Today shooting in Hot NV desert . Starting load of 49grs of Re#22 behind Hornady 105 HPBT seating 20/1000 off the lands produced 3200 FPS 51.5 grs of Re#22 same bullet produced 3375 average velocity,and starting getting shinny ejector mark,so not wanting to ruin any new Lapua brass I stopped. All loads produced very poor accuracy. Now I'm thinking either start Burning Re#25 same bullet but also seating closer to lands or trying Berger 105 Hybrids and seating them also closer to lands with Re#25 . 30" Brux bbl 8" twist . If 51.5grs of Re#22 was a max charge what would be a starting load with Re#25 ?
Starting over with 6x284
- Thread starter Ironworker
- Start date
Out in the desert, I would opt for the slowest powder with the best "temp stability" on the market. If it were me I would be trying Retumbo and setting those bullets about 5K off the lands to start. I have never shot a 6 x 284, however, it is a substantial overbore and Retumbo or H1000 should be very good choices..
Retumbo is what I have,maybe I'll go out tonight !
Mixed bag of confusion. I've attached a photo of today's shooting in NV desert. I bet I had a 15-20mph tail wind entire time of shooting. To windy to set up Chronograph. Last weeks star load of 52grs of Re#25 shot very poorly today (See group 1) Once fired Lupua brass FL sized . Last week new brass extracted with zero resistance . Today same exact load and extraction was awful but no shinny ejector marks ? Brand new Lupua brass case head measures .498, 1st firing ideal extraction measure case head .500. Fl size case ( case head remains .500) chambers normally fire same load and it extracts very hard ? What is the problem ? Redding dies I screw it in to contact shell holder then an additional 1/8 turn...... Next I start with Retumbo loads starting at 51.5 fired once brass. FL sized same case head size of .500. Extraction is easier but far from ideal and accuracy is well under 1/2 MOA ( See group 3 ) Next See group 2 load was 52grs and same extraction and accuracy was even better. Now see group 4 load was 52.7 and same extraction resistance and 1 flyer. Now group 5 load was 23.3grs and 18 rounds have been fired with out cleaning ,same extraction resistance. Now group 6 was new brass and last weeks star load of 52grs of Re#25 and zero extraction resistance but poor accuracy. All brass has been neck turned . What is the problem ? All groups shot at 117 yds high tail winds.
Attachments
Groups # 2 and #3 look good. The "vertical" in them is probably due to the tailwind driving the bullet UP. Try not to do any load development with excessive winds. I try and stay UNDER 7 m.p.h. when performing load development. AFTER I have a GREAT load, I take it out to the range(s) I intend to use it at and IF it still shoots well, THEN I take it out in the wind at that range for practice..
What about extraction issues I'm having ? Should I neck size,trim cases more ?
Ironworker, I am thinking (not sure though) that maybe you are not sizing them enough. The only way to see if this is the case is to screw your F/L die into the press, until you get a bit of "cam-over". What that will do is put the utmost sizing on the case. Personally, I don't like doing that, however, at times it is the only way to get the case to extract properly. According to your measurements, the base (webbing) of the case is not out of tolerance. So, it is either the shoulder or the neck. However, with just a firing or 2 on the case, it is doubtful it is the neck. Other than that, my friend, I would just be purely guessing. There are times when this "shooting / reloading" game becomes very frustrating. See what happens after sizing with the cam-over BEFORE you shoot, to see if the cases (unloaded) fall into the chamber like butter. If they do, and they extract hard, you either have more pressure than you are seeing or there is something else that maybe a gunsmith might need to ascertain what's going on.
jonbearman
I live in new york state,how unfortunate !
The 6-284 is a hot overbore cartridge and full length sizing is almost a must. Shootdots is right. I would screw your sizer (full length) down till it touchs the shellplate, then back it off a turn and size,try in the rifle,it wont fit more than likely. Continue to turn the die down in 1/8th increments and try sizing till the cartridge lets the bolt close with almost no resistance and you are there,lock the locking ring and reuse the same shell holder with this die set.The 6-284 is like the 22-250 and .243 win as they like full length sizing after firing with stout loads. The slower powder is the way to go.Do you have a hornady cartridge measuring tool to see what the distance your shoulder is after firing and after sizing. You will want at least .002 thou set back of the shoulder after firing. Forget the neck sizing only for now.
I have run across this extraction problem in both the 6-284 and 6.5-284. There appears to be 2 industry standards as far as the chamber-base/web dimensions. One for Winchester cases and one for Lapua. New Winchester cases measure .494 in the web area and the Lapua measures the .498 that you mentioned. If you have a "Winchester" chamber but a "Lapua" sizing die (I know that this is the case with standard Redding dies) you end up with the problem you are experiencing. You can trim the bottom of your sizing die to size the web more but you end up setting shoulder back too much and will experience premature case head separation.
The solution is to get a Redding small base 6-284 body die from Sinclair (they stock them), set for proper shoulder bump, and your problem will go away. The first time through will take some effort with Lapua brass. Make sure the case is well lubed.
The solution is to get a Redding small base 6-284 body die from Sinclair (they stock them), set for proper shoulder bump, and your problem will go away. The first time through will take some effort with Lapua brass. Make sure the case is well lubed.
tp10000 said:
Very interesting I'll look into that. Also my fired brass will not accept a bullet. Neck ID is .2745 loaded and same after firing. On another forum a poster said I need to turn case necks so there is .003 clearance . I'm already neck turn to clean them up ,sounds like this isn't enough ?
I think you may have diagnosed your own problem. There should be a 3K+ clearance between a loaded round and the neck portion of the chamber. That gives you the necessary clearance to properly release the bullet and extract the case. That may also very well be the "pressure" you are experiencing.. Find out what the neck dimension is on the reamer used to cut the chamber. If it is as tight as it appears to be, you WILL NEED to turn a substantial more off the neck. That is one major reason + getting the freebore I want is why I order my own reamers. I have my brass prepped and loaded for firing before the rifle is ready from my 'smith. Then all I have to do is make sure the bullets are seated to where I want them and I go shoot.
This forum is great ! I found the small Base body die in Reddings catalog and I'll order the special micrometer for measuring case neck wall thickness.
Had a Chamber cast done of chamber. Neck measures .276,so i'll be turning necks down to .273. Gunsmith says my chamber is fine ,he also said Throat erosion is plainly visible and maybe another 1,000 rnds life in it.
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