6.5x55 120 or 140grain

[Alpha1]

Im obviously not very good at this measuring lark with the Hornady over all length gauge thingy. I was not happy with the results.
I pulled a bullet on each of the made up rounds and emptied the powder out. The brass is new Lapua. I used a mandrel to slightly open the case mouth so i could seat the bullet using the bolt but would still have enough neck tension to hold the bullet in place whilst extracting the bolt.
I then sat the base of the bullet just in the case mouth chambered the round and closed the bolt on it. My only concern is that a couple of them took a good tug to open so the bullit may have been dragged back out of the case slightly. So I re chambered the rounds a couple of times the bolt opening felt more or less the same each time.
Low and behold I ended up with a different set of figures.
I will use these figures and back the seating die off 0.050 for starters and go from there. I hope I can have it all done ready for to morrow.

Gotta go. Ammo to adjust.

[Sim G]

Roy Weatherby of the ammo and rifle fame I believe was the first manufacturer to guarantee the accuracy of his rifle and ammo combos. He was a great believer that plenty of free bore was the secret to velocity and accuracy....

[phaedra1106]

Opening the case mouth isn't ideal, the amount of tension could push the bullet into the lands instead of stopping at the start of them, that's probably why you had problems extracting them.

Best thing to use is a case with cuts in the neck as I described, 2 or 3 work nicely, something like this,

[Alpha1]

Yes I have several cases with slits in the necks in different calibers. I have used them before. I dont know were I put them for safe keeping.

I dont have time to look for them at the moment and I do not have enough time to make another one Im packing up ready for to morrow.


Jeez Redding micrometer seating dies are mouth wateringly expensive. I use micrometer adjustable needle valves at work I think I need to have an investigate after all thats what research is all about we dont have a fine mechanics section for nothing.
(No idea who dreamed that title up I have never met a fine mechanic in my life)
Do the seating stems fit the standard seating dies or are they different.

[ovenpaa]

In the absence of a suitable OAL device I would remove the firing pin and once I have confirmed the bolt closes correctly on a sized case seat a bullet and chamber it then check that the bolt closes on it, any resistance means set it back .0010" and keep trying until he bolt closes smoothly. Now repeat the procedure in .0002" steps to fine tune the result. Once you have your chamber OAL you can test with a couple more bullets from the same batch assuming you have not lost the will to live.

I am not a fan of split cases despite having used the process when I first started shooting. My second attempt was a .308 case drilled to accept a length of small diameter copper pipe with a length of metal coat hanger used to push the bullet through the case. I put a kink in the coat hanger to hold it in place and it gave remarkably accurate results. I then moved onto my own manufacture OAL gauge which was only retired a few weeks ago. Here they are, the bottom one is the one I am using at the moment, I have wrapped some hockey tape around the beautifully polished shaft to identify it as mine and to save little fingers picking it up and posting it to someone :)

[Alpha1]

Cracked it. I have had one of the best days I have had for ages I sorted the magazine feeding out it now feeds from the mag no problem.
The 140 grain A max gave the best group followed by the Nosler. They both chambered and ejected with out any issues.
I only had five rounds of each but they worked fine. I then shot 40 120 grain A max they chambered and ejected with out any issues.
I think the 140 grain A max were marginally better. I did not shoot any of the PPU.
Thats it for now I am totally out of bullets. But I have empty fire formed cases to reload when I do get some more bullets.

So thats the end of that little episode. The .222 is my next victim.

Oh and as a added bonus when I got home there was a package waiting for me from the Shooting Shed with lots of shiny stuff in it to play with. hmm whats next.

[phaedra1106]

Excellent stuff :)

[Alpha1]

Targets the flyers were due to pilot error I pulled them. They are all 5 shot groups shot of a bipod.

I think we can call that closure on this little episode. Thanks for all the help and good advice. I can now just concentrate on shooting it.

[dromia]

What distance were they shot at?

[safetyfirst]

Looks like 100 yards from the size of the holes.