Having a heck of a time forming 6.5x55

[Cowboy_Dan]

So, I'm trying to for some 6.5 Swedes for my brother's rifle. The feedstock for this project has been some .270 Winchester and some .30-06 that I think is GI brass.

A few weeks ago, I tried just pushing a few of the .270's into my 6.5x55 size die with the expander removed and the die touching the shell holder. I then cut it to approximate length with a pipe cutter. Dropped one in the chamber and tried to close the bolt, no go.

Earlier today, I ran an '06 into a .308 Win size die until the sholder was pushed back as far as a piece of factory 6.5 brass I had on hand. Then I sized it in the 6.5 die. After some playing arround with the .308 die, I formed something that I was able to close the bolt on with some difficulty. I think the chamber did the last of the pushing back on the false shoulder that had formed. I was unable to duplicate these results on another piece of '06. Do I need to shorten the 6.5 sizing die so that it can push the shoulder further back? Or, might a seating die be able to be screwed further down and push that shoulder back? I think I'm gonna try that last one right now and see what happens.

[kens]

it much easier if you start with .257Roberts brass, 7x57mm mauser, 6mmRem, or other 57mm brass.

[Ola]

You are forming 6,5x55SE brass because you can't buy them in Indiana?

I probably could pick all I'd need from our shooting ranges thrash can. Mostly high quality stuff like Lapua and Norma. F.e. those companies export to US so it is hard to imagine you have to form 6,5x55 cases yourself..

[Cowboy_Dan]

I tried using a 6.5 seating die last night, still no magic. I could probably buy headstamped brass, but not from a store. 6.5x55 doesn't seem to be a very popular caliber around here, only place I see brass is on the occasional S&S post, which is where I got the few factory pieces I have. I've never even seen factory rounds.

I get the feeling I'll need to shorten the die I have if I ever need to push back shoulders on fully formed OR factory brass. It appears that it was designed with a more generous chamber length in mind. Any advice is still much appreciated.

[Charley]

Rough cut, anneal, run through a sizing die, then trim to length. I've had no problems using a Lee sizing die, brand/manufacturing tolerance can make a difference. I do set the die to allow a small amount of cam over in the press. Remember, the .270/.30/06 7x57 family has a smaller base diameter than the 6.5x55. A couple of wraps of tape around the base will help the base expand evenly.

[timspawn]

It may not be as much fun but you can buy loaded Privi 6.5x55 for $17-$18 a box. I have always had been happy with their ammo and reloading their brass.

[gunwonk]

I tried using a 6.5 seating die last night, still no magic.

I get the feeling I'll need to shorten the die I have if I ever need to push back shoulders on fully formed OR factory brass. It appears that it was designed with a more generous chamber length in mind. Any advice is still much appreciated.

You might try sticking a feeler guage into the shell holder, UNDER a cartridge case, to push it up a little. This will cause the case to be sized a little shorter. Then, if it chambers, you know the problem was case length, and you can go from there.

[Dan Cash]

Do you have problems when resizing a fired 6.5x55 case in your die? Does it chamber properly, particularly if it was fired in a different rifle? It kind of sounds like you have an out of spec die or an out of spec chamber.

[Budzilla 19]

I have made them from 7x57 brass before, but it can be a pain! Trim those cases to swede length, then run through resizing die, use the good ones, trash the bad ones! Sometimes they will have a bump on the base.plus 1 on the annealing process, it will cut down on the reject rate for sure. Good luck to you.

[EDG]

Sometimes you can size the brass, retract it from the die about 1/2" turn it 120 degrees and size again, repeat for the third sizing.

At the top of each stroke let the ram dwell 3 or 4 seconds to give the brass time to creep and take a set at the new shoulder location.

If that fails use the feeler gauge trick mentioned above in addition to multiple sizing.

Believe it or not sizing dies vary a good bit. You can buy a Lee sizer body for $12 and modify as required to make this project work.

[skeettx]

Take a #3 or #11 shell holder, grind a bit off the top of the holder,
Final size the formed brass
Should chamber

Mike

[Cowboy_Dan]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll try annealing and shimming the case up before I grind away at the die or shellholder. I have been rotating in the die and dwelling at the top stroke, I guess I could have mentioned that.

