IMR 4064 in 6.5 CM

[Warowl]

I am thinking about switching calibers from 308 to 6.5 CM. I have a bunch of 4064 from 308 left, would I be able to safely use it in 6.5 CM and work up loads, or is it just not a good powder for accuracy. I was going to use 140 amax bullets, and Hodgden had a load on their website for it, but wanted some real world experience.

Also, how do you neck down 308 brass for 6.5? I was thinking about doing that and saving money on buying brass, but if it is a long process I may just get new brass.

Thanks

 

[supercorndogs]

For light bullets it would work ok. For 140 class bullets, they don't make the 140 a max anymore, you will be lacking in velocity.

 

[Deadshot2]

Also, how do you neck down 308 brass for 6.5? I was thinking about doing that and saving money on buying brass, but if it is a long process I may just get new brass.

Thanks

I've done a couple hundred pieces of .308 to 6.5 Creedmoor.

Here's my proceedure:

Clean cases
Anneal neck/shoulder area, careful to not over anneal
Lube evenly with Hornady Unique, careful to not over-lube.
Push shoulder back using Redding 6.5 Creedmoor Body Die (I already owned one so it was a natural)
Expand neck with Sinclair Mandrel die and 6.5 C/M mandrel (after lubing inside neck with more Hornady Unique on a Q-Tip.
Anneal
Trim to 1.910"
Turn neck to .015" thickness
Fire form with a starting load for the bullet you use for fire forming. Inexpensive hunting bullets work great.
Ream the inside of the fired case neck using a Wilson Neck Reamer. This makes sure that there is .002-.003" clearance for neck in chamber.
Anneal
F/L or Neck size.


The re-formed cases need to be fire formed as the shoulder diameter on a 6.5 C/M is larger than that of the .308. You will see a slight hour-glass shape to the case after pushing the shoulder back. This pops right out when you fire form.

If you don't want to ream the inside of the necks, just turn the formed case neck to .014" thickness and then fire-form. I like to do both as it gives me a really uniform inside surface of the neck. Bullets seat like they are being inserted into a stick of butter. Also, a doughnut can form inside the neck at the shoulder when forming and subsequent shooting. Reaming removes this doughnut. There are other neck reamers available beside the wilson. You can also get neck turning mandrels that have a "cutter" on the end that will cut out any dougnut that forms while turning the neck.

It's a simple process but does take time. Annealing before forming helps keep the cases from wrinkling at the shoulder. Annealing after the forming removes stresses and work hardening created during the forming process.

Another benefit. If one forms 6.5 Creedmoor brass from .308 Palma brass, they get not only a good, stout, case, but they also get the small primer pocket. Lapua .308 Palma brass sells for ~$80. Lapua 6.5 Creedmoor brass sells for ~$110 (or more) so you save $30/100 by re-forming.