I was getting ready to make a batch of 6.5CM this morning, and while clearing off the bench I was bagging up some random .308s (which I don't shoot).
I decided to see how much work it would be to convert them to 6.5, and while I was at it I figured I'd do a .243 also.
I only did 1 case each of the .308 and .243, as I WAS supposed to be loading ammo, so this is obviously not any sort of in depth experiment.
The forming from for both the .243 and the .308 was accomplished in one pass.
It took me a min or so with my cheap Lyman bench case trimmer to shorten either.
If I do start using the .308s I pick up to make 6.5s I'll probably set up my little arrow saw to cut them down before hand, just to save the effort of trimming them with the trimmer, tho it isn't a whole lot of work.
Anyway here's the completed info for the .243, .308 (both win cases), a federal 6.5CM, and a Hornady 6.5CM.
All cases sized, water weights are averaged for 5 attempts (and rounded to nearest .5), and neck OD measured by caliper.
.243
Case weight: 169.4
Water Capacity till overflow: 51.5
Neck OD: