belted cartridges

[MudRunner2005]

The fact that it was noted in a Hornady manual makes it even more fishy... Ever since they've been pushing that 6.5CM, and now their new (non-belted, go figure) cartridges, they are trying to make belts look outdated. Hornady was the ones who created their own hype for the 6.5CM by claiming it was ballistically similar to the .300WM.

It's not that I hate hornady or the cartridges, but deliberate misinformation for profit, is just dirty money. If they can sleep at night on piles of billions, then more power to them.

 

[D.Stone]

Just use good brass and good dies and there shouldn't be a problem. I think most of the issues are imagined or self inflicted when it comes to belts.

Source: Have shot out a 300WM barrel with no issues in reloading.

 

[shooter7]

I've had numerous people tell me that belted cases will "swell" just above the belt in an area that my sizing die cannot resize. I've been shooting belted magnums for 7 years now. I have 2 300 win mags, one was formerly a 7mm rem mag. The only problems I've had are inconsistent neck tension after 8-10 firings.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I've had numerous people tell me that belted cases will "swell" just above the belt in an area that my sizing die cannot resize. I've been shooting belted magnums for 7 years now. I have 2 300 win mags, one was formerly a 7mm rem mag. The only problems I've had are inconsistent neck tension after 8-10 firings.

Only if your chamber is out of spec...

 

[sable tireur]

Ever since they've been pushing that 6.5CM, and now their new (non-belted, go figure) cartridges, they are trying to make belts look outdated.

For the sake of discussion and no I'm not being argumentative...

The belts on some case designs are from over a century ago when the H&H cases debuted in Africa. Holland designed the cases so they would slip in and out of the double rifles easily by using a very minor angle on the shoulder of the case. The angle was such that there was not a positive headspace. The belt was added for positive headspace. The rest is history including the term "belted magnum" as an indicator of strength and power...

Fast forward. Many shooters shift the headspace on belted magnums to the shoulder thereby eliminating the belt as any influence. There has also been an influx of beltless cases in larger capacities hitting the market.

300/338 Norma Mag
338 Lapua Mag
300 PRC
6.5 PRC (for the original Poster...)
others

Many of us can also turn the belts off of belted mags allowing the headspace to shift to the shoulder. A new HS gauge is required.

I personally have no gripe against belted cartridge since they make up a nice percentage of my work. But I also accept the newer crop of non-belted magnums as being suitable substitutes for the belted variety.

 

[bigngreen]

Only if your chamber is out of spec...

Absolutely wrong!!

 

[L.Sherm]

Any brass will swell at or above the web from over pressure rounds.

 

[T3ninja]

I believe the hornady reloading manual shows a picture of belt separation from brass flow. Supposedly the area in front of the belt can become thinned. As aforementioned you just need to not resize excessively. I recommend a set of the simple Headspace gauges from Hornady to measure shoulder bump as you resize. I have had great luck with them in my reloading paired with the bullet comparator gauge set.

This^^

Also, in MY opinion, this has nothing to do with the belt at all. I believe any cartridge (.308,-06, creeds) can have this happen (case head separation). I believe this is what lowedown is referring to. This happens when there is a headspace issue and/or over working the brass.

 

[T3ninja]

The fact that it was noted in a Hornady manual makes it even more fishy... Ever since they've been pushing that 6.5CM, and now their new (non-belted, go figure) cartridges, they are trying to make belts look outdated. Hornady was the ones who created their own hype for the 6.5CM by claiming it was ballistically similar to the .300WM.

It's not that I hate hornady or the cartridges, but deliberate misinformation for profit, is just dirty money. If they can sleep at night on piles of billions, then more power to them.

I think I would sleep so much better if I had a bed of billions. So, if anyone wants to try this experiment I'll hladly volunteer !

 

[raider1v1]

so there isnt anything to the "less accurate" or "harder to reload"? you just load them like you would otherwise, full length size > clean > trim (if necessary) > prime > charge > bullet?

 

[Orange Dust]

Any brass will swell at or above the web from over pressure rounds.

%The belt makes no difference whatsoever. In the old cordite days the shoulder was not well defined enough to headspace on. Rimmed cartridges don't really feed well in a bolt action, so the belt was invented to headspace on. The belt became
synonymous with magnum, and they could not sell a beltless magnum for many years, even though modern cartridges have sufficient shoulder to headspace on in most cases.
In modern guns we resize to headspace on the shoulder. If you headspace on the belt, you will eventually have a head separation just above the belt. If you resize any rimless case back to factory dimensions, you will eventually have a head separation at the web. Same thing with a rimmed or semi-rimmed bottlenecked cartridge. Headspace on the rim and eventual separation. Size your cases properly and it just does not matter. Marketing hype to sell new cartridges.

 

[MudRunner2005]

For the sake of discussion and no I'm not being argumentative...

The belts on some case designs are from over a century ago when the H&H cases debuted in Africa. Holland designed the cases so they would slip in and out of the double rifles easily by using a very minor angle on the shoulder of the case. The angle was such that there was not a positive headspace. The belt was added for positive headspace. The rest is history including the term "belted magnum" as an indicator of strength and power...

Fast forward. Many shooters shift the headspace on belted magnums to the shoulder thereby eliminating the belt as any influence. There has also been an influx of beltless cases in larger capacities hitting the market.

300/338 Norma Mag
338 Lapua Mag
300 PRC
6.5 PRC (for the original Poster...)
others

Many of us can also turn the belts off of belted mags allowing the headspace to shift to the shoulder. A new HS gauge is required.

I personally have no gripe against belted cartridge since they make up a nice percentage of my work. But I also accept the newer crop of non-belted magnums as being suitable substitutes for the belted variety.

Nobody is arguing those facts, but just because something is antiquated or old tech doesn't mean it's inferior to, or obsolete compared to modern technology.

I neck-size my belted mags, therefore I headspace off of both the shoulder and the belt.

 

[Tau]

Real men wear a belt so their pants don't sag over their rear-ends.

I get how when starting-out to reload and FL sizing every reload cycle brass of lesser quality will not last. Anneal every 3rd round, trim cases and NK the non annealing load cycles only.

I shot out a 7mm RM barrel -2500 rounds with 2 sets of brass 100 Sako and 100 Norma brass. I have used some of these Norma Brass to break in my new barrel. I had to use a 6.5 Creedmoor on my hunt in Namibia 3 weeks ago as my 7mm RM was still in for barrel replacement. Worst hunt in Namibie ever, I love my belted Magnum and it performs so well when the wind and distances are playing havoc.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Absolutely wrong!!

Swelling to a point of causing an issue, means your chamber is out of spec. Yes, I know every cartridge swells at the web.