One more newb 6br die question?

[HighTeckRedNeck]

Hey guys,

So I finally pulled the trigger and bought a savage LRPV in 6br 1-8". Now I have been looking at getting dies.

So I'm thinking about getting the harrolds? custom die that you send in your fired brass, seems like it's what gets recomended the most.

So can I just use a seating die on some brand new lapua brass and shoot a few rounds, then send them in? I have a .243 RCBS FL 3 die set, can I use that seating die?

Thanks,
HTRN

 

[SS427]

I too highly doubt the .243 seating die will work due to the case diameter is larger with the 6BR.

I've loaded virgin 6BR brass without doing anything to it. If I recall there was quite a bit of neck tension, but no more than a tight neck 6PPC sizing.

With a custom tight chamber you could probably reload the brass several times without having to size the necks, but with a Savage, I'm not sure you will be able to do that. The bullet might drop right into the case if you don't have a way to size the neck down. Then you are stuck with a chicken and the egg syndrome - can't size the neck without a die, but can't order the die until you have sized the neck!

 

[expiper]

Hi Tec....if you run the seater stem wayyyy down you prolly can get a bullet seated to do your first loads...Roger
PS,,,contrary to what the nay sayers think...I HAVE done it ....the BR is bigger at the shoulder...but not bigger than 1/2 way up a .243....try it with a case in your 243 seater die for yourself.....Roger
PS,,just get a Redding 6mm BR full length type S die (and .266/.267 bushings)and you will be able to size perfectly...they are available from most suppliers in a day or two...

 

[fdshuster]

HTRN: All excellent advice, but a question. If all you're going to buy from Harrell's is a FL sizing die, you will still need a seater, so why not go ahead & buy the seater now? That would still be an alternative if the 243 seater will not work.

But you're still left with the problem of sizing down the necks enough to hold the bullet.

In the end, the solution may be to buy a neck sizer bushing die, use it to get the fired cases & if you're sure you won't need it, put it up for sale after you get the Harrell.

The "chicken or the egg" analogy was a good one.

 

[HighTeckRedNeck]

Thanks for the advice, I ordered a 6br micrometer seating die, they had it in stock where I got my scope and brass from.

Ok, I looked at the CoW method, if I can get the bullets to seat then I could use that to break in the barrel at the same time? Do the cases need to be fired more than once for the harrells dies?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm fairly new to reloading, I only started this year and I've only done it on my 22-250 and 270 wsm so far.

HTRN

 

[fdshuster]

HTRN; Two things; (1) The COW method does not use a jacketed bullet. A small charge of fast burning powder is topped off with Cream of Wheat & held in place with a tight wad of tissue paper, and a false shoulder formed on the case neck to hold the case tightly in the chamber. No bullet used. To break-in a barrel a jacketed, non coated (moly) bullet must be fired. The idea is to smooth out the normal rough surfaces that can result from the manufacturer. So, no, a barrel cannot be broken-in with the COW method.

(2) I attempted to use the COW method when fire-forming 6BR to 6 BRX and the cases would not fully form with the first firing. The reason I now fire-form using a bullet, but even at that, the case may require a second firing. For the very critical dimensions required for a custom die I would doubt you could get a fully formed case with only one firing, as also said by Dave Berg.

All good questions and answers, and just some of the problems when a custom sizing die is involved.

 

[Preacher]

Harrels requires cases that have been fired at least 3 times in your chamber...

 

[HighTeckRedNeck]

Thanks for all the advice guys, I think I might just go with a bushing die now, I never thought about rebarreling basicly making my die useless.

I'm sure I'll have more questions once everything shows up.

HTRN

 

[k80skeet]

You had the right idea going with the Harrell's die that is the way to go!!!! Buy a box of Lapua brass load (3) shoot them (3) times and send the (3) fired cases to Harrell's they will make you a die made to your chamber. And with your new micro seating die you are all set to go. Harrell's dies are $70.00 shipped and is very best way to go!!!!! Don't get side tracked!!! You will have the die from Harrell's in a week. Great service and a great piece of equipment that I would never think of doing it a different way!!

 

[fdshuster]

k80skeet: I've never had a Harrell's FL die, always use the Redding Type S neck bushing, just went to Harrell's website & saw their $70 custom FL sizing die, so what I see is what little I know about them.

But, since it's not a neck bushing die, and the neck diameter is fixed, how do you adjust for thicker/thinner case neck walls, when you need to put more or less tension on the seated bullet?

Just askin: as I said I know next to nothing about them.

 

[fdshuster]

Dave: Thanks for the good information. Their site does not describe it as a neck bushing die, so I thought it might be one with a "fixed" neck dia.

 

[HighTeckRedNeck]

Ok next question... Would RL-15 be fast enought to fireform, I don't have any bullseye and I don't really wanna buy a pound just to fireform a few cases?

 

[Flouncer]

Why can't he just talk factory Lapua in 6mmbr and shoot that for the initial case ? By that I mean, why can't he just start with factory loaded ammo for step 1 instead of assembling his own ?

Why would Harrels's require the case to be fired three times ? What will that do that the first firing won't ?

Thanks !!!

 

[DennisH]

If interested, I have a Forster 6br neck sizer die and seater die, brand new. I ended up with a competition set and have not used this set!

Let me know if interested.

 

[GarethMarijt]

Factory Lapua ammo is kind'a expensive however.

and can be difficult to get hold of unfortunately

Gareth