How Many 6PPC Shooters Are Switching To Alpha Brass.

[Jefferson]

Yes, it's a very good idea to measure YOUR exact chamber length. PPC being a wildcat, can be quite a bit different from one reamer to another. There's no right or wrong about it, just different and you don't want your brass to be too long in your respective chamber, creating potentially very high pressures. It's just a very good practice to check this on every chamber/bbl, for safety. I've got ppc reamers both long and short. I think the shortest is 1.500 and the longest 1.520. So there can be enough difference to cause problems if one just assumes their chamber is the longer variation. It's a good idea, IMHO, to know the actual length on every chamber, not just a ppc.

These are cheap and easy to use but are limited in regard to what neck diameters are available. I usually make my own from aluminum or brass.

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1.505 trim back to 1.490

chamber measures 1.515 I think

have to be careful as the above post explained

 

[jackieschmidt]

My experience is both great and frustrating with Alpha 6PPC brass. With a 68HPBT, I load 30.0 of N133 with 002 neck tension, Rem 7 1/2 002 to 004 deep, and 003 into the lands. Result is 3444 fps. Pretty accurate for me. Variation of primer depth affects accuracy more than I expected. So I take great care to make sure I have the depth I want. I do not load at the range.
My issue with the brass is the rim thickness. I use a Centrury21 primer seater (great tool). Since it indexes on the top of the rim (like almost all others), the variation in depth happens due to case to case different rim dimensions. I seat and measure one or two then adjust the seater to let's say 002 and then I process about 10 to 20 pieces. I measure and sort these according to depth. Then I re-process the ones that are not at the depth I want. More variation in rim thickness than Laupa 220 Russian.
Also, found some pieces where the primer pocket has expanded after a few as 3 firings. I use a Ballistic Tool Primer Pocket Gauge for measuring primer pockets. One side is spec, the other too large. It accurately predicts primer pocket wear for me. Maybe it was a glitch in the 200 cases I have. Don't know for sure.
The brass seems robust but finicky in rim thickness.

I use the same K&M hand primer seater that I have used for years. I simply seatthe Federal 205 primers
To the bottom, just Like I do with the Lapua 220 Russian.
Doing that, the primer pockets are shallower on the Alpha. The seated primers are typically only .002 below flush, which is fine with me.

 

[jackieschmidt]

I got these today from Bruno.
I am contemplating building a 30PPC. I started out with one years ago. This brass would certainly simplify the case making proccess.

 

[knguyen]

I got these today from Bruno.
I am contemplating building a 30PPC. I started out with one years ago. This brass would certainly simplify the case making proccess.View attachment 1666207

To make 30ppc, do you neck and blow out shoulders? Thanks, just curious

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

To make 30ppc, do you neck and blow out shoulders? Thanks, just curious

The Alpha ppc brass should do away with fire forming the brass. Just neck up and shoot it depending on neck diameter, of course. Also, 6.5 Grendel brass is just a .070 long PPC and Lapua makes great brass for it and is small primer/small flash hole brass that is every bit as good as 220R brass. Either way should work great and eliminate a fire forming step from the process. I started shooting the 30 Major(Grendel) back in 2007. It has a tad more capacity than a 30 PPC and shoots lights out. I've never owned a 30 PPC but I'm sure it'll shoot great too.

Good brass and no fire forming is why I went the Grendel route. If the Alpha brass is as good as the Lapua, other than the Grendel having a tad more capacity than the PPC, I'd say flip a coin. Dies are a coin toss too, imo. I have used custom dies too but simply opening the bushing shelf on a redding 6.5G type S full length bushing die works fine and makes it a simple process to get a good sizing die. I even spec'd my 30 Major chamber reamers around the dimensions of the redding Grendel die to make sure all worked well together.

Do whichever you wish but don't be afraid of a 30 Major/Grendel. It'll hang with anything out there and the brass is without doubt. It has been tough to find Lapua brass since the war but hopefully that gets better soon and alpha might offer it too. I'm well stocked on Lapua so I haven't needed to test other brands in a long time now.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I got these today from Bruno.
I am contemplating building a 30PPC. I started out with one years ago. This brass would certainly simplify the case making proccess.View attachment 1666207

Jackie, would you mind posting the oal of the alpha brass. I'm curious about using it for a 6 Grendel. Lapua 220R brass can work but the case oal is a bit too short for my taste after fire forming it. Best I can get, it's still about .015-.020 shorter than my trim to length for my grendel chamber. It fire forms fine, just a bit short. I'm guessing the alpha will be fine since it's just going to be blowing the shoulder forward rather than both blowing the 220r case taper out plus the shoulder. Thanks!

 

[Clancy]

Anybody have a pic of a 30 PPC? Been wanting to build the kids something unique.

 

[jackieschmidt]

To make 30ppc, do you neck and blow out shoulders? Thanks, just curious

With the 220 Russian, You first have to make it into a PPC case by fire for,ing it. I then made it into a 30PPC using the same method I use to make a 30 BR. I fire the 6PPC case in a special 6PPC chamber with a .330 neck, then neck turn.

