Need suggestion for forming 6x47 SM to 6x47L

[MQ1]

So here is the story:

I have acquired 200 pieces of fine looking once fired 6x47sm, and I've been having a dickens of a time forming it to fireform in my 6x47L

What I've come to find is that the base is .001 larger than the 6x47L. What can I do to form this last bit? Could I use a small base .308 die to form the case just above the casehead, or will that not work?

I've already shaved off .005 of the forster 6x47L full length die in hopes of achieving 'chamberable' brass...but that is not the real issue...

Open to all reasonable suggestions. I don't want to give up on this one.

MQ1

 

[jadams]

Give up on this one, Save yourself the frustration.
' Trash The Brass '

I've had 3 lots or more than 1000 pcs. of the junk, and once it's been fired in a over-sized chamber it will all ways be hard to size down and you will have terrible extraction problems. The stuff is a nightmare to work with.

Buy the 47 Lapua brass and don't look back.
actually I like rem .22-250 brass for my .22 and 6mm X 47L chamberings. my favorite brass to reform to 47L is the Remington .22-250 ' nickel plated stuff ' . It works great.
E-mail me your address and I'll send you a few fired cases.
John

 

[MQ1]

I have Lapua brass as well, so I'm not completely devastated.

However, I am curious...what did you do to resize the once fired SM case?

MQ1

 

[MQ1]

John,

I searched your posts and saw that you used a .243AI FL to size the base back....as fortune would have it, I have a Redding .243AI die set.

I also noticed that you are in So Cal. I'm an Ohio transplant in Livermore CA. Sounds like you have some good places to play down your way.

MQ1

 

[MQ1]

Well, my .243AI Redding Body die removed .5 thousands off the fired case, but I still have .5 thousands to go before it will chamber.

Still open for suggestions.

Like I said earlier...I am not going to let this one go...it is just brass...it should be able to be reformed.

 

[jadams]

MQ1

I gave up on the stuff a few years back. But as I recall I used my .308 small based die to get the base to fit my chambers.

My findings were once the base has been fired in a large chamber you may size it down to what you need to get it in your gun.
But, The base of the brass is hard unlike the neck and shoulder.
after firing it it does not have any spring back and it will be stuck in your chamber. I would like to suggest that you only load a few to try before making a big batch.

Be sure to take a large dead blow hammer with you ! you will need to extract your fired cases.

Please advise how it turns out. I my learn something that I missed in my attempts
John

 

[MQ1]

James,

Did you anneal the neck and shoulder prior to fireforming?

MQ1

 

[MQ1]

Well, if anyone is reading this thread and wants to trade some 6.5x47Lapua for 6x47SM RUAG, don't wait...email me an offer :thumb:

I'm certain that if someone out there has a looser spec'd chamber, this stuff would likely work just fine.

It will be a shame if it turns out as sticky as John experienced...I was hoping to compare large vs. small primers. The RUAG brass certainly looks good, I just don't have the spare funds to keep it if it can't be made to work.

I've got a small base .308 on the way. At this point I'm hoping that annealing the neck and shoulder will be enough to resolve the extraction problems that John experienced.

Again, if anyone else out there has some wisdom to share, don't hold back.

MQ1

 

[MQ1]

Lynn,

Great suggestion, but I'm not likely to polish a brand spank'n new Dan Dowling chamber I trust his gunsmithing better than my ability to butcher a chamber :lol:

I ordered a small base .308 die and if that isn't the ticket, then I'll just chalk it up to experience and call it a day. At this point I'm hoping that the combination of annealing and small base is the ticket...

I got the brass from Larry Scott, and I understood that there may be some technical hurdles to jump when I bought the brass. I've told Larry that i'd keep him up to date on my progress, but as of yet, I have yet to report any real progress. I've already spent enough to buy 100 new Lapua cases, but as I stated earlier...this isn't necessarily about anything other than seeing if it can be done.

MQ1

Are you in Northern California?

 

[jadams]

Lynn
P.M. me your address I'll be glad to send you some 6mmx47 SM.
brass.
I was asked if I had tried to anneal the brass,and
yes, of course I did. After fighting with about 200
pcs., I have about 1200 of the stuff ) I selected
some 'new once fired pcs., 100 )and annealed them.
It did not help the problem !

Lynn, As you know the necks are annealed at the
factory and are all ready soft. The whole problem is
in the base. The base is made thick and hard to
withstand the pressure. Once fired in a over sized chamber
the brass is stretched over-sized. You can force it down with
a small based die but after firing due to being hard, it
has no spring back., Due to the first firing that stretched
beyond it's limits ). With no natural spring back it is now
locked in the chamber. Requires a med. mallet ! The bolt
will unlock but it cannot extract the fired case.
John

 

[jadams]

MQ1 & Lynn:
I have never had the opportunity to get any of the 6mm SM
brass as new, unfired. I would like to think that in it's new unfired condition it would be as good as is Lapua. It's just
never been available to us in the U.S.

The guys that sell this stuff know it's no good. And are
just profiteers.

P.S. I could all ways be corrected, It's a show me thing.

Lynn: I'm still waiting for my badge from the 600 nationals,
You sent me a E-mail and said they were coming about 2 mo.s ago

Thanks, John

 

[LarryDScott]

I have 200 pieces of the SM if someone wants it. I original bought it thinking it would be an easy fireform into 6x47L w/a lg primer pocket. I guess I need to quit thinking about things I'm not well versed in. Larry in western Ky. greatscott144@yahoo.com

 

[MQ1]

Lynn,

PM me your address and I'll be glad to give you some as well.

I guess just like to learn things the hard way.

MQ1

 

[MQ1]

Lynn and John,

I didn't want to forget to thank you for taking the time to respond and help me with this. I appreciate you sharing your experiences.

MQ1

 

[MQ1]

Lynn,

I have 6 pieces of once fired 6x47sm sitting on my counter, waiting to be shipped to you.

PM me your address, and they will be on their way to you.

FYI:

the case above the head measures .474

the casehead itself measures .470

MQ1

 

[MQ1]

No Problem.

Here is the latest. After resizing with a small base redding .308 die, the case still hangs up,I would estimate it needs another .0005) on the last 1/8th inch of the chamber at the base. Lynn, I agree that a good polishing would probably do it, but I'm not gonna mess with a brand new, beatiful chamber.

I'm officially going to call it a day on this problem. I think that if you had a reamer cut to fit this brass, you'd probably be a happy clam, but it certainly cannot be simply made to work in my chamber, so I won't even get a chance to see if the brass sticks or not.

MQ1