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Thread: Forming 260 rem brass

  1. #21
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Posts
    171
    When I shot at a public range I used to scrounge the brass buckets for 243 around deer season. Nothing is closer to free 260 cases than 243 pickups. One pass into the neck sizer and done.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master


    Defcon-One's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Posts
    1,132
    It may be .243 Win, but I had no luck finding any at reasonable prices and I hate having formed brass with the "wrong" head stamp (ie: .260 Rem brass that says .243 Win).

    My solution was to go with cheap and easily found military 7.62x51mm brass. I chose Federal with the FC 18 head stamp because I had a lot around already, so it is basically free. I imagine that most any brand will work!

    I resize it in an RCBS 7mm-08 die to start the neck and push back the shoulder, since I have one, remove the crimp then resize it again in the RCBS .260 Rem die to finish the neck and finish the shoulder. Then I just trim to length, turn the necks and anneal them.

    I get good quality .260 Rem brass for nothing but the labor and the head stamp is not an issue with the military brass. I have never had an issue and my standard Remington 700 bolt guns will even handle them without turning the neck. I do that mostly for uniformity and just incase one winds up in the DPMS G2 pig gun.

    Quote Originally Posted by papalote View Post
    What is the best brass to start with, that could be found now?
    Last edited by Defcon-One; 03-14-2021 at 01:50 PM.
    "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits." - Albert Einstein

  3. #23
    Boolit Man
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    92
    If you are necking/down federal brass, pre prepared for premature primer pocket expansion due to soft case heads. I avoid Federal brass like the Plague.

    Necking down Lake City brass is best, and neck turn. LC is some very, very tough brass as most know. You still have to do your QC with LC brass with off center primer pockets and de burr the inside of the flash hole. There is some German brass made by Hertenberger in Germany that is very, very tough. Buy all you can get if you find any.

    The 260 Rem runs real high pressures where it really like to shoot bug holes. So, approach your project knowing you will be pushing the limits on your brass Rockwell Hardness.

    Necking up can result in thinner necks, which can cause somewhat looser bullet grip on the bullet. Necking down also has it's issues as necks get real thick. Dies are set up for a certain neck thickiness, and when you neck down, you are in effect making your inside dia of the neck smaller. This may put a very, very tight grip on the bullet causing pressures to spike somewhat vs regular brass set up for the cartridge. The use of Bushing dies or a Lee collet die with various sizes of mandrels purchased from McMaster Carr can give very good results with formed brass.

    Brass does not flow evenly in the necks when forming up and down, and often for a guy looking for the very best accuracy will want to neck turn.

    If/when doughnuts appear at the shoulder neck junction from necking up/down, K & P makes a carbide 4 flute cutter that will remove the doughnut post haste. The doughnut if not removed will cause pressure spikes as it acts as a crimp on the bullet, with the additional malfunction of ruined accuracy being the icing on the cake.

    I use a fabulous set of dies made by Paul Bike, I can not say enough about Paul's form dies. I form all kinds of cases from 308 and 30/06.

    The use of Lapua Palma brass with the small primer pocket sets you up to run some high pressures where the top end accuracy node maybe in many cases. F class shooters are running 200g bullets at some amazing speeds with the small primer pocket brass because more brass in the case head in conjunction of really tough brass makes for a Super combination.

    For guys that are worried about mistaking case head markings with other calibers, a simple technique of dipping the case in bluing solution for about 1/4 way up the case will turn the case BLACK, and this stays on for a long time. Re dip as needed to set your mind at ease. You can dip either end to indicate separate calibers. Point being, a dipped blackened case needs special attention.
    Last edited by ackleyman; 04-19-2021 at 06:37 AM.

  4. #24
    Boolit Man
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    92
    Lapua brass is worth every penny you pay for it, get it while you can before Uncle Joe outlaws the import of the Lapua brass.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check