6.5x284 Brass

[FatBoy...]

I'm trying to find some Lapua 6.5x284 brass and all the major supply houses are out of both Lapua and Norma for some time to come. (maybe Mid-August,, sounds like Perry to me). Does anyone know where I can locate some Lapua factory brass for this chambering?

I'm trying the Hornady now. Picked up 50 cases today, and they need some serious work before a bullet can be seated.(neck wall thinkness of .022") I puchased a .263 mouth reamer and a Neck turnig tool and still don't have what I need ot get a round put together. I may have been better off swaging Winchester, but I don't have an FL die.

So, any help locating some Lapua brass is greatly appreciated.

FatBoy...

 

[PrimeTime]

Do you dislike the Norma brass? I have been shooting it and it works very well. I shot a 4.5" 5 shot group with it at 1K. I know Bill Shehane swears by it and he is a very good shot. As far as the Lapua, try Bruno Shooter Supply, Natchez, or Sinclair. Keep looking and I'm sure you'll locate some.
Good shooting

 

[FatBoy...]

Prime Time,

I haven't tried Natchez, but the other two are out.

I only tried 20 norma cases, but of the 20, 18 have either rims that expanded to the point that I can't get them in the shell holder, or the primer pockets are very loose, after one firing.

I'm only running 53.0gr H4831SC, and my velocities are running 2950 to 2975fps, so it's not a very hot load. I also did not get a tight neck. I was advised that the Lapua was harder brass and may help. If not, I'll be looking for a differnet powder, or turning all my necks. (I really don't want to have to neck turn).

FatBoy...

 

[Warren Barrett]

FatBoy, you may need to back off of your powder a little with those Norma brass. John Hoover with Accuracy One had the Lapua brass last week. His # is 814-684-1777. Give him a try.

 

[FatBoy...]

Warren,

Thank you, will call him tomorrow.

I'm hesitant to drop back much more, but I guess running 30 or 40 fps slower is better than getting single shots from expensive brass....

I appreciate the help.

FatBoy...

 

[PrimeTime]

FatBoy-
I shoot 54 and even 55 grains of the Norma and haven't had any problems like you describe. I know one fellow that is having good luck with the Hornady brass and he ordered his directly from Hornady.

 

[FatBoy...]

Warren,

I ordered some brass from Mr. Hoover, and got some good info to go along with it. Very nice guy. Thanks for the tip.

PT,

I didn't figure I'd have any trouble either, but for some reason the rims and primer pockets are expanding with 53.0 gr H4831SC. The gent who sent me the brass posted his load on the side of the box, and with a chandler rifle/obermeyer barrel and Norma brass he's runnig 54.6gr to get 2950fps, no pressure. I've been told that the Mike Rock R5 barrels have a very tight bore and are hard and do not expand like some other barrels, which would contribute to both the high velocities with less powder, and the extra pressure in the case. Anyone??

As far as the Hornady brass,,, it may well work out fine, but it HAS to be sent through a sizing mandrel, a FL die or cut with a inside neck reamer before it can be loaded. With a case wall thickness of .22" and a bullet of .264", you'll get an overall loaded neck diameter of .308", which is .007" over SAMMI spec, and the round will not(should not) chamber.

I have a K&M 6.5 sizing mandrel on the way also, and I'm going to try and take the necks down to .010 or .011" and see if possibly the extra space will alow the brass to release faster and lower the pressure.

Anybody see a flaw in my logic?

FatBoy...

 

[ewallace]

Fatboy Having the same problem with the Hornady did you get the Lapua brass yet would like a report
Crow Mag

 

[Guest]

I got my Lapua from Champion Shooter's supply and it is great. Pitch the Hornady, you are wasting your time. A buddy of mine tried to make it shoot and finally gave up--loaded 20 Lapua cases (unprepped) at the range, and reduced his group sizes from +/- 1MOA to .3 MOA immediately. Good enough for me!

 

[FatBoy...]

I received 50 cases from Accuracy One today, along with a .263 K&M Mandrel. The lapua's are as nice in 6.5x284 as they are in 308. Neck wall thickness is running from .012 to .014. Not bad. If you load them right up, they have a standard NT of .004", but I need another bushing (that'll make three for this caliber and I've only fired 20 rounds) becuase to get at or about .4" NT I'm having to size up with the mandrel and then ream out the neck. Works fine and leaves the neck wall thickness at .009 to .010", but I don't wanna have to work this brass so thin, so I'm looking to go for the .292" bushing tomorrow, as the 290 with the Lapua is giving me .006" NT. Still pushing it, but I'm gonna try some...

A funny thing about the redding bushings was brought to my attension last week by CatShooter. If you follow the directions on the Redding site, you end up with NT of or about .008". Too much IMHO. I'm actually ordering another bushing that's the same size as the outside diameter of a loaded round (.292") to get the desired .004". Math don't work I know,,, but it happens, try it.

I'll look at Champions also, thanks for the info Chris.

Got 20 rounds loaded for Thursday morning. Starting with V V N165 at 51.5gr and working up by .2 till I get to 2950fps, where I'll load 20 at the range (hopefully) and see how it goes pressure wise. Ahh, the joys of a "Semi" wildcat.

FatBoy...

[ 06-25-2002: Message edited by: FatBoy... ]

 

[ewallace]

Thank you for the report I ordered 100 pieces today
Crow Mag

 

[FatBoy...]

Did a bit of un-official pressure testing at the range with the new Lap cases, 210M's and V V N165. Good to go at 2950 - 3000 with 55gr powder. I'm gonna do some more testing tomorrow, as the cloud cover was making the chrono read a little funny and I want to get real SD's and ES's before writting off on the load, but the cases performed excellent, and though I wasn't shooting for groups I did have several cluster right up.

Thanks for the help locating these.

FatBoy...

 

[FatBoy...]

This is my little plate of crow... kinda.

I found this morining that the neck walls on the Hornady brass are indeed .014", not the .022" I previously stated. The problem was there's a lip all the way around the inside of the mouth and there is a slight lip on the outside. Once the additional brass is removed the necks measure out at .014 to .015".

In my defense, they still cannot be loaded until the extra brass has been removed or the neck collapses into the shoulders, and if you run a .263 mandrel through them prior to sizing you get a pronounced bell at the case mouth, but they are far better than I originally thought.

Thanks for bearing with this, but I mailed too many people on this brass to keep up with them individually.

Oh, and Champions Choice has 4 boxes of 100ct Lapua 6.5x284 brass left at $58 a box. 800-345-7179. It works GREAT.....

FatBoy...