6BRA Dies

[Cardboard Assassin]

Howdy folks,

I'm trying to piece together my first precision build and with the help of this forum have narrowed it down to 6BR or 6BRA.

It seems brass is no issue (6BR is available from Lapua and 6BRA is available from Alpha) but dies are a little trickier.

I reload 6.5CM thats neck sized with a Lee neck sizing only die and shoulder bumped / body sized with a Redding body die as required. This combo has served me well and I feel it works the brass less than say a full length die with an expander ball.

Anyways I looked for a Lee neck sizing die for 6BR or 6BRA but no luck. I did find a neck sizing die for 6mm CM & 6mm / 244 Remington. If this die is simply squeezing the neck back to 0.002" under the size of the bullet to be seated then wouldn't one of these work for 6BR / 6BRA? The fact that there are already 2 for 6mm makes me think I'm missing something.

For the Redding body die I cant find 6BR or 6BRA but they do offer a 6 Dasher. My understanding is that the 6BRA is identical to the 6 Dasher except it is 0.080" shorter so I could in theory purchase the 6 Dasher die and have 0.080" machined off to make it a 6BRA die. Is this correct?

Beyond that I am open to suggestion for dies. It looks like Whidden can supply dies for 6BR and 6BRA but for the reasons I mentioned earlier I'd rather do the Redding Body and Lee neck sizing die unless there is a better option.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rocketmandb]

There are a fair number of threads on this, and an active one a few rows down. Some notes:

- The BRA gets you some extra fps over the BR, but you have to fire form (unless you buy Alpha).
- Fireforming is not an issue with 6 BRA. Load a little light and shoot. And it's still really accurate. I, and many others on this forum, fireform Lapua 6 BR and use the fireforming rounds for practice and to speed up a new barrel.
- Why do you want to do a body die and a neck sizing die? I use the Whidden FL sizing die for my 6 BRA and it works exceptionally well.

 

[Eric_F]

I have only used Lapua brass, but I've heard great things about Peterson BR brass too. I'm sure Alpha would be good as well, but I'll second that the fireforming is stupid easy and match-grade consistent so I wouldn't worry about that.

As far as dies I use a Harrell's sizer (~$80) and it's been great, along with a Forster Dasher seater. If you're really set on doing separate neck and body sizing, I think a Dasher neck sizer would work, but not sure what you would do for a body die. I've heard of people using 308 Win small base dies to further size the case head, but not sure that a Dasher neck die and 308 body die would size properly.

 

[Slim Reaper]

I went with the Forster 6bra sizing die and a Forster 6 dasher seating die.

 

[Cardboard Assassin]

There are a fair number of threads on this, and an active one a few rows down. Some notes:

- The BRA gets you some extra fps over the BR, but you have to fire form (unless you buy Alpha).
- Fireforming is not an issue with 6 BRA. Load a little light and shoot. And it's still really accurate. I, and many others on this forum, fireform Lapua 6 BR and use the fireforming rounds for practice and to speed up a new barrel.
- Why do you want to do a body die and a neck sizing die? I use the Whidden FL sizing die for my 6 BRA and it works exceptionally well.

I will most likely go with Alpha but am not against fire forming 6BR Lapua into 6BRA either.

The reason for the preference towards separate neck and body dies is two fold:

1) I feel that using a neck die such as the Lee which simply squeezes the neck to 0.002" under the size of the bullet works the brass less than using a regular die which undersizes the neck and then drags an expander ball back through to open it up to the correct size. I also feel that the Lee neck only die reduces the chance of galling (I anneal the brass which makes it pretty soft and prone to galling). Even with using graphite powder I've experienced galling, YMMV.

2) If using a neck only die then the body only die will complete the process to take the case back to its original dimensions. I have tried neck only (not body sized) and have never noticed any improvements in accuracy (again YMMV). I generally try it but unless there is a marked improvement I body size every time too, not sizing does make the bolt harder to close of course so its not a good fit for every application even if it were better (competition etc).

 

[Cardboard Assassin]

I have only used Lapua brass, but I've heard great things about Peterson BR brass too. I'm sure Alpha would be good as well, but I'll second that the fireforming is stupid easy and match-grade consistent so I wouldn't worry about that.

As far as dies I use a Harrell's sizer (~$80) and it's been great, along with a Forster Dasher seater. If you're really set on doing separate neck and body sizing, I think a Dasher neck sizer would work, but not sure what you would do for a body die. I've heard of people using 308 Win small base dies to further size the case head, but not sure that a Dasher neck die and 308 body die would size properly.

