Using a mandrel on new Alpha 6 Dasher brass

[Redfisher60]

I’m using a mandrel on my new 6 dasher brass. I was getting significant seater stem rings from both a Forester seating die and a Wilson inline. I started running them all through a mandrel and the seating is smoother and no more ring tipped bullets. Seems a little odd to me that I need to do this.

 

[OREGUN]

You chamfer the mouth? Any lube or were you raw dogging the new, clean brass?

 

[Shifty6BR]

Virgin brass is like that...a chamfer would help.

Some will run virigin brass thru a mandrel to uniform necks from dings during packaging/shipping etc....myself included.

I've experienced this as well, no biggi it is what it is to get the results we desire.

It will be all good the next time around after first firing.

 

[Redfisher60]

Virgin brass is like that...a chamfer would help.

Some will run virigin brass thru a mandrel to uniform necks from dings during packaging/shipping etc....myself included.

I've experienced this as well, no biggi it is what it is to get the results we desire.

It will be all good the next time around after first firing.

I definitely chamfer, just surprised they needed to be mandreled.

 

[Redfisher60]

You chamfer the mouth? Any lube or were you raw dogging the new, clean brass?

Yes I chamfer, no I don’t lube the necks to seat bullets.

 

[37L1]

Maybe the neck is a different (tighter) size than your mandrel.

 

[OREGUN]

Yes I chamfer, no I don’t lube the necks to seat bullets.

Well, there’s your trouble. No need once they have some carbon in them but that shiny new brass has a ton more friction. Try a little swipe of imperial die wax on a q-tip.

 

[37L1]

 

[Redfisher60]

I have actually watched that before and forgot about it. tossing 50 cases in the tumbler now. I usually use NU finish car polish, hopefully that works the same. Thank you!

 

[Redfisher60]

Maybe the neck is a different (tighter) size than your mandrel.

I have different sized mandrels, Still plenty of tension on the neck after using this mandrel diameter.

 

[TheOE800]

I bought some custom ammo with Alpha brass and as far as I can tell the neck tension is fairly inconsistent on the virgin brass.

 

[Rocketmandb]

The interference fit on pretty much all new brass is pretty tight. Additionally, as others have mentioned, perfectly clean brass has high surface friction against perfectly clean bullets. I always mandrel, chamfer, and use neck lube on virgin brass.

 

[Redfisher60]

The interference fit on pretty much all new brass is pretty tight. Additionally, as others have mentioned, perfectly clean brass has high surface friction against perfectly clean bullets. I always mandrel, chamfer, and use neck lube on virgin brass.

Tumbling it definitely helped, using a .2415 mandrel.

 

[Rocketmandb]

Tumbling it definitely helped, using a .2415 mandrel.

Essentially, tumbling is depositing a residue on the brass - it's similar to applying neck lube.

 

[Gogga]

I now use some graphite and mandrel new brass, a chamfer too. It definitely helps.

 

[LA260]

I tumbled debur/chamfer and tried using the 21st Century turning mandrel (0.002" below) on virgin 6 Alpha Dasher brass and it went right through the neck without any resistance. I was able to actually push the bullets in the case with my fingers if I really tried. They still ended up working fine but that was the 1st time I've ever experienced that with new brass. With new Lapua brass it's the opposite the necks are too tight

 

[Redfisher60]

I tumbled debur/chamfer and tried using the 21st Century turning mandrel (0.002" below) on virgin 6 Alpha Dasher brass and it went right through the neck without any resistance. I was able to actually push the bullets in the case with my fingers if I really tried. They still ended up working fine but that was the 1st time I've ever experienced that with new brass. With new Lapua brass it's the opposite the necks are too tight

Well that's odd, I would have contacted Alpha about that.