New Brass
Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:30 pm
I wanted some new brass, i would have bought Lapua, but, when I was tring to follow my own advice and get ready in the Autumn last year, for this year, all I could get was Winchester. So, two hundred Winchester .284 cases arrived.
As it was, I didn't follow my own advice and thus started this year with the old brass. Necking up my 6.5 cases went well until a few splits appeared. No problem, annealing will sort that.
I sized ten of the new brass, which included opening the necks as they were too tight for my Sierra 1975's.
I made up a dummy round (no primer, powder) to the length indicated on my guage. Painted it with a black marker and tried it in the chamber.
No go, the neck wouldn't chamber. I hadn't measured the chamber but I knew it was going to be tight as Mik had chambered it for me.
So, taking advantage of the foul weather this past two days, I decided to do the necks.
From fifty cases I have shaved over 53 grains of brass.
I had to expand the necks to get them over the 280 mandrill on my rcbs neck trimmer.
I have taken the necks from between ten and fourteen thou thickness (large variations) down to six.
The necks were very inconsistent and some still show a 'thin line' just above the shoulder. One or two still show areas where the cutter has not touched the brass. These will be blow off cases, hopefully, after a couple of firings, the brass will settle andI shall have two hundred 'good' cases.
I can't figure out how to put the the photos I have taken with this Ipad, onto the page. If I ever do figure it out I will.
A dummy round made up from a case neck od of .308 (there's a familiar measurement) and measuring .309.5 with the bullet in, do chamber, so it looks like I'm getting there.
The pile of scrap brass in the scale tray is impressive, perhaps Winchester will buy it from me?
Anyone else experienced such variation?
It has been an interesting and enlightning two days and I haven't finished yet. There is still the trimming to length, they vary from 2.162 to 2.170 in length, and the chamfering to do.
As it was, I didn't follow my own advice and thus started this year with the old brass. Necking up my 6.5 cases went well until a few splits appeared. No problem, annealing will sort that.
I sized ten of the new brass, which included opening the necks as they were too tight for my Sierra 1975's.
I made up a dummy round (no primer, powder) to the length indicated on my guage. Painted it with a black marker and tried it in the chamber.
No go, the neck wouldn't chamber. I hadn't measured the chamber but I knew it was going to be tight as Mik had chambered it for me.
So, taking advantage of the foul weather this past two days, I decided to do the necks.
From fifty cases I have shaved over 53 grains of brass.
I had to expand the necks to get them over the 280 mandrill on my rcbs neck trimmer.
I have taken the necks from between ten and fourteen thou thickness (large variations) down to six.
The necks were very inconsistent and some still show a 'thin line' just above the shoulder. One or two still show areas where the cutter has not touched the brass. These will be blow off cases, hopefully, after a couple of firings, the brass will settle andI shall have two hundred 'good' cases.
I can't figure out how to put the the photos I have taken with this Ipad, onto the page. If I ever do figure it out I will.
A dummy round made up from a case neck od of .308 (there's a familiar measurement) and measuring .309.5 with the bullet in, do chamber, so it looks like I'm getting there.
The pile of scrap brass in the scale tray is impressive, perhaps Winchester will buy it from me?
Anyone else experienced such variation?
It has been an interesting and enlightning two days and I haven't finished yet. There is still the trimming to length, they vary from 2.162 to 2.170 in length, and the chamfering to do.