New to 6PPC reloading

[TTE]

Just starting out with reloading for my 6 PPC. with a .262 neck.

Resized the necks with a .258 bushing.

When I take a 21st Century .242 expanding mandrel it slides inside without any resistance and is pretty loose.

A .243 bullet does not slide in. I am guessing I am getting .0005 neck tension. Is that normal ?

For the most part, do 6PPC's shoot accurately with very light neck tension ?

Any suggestions and comments are much appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Jefferson]

new brass? and what manufacturer

 

[Ccrider]

You will have to test and see. What bushings do you have? What powder are you using?

Tell us about your gun.

 

[TTE]

Lapua brass, hydro formed and neck turned (.0085 neck thickness) by DJ

Brass fire formed once with LT32, but plan to use N133.

I have .258, .257. .256 all SAC bushings.

.257 bushing, the .242 mandrel won't slide in but the .241 mandrel does slide in freely.

With the .256 bushing the .241 mandrel will not slide in.

Hall Action, Krieger barrel bought used so no other specifics.

I have always used .002 of neck tension, just want to know what the conciseness is on neck tension for a 6PPC as a place to start for potentially the best initial outcome.
Thanks.

 

[Ccrider]

You did not say what powder. If it is N133, I would start with 256 and test each one. For me, N133 seems to like more neck tension, and that is with numerous barrels.

 

[TTE]

I did mention I used LT32 to fire form, but plan on using N133 once the brass is formed properly.

 

[Bill Norris]

Just starting out with reloading for my 6 PPC. with a .262 neck.

Resized the necks with a .258 bushing.

When I take a 21st Century .242 expanding mandrel it slides inside without any resistance and is pretty loose.

A .243 bullet does not slide in. I am guessing I am getting .0005 neck tension. Is that normal ?

For the most part, do 6PPC's shoot accurately with very light neck tension ?

Any suggestions and comments are much appreciated.
Thanks

The PPC especially with VV-N133 like more neck tension.

 

[gpoldblue]

Lapua brass, hydro formed and neck turned (.0085 neck thickness) by DJ

Brass fire formed once with LT32, but plan to use N133.

I have .258, .257. .256 all SAC bushings.

.257 bushing, the .242 mandrel won't slide in but the .241 mandrel does slide in freely.

With the .256 bushing the .241 mandrel will not slide in.

Hall Action, Krieger barrel bought used so no other specifics.

I have always used .002 of neck tension, just want to know what the conciseness is on neck tension for a 6PPC as a place to start for potentially the best initial outcome.
Thanks.

Sounds like you need to decide if you're gonna use bushings or mandrels...settle on 1 or the other...you don't need both. I'd suggest using bushings. Take fired case...measure outside neck diameter...size it with bushing of choice....measure outside diameter of neck...compare measurements of fired neck and the sized neck...this will be your neck tension...this is the customary answer ...there's more to it such as case neck thickness...length of sized portion...case neck tensile strength...inside case neck lube(amount/type)...bullet diameter...bullet jacket alloy and tensile strength.
Good luck and stay safe.

 

[ebb]

I think mine has .002.

 

[Codeman]

When I was shooting a .262 neck, the load round would measure .260. I like using a .256 bushing - giving a .004 neck tension, this is with n133

 

[JMayo]

Same ^^^^^

 

[Bronsin]

IME, LT-32 likes .001 neck tension, and N133 likes .003. With a loaded round O.D. of .260 you will either need to use a .259 or .257 bushing.

 

[TTE]

When I was shooting a .262 neck, the load round would measure .260. I like using a .256 bushing - giving a .004 neck tension, this is with n133

I think I asked the wrong question in the beginning. This is more of what I was looking for.

What bushing do you use for a .262 necked 6PPC, is what I should have asked.

 

[Ccrider]

Same question asked a different way. Same answers.

 

[Bill Norris]

I think I asked the wrong question in the beginning. This is more of what I was looking for.

What bushing do you use for a .262 necked 6PPC, is what I should have asked.

The chamber neck diameter is not so much going to give you that number. In my testing the loaded neck diameter minus .003 to .004 would be a much better starting point with VV-N133. Other powders may want less neck tension.

 

[powderbrake]

I suggest you get the book by Tony Boyer " The book of rifle accuracy" He is probably the greatest benchrest shooter. I found his book to be very helpful when I first tried benchrest shooting.

Tony says he uses "significant" tension on his bullets.
For a .262 diameter neck, he suggests a .258 to a .2565 bushing.

Note Bill Norris's comments in post #15. .003 to .004, is NOT light tension. N133 likes more tension.

It's been a while since I shot BR, but I think I used a bushing .004 or .005 under the loaded round diameter with N133. I did not use a mandrel afterwards, just sized and reloaded.

You can also look up Jack Neary on You Tube he has lots of videos on benchrest reloading.