6-6.5x47 Lapua sizing problem!

[JustinP]

Guys

Have recently chambered a rifle in 6-6.5x47L, with a .272" no turn neck for use with Lapua brass

I've just set up a Forster FLS die to neck the brass down from 6.5mm to 6mm in one pass. On the face of it, this seems a good way to go. Trouble is, I've run one case through and note that the die does not size the neck all the way down to the neck/shoulder junction. Thus, I'm left with the base of the neck still at around 6.5mm and therefore a 'false shoulder'. I ran the case into the rifle chamber the bolt closed but it was pretty stiff.

Don't think a neck die will help either, given I know of no neck die (bushing or otherwise) that will size the entire neck portion. My die is set up properly and cannot be screwed down any further - it is already in hard contact with the shellholder when the ram is raised to its highest point.

Anyone else had this problem and come up with a solution that doesn't involve neck turning down to the shoulder junction??

[Glenn]

Hi Justin,

I have the same calibre, but I brought Redding type "S" match dies.
I had the same problem!

All I did was turned a bit off the shell holder till it would size to the shoulder junction!
If you don't have a lathe to turn it off you can just grind it down, it is not that critical.
I went a bit more than I needed so I had some clearance to the die!

Just make sure you you check them in you gun after you size them.
You want the slightest of pressure on the bolt when you close it, it make the case fire form to you chamber better!

Mine came out great!

Glenn

[Ackley Improved]

What Glenn said.. just grind a little off the shellholder.... just a little though!

I have done it to a few shellholders now!

Cheers

[Ned Kelly]

G'Day All,
well I'm not sure about grinding. If you have a crush fit, isn't that exactly what you're after in fire forming? My cases looked the same but on firing, were fine. But I do neck turn for a 100% clean up in a 0.271" necked chamber.

I'd just give the front half of the case a wipe with a cloth/rag treated with WD-40 just damp........almost dry, certainly not dripping! This will allow the brass case to flow back inside the chamber and around the neck shoulder point.

This should sort everything out. If not expand and lightly neck turn the remaining donut that will form.

Grinding the shellholder may lead to excessive headspace on fired cases or worse, form bent cases. And from experience I can assure you THIS IS NOT GOOD!

FWIW of course...........

Cheerio Ned

[JustinP]

I took a shellholder down about 10thou and now the headspace is excessive...good lord I'm a moron

[Ackley Improved]

I took a shellholder down about 10thou and now the headspace is excessive...good lord I'm a moron

Back the die out????

[Rath]

Yea I'm not following this too?

AI, any news on the sticks?? Your premier come in yet?
Rath

[JustinP]

Not following? Refer Ned's post. I'll try backing the die out a bit, or most likely I'll consign the ground-down shellholder to file 13 and put a new (std height) one in - and then might get the bottom of the die turned down about 0.005"

[Ackley Improved]

Just run this by me again........

You tried to size down a 6.5X47L to 6mm and in doing couldnt get the neck doen to 6mm all the way due to the bottom of the die hitting the shellholder.

Is this correct?

Now, by removing a small amount from the shell holder will allow the 6.5X47L case to go further into die. Dont bottom the die onto the shell holder once grinded as this could skew the case unless you can grind 100% level... which you cant by hand!

If it is a Redding Type S die then maybe some excessive headspace can happen due to the small amount the bushing die doesnt size, and to make it you will push the shoulder back.

CHeers

[JustinP]

Yes mate - you've read it all correctly

I didn't have the ground down shellholder coming into contact with the bottom of the die (fractional clearance) for the reason you mentioned (grinding and polishing by hand isn't a recipe for precision)

And on the last part, the redding and forster FLS die designs appear to be that you can't, either by reducing the height of the shellholder or shortening the die, size the neck completely to the neck/shoulder junction without bumping the headspace back as well. You might be able to get a few thousandths of an inch more neck sizing before you actually bump the shoulder but not enough to completely eliminate the 'false shoulder'. Many say this false shoulder is not an issue but I get a bit leery when I find a bolt difficult to close.

No neck die I know of will do it either, given in a bushing-type neck die (the only type I've ever used), the bushing has to float a little in order to self-centre and therefore won't do the entire length of the neck either.

Only solution I can see is to neck turn, which I DO NOT want to do (but will if I absolutely must)

[Rinso]

Justin,

The easy way is to use an in line die you have had made for the purpose. It sizes the entire neck and solves all your problems.

How do I know this ... because thats what I did.

cheers
Rinso

[JustinP]

Hey mate

I assume you're talking about an inline neck die? did you use that to size down from 6.5mm or did you do it in two steps, with an FL sizer first, followed by the neck die?

JP

[Rinso]

Justin,

Yes an inline die, but not a neck die as such. Rather an in line die which sizes the entire neck of the 6.5x47 case and reduces it to 6-6.5x47. As I recall the neck comes out at .269 or .270 after its been through the die. I step process and then its point an shoot. I found that fire forming loads are extremely accurate so just form the neck in the die and start using the cases as normal.

cheers
Rinso

[ogre6br]

by inline die- do you mean the type of dies used with an Arbor press??

P

[Rinso]

Yes