Starting to reload for my 6.5. I have been reloading for many years and the selection of different brands of brass is amaizing. I am thinking ordering Lapua small primer, I will be FL sizing a standard Forster die, (already have small pins) any reason to buy something else?
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6.5 Creedmoor brass
- Thread starter n0glock
- Start date
Agree, unless you have enough small primers to last the life of the barrel.
Why large over small primer brass? Is it availability, or are you guys basing that on some performance metric?
Excellent point large primers are available here and I have a stock. Small have been unavailable.
It’s a totality of issues thing. Hard to find components, ignition issues, primer piercing issues, etc. Large primers are more forgiving and idiot proof. And most people are not good enough reloaders to take advantage of the smaller SD potential.
But if you’re awesome and have a perfect rifle, then go for it.
But if you’re awesome and have a perfect rifle, then go for it.
I'm curious with ignition issue - Is it affected by the smaller Lapua flash hole? Does the large primer Lapua suffer the same issues?
No it’s not the flash hole. In cold weather the small primer has trouble igniting certain powders. Many rifles hit primers off center due to a combination of loose chamber, bolt, firing pin raceway, etc. Then when you get close to max pressures you start piercing primers because the rifle isn’t built correctly.
It’s not worth the headache.
It’s not worth the headache.
Lapua SRP is also a pain in the ass to get a decap die for. With that being said I'm using Lapua SRP and love it but I've had to Jimmy some shit together to have a decap die as a separate function. There may be a better die set up but I've been unable to find one.
This is exactly why I use Starline SRP 6.5 and .308 brass. For my batch of Lapua 6.5 cases I have a Harvey deprimer
Edit: The Starline SRP has a standard size flash hole
Lapua large primer. Brand and quality is a no brainer, primer pocket is the size it’s supposed to be. For myself it’s also the choice due to shooting in AK winter as well.
Don’t understand why manufacturers have to keep make things complicated, like small primer .45acp, (yes I’ve heard the green primer) now we have to sort brass by primer size too. Loading on a Dillon you don’t wanna be having that foul up.
Don’t understand why manufacturers have to keep make things complicated, like small primer .45acp, (yes I’ve heard the green primer) now we have to sort brass by primer size too. Loading on a Dillon you don’t wanna be having that foul up.
Srp Lapua brass available at some online sites, but no srp to be found anywhere. On the other hand, lapua lrp brass can’t be found anywhere but lrp primers can be found from time to time on lgs shelves.
I'll have to look into that Harvey deprimer. My current set up has me wondering when that Jimmied up rig is going to fail.
Alpha is pretty good brass. I have a couple hundred on its 8th. Only thing I didn't like is the primer pocket. All 300 pieces I've ever got from Alpha had to be uniformed which is not a big deal, I do it anyway. But between trimming, chamfering, deburring, and uniforming you could have added all shavings together and only had 1/10th the amount from the primer pocket and primers were still tight as hell having some that had to be deprimed because the process damaged the cup.
I don't shoot bench rest so primer pocket uniforming is waste of time. I get sub 10 SD with that brass by just loading them.
I had to uniform it. Not for depth but so I could get a primer to go into the pocket. This was the SRP brass. The pocket is tight as hell, so much so that it was caving primers.
Yeah I haven't heard of that issue with any LRP brass. Really Alpha is the only SRP brass I've heard of the issue but I knew about it going in so I'm not bitching about it but just letting it be known that it's an issue so a guy without the equipment to uniform primer pockets or a guy who doesn't know what that means doesn't go balls deep on Alpha SRP then get burnt.
I knew about it, uniformed all right off the rip, and still had several primers clip an edge and smash a side. The first batch of 100 I had a few issues then I figured out exactly how everything had to be to stop the issue but it was still extra tight. After first firing it's pretty much straight forward.
But their SRP is large flash hole so that's an upside.
Don't overlook Hornady brass, when sorted and prepped it is worth the effort.
The only once fired brass I have bought for my 6.5CM was Hornady but instead of 100 pieces for $100 of Lapua I paid $100 For 420 pieces of Hornady.
If at all possible buy within the same lot in as big a batch as you think you will need after sorting and culling pieces.
The reputation of accuracy and consistency for the round wasn't built around Lapua brass or a small primer and flash hole.
The only once fired brass I have bought for my 6.5CM was Hornady but instead of 100 pieces for $100 of Lapua I paid $100 For 420 pieces of Hornady.
If at all possible buy within the same lot in as big a batch as you think you will need after sorting and culling pieces.
The reputation of accuracy and consistency for the round wasn't built around Lapua brass or a small primer and flash hole.
I'm tinkering around with a new 6.5 Rem 5R (bone stock). I bought 100 Starline LRP brass and that's all I'm using until I decide whether or not to keep the rifle. I did weight sort them and 2 out of 100 were waaaay outside of the average range- so I marked them and use them as foulers. Overall it seems pretty consistent. I've read various pro's and con's on SRP vs LRP and because I'm in a cold climate- I went LRP. I have no expertise to weigh in on why one is really better than the other- I just based my decision on what I've read.
