6.5-06 Brass

[DEDON45]

I've got a buddy (he doesn't have internet access, believe it or not) that has jumped into the reloading "game" with me... he inherited a decent set of equipment and even reloading components from his father, along with some pretty neat mausers... well, he's got this Turkish Mauser that's chambered in 6.5-06, really sweet shooting rifle... I understand that the brass is formed from 25-06 brass or maybe .270 brass ... all the brass he has and loaded rounds are based on .25-06 brass.

I did find that A-Square makes 6.5-06 brass, but some posts I found on a bulletin board (might have been this one) said that the case necks were too thick and required turning... anyone have experience with the A-Square brass? Also, given the cost... I'm thinking he just needs to reform the .25-06 (necking it up, I guess), he'll save a bunch of money.

Has anyone done this before? I'm sure that case trimming (he has a case trimmer) is in order after being necked up, but can we avoid neck turning going that route? Do the case necks need to be annealed before necking up? Any hints are welcome, thanks!

 

[jdh]

I used 25-06 brass because I did not have a rifle in that caliber(and I got the brass cheap). If you go slow and lube the necks good you can expand then in one step. BUT, fire forming works better.

 

[freakshow10mm]

Brass can be formed from anything in the 30-06 family: 25-06, .270, .280, etc.

 

[ants]

I don't load 6.5-06, but I found this on the Chuck Hawks web site. It might be interesting:

The Hornady Handbook is a good source for 6.5mm-06 reloading data. They recommend VIHT N-165 and H 4831 powders for their 129 and 140 grain bullets.

42.6 grains of VIHT N-165 powder gave a MV of 2600 fps with the 129 grain Hornady bullets. A maximum load of 52.9 grains of VIHT N-165 drove the same bullets to a MV of 3000 fps.

Using Hornady's 140 grain bullets in front of 43.6 grains of VIHT N-165 yielded a MV of 2500 fps. And a maximum load of 50.4 grains of VIHT N-165 gave the 140 grain bullets at a MV of 2800 fps. Hornady cases and Winchester WLR primers were used for all of these Hornady loads, which were tested in a 24" rifle barrel.

It is interesting to note that, comparing data from the Hornady Handbook, the top velocities listed for the 6.5mm-06 with 129 and 140 grain bullets are 100 fps slower than the top velocities for similar weight bullets in the .270 Winchester.

On the other hand, the 6.5mm-06 will drive 100 grain bullets roughly 100 fps faster than the .25-06, and 120 grain bullets about 50 fps faster.

That web site seems to favor .25-06 as the source of 6.5-06 brass, but any .30-06 brass can be formed as Freak notes.

 

[DEDON45]

Yeah, on another forum most posters seem to agree on using .25-06 brass... little or no trimming, no neck turning. Just lube and run thru the die.