6.5-300WSM Case Prep ? What are you guys doing?

[GNERGY]

I am getting ready to build a 6.5-300 WSM and am wondering what you guys have done for case prep. I bought 300, of the 300 WSM brass all of the same lot to be necked down. I bought the Hornady dies in 7mm WSM to do the first necking down the 300WSM brass. Then I will use the Lee 6.5-300 WSM die to get my final neck dia. I also noticed that the neck OD after using the Lee die with no mandrel in it was .282 and the ID was .242 ***.. That is WAAYY Too small. I know most dies size the neck more than it needs to be and then the expander button opens it up again, which if you do some measuring that is where you get your case stretching at. I have been honing the neck on my dies to give me .003 neck tension .003 Dia. smaller than bullet diameter. Then I sand the expander ball to be .004 smaller than bullet diameter. so if it touches on case extraction that the case necks need some attention.
There isn't a benchrest or inline seater die available for the 6.5 300. So I am going to make a sleeve to put in the 7mm inline seater die for the 264 Dia bullet to keep the bullets going in straight.
I noticed the necks started out at .013 thick and after sizing to 6.5 are .016 thick. Do you guys turn the necks and to what thickness and what is your chamber neck dia.?
I am also going to anneal them after forming.
Maybe I should of started out with 270WSM brass. From what I read and was told the 300's had longer necks but after necking down they are both the same.
Thanks for any tips.
Also what are your favorite loads.
Tarey

 

[MuleHunter]

I use 270 WSM brass and size them down with one pass. I use 270 WSM bushing dies with a .293" bushing (for the 6.5). Quick and easy. The only problem is the 270 Norma brass costs more than the 300 WSM brass but the ease vs the headaches made it worth it to me.

 

[rbrowne]

I size using 270WSM Norma brass, Redding Dies, and then Neck turn to .013. I am not an expert but I think it is a mistake to use a 7WSM sizing die... The 7WSM is different then all the other WSM cases because it has a higher neck, while both the 300 and 270WSM cases match, this could be part of your problem. I would junk the 7WSM dies in your process and start off with 270WSM brass.

 

[txsendero]

You are sizing down the neck of the 300WSM brass by .044", where if you used 270WSM brass you would only be necking it down .013". I just used 270WSM brass and the Lee 6.5 x 300WSM die, sized down in one step. The 7mmWSM neck is longer, and the base to shoulder length of it is longer also.

 

[GNERGY]

I am going to take the 300WSM brass back and get some 270WSM brass. I thought you needed the longer neck of the 300 case but when I sized both cases down the necks were the same.
Thanks for the tips.
So what good loads have you guys been using. I know you really don't want to part with them but head me in the right direction.
I have a Krieger heavy varmint barrel that will finish at 31 inches, it has a 1 in 8 twist.
Tarey

 

[rbrowne]

I am shooting 59.2gns of RL-22, Fed 210M, 140grn JLK, 3040fps. 1/8 Twist with a 27" Lilja.

 

[Frank7mm]

140 Berger VLD 64gr H1000 3200 fps 26" krieger.

 

[txsendero]

Either H1000 or H4831SC will probably work, depends on your gun and your brass. Work up safely! In my gun I found a good load with both, but the H1000 was almost 100 fps faster velocity, and a little bit better accuracy, so I went with it.
You may want to try a couple of different primers, mine worked better with Fed215Mag primers.
You will have to get the chamber neck diameter from the reamer your smith uses.