I just grabbed my notes, and on the second reloading using Horn 147ELDM and H4350 using FED GM primers. My best groups were around .5" (there was one flyer- the jerk behind the trigger did it) and that string was a SD9/ES21. The best SD/ES I've managed was 5/5 but groups really opened up to 2".
If I decide to keep this rifle more than likely I'll buy Peterson brass for it. I have their brass for my .308 and it's pretty good. Plus you get a groovy hard ammo box as a boner-bonus.
I just grabbed my notes, and on the second reloading using Horn 147ELDM and H4350 using FED GM primers. My best groups were around .5" (there was one flyer- the jerk behind the trigger did it) and that string was a SD9/ES21. The best SD/ES I've managed was 5/5 but groups really opened up to 2".
If I decide to keep this rifle more than likely I'll buy Peterson brass for it. I have their brass for my .308 and it's pretty good. Plus you get a groovy hard ammo box as a boner-bonus.
I use Lapua SRP and redding dies, except for my RCBS decapping die. I remember I had to take the Dremel to the pin to get it to fit. About six months later, it snapped. I called RCBS and asked about a replacement pin. The tech told me they dont have pins to fit the Lapua brass. I asked him why and he said, "Because some of the executives here don't really listen to the customer." Then he whispered through the phone, "Go buy a Redding decapping die."
I did and it works great in the Lapua SRP.
Good to know thanks. Currently I'm running a RCBS decap die but my rig on it is pretty janky. I have a Hornady small pin with the head of a RCBS large pin behind it. Works ok currently but will definitely look into the Redding die.
It's hard to tell what the dies are running for pins. Alot say small pin but they are now t small enough. Hornady makes a small pin that doesn't fit in their die. RCBS make small pins but they are for a rod that they stopped making years ago so those don't fit in anything.
Yup. I have theirs and it's nice. Comes with 3 pins so it will decap LRP and SRP.
I planned to reload 6.5 CM and saved about 500 casings of Hornady 6.5 CM 140 gr Match. These were only fired once. Decided not to reload 6.5 CM and was wondering what price I might get for this brass? Thanks.Don't overlook Hornady brass, when sorted and prepped it is worth the effort.
The only once fired brass I have bought for my 6.5CM was Hornady but instead of 100 pieces for $100 of Lapua I paid $100 For 420 pieces of Hornady.
If at all possible buy within the same lot in as big a batch as you think you will need after sorting and culling pieces.
The reputation of accuracy and consistency for the round wasn't built around Lapua brass or a small primer and flash hole.
Paul Bergara....i don't know much about this but i did happen to notice that several people are offering up or selling 6.5 Brass at the PX reloading area so perhaps that might be a reference?
Why just use the Harvey for the Lapua? I use it for everything. I find it much easier and quicker than using a die/press.
I would have to look at what I paid for the Hornady brass I bought from another member here but just off of memory I paid either $100 or $125 for 420 pieces from same lot.
I’m now sticking with 6.5 creed Lapua LR brass from the Berger factory ammo in my Gap Templar hunting rifle. Had primer issues with the 120 scenar and 135 classic hunter ammo with the Lapua SR primer brass. George said with the medium firing pin in the Gap to stick with LR primers.
LR primers in the 156 EOL ammo:
SR primers in the 120 scenar and 135 CH ammo:
LR primers in the 156 EOL ammo:
SR primers in the 120 scenar and 135 CH ammo:
So if you are looking for LRP 6.5CM brass you might take a gander at Graf and Sons major US brass manufacturer brass. It's Peterson seconds and I am postive of this. For "seconds" it looks pretty damn good. If you want LRP Lapua they have that in stock as well.
I’m running Peterson SRP in my 260. Live in Texas so cold weather isn’t an issue here.
small primer is supposedly better for brass life, Keeps the primer pockets tighter for longer. We will see, only on load #8 on them I believe. I only got that many out of my lapaua large primer brass but I mistreated that brass sadly. Was new to
hand loading and didn’t clean the lube off the cases. That’ll smoke the primer pockets pretty quick so I learned.
small primers come with some hiccups along the way, like needing to get the firing pin bushed if the firing pin hole is too large, causing pierce. Finding a die with the right size pin is also a pain.
I like only having to keep one primer On hand for my AR and Bolt gun loads.
only problem is that currently SRP are like finding unicorns. If I wasn’t stocked up I would be SOL. Large primers are a little easier to find.
TLDR- Large primers are the easy button
small primer is supposedly better for brass life, Keeps the primer pockets tighter for longer. We will see, only on load #8 on them I believe. I only got that many out of my lapaua large primer brass but I mistreated that brass sadly. Was new to
hand loading and didn’t clean the lube off the cases. That’ll smoke the primer pockets pretty quick so I learned.
small primers come with some hiccups along the way, like needing to get the firing pin bushed if the firing pin hole is too large, causing pierce. Finding a die with the right size pin is also a pain.
I like only having to keep one primer On hand for my AR and Bolt gun loads.
only problem is that currently SRP are like finding unicorns. If I wasn’t stocked up I would be SOL. Large primers are a little easier to find.
TLDR- Large primers are the easy button
I use Starline and Lapua SRP. Both sets have gone through about 5 firings each with no problems. Redding dies.
