Forming 6.5 x 47 Lapua from .308 brass.

[RonA]

Getting ready to make some just to see how they work out. I'm sure others have done it as well, but I haven't seen any comments as to how well they worked (Obviously Lapua brass is hard to beat and handles more pressure than the large primer brass).
RonA

 

[Will65284]

I've done it with Alpha Munitions SP 308 brass. Just be patient and remove the decapping assembly on the first step. I had the least headaches with RCBS sizing wax. Then run them over a mandrel die. Trim to max length. Then neck turn to get around .013-.014 neck wall thickness. Then load up charges to final fireform. (You can back off your standard load around .8-1.0 grains and still get great accuracy.) Your SD's and ES numbers will be a little scattered until once fired. Then the consistency is really good as expected with the 6.5x47. Good luck.

 

[RonA]

Outstanding info. Thank you. I use a set of Lee Six case forming dies after cutting to length and chamfering in the CNC. I have lots of once fired Hornady brass and was trying to find a use for it.

 

[Dstoenner]

I tried both 308 and 260 brass to make 6X47 Lapua. This issue is 2 fold. You have to move the shoulder back a bunch and it will tend to fold in on itself and you have to squeeze a lot of neck down along the way. My success rate was about 40% give or take. Then I tried 6.5 Creedmoor range pick up brass. Guys were firing it once and giving it to me free. My success rate went up to close to 90%. The shoulder is already 30 degrees which really makes it easier.

Redding imperial wax is the best. I also found that I had to take about 4 draws on each case. I would do just a little, then retract the handle, pull the case out and re-smear the wax around always making sure that it is very thin. Between each case I would take a q-tip and clean the shoulder area of the die. I found that the folding was somehow started by having a little too much wax.

I don't know about the Lee case forming dies so I cannot comment. I was using a Whidden bushing die with different size bushing along the path.

You aren't out of the woods once you have what looks to be a pretty good cartridge. I had a few when loaded had horrible runout after being fireformed and then resized. Those went into recycle. But now I have a set of practice brass that I cannot tell the difference from my Lapua match sets at 100 yards. I also have a free back up of another 200 cases or so when these start giving up.

David

 

[Ryridesmotox]

Can I ask the dumb question and inquire as to why do all this instead of ordering some? Or at least ordering 6.5x47 and necking that down?

 

[Will65284]

Most likely has an abundance of 308 brass. Already paid for. Only way I would do it again is if I had a minimum 300 or more.

 

[Dstoenner]

Can I ask the dumb question and inquire as to why do all this instead of ordering some? Or at least ordering 6.5x47 and necking that down?

I am retired. Thebrass i was using was free. For me I wanted to have about 200 more cases so this saved me over $200. That is more bullets or whatever i wanted to buy.

David

 

[Marty ray]

I've got a quick question is it a good idea to necking down 308 brass to 260 brass?

 

[Dstoenner]

That would be fine. You will end up with thick necks so you might have to turn them. Also they will end up about .005 under trim length. Mine never grew. I found that the best was to neck up so I used 243 brass to make my practice 260 from.

David

 

[Will65284]

That would be fine. You will end up with thick necks so you might have to turn them. Also they will end up about .005 under trim length. Mine never grew. I found that the best was to neck up so I used 243 brass to make my practice 260 from.

David

That's why I was suggesting trimming to max trim length. That way after being fired. You're still over minimum case length.

 

[Dstoenner]

That's why I was suggesting trimming to max trim length. That way after being fired. You're still over minimum case length.

The problem is that the max trim length of a 308 is .005 shorter than the max trim length of a 260. Go figure

David

 

[Will65284]

Sorry for the confusion man. I was still referring the 308 to 6.5x47 conversion the op mentioned. But if you like using the 243 brass to make your 260 stuff. I've had great success with Winchester 243 brass necked up to 260. The annealing, and running over a mandrel for neck tension.

 

[Dstoenner]

Sorry for jumping on the wrong thought. I agree that you could trim back the 308 to what the max length of the 6.5x47 would be. For me that was an intermediary step in my conversion steps.

I have rebarreled my 260 in 6x47 lapua.

David