Can you form a 260 rem case from Lapua 308 Brass?
what dies are neccessary?
will 308 Redding bushing dies accomplish this?
what dies are neccessary?
will 308 Redding bushing dies accomplish this?
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260 Brass Forming
- Thread starter maxscm
- Start date
Re: 260 Brass Forming
Can you do this- yes. I wouldn't recommend it. Lapua is coming out with 260 brass in a month or so (oe sooner- whenever the boat gets here!). You will have to turn the necks on the 308 brass for it to fit in the chamber. When you neck it down from 308, the necks gets too thick. Try Win 7-08 cases, or just get Remington brass. Or wait for Lapua 260 cases.
Can you do this- yes. I wouldn't recommend it. Lapua is coming out with 260 brass in a month or so (oe sooner- whenever the boat gets here!). You will have to turn the necks on the 308 brass for it to fit in the chamber. When you neck it down from 308, the necks gets too thick. Try Win 7-08 cases, or just get Remington brass. Or wait for Lapua 260 cases.
Re: 260 Brass Forming
thanks for the info. this is my first 260 cal in many years and my experience with the remington brass has not been good in other calibers,, loose primer pockets are common. just searching for solutions. i've had excellent results with Lapua Brass in all calibers i've tried.
thanks for the info. this is my first 260 cal in many years and my experience with the remington brass has not been good in other calibers,, loose primer pockets are common. just searching for solutions. i've had excellent results with Lapua Brass in all calibers i've tried.
Re: 260 Brass Forming
When I am at the range, I pick up any 308 cases I find laying around (mostly Fed GMM cases) and then turn it into plinking brass for my 260. Turning 308 brass into 260 brass is a lot of work. First, I FL size the brass in a 308 die. Then I turn the necks of the cases, but you can not turn them all the way to the shoulder, you have to stop 3/4 of the way down the neck. Then I FL size with a 7-08 die, then neck size with a 6.5 mm neck sizer. If you turn the necks of the cases all the way back to the shoulder when it is a 308, after they are sized down to 6.5 mm, the location of where you stopped neck turning is now on the shoulder of the case. So stopping turning 3/4 of the way down the neck puts the end of the neck turning at the proper shoulder location once they are 6.5mm.
The first lot of brass that I tried I did not neck size the cases, and in the end, I threw the cases out. The necks were so thick that once loaded, the outside diameter of the neck was larger than the chamber dimensions, so the rounds would not completely chamber. I tried to turn the necks, but they are so thick and work hardened, it was close to impossible. The real solution would have been to anneal the necks and then try to turn them, but I do not have a annealing machine, and that seemed like way too much work for plinking brass.
After doing this with about 400 cases, I gave up. I do not feel it is worth all the effort. For my match brass, I use Win 7-08 brass necked down. Or Chad has a very good point, Lapua is now making 260 brass.
So yes, it is possible, but it is a lot of work.
When I am at the range, I pick up any 308 cases I find laying around (mostly Fed GMM cases) and then turn it into plinking brass for my 260. Turning 308 brass into 260 brass is a lot of work. First, I FL size the brass in a 308 die. Then I turn the necks of the cases, but you can not turn them all the way to the shoulder, you have to stop 3/4 of the way down the neck. Then I FL size with a 7-08 die, then neck size with a 6.5 mm neck sizer. If you turn the necks of the cases all the way back to the shoulder when it is a 308, after they are sized down to 6.5 mm, the location of where you stopped neck turning is now on the shoulder of the case. So stopping turning 3/4 of the way down the neck puts the end of the neck turning at the proper shoulder location once they are 6.5mm.
The first lot of brass that I tried I did not neck size the cases, and in the end, I threw the cases out. The necks were so thick that once loaded, the outside diameter of the neck was larger than the chamber dimensions, so the rounds would not completely chamber. I tried to turn the necks, but they are so thick and work hardened, it was close to impossible. The real solution would have been to anneal the necks and then try to turn them, but I do not have a annealing machine, and that seemed like way too much work for plinking brass.
After doing this with about 400 cases, I gave up. I do not feel it is worth all the effort. For my match brass, I use Win 7-08 brass necked down. Or Chad has a very good point, Lapua is now making 260 brass.
