6mm BR Norma Wilson FL die size?

[Tictac]

I'm in the process of getting the kit together to start reloading 6mm BR Norma. Wilson list two FL die sizes:

 

"Our 6mm BR Match FLD’s will size to .4665 at the base

The 6mm BR Norma FLD’s will size to .4698 at the base"

 

I suspect the Norma die is the one I want, what's the reference to "Match", is it compatible and if so what disadvantage or advantage would there be if any?

 

Never heard of this reference only 6mmBR Norma or Remington?

 

Thanks,

 

Paul.

[onehole]

Surprised you have not had a reply from someone Paul?,,,,I,m 99.99 per cent certain the Match FLD is a small base sizing die and the Norma version is a standard base sizing die.,,,I have recently been using a Redding small base FLD resizing die to properly resize some once fired[in another rifle] brass for use in my .269 neck and overall pretty tight chambered 6BR Norma RPA.My normal Redding body die would not quite size the cases down for chambering and fireforming....In plain speak the 6mm BR Match FLD is machined to tighter dimensions at the base than standard.....don,t buy one unless you really need it I reckon as you may end up with a pretty sloppy fit down at the case base area,,,,,,,,probably best to speak to the Smithy/builder etc of your rifle?,,,,,,O

[Big Al]

The 6mm BR Norma FLD’s will size to .4698 at the base"

 

Thats the one you need, most 6BR reamers that I have came across (I have five of them) will cut chambers with a mouth diameter of between 0.4705"-0.4720" - I know there a reamer prints out there even bigger than 0.472" so the Match option you list will be way too small.

 

Bear in mind that if the person cutting the chamber doesn't get it perfect then the reamer will cut big (never small) and the biggest error will be in the case mouth area so the 0.472" reamer might end up cutting an oversize chamber with a mouth of 0.001"-0.002" more than reamer size, you will never know and quite possible they wont either.

 

Ive built quite a few 6BRs and the brass is strong, unless you are pushing things really hard then you often dont need to full length size your brass and even if you do sometimes you can get a couple of firings before needing to look at the base, I just make sure the shoulder is bumped the same each time. When sizing my base for these cases I take them back to 0.470 for my own rifle.

 

Reamers will be different and the results they give will also be different depending on how the reamer was used. At the end of the day the case will form to the chamber it lives in and its your job to then work out how to size it best for your chamber, sometimes this means looking for additional dies after you have started using the rifle once you find out where you are. Alternatively speak to the person cutting your chamber and ask if they know what dies work well with the reamers they have. Even then though the die makers dont always produce the same, reamers wear out and Ive seen dies of the same make and caliber size brass differently. Most of the time the trouble comes when pushing your brass really hard, if its not a competition rifle it pays to keep pressures sensible and look after the brass, it can save a lot of hassle in the long run.

[gbal]

Just to add a little to Al's information,the CIP specs for the 6mm Norma BR case come in at .4700 for the bolt head,and .4690 at the base (tapering to .4580 at the shoulder),and OAL 1.5600 (all inches).

 

It's CIP,although 'identical' to the original US 6mmBR case from Remington (SAAMI) the Norma was actually a chamber-with a longer neck (for heavier low drag bullets,giving longer range) .Being European,CIP insists on a separate name for a chamber-hence adding the 'Norma") The superior performance potential of the Norma spec has made the original Remington version near obsolete,though very occasionally an old one comes up in UK (often in a Rem 40x).

The '6BR' refers nowadays to the 6mmNorma BR. FIne cartridge ...'a rose by any other name...''

 

gbal

ps-the original 6BR Remington is somewhat unusual itself-one of eight cartridges derived from the Barnes 308x1.5 inch wildcat (yes ,a short modified 308 case,with a Small Rifle primer pocket ) around 1962/3- 'Palma' SR pockets are not so new,not much is. Remington standardised the BR case in 1978. Prior to this ,it was a kind of 'factory wildcat'-there was no ready to load brass (just the generic Remington BR brass -somewhat thin walled-to neck down/up,and there may well have been somewhat different chambers....especially as turned necks were in vogue......what fun!)

The 17,20,22,6,7 and 30 BR are all fine,efficient current cartridges (is there a niche for a 6.5x1.5 wildkitten?) :-)

[onehole]

Just for those that like numbers,,,,,,,I bought nearly 500 once fired unsized Norma 6BR cases some time ago which was not the sort of thing I would normally do but they were silly cheap ,,,anyway they measured 470.6 at the base and as far as I could reasonably measure .462 at the start of the shoulder,,,,,,,,,with a Redding full body die bump and resize we got 4704 and .460,,,,,,,,with a Redding small base body die we got .4683 and .458

 

In my 6BR a fired case measures .4696 and .462...................O

[Tictac]

Thanks all for your advice. I've ordered the Norma die, fingers crossed on delivery times now.

 

Paul.