6.5cm brass

[BAgun]

I've been reloading my 6.5cm for a little while now. I've got calipers to measure the cases as well as the machined gauges. I was curious if anyone knows how many times you can safely reload the same case? I've reloaded the same cases 2 or 3 times and the measurements still seem to be within specs.

 

[Michigan Slim]

You're about halfway there. Carry on. Two trimmings for me.

 

[edwea]

Are you full length resizing or neck resizing? If you are just resizing the neck, many many times.

 

[55fairlane]

Neck sizing? Oh 8 to 10 full length 5 to 8 is my guess.....

 

[BAgun]

I'm also doing the full length resize. I've used calipers to check the sizes and it hasn't changed much so far. Wasn't sure when to expect significant change?

 

[edwea]

Not getting longer after resize?

 

[yetti462]

I'm finally discarding some brass due to loose primer pockets. Guessing they're on their 10th.

 

[2tonic]

Am I seeing a typo, or is "cm" supposed to mean Creedmoor?
Cause if you have a 6.5 centimeter gun, I wanna come play at your range!
Not many would let you fire a 2.5"+ tube. Prolly some sort of anti-tank round.

 

[Goodcat]

Completely depending on the pressure, if you are annealing after each firing, and if you are bumping the should a couple thou, or fl resizing go Sami spect. 5-15 firings

 

[Leo]

Some of it depends on the rifle. Using a single bolt action rifle and only manipulating the brass the minimum, will cause less flex fatigue that full sizing for a semi automatic. For example, my M1a was far harder on brass than the same caliber bolt action. Look up checking for potential case head separation and see how a weakness there develops. Lots of good explanations and photographs on the internet.

 

[BAgun]

Thanks for the tips. I'm shooting a bolt action Ruger Precision 6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[edwea]

Get a neck sizing for for the bolt action and keep the brass separate.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Am I seeing a typo, or is "cm" supposed to mean Creedmoor?
Cause if you have a 6.5 centimeter gun, I wanna come play at your range!
Not many would let you fire a 2.5"+ tube. Prolly some sort of anti-tank round.

I'll admit I thought the same thing. I thought maybe he meant mm.

 

[Goodcat]

Get a neck sizing for for the bolt action and keep the brass separate.

No one neck sizes anymore. Shoulder bump for clearance only with a full length die.

 

[Creedmoor]

No one neck sizes anymore. Shoulder bump for clearance only with a full length die.

One has a bit more versatility when using a neck bushing die with bullet tension and then set the shoulder back when its needed. I get much better life out of my cases that I spent considerable time forming to just get 3-5 loads out of them. I can triple that with a Redding bushing die set.
Lots of re-loaders still just neck size brass.

 

[Goodcat]

One has a bit more versatility when using a neck bushing die with bullet tension and then set the shoulder back when its needed. I get much better life out of my cases that I spent considerable time forming to just get 3-5 loads out of them. I can triple that with a Redding bushing die set.
Lots of re-loaders still just neck size brass.

Neck tension has nothing to do with FL resizing vs neck sizing only. It has to do with whether you are using a bushing, mandrel, or combination of both and at what sizes, if you Anneal each firing, testing each as you go accounting for brass spring back. Further more, the ignition is very controlled by primer crush in seating depth. Whether you use graphite lube during a mandrel or button (no bueno) process, if you use it for bullet seating, etc has a dramatic affect. Neck sizing only is just not consistent, as your brass grows and grows, and eventually you have to fill length resize anyways. This is completely inconsistent. I don’t know a single Benchrest or f-class competition shooter who neck sizes, everyone stopped years ago and everyone is in agreement, including every record holder and winners of every discipline across the US.

Your bullet seating depth is the second most important thing to tune next to powder charge and ignition. When you neck size only, your shoulder consistently changes as your brass grows, then changes again when you can’t chamber and have to full length size. Because your bullet to lands metric indexes off the shoulder, and not the base, you are consistently changing your seating depth each load by neck sizing only.

If your shoulder changes, your seating depth changes also, even at the same oal. I have many brass that have been loaded well past 10 loadings annealing and full length resizing.

 

[Goodcat]

One has a bit more versatility when using a neck bushing die with bullet tension and then set the shoulder back when its needed. I get much better life out of my cases that I spent considerable time forming to just get 3-5 loads out of them. I can triple that with a Redding bushing die set.
Lots of re-loaders still just neck size brass.

Here’s a 10 round group at 100 yards. I understand what works for you, works ok. And it did for a long time, but times have changed and people much smarter than me have figured out why. We must adapt to improve upon the sport.

If you aren’t getting enough firings from your brass, you are either bumping too much the first couple firings (remove your ejector and extractor, bump shoulder only enough it closes without ANY force.), not annealing, or you are loading too hot and ignoring pressure signs.

 

[Creedmoor]

Neck tension has nothing to do with FL resizing vs neck sizing only. It has to do with whether you are using a bushing, mandrel, or combination of both and at what sizes, if you Anneal each firing, testing each as you go accounting for brass spring back. Further more, the ignition is very controlled by primer crush in seating depth. Whether you use graphite lube during a mandrel or button (no bueno) process, if you use it for bullet seating, etc has a dramatic affect. Neck sizing only is just not consistent, as your brass grows and grows, and eventually you have to fill length resize anyways. This is completely inconsistent. I don’t know a single Benchrest or f-class competition shooter who neck sizes, everyone stopped years ago and everyone is in agreement, including every record holder and winners of every discipline across the US.

Your bullet seating depth is the second most important thing to tune next to powder charge and ignition. When you neck size only, your shoulder consistently changes as your brass grows, then changes again when you can’t chamber and have to full length size. Because your bullet to lands metric indexes off the shoulder, and not the base, you are consistently changing your seating depth each load by neck sizing only.

If your shoulder changes, your seating depth changes also, even at the same oal. I have many brass that have been loaded well past 10 loadings annealing and full length resizing.

Wow, it amazing how you know the processes I go through when I'm loading.
I didn't know I've been been doing it wrong...
Thanks!

 

[edwea]

Great groups @Goodcat!