So yes, it is possible, but it is a lot of work.
Re: 260 Brass Forming
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: attherange</div><div class="ubbcode-body">easier to neck up lapua 243 to 260, just my 2 cents. </div></div>
This is a sure fire way of getting donuts, unless you plan on neck turning, on the flip side Lapua 243 brass is cheaper than Lapua 260 brass(prices on Powdervalley.com)
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: attherange</div><div class="ubbcode-body">easier to neck up lapua 243 to 260, just my 2 cents. </div></div>
This is a sure fire way of getting donuts, unless you plan on neck turning, on the flip side Lapua 243 brass is cheaper than Lapua 260 brass(prices on Powdervalley.com)
Re: 260 Brass Forming
I know a number of us have beaten this topic to death.
I've necked down a good number of Lapua and Win .308 cases to .260. But, as others have said, I neck turn everything. I find with the .308 I try to turn into the shoulder a bit. It leaves a shoulder ridge that then "flows out" during fireforming. I haven't had the ID donuts appear after 4-5 firings.
I've sized from .308 because I had a bunch of Lapua and folks have given me Win .308 1xFired.
But, like others I think it's considerably easier going up from .243. Note: I use the Sinclair neck turning kit and mandrel/die for my neck resizing. I still neck turn my Lapua&Win .243-.260. Have gotten good results. Would 7-08 be easier? Probably but given the availability of .243 brass often on sale, this is the route I go.
Will I use Lapua .260 brass? I'm pissed at the early prices I've been hearing, i.e., $100ish per 100. Is this supply/demand pricing? We'll see.
I know a number of us have beaten this topic to death.
I've necked down a good number of Lapua and Win .308 cases to .260. But, as others have said, I neck turn everything. I find with the .308 I try to turn into the shoulder a bit. It leaves a shoulder ridge that then "flows out" during fireforming. I haven't had the ID donuts appear after 4-5 firings.
I've sized from .308 because I had a bunch of Lapua and folks have given me Win .308 1xFired.
But, like others I think it's considerably easier going up from .243. Note: I use the Sinclair neck turning kit and mandrel/die for my neck resizing. I still neck turn my Lapua&Win .243-.260. Have gotten good results. Would 7-08 be easier? Probably but given the availability of .243 brass often on sale, this is the route I go.
Will I use Lapua .260 brass? I'm pissed at the early prices I've been hearing, i.e., $100ish per 100. Is this supply/demand pricing? We'll see.
Re: 260 Brass Forming
Yep, I've read about everything I can find on the subject.
I've made 60 pieces of brass from WW .243 I had on hand for my first .260 rifle. It seems to be doing fine so far.
The majority seems to favor necking down the 7-08, so I may go that route when I need to buy new brass.
Yep, I've read about everything I can find on the subject.
I've made 60 pieces of brass from WW .243 I had on hand for my first .260 rifle. It seems to be doing fine so far.
The majority seems to favor necking down the 7-08, so I may go that route when I need to buy new brass.
Re: 260 Brass Forming
I did it with a small batch of Lapua .308's. Would I want to do it again? No
My method;
size .308's in Redding 7mm-08 die with Imperial wax
size in Redding FL bushing die
sized on Sinclair mandrel die
turned necks (had issues with necks overly tight on turning mandrel and surmised an annealing step was needed)
-Annealed and returned
-Fire formed and touched up neck shoulder junction with turner
Still wasn't happy with results and would not do it again. That said I would do things in a different manner such as turning some brass of while still a .308 and annealing before running on the .260 mandrel for last turning.
I did it with a small batch of Lapua .308's. Would I want to do it again? No
My method;
size .308's in Redding 7mm-08 die with Imperial wax
size in Redding FL bushing die
sized on Sinclair mandrel die
turned necks (had issues with necks overly tight on turning mandrel and surmised an annealing step was needed)
-Annealed and returned
-Fire formed and touched up neck shoulder junction with turner
Still wasn't happy with results and would not do it again. That said I would do things in a different manner such as turning some brass of while still a .308 and annealing before running on the .260 mandrel for last turning.
I've heard of necro threads, but a self-answered necro thread?
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