Expanding new brass

[Hobbit]

Hi

 

I have just started reloading for 6.5creedmoor

 

I found that the new Lapua brass has quite tight necks - I use a redding neck bushing die set for 1-2 thou neck tension so it does nothing on new brass

 

The upshot is the bullets require more pressure than I would like to seat and therefor get marked by the seating stem

 

Is there an expander die i can use on new brass first to then set correct tension afterwards with the bushing? Or is there a process I can use (it will be once per case and the cases last a long time apparently so not afraid of a bit of effort)

 

I anneal so I am relaxed about work hardening too

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

[The Gun Pimp]

Just use a Sinclair 6.5 mandrel - I'm sure Spud will be happy to sell you one.

[Grum87]

I usually run all my fresh brass into a normal FL or Neck sizing die with a mandrel in it, however if I'm just being lazy, a quick inside chamfer of the neck usually makes seating bullets a little easier in new lapua brass.

[Guesty]

Just use a Sinclair 6.5 mandrel - I'm sure Spud will be happy to sell you one.

Could a Lee collet die work instead?

[Brillo]

Echo The Gun Pimp'post. Just hone the mandrel to the tension you like and you'll be surprised how your accuracy improves.

[Hobbit]

Ok - thanks for the advice

 

I bought a K&M expander die and 223, 6.5mm and 30 cal mandrels from Spud

 

Its a simple but effective system - you need to take care to align the brass neck with the mandrel or you can, as I did, knacker a case neck - Fortunately I started with the Hornady stuff - not the lapua

 

So I have opened up both sets of 6.5CM brass and can now use the redding bushings to bring neck tension where I want it with out having to fire form first

 

it was interesting to compare the hornady and Lapua brass

1, Using my sinclair run out gauge the runout on Lapua case necks was typically 1 thou - it was 3-4 for the Hornady

2, The Lapua brass was annealed so the mandrel in the case of the odd 1-2 though run out the mandrel improved it - On the hornady even though there was more scope for improvement and even though the expander did expander the neck it did not improve runout noticeably - almost as though it sprang back shape wise

3, Not important but lubing the case necks with an ear bud - the Lapua bud remained clean for 100 pieces - the hornady was brown after 15 - implies different standards of finish

 

Thanks again for the tip