Lapua brass mystery doe 6.5-284

[Wizard]

I used new Lapua brass to set my new barrel onto my action. I bought some "once fired" brass for my 6.5-284. It will not load into my action. I trimmed it and ran it through my new Redding dies. I ran the new brass through the dies as well. Any ideas as to why the used brass will not chamber?? The new Lapua brass fits just fine.

[Kevin Thomas]

Wizard,

It's a common misunderstanding that resizing in a full-length die returns fired brass to its original, unfired dimensions; it doesn't. Small base dies will take these down to closer to the original dimensions, and might be worth a try here. Once the brass chambers easily and has been fired in your chamber, it should react well to the conventional full length sizing (or even neck sizing, if you chose to go that route). This is more than likely a case of brass that was fired in a somewhat more "generous" chamber the first time around, yours being a somewhat tighter chamber, or a combination of both.

Fairly common situation if you insist on using brass fired in other chambers, which might make a small base die a worthwhile investment for you.

[Wizard]

Thanks Kevin. Since Lapua brass is so expensive, I thought that I would grab the chance to get a good deal on some once fired brass. This is my first time at using Lapua brass. The used brass was way too long and so probably not just "once fired". I normally only buy new brass, now that I got into the longer shots at small targets. I do not know if it is worth buying yet another die. I paid over $200 for the competition Redding dies. I have always been able to resize brass to fit into a bolt action rifle by full length resizing. I do have a tight fit, no turn chamber. I will chalk this up to another lesson for long range shooting. That is why I have been lurking around this site, I need all the help I can at this 1,000 yard project. It is nice to know that someone from Lapua is here as well. It is always nice to hear from the horse's mouth on fine products.

[Mikecr]

Originally Posted by Wizard

I used new Lapua brass to set my new barrel onto my action.

Assuming this is a Savage, you set headspace off NEW brass(tight), and your USED brass has not been bumped to match the new piece of brass(that you used for HS setting).

You could FL size the used brass with your die & reset the Savage headspace to that.
This way you could use both new/used brass.

[Wizard]

I did full length resize the used brass in my dies and it would not fit. I don't think that I want to use the brass from a different chamber that is over sized. Sounds like I need a small based resizing die to use the older brass.

[Kiwi Greg]

If you have a body die try using that.

I had issues with my Edge & Lapua mag Imp, with brass that I had fired several times being hard to chamber after using Redding bushing FL dies.

The brass was tight to chamber & extract even if not fired, bumped the shoulder more etc etc, still did it.

I even got a tactical type bolt handle put on to help with the issue.

Then I discovered the body die with the Improved set, used it & the problem instantly disappeared

The cases were very slightly too big in diameter infront of the head/web area.

I made one for the Edge from a Hornady FL die & the Edge was fixed

[Mikecr]

But the obvious solution is to stop using someone else's brass.
You got that