With the Alpha, all I should have to do is load it up with a 6mm bullet and fire it in the same barrel, then turn the neck. My 30PPC Reamer has a .332 neck.

A good friend, Vic Smith, is shooting a 30PPC with N-120 and having great results.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Jackie, would you mind posting the oal of the alpha brass. I'm curious about using it for a 6 Grendel. Lapua 220R brass can work but the case oal is a bit too short for my taste after fire forming it. Best I can get, it's still about .015-.020 shorter than my trim to length for my grendel chamber. It fire forms fine, just a bit short. I'm guessing the alpha will be fine since it's just going to be blowing the shoulder forward rather than both blowing the 220r case taper out plus the shoulder. Thanks!

The Alpha I have measures .1.510.
You can retain much of that length if you blow it out rather than neck it up.

 

[knguyen]

With the 220 Russian, You first have to make it into a PPC case by fire for,ing it. I then made it into a 30PPC using the same method I use to make a 30 BR. I fire the 6PPC case in a special 6PPC chamber with a .330 neck, then neck turn.

With the Alpha, all I should have to do is load it up with a 6mm bullet and fire it in the same barrel, then turn the neck. My 30PPC Reamer has a .332 neck.

A good friend, Vic Smith, is shooting a 30PPC with N-120 and having great results.

Very cool, thanks

 

[jackieschmidt]

I just opened one of the boxes I just received and this is what they measure.

 

[Shooter13]

The Alpha I have is going between .013 to .014 in wall thickness, as they are varying about .001 as I go around with the ball mic.
My chamber is .269, I turn them to just under .012.

Jackie, I have a .273 reamer for the alpha no turn and the Alpha comes out .2695 or .270, I'm happy with that. I may start skimming the brass and go to a .272, not sure at this time. Thanks for the testing.

 

[LVLAaron]

Happy to see y'all enjoying Alpha. I've been saying it's the best of the best for a long time, and I'm often met with "No, Lapua, heathen"

 

[Sandstorm]

Hmmm..Im from Finland and I just bought some Alpha brass.
I know its a sacrilegious undertaking, but I had to see what all the hopla was about.
P.s..also didnt want to miss the boat on something good.

 

[R.Morehouse]

Jackie, would you mind posting the oal of the alpha brass. I'm curious about using it for a 6 Grendel. Lapua 220R brass can work but the case oal is a bit too short for my taste after fire forming it. Best I can get, it's still about .015-.020 shorter than my trim to length for my grendel chamber. It fire forms fine, just a bit short. I'm guessing the alpha will be fine since it's just going to be blowing the shoulder forward rather than both blowing the 220r case taper out plus the shoulder. Thanks!

Mike
I just converted my 2 Major barrels to fit a Panda action and rechambered with your reamer design. I have new Lapua brass I am preparing. Please tell me your finished brass OAL......Thank You

Best Regards
Rick

 

[WyleWD]

Jackie, would you mind posting the oal of the alpha brass. I'm curious about using it for a 6 Grendel. Lapua 220R brass can work but the case oal is a bit too short for my taste after fire forming it. Best I can get, it's still about .015-.020 shorter than my trim to length for my grendel chamber. It fire forms fine, just a bit short. I'm guessing the alpha will be fine since it's just going to be blowing the shoulder forward rather than both blowing the 220r case taper out plus the shoulder. Thanks!

Mike, have you tried or considered trying Alpha's 6.5 Grendel brass for the 6 Grendel? Just curious. WD

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I just opened one of the boxes I just received and this is what they measure.View attachment 1666491

Thanks

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Mike, have you tried or considered trying Alpha's 6.5 Grendel brass for the 6 Grendel? Just curious. WD

I have not. I tried working with the 220 brass due to the Lapua Grendel brass availability being so bad, but was fortunate enough to find enough to last me for a long time, shortly afterward. So to date, I've simply had no reason to try the alpha yet but I'll eventually get around to it.
Heck, any brass at all will last forever if I don't find time to shoot more! Lol!

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Mike
I just converted my 2 Major barrels to fit a Panda action and rechambered with your reamer design. I have new Lapua brass I am preparing. Please tell me your finished brass OAL......Thank You

Best Regards
Rick

Rick, I'm assuming here that you're referring to the 30 cal variation. If so, my print calls for 1.512 but I think this is a measurement that you should check yourself, in your particular chamber. Heck, even my print says .005 tolerance for length. I've always used 1.500 as my trim to length for that chamber reamer. As you probably know, your neck expansion method has a fair amount to do with how long your prepped brass will be. Just necking up with a typical mandrel yields about 1.495 IIRC. So it's just a tick shorter than my trim length before firing it. You can gain some length with the method Jackie described using, but no real need just to gain that tad bit of length, although I do think his method yields the straightest necks for turning afterward etc. I think he does it that way because his 30br has a longer neck than a typical 30br Robinette(sp). It's a good way to go regardless, though...imho.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Hmmm..Im from Finland and I just bought some Alpha brass.

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