I have been unable to find any. someone was going to shoot the 7mm/08 with the palma brass and see how much more pressure(higher velocity they could run) but I have never heard anything more on it. IMO the only reason to use plama brass over none palma is for a higher pressure load? Im asking because I don't remember. I read about them once and maybe Lapua's says that is not why they were made but what they are used for.
I started to work up a load with RL17 and wow I saw some incredible velocity's . and I showed no pressure signs..looking for any bolt lift or ejector plunger marks..so I loaded that load on some new brass. shot one the bolt opened fine and the primer fell out of the back of the case.i did several more. now I could shoot them cases 200 FPS slower. so after I had seen the big velocity numbers I was out to get it. so I did make I think 70 308 palma's into 6.5 creed. it is quite a job. but seemed woth it for testing purposes . Yes I had to turn necks and I found I had to anneal them or I split a few shoulders.
But anyhow I cut the primer pockets and flash holes all the same and I only used CCI450 primers..On the cases I tested I had like 10 that I fired 6 times and the primer pockets were still tight. I was able to run the heavy dose of RL17 behind a Berger 140 VLD at 2,950 FPS year round..I shot a whitetail doe at 400 yards it was 25 deg F and the wind was around 10 mph gusting to 20 or more, I held for 10 and shot the let up and droped her in her tracks. I chrony tested down to -10 deg F Yep I really did..at -10 deg F it was down to 2,900 FPS.. so I was unaware of a issue with the primers and never have I experienced any . I do not think there is any advantage in turning them into a 6mm CM that 6CM can run more velocity than you will ever need on any good brass .. I also shoot a 6XC and the new norma brass I have been shooting seems good ..I know Norma is making 6.5 creed brass now but I have been unable to find any. someone was going to shoot the 7mm/08 with the palma brass and see how much more pressure(higher velocity they could run) but I have never heard anything more on it. IMO the only reason to use plama brass over none palma is for a higher pressure load? Im asking because I don't remember. I read about them once and maybe Lapua's says that is not why they were made but what they are used for.
You can make a 7-08 shoot like a 284 with palma brass but the cost will be increased throat erosion.
My 6CM (Competition Match)
I just left about 50 pieces of Winchester brass that was fired 20+ times on the ground. I was not losing primers, tho they were a little loose. This brass had always been loaded with 48.7-49.0 grs. of H1000. Domestic brass works fine for this cartridge with H1000. Another powder and I am sure it will be another story.
I just left about 50 pieces of Winchester brass that was fired 20+ times on the ground. I was not losing primers, tho they were a little loose. This brass had always been loaded with 48.7-49.0 grs. of H1000. Domestic brass works fine for this cartridge with H1000. Another powder and I am sure it will be another story.
Dgd6mm said:
I'm at 49.2 grains of H1000 with the 105 Hybrid and Norma brass. I might be overthinking this a bit too much. 20 rounds on Winchester brass is certainly nothing to sneeze at.
No it's not nothing to sneeze at. My 6CM benchrest rifle with the longest throat I've shot up to 51grs. of H1000, that brass is still young. About 8 firings on it and fine. If my memory serves me correctly, Joe has shot Winchester brass to 20 plus firings. This cartridge is not real tough on brass.
You can take them down to .22 to use as cheetah brass but will obviously need to turn necks.. Definitely go with sr mag primers.
Some will argue that they don't see an improvement in accuracy by going with the small primer but you won't hear too many say that they haven't been able to get better pocket life when stepping on the gas.
Myself I don't like to go beyond the 39 grain area without going to mag primers when dealing with a 4350 type powder.
Some will argue that they don't see an improvement in accuracy by going with the small primer but you won't hear too many say that they haven't been able to get better pocket life when stepping on the gas.
Myself I don't like to go beyond the 39 grain area without going to mag primers when dealing with a 4350 type powder.
I have necked down both Palma and regular 308 lapua to 6 SLR. Three steps ( 7-08...6.5 creed die, then my 6slr)and turn. 100 takes about 1.5 hrs start to finish. I tested with 450s and 7.5 mag primers in the palma. Accuracy was real good... loads almost identical to my win brass. I want to do an experiment with some larger flash holes too..... some day.
The reason I tried regular 308 lapua brass is because it is so cheap compared to 243 lapua. Even the Palma brass was on sale then.
Good luck.
The reason I tried regular 308 lapua brass is because it is so cheap compared to 243 lapua. Even the Palma brass was on sale then.
Good luck.
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