OK to use 6.5x47 dies with 6mm bushing to form and size 6-6.5x47?

[johnsopa]

Was recently talking with my gunsmith about rebarreling a 700 that's currently chambered in 260 Remington.

I already have 308, 6.5x47, 6BR and 223 rifles.

Was thinking about doing a 243 because of being able to get Lapua brass.

My gunsmith said I should consider a 6-6.5x47 -- speeds near a 243 but with less powder and probably more accuracy. Sounds good to me...

I already have a set of Redding F/L and neck size bushing dies for my 6.5x47. My gunsmith was thinking that I could probably use a 6mm-sized smaller bushing,I'd probably get a no turn neck, about .272 or so) with my existing 6.5x47 dies and be OK.

Is anyone else doing this?

It would be nice to not have to get a new set of dies other than a seater. Heck, maybe I could use my 6br seater too?

 

[montdoug]

All I've made in 6X47 so far is 3 dummy's for the gunsmith to work from,waiting impatiently for the rifles completion). What I'm doing is this.
I do the initial neck reduction in a Redding 6BR seater with the seating stem removed.
I then resize and fully reduce the neck with a Forester full size die I purchased.
As mine will be a .270 neck I then expand and turn the necks.
Resize again.
I seat using a Redding Competition 6BR seater, seems to work well. I won't really know the run out till after shooting, reloading and testing.
I'll be using a Wilson inline neck bushing die after firing until full sizing is needed again.
On the Wilson neck die I'd be comfortable just changing bushings for the 6.5X47, in fact I believe it's the same die for both rounds.
As I had the 6BR stuff the only new purchases were the Forester full sizer and Wilson bushing neck die. Didn't hurt too bad at all.
Make a couple and see how they look maybe?

 

[johnsopa]

Hmm. Learn something new every day. I didn't know about using a 6br seater to initially down size the necks. I'm guessing this is because of the gentler angle of entry for the neck area?

After you fireform the brass you can use the 6.5x47 sizer all the time with the correct size bushings.

Randy, does this comment apply for full-length sizing as well as neck sizing?

Thanks!

 

[vlcakc]

Sure, you can probably use your present dies to make up cases for your 6X47L. I'm using four dies right now to make 22X47L cases because I don't have the proper dies. It's a pita though. The 6X47L is a bit easier to deal with. I bought a Forester 6X47L FL die set with Ultra seater with the intention of buying a bushing neck die later. The Forester FL die fits my chamber so well that I've never bothered to get the bushing die. It also makes initial necking down an easy one step process. The Forester FL die isn't very expensive, less than $30 if I remember correctly. I like to improvise whenever possible myself, but in this case the money for the Forester dies was well spent. Good shooting. Vic

 

[Obtunded]

I sized my 6-6.5X47 cases using a 6BR body die for the first stage, and then finished the neck sizing using a bushing. No reason why a 6.5 neck sizing die shouldn't work