Please advise.

[Friar]

Novice reloader here; that being said, I have a problem and need advice. I bought a 6mm BR and a set of Redding neck sizing dies to go with it. After loading the brass and firing 100 rounds I hit on a few combinations that I liked. Now, when I went to reload these brass, here's where my problems start. After the brass were fired the first time, I re-sized them with the neck sizer die, then with the full length die. The brass were them trimmed to 1.550 length, de-burred, primed, charged and loaded with Bart's Bullets Head Hunter 68 gr. bullets. Between the reload bench and the groundhog field, the rounds fell back into the case. When I thought about it, there seemed to be very little to no resistance when seating the bullets. What did I do wrong? And is there a fix?

 

[bheadboy]

i think you have a differance in die between the neck and fl, the fl being last i think it is the problem, dump the powder, neck size and see if the bullets seat with tention.

check the diameter of the bullets and be sure they are .244

Bob

 

[fdshuster]

Friar: Several possibilities. Describe the brass: out of the box (Lapua?) and not outside neck turned? Neck wall thickness should be around .014" if it has not been turned. What is the diameter of a case neck after being fired ? If you have any remaining, measure the diameter of the loaded round neck diameter. Your case neck diameter should be about .002" to .003" smaller before seating the bullet. For examples: If it is a .272" no-turn chamber neck, the fired case neck dia. should be .271" plus or minus a few ten thousandths depending on spring back. The ready to load dia. then should be .269"/ .268". More info would help.

 

[MarkS]

Friar,

First what type die do you have, standard or bushing dies? If bushing, what is your bushing size? You would only need to size with one die only, the neck. Maybe only using the F/L every three firings, and then only the F/L die. For my 6BR's, I use a "S" F/L bushing die or a Harrel F/L bushing die. I just bump the shoulder back 0.001" with a 0.267"r 0.266" for a 0.272" neck, every firing.
Use what you have, bump thing back when they get tight.

Mark Schronce

 

[Friar]

Out of the box Lapua. Neck wall thickness is .014, they have not been "turned." Outside diameter of fired brass case necks are .271. I already pulled the bullets from the loaded rounds and ran them through the neck sizer die, did not full length resize. They are measuring .267 outside diameter. I just took 3 of those cases and seated each one with the same bullets. I had more tension on the lever this time and when I tapped the bullets they did not budge and seem to be quite snug now. I did do one thing differently, I removed the de-capping pin and lowered the neck sizing shaft further down. I had problems with the de-capping pin getting caught in the flash holes and was trying to adjust it so that it would not happen again.

 

[Friar]

Friar,

First what type die do you have, standard or bushing dies? If bushing, what is your bushing size? You would only need to size with one die only, the neck. Maybe only using the F/L every three firings, and then only the F/L die. For my 6BR's, I use a "S" F/L bushing die or a Harrel F/L bushing die. I just bump the shoulder back 0.001" with a 0.267"r 0.266" for a 0.272" neck, every firing.
Use what you have, bump thing back when they get tight.

Mark Schronce

They are Type S Bushing Style dies. I let the vendor know that I would be using Lapua brass when I ordered it. I just measured the bushing and it is .241. As far as bumping the shoulder back, I do not know how to do that. I just barely backed the die off of the shell holder when the stroke was all the way down.

 

[MarkS]

Friar, Sounds like the bushing was pushing up and not sizing, now it is. To just bump. adjust the die ( F/L die) out off the shell holder ( half to full turn) and size the case, and try in the rifle. It should be a little hard to close the bolt. turn the die down a little at a time and try in the gun. Do this until the bolt just closes easy. This should be about 0.001" to 0.002" bump on the case. lock the ring and you are good to go.

Mark Schronce

 

[SS427]

You mention the decapping pin getting stuck. Perhaps Redding supplied to large of a decapping pin. This excerpt comes from the 6mmBR Cartridge Guide:

Decapping
Before you can reload a case, you need to get the primer out. Lapua 6BR brass comes with a 1.50mm (.059") flashhole. Even the typical "small" decapping .0625" decapping pin will be too big. Yes, you might press it through the flashholes a few times, but evenutally you'll jam that .0625" pin and it will break. What's the answer? When you order 6BR sizing dies from Harrell's, Forster, or Redding, they should supply a decapping rod with .055-.057" tip diameter. But, we've found, sometimes all three companies don't do that and you have to call and ask for the right diameter. With something under .058" you'll have no trouble decapping those cases.

Almost sounds like your decapping pin is too big. This doesn't address your other problem, but is something you should measure to make sure.

 

[fdshuster]

Friar: O.K., using bushing dies, now for more thoughts. If your fired case necks measure .271", as do mine, then you have a standard .272" no-turn chamber neck, and using the Lapua brass "out of the box" is a standard practice. As confirmed the neck walls measure .014". Your loaded round neck dia. will be approx. .269", and for me, the .267" bushing the the first choice. Incidently, I don't understand the bushing that measured .241"? If the decapping pin is the proper dia. it will not get stuck, or pull out of the collet and as stated you may have an oversize one for the larger flash holes---- a shortcoming that continues to happen, from the die maker(s). When using neck bushing dies, I never use the expander button, and for that matter, do not use the decapper, but rather, punch the primers out as a seperate operation. With new brass I get 3 or 4 firings before the bolt begins to get too much resistance ( I prefer a little resistance on bolt closing) when closing and at that time I will make a very small adjustment on the die lock ring, adjusted the die down just enough to push the shoulder back .001" or .002". Example, on my 6BR chamberings, the headspace length as fired is normally 1.157", but with repeated firings, may increase to 1.158"- 1.159", and this is when the bolt gets hard to close. The die will be adjusted down just enough so the headspace is again 1.157" or even 1.156". All these dimensions are taken with the Hornady chamber oal tool with the headspace gauge attached to the dial caliper. Probably clear as mud, if any questions/comments, feel free to send a PM. P.S.: Just refreshed my memory. Go to this sites home page, click-on "technical articles"/ the picture of the action, scroll down to almost the bottom, right side column & you'll find the Stoney Point (now Hornady) article.