Gentlemen
Here is his explanation of what happened. I'm really thankful you ("RSGs") really smart guys), are kind enough to share prior experience, and I was smart enough this time to ask questions before.
Thank you
Bill
"At first I start with the 6mm Grendel aka the 6mm AR in an AR15 match rifle. After the first firing the brass was very hard to resize. I was using a full length Type S Redding and would, more often than not, get a bulge in the case body above the rim. The bulge would not allow the cartridge to chamber. I thought using the small based ARC would possible change that if I sized short with it on virgin brass. No luck. Still bulged."
I'm a little lost here. Is that explanation from the guy on the other forum?
There were a lot of wildcat 6mm AR's. Could have had less body taper etc. Then when trying to form some unknown wildcat 6AR back into saami spec sure it might be hard to resize.
Keep it simple. Start with either saami 6 ARC or size down saami 6.5 Grendel.
When I size 6.5G - 6ARC I've always done so with new brass. New brass is already annealed to the correct hardness at neck & shoulder.
I do the following for new 6.5G - 6ARC:
- Set up headspace comparator to a piece of 6ARC brass fired in my chamber
- Lube (lanolin alcohol mix for me) new 6.5G brass
- Run through LE Wilson FL bushing die with expander ball removed and a Short Action Customs .264 bushing. Set shoulder .002 shorter than fired case.
- Clean 20 min with ss pins Lemi shine + Dawn. Blow off with compressed air.
- Anneal
- Trim, chamfer od/id, & blow off again
- Bake in Wifey's wall oven on cookie sheet @275 for 40 min
- Prime .003-.004 below flush
- Dip cases in Imperial dry neck lube & size neck ID with 21st century expander mandrel (I use .2405 for AR)
- Powder
- Seat bullet
As for dies I'm not a fan of the Hornady They size to small at the base. Johnny's reloading bench did a video showing the problems he had trying to size down 6.5G Lapua. Left a bulge like you described & it wouldn't chamber.
The LE Wilson is on point to saami & after sizing reformed & once fired Lapua you cant tell were the die stopped near the .200 line on the brass. It's literally seamless. I'm really pleased with the Wilson FL bushing dies. Great value for the $.
Redding type S should also be good, but I don't have one in 6ARC. They are GTG in the calibers I have them in.
As for brass. Some of the factory 6ARC Hornady has been to small (below saami min) at the .200 line. When I resize there is a step where the case gets sized properly & yet the base is still too small at the .200 line. A reverse step/bulge. I guess this will let me know when I start getting to hot on the loads. Hasn't happened yet. After 3 firings there still small at the base.
Lapua brass is money as it should be. Just make sure your gas system & ejector tension is tuned. My AR doesn't tear up the brass at all.
I've got 500 new 6.5G Starline sitting here, but haven't gotten to sizing any yet. I may size a couple this weekend just so I can check H2O capacity as compared to Lapua & Hornady. The later 2 are so close in capacity they can use the same powder charge and have been within 10fps of each other.