Redding offers a body die for 6 Dasher, so if this graphic is accurate I'd simply need to have 0.080" machined off the bottom of that die to make it into a 6BRA die

 

[Cardboard Assassin]

I went with the Forster 6bra sizing die and a Forster 6 dasher seating die.

Thanks for the info

Edit - I just had a look on the Forster site and could only find a 6BR (not 6BRA) sizing die - maybe they don't offer it any more?

 

[Rocketmandb]

I will most likely go with Alpha but am not against fire forming 6BR Lapua into 6BRA either.

The reason for the preference towards separate neck and body dies is two fold:

1) I feel that using a neck die such as the Lee which simply squeezes the neck to 0.002" under the size of the bullet works the brass less than using a regular die which undersizes the neck and then drags an expander ball back through to open it up to the correct size. I also feel that the Lee neck only die reduces the chance of galling (I anneal the brass which makes it pretty soft and prone to galling). Even with using graphite powder I've experienced galling, YMMV.

Using a bushing FL sizing die and simply foregoing use of the expander ball will you get the same effect. Using a mandrel to expand the neck to a consistent inner diameter is something many people do as an additional step. That yields a roughly +/- 5-10 lbs (depending on round) of seating depth force in about 90% of the rounds I load.

 

[Cardboard Assassin]

Using a bushing FL sizing die and simply foregoing use of the expander ball will you get the same effect. Using a mandrel to expand the neck to a consistent inner diameter is something many people do as an additional step. That yields a roughly +/- 5-10 lbs (depending on round) of seating depth force in about 90% of the rounds I load.

So how does the bushing FL die work? I know the bushings are interchangeable so after you have selected the best fit essentially does the bushing slide onto the neck and squeeze it back against the stem / shaft to the correct size for proper neck tension?

If this is the case it would never be undersized (like regular dies) so the expander ball to open it up again is not necessary - is this correct?

 

[Rocketmandb]

So how does the bushing FL die work? I know the bushings are interchangeable so after you have selected the best fit essentially does the bushing slide onto the neck and squeeze it back against the stem / shaft to the correct size for proper neck tension?

If this is the case it would never be undersized (like regular dies) so the expander ball to open it up again is not necessary - is this correct?

Correct.

Now, with that said, I do use a mandrel to open up the neck just a little to account for variances in brass thickness. Basically, I use the bushing size that corresponds to getting the ID matching the mandrel diameter at the smallest measured brass thickness. This means for the thinnest brass of a lot, there is no expansion, and for the thicker it expands by whatever the variance is. It is a minimal amount of working the brass, and gets a really good/consistent inside diameter.

Of course, you can neck turn, but I haven't pulled the trigger yet on the right piece of equipment that makes it easy enough for me to want to do it. With good brass like Lapua, the consistency is so good that I haven't found a need.

 

[Slim Reaper]

Thanks for the info

Edit - I just had a look on the Forster site and could only find a 6BR (not 6BRA) sizing die - maybe they don't offer it any more?

I ordered them from Bison tactical. He orders them from Forster. I just checked his site and they have them in stock now.

 

[NW Valkyrie]

FYI- If you call Forster directly they usually have a few BRA dies set aside. I got mine that way.

 

[Joel Danielson]

I will most likely go with Alpha but am not against fire forming 6BR Lapua into 6BRA either.

The reason for the preference towards separate neck and body dies is two fold:

1) I feel that using a neck die such as the Lee which simply squeezes the neck to 0.002" under the size of the bullet works the brass less than using a regular die which undersizes the neck and then drags an expander ball back through to open it up to the correct size. I also feel that the Lee neck only die reduces the chance of galling (I anneal the brass which makes it pretty soft and prone to galling). Even with using graphite powder I've experienced galling, YMMV.

2) If using a neck only die then the body only die will complete the process to take the case back to its original dimensions. I have tried neck only (not body sized) and have never noticed any improvements in accuracy (again YMMV). I generally try it but unless there is a marked improvement I body size every time too, not sizing does make the bolt harder to close of course so its not a good fit for every application even if it were better (competition etc).

I will give my perspective coming from a different point than most here. I am a benchrest and F-class competitor. I turn necks on everything I shoot except big game hunting. You are not going to loose brass from sizing it if you use a quality full length bushing die, good lubrication practices and anneal properly. I have brass with over 20 firings that is starting to have loose primer pockets, not split necks or case separation at the web. For someone that is wanting to bang steel or game at distance, a Whidden FL bushing die with the expander ball and bushing kits will be more than sufficient.