My observations: New Blue Box Lapua 6BR brass

[dreever]

Here's the initial results of my experience with the new blue box Lapua 6BR brass.
I always check my neck thickness using a loaded round neck diameter measurement with the current lot of bullets that I'm using. This to me is the only true meaningful measurement for a particular chamber neck diameter. To check this I use a Mitutoyo Digital Micrometer which measures out to the fifth decimal point. Finer than needed, but nice to have to get really accurate measurements.
My 6BR's run .269 neck chambers so measuring ten loaded dummy rounds of the blue box Lapua with my current lot of Berger 105 VLD's gave me an AVERAGE loaded neck diameter of .26780 a little tight for my liking. Remember this is an average the highest being .26810, a little too tight for me.,
Neck turning to get my usual desired average of .26725 I found that I wouldn't be cleaning up all of the neck. I'd say more like 75% leaving some spots of annealing showing mostly out near the mouth of the case telling me that the brass was definately a tad thicker back toward the base of the neck. I always turn lightly into the shoulder and found I had to make a slight adjustment to the length of cut on my Sinclair NT3000 to accomplish this.
All other case measurements appear to be the same with the only change Lapua made being in the neck of the case.
I like my brass to look good so I'll just have to live with that 25% of annealing left after turning, it just isn't that important to me to reduce my loaded neck diameter any further to eliminate it. I don't feel it will have any effect upon performance so I'll leave it alone. I like many guys refuse to change my neck turner since it's so #@&*%$ hard to set up in the first place.! LOL! I'll buy a complete new turner to set up and leave alone for other calibers. That's how much I hate adjusting neck turners!
I would say that anyone wanting to buy a 6BR reamer for a no turn chamber should now consider a no turn neck to be a .270 down .002 from the usual .272 that is recommended.

Danny

 

[fdshuster]

Danny: I started out with, and still have and use the Sinclair NT1000. Like you got disgusted trying to get repeatable settings when needing to change the depth of cuts. It was all trial & error, mostly error with some very $$$$ Lapua being destroyed. Bought the new NT-4000 and all the problems with the NT1000 (and NT 3000?), have been fixed. Repeatable adjustments to the fourth decimal are easily attainable. The tool seems to have been designed by someone who actually has some knowledge about outside neck turning. Their newly designed body die for the neck expanders solve the problem of the mandrels pulling out and sticking in the case necks, since they were held in place by a very tiny socket set screw. "Old" mandrels fit the new body, so no need to buy new mandrels. And the V-block shell holder remains my favorite design. I still use the NT1000, but it is for one dedicated case neck wall thickness, so no need to adjust. The NT4000 is an excellent tool.

 

[TheBlueEyedBear]

Boy; I know this feeling. When I first started turning necks I used a K&M turner for my DASHER and 30 Cal necks. "They said" it was simnple to change out the mandrel and make the adjustment for the new neck. WRONG!! I will never forget how long it took to get back to my DASHER setup and how many cases were trashed in the process. I now have a turner per cartridge. However I am going to purchase the NT4000 when they are in stock. Thanks Frank; appreciate the comments on the 4000.

 

[TonyR]

Same frustrations and same solution for me. A K&M for every case. I have been using a Hart lately and it is much easier to get back to a previous setting because it does have a working micrometer on the cutter. The only downside with the Hart is I have to inside neck ream the donuts out for the mandrel to clear all the way into the case body. I was talking to some guys last week who like the Pumpkin but I've never tried one.

 

[BoydAllen]

Since this seems to have turned into a neck turner adjustment thread, let me make a suggestion for that. I have a bag of fired .223 brass that I picked up, a few at a time, for free, at the range. I use these to get close for my turner settings, cleaning the necks, expanding, and then turning. When I get close, on the high side, I switch to Lapua. Keeping a little tension on the cutter, with its lock screw, and proceeding with VERY small adjustments, I find the task of turner adjustment to be quite manageable, not nearly the problem that I read about. What's the big deal? I will say that for picking off tenths, once you have made a trial cut that is a little high, my Stiller turner, that adjusts in the same manner as a Nielson makes it very easy.

 

[dreever]

I think I'll be jumping on the NT4000 band wagon that Frank suggested, Thanks Frank.
If you could pick up 6BR brass at the range that would be great. Unfortunately that brass is as good as gold, and 6.5X47 Lapua is even pricier.
I will add another observation, carbide turning mandrels are the only way to fly!

Danny

 

[TonyR]

Which neck turners have carbide mandrels other than the K&M?

 

[500x]

Which neck turners have carbide mandrels other than the K&M?

Sinclair has them avalable for their tools.