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+--- Thread: 6mmAR dies & measurements (/showthread.php?tid=18363)
6mmAR dies & measurements - HomeSlice - 02-22-2019
Thanks in advance for looking.
I'm having problems getting a response from Mr. Whitley.
You guys that are loading 6mmAR/6grendel, etc -- how are you measuring seating depth distance to lands? Can I take a Hornady 6.5G modified case and run it through my sizing die?
As for a sizing die, I think I'm going to use a 6.5G redding bushing die. What size bushings should I get, for Hornady and Lapua brass?
Do you think I can use my 6fatrat seating die on the 6mmar?
I've got a bartlein barrel on the way, and I'm hoping to have all this worked out by the time it shows up...
6mmAR dies & measurements - bj139 - 02-22-2019
I have resized 6.8mm brass to 6.5mm using a .285 bushing. : .264 + .012 + .012 = .288 : if, .003 neck tension then .285 is right
I then took the 6.5mm brass to 6mm with a .267 bushing. : .243 +.012 + .012 = .267 : calc to zero neck tension so .012 neck must be wrong, maybe after squeezing down.
I have loaded and shot both these 6.5mm and 6mm wildcats with sufficient neck tension that I could not pull the bullets with my fingers.
I was using Starline brass.
That is all.
6mmAR dies & measurements - 204 AR - 02-23-2019
I determine distance to lands with a cleaning rod from the muzzle end, you need a blunt end on it and a way to mark it. I use a plastic stop collar like this https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1014835789/possum-hollow-cleaning-rod-stop.
Install the bolt in the receiver, then slide the cleaning rod in till it makes contact. Slide the stop down to the muzzle and snug it up. Now remove the bolt, insert the bullet and lightly tap it up to the lands, slide the cleaning rod down the barrel again till it just touches the bullet, and measure from the muzzle to the plastic stop with a caliper. Now you have the oal. Easy, works on any barrel, any caliber.
6mmAR dies & measurements - 204 AR - 02-23-2019
oops double post
6mmAR dies & measurements - StoneHendge - 02-23-2019
How could Whitley be able to respond to customers - he's too busy counting his money! You won't be able to get a bullet in if you size a 6.5g modified case. I ruined a perfectly good 223 modified case running it through a 6x45 die.
I use a Redding Bushing die and a .269 bushing with no expander ball per BHWs recommendation for my 243 LBC. I size Hornady 6.5G Brass in one step liberally applying RCBS Case Lube 2 inside and outside of the neck with a cotton swab - but be careful to keep it off the shoulder. I don't see why the fat rat seating die wouldn't work. I use a 6mm PPC.
6mmAR dies & measurements - A5BLASTER - 02-23-2019
I wonder if hornady would make a modifiyed case for the 6 grendel?
6mmAR dies & measurements - 454bore - 02-23-2019
I use a .268 bushing for unturned hornady brass and a .266 bushing for turned Lapua brass since it's a tight fit in my chamber.
An easy way to get close to the lands is seating a bullet a little long and drop the cartridge in the chamber and push it in by hand and if it sticks when you turn the barrel up you seat it a little deeper till it will fall out.
Not perfect but works well enough till you can get the right tools.
The poor man's method of using an old brass with the neck slit with a thin dremel wheel works also.
Pinch the neck a little and put your bullet in and push the cartridge in chamber by hand and push it out with cleaning rod slowly.
I use an old jag with the spike cut off for this method.
It usually works well and doesn't take as much time.
6mmAR dies & measurements - 454bore - 02-23-2019
204's method works well and not expensive.
After seating a bullet I drop cartridge down the chamber and push it in by hand and see if it will fall out turning the barrel up. If not then seat it it in a little deeper till it does.
No need to jam the bullet into the lands for accuracy.
Most bullets like a 20 thou jump.
I don't buy anything more expensive than the hornady ELDs or sierra matchkings and get half moa and sometimes a little better.
6mmAR dies & measurements - HomeSlice - 02-23-2019
A5BLASTER Wrote:I wonder if hornady would make a modifiyed case for the 6 grendel?
I think they might. Whitley offers a "modified case" on his website, anyway. He doesn't say it's a hornady, though.
6mmAR dies & measurements - HomeSlice - 02-23-2019
204 AR Wrote:I determine distance to lands with a cleaning rod from the muzzle end, you need a blunt end on it and a way to mark it. I use a plastic stop collar like this https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1014835789/possum-hollow-cleaning-rod-stop.
Install the bolt in the receiver, then slide the cleaning rod in till it makes contact. Slide the stop down to the muzzle and snug it up. Now remove the bolt, insert the bullet and lightly tap it up to the lands, slide the cleaning rod down the barrel again till it just touches the bullet, and measure from the muzzle to the plastic stop with a caliper. Now you have the oal. Easy, works on any barrel, any caliber.
That's actually a really good idea, and should get me close enough. Thanks!
6mmAR dies & measurements - HomeSlice - 02-23-2019
StoneHendge Wrote:How could Whitley be able to respond to customers - he's too busy counting his money! You won't be able to get a bullet in if you size a 6.5g modified case. I ruined a perfectly good 223 modified case running it through a 6x45 die.
I use a Redding Bushing die and a .269 bushing with no expander ball per BHWs recommendation for my 243 LBC. I size Hornady 6.5G Brass in one step liberally applying RCBS Case Lube 2 inside and outside of the neck with a cotton swab - but be careful to keep it off the shoulder. I don't see why the fat rat seating die wouldn't work. I use a 6mm PPC.
Perfect, thanks. Any idea what bushing I'd need for Lapua brass? For your hornady brass, how much neck tension does the .269 give you? .003"?
6mmAR dies & measurements - HomeSlice - 02-23-2019
bj139 Wrote:I have resized 6.8mm brass to 6.5mm using a .285 bushing. : .264 + .012 + .012 = .288 : if, .003 neck tension then .285 is right
I then took the 6.5mm brass to 6mm with a .267 bushing. : .243 +.012 + .012 = .267 : calc to zero neck tension so .012 neck must be wrong, maybe after squeezing down.
I have loaded and shot both these 6.5mm and 6mm wildcats with sufficient neck tension that I could not pull the bullets with my fingers.
I was using Starline brass.
That is all.
It sounds like that a set of.267, .268 and .269 bushings should have me well covered. Thanks!
6mmAR dies & measurements - HomeSlice - 02-23-2019
454bore Wrote:204's method works well and not expensive.
After seating a bullet I drop cartridge down the chamber and push it in by hand and see if it will fall out turning the barrel up. If not then seat it it in a little deeper till it does.
No need to jam the bullet into the lands for accuracy.
Most bullets like a 20 thou jump.
I don't buy anything more expensive than the hornady ELDs or sierra matchkings and get half moa and sometimes a little better.
I'm not a bullet jammer :-)
I'm planning on using the 95SMK at around .020" jump. I'm also going to try some hunting (deer) and varmint (coyote) bullets. Any recommendations for either of those? I', considering the 87 vmax and the sierra 85 gameking or the new 90 "gamechanger".
6mmAR dies & measurements - 204 AR - 02-23-2019
HomeSlice Wrote:I'm not a bullet jammer :-)
I'm planning on using the 95SMK at around .020" jump. I'm also going to try some hunting (deer) and varmint (coyote) bullets. Any recommendations for either of those? I', considering the 87 vmax and the sierra 85 gameking or the new 90 "gamechanger".
87 Vmax and 85 gameking should both prove very accurate, and the new 90 gamechanger might be a great all around bullet for deer and coyotes. Yeah you don't want to jam the lands, it just creates a pita for reliability, especially when hunting, chambering and extracting live rounds etc. And IME, the 267, 268 and 269 should cover all the different brass you'll find. Lapua works well but I've stuck with Hornady for cost effectiveness and expect about 7 loads before my pockets get too loose. They can have an issue with pocket depth after a few loads so I uniform them after 4 or 5. Norma works well in one barrel but had too thick of necks for another so I'm done with it after my current batch runs out. I'm really tempted to try the new starline but haven't yet.
My main load in both barrels is the 87 vmax at 2900 fps in 22" barrels. This is with 8208, bullets seated close to but not touching lands. cci 450 primers.
6mmAR dies & measurements - bj139 - 02-23-2019
HomeSlice Wrote:It sounds like that a set of.267, .268 and .269 bushings should have me well covered. Thanks!
The size doesn't seem to be overly critical. I was worried I was 2 thou smaller than I should be at first but I think I was being paranoid.
6mmAR dies & measurements - StoneHendge - 02-23-2019
Yup - 0.003" of tension. I do 95 gr SMKs (non tipped). Started at COAL of 2.250" and figured I could play with jump once I found a load. But that would be a waste of time and components:
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6mmAR dies & measurements - Highbrow - 02-23-2019
I use .268 for Lapua brass and .266 for Hornady and Federal
brass. Have Starline brass but have not used any yet.