Okay, got a question for those of you that neck down brass from one caliber to another: I have a 6.5 WSM, I bought the rifle used and it included a set of Redding dies, a Neck bushing die, a body die and a custom seater made with the chamber reamer. Part of the deal was 50 virgin cases of 270 WSM Winchester brass. Here's the issue - when necking down the brass, I noticed that some of the brass resisted the sizing operation more than others, and app. 5 cases out of the 50 were ruined by a crushed neck. I used Hornady One Shot lube for the brass, and I lubed them well. Matter of fact, about 25 cases in, I lubed them again, and put a dimple on two other cases (now tossing #6 & 7....). So, since this was my first time sizing down brass necks, I put it up to my inexperience - I was going from 277 to 264, so shouldn't be a problem, from what I have read/heard. I did go buy some Norma 270 WSM brass, all 50 cases, no problems. I noticed even a difference in the brass consistency from one to the other when I neck turned them, the Norma being easier and the brass coming off the neck turner in ribbons instead of flakes. Is this just a hard lot of brass from Winchester?? that's what I am thinking - or is the Norma just that much better? I am going to check and see what size bushing is in the die next, but I didn't think that this would be an issue. The groups I am shooting with the Winchester brass are nothing to write home about - 1.5 MOA. I also got several loaded rounds at the time I bought the gun... they are shooting .75 MOA. The gun has just been broken in really (160 rounds). So my worries - I am working up accuracy loads, and I am questioning the brass, I am going to try the Norma brass and see what happens this weekend, but wanted to see if anyone has any experience with either Winchester brass having this issue, or with any brass doing this. I know that I can load .5 MOA ammo, as I have a 223 doing this right now with select handloads, and I used to load for a 7-08 that I was shooting in the 3's with. I am wondering if I just screwed up 50 cases of brass though - some of the fliers in my 1.5 MOA groups(when looking at the ejected case) have neck mouths that are not even all the way across, just barely noticable - where the neck started to crush, and I didn't trim the brass enough to even out the mouth (DOH!) - I am sure that will cause a flier too (uneven neck tension/release). I will check my Norma brass, but I am sure that the mouths are fine on them, then shoot for groups and report back. Any comments or help is appreciated.
EZ
EZ