The fired-in-another-rifle factory cases easily chamber before and after running them into the 6.5 sizer, so that may or may not tell us anything.

[powderburnerr]

paint the case with a sharpie and see where its dragging

[W.R.Buchanan]

Buy Privi Partisan ammo from SGA Ammo in OK . No need to do this unless you are simply looking for a challenge. Lapua and Norma brass is also readily available from multiple sources.

What I like about the loaded Privi ammo is that after you fire them you have nicely fire formed cases to reload.

This is how I get superb brass for my Enfields.

Goto http://www.sgammo.com/catalog/rifle-.../65x55-swedish $14.95 a box.

Randy

[Thin Man]

You can increase the amount of the case going into the die by this: Take any conventional shell holder to a machine shop. Ask them to duplicate the shell holder but to leave the entire top part SOLID - no cuts-outs for the shell holder to engage the extractor groove, also no spent primer drop-out hole. This is a fairly easy tool to reproduce, should not be very expensive.
You could also ask for the top section to be thicker (top to bottom) to avoid being deformed. I had one of these made for my chores when resizing 357 Sig into 8mm Jap Nambu, works like a dream. When using your sizing die, you will need a brass or steel rod and mallet to knock the freshly modified case out of the die. Just remember to remove the decapping assembly OUT of the sizing die before reforming any cases and all will be well.

Thin Man

[Tackleberry41]

I had issues making 8mm mauser from other brass, same issue just wasn't pushing the shoulder back enough. Even on proper 8mm brass. I checked shellholder thickness, they do tend to vary alot. Have a lathe so no machine shop required, imagine a file would work. Shave small amounts off the shell holder till its right. Way easier to replace a shell holder than a die.

First time thru I take out the expander rod. Cut them pretty close to length with a dremmel, then run them back thru with the expander rod. Do a final trimming, depends on the brass if they need any neck turning or reaming.

I know some say just get the right brass, I had a friend who worked at a gun range, I have never seen any 6.5 mauser in the bins, or 7mm or 8mm. And for a while proper 8mm was not easy to get, doubt the less popular 6.5 would be any easier. I have plenty, but the 30-06/270 was free I was using it to salvage the old turkish surplus, the necks crack from age. And also not corrosive anymore.

[1johnlb]

Plus 1 on annealing, then use plenty of case lube when sizing inside and out.

If you don't anneal, brass will spring back. Annealing stops the spring back allowing it to take the form of the die. I had problems with 30/06 brass going to 6.5, it was leaving a crease in the neck. 270 worked perfectly.

[morcey2]

Be careful when forming 6.5x55 from other cases because the case head sizes are different. Anything descended from 8x57 (including 30-06) has a 0.473" v. 0.480" for 6.5x55. Grafs usually has PPU brass in stock that will have the correct head size.

Matt

[country gent]

Reformig brass can be tricky at times what works with one brands may need to be tweaked a little with another due to hardness thickness and memory. Annealing will help as will devurring. A uniform coating of case lube also is a big plus. Another to watch for is that the die isnt "gripping" the cases and stretching it on the way back out. As mentioned ink coat a sized case ( several is better) chamber and see where its in interference at by the rub marks. Some dies allow a ring behind the shoulder with reforming forces that causes issues. Some allow the base/body to expand or not be sized down enough. On cases where brass is being sized down and or new formed from shoulder necks may need to be turned or reamed to thin brass. Brass cases arnt straight sided but tapered so moving down the brass gets thicker and going smaller thickens the necks also. Inking a few cases will show you where they are hitting at and give an idea where to modify.

[leadman]

If you full length die has an expander that can be removed and leave a hole in the top that you can get a metal rod to go inside the case you can put a putty knife or aother solid piece of metal on top of the shell holder and force the case a little farther into the case. Use the metal rod to knock the case out of the die.
When you are forming the case use short strokes on the ram and work the brass into the die a little farther each stroke. This seems to allow the metal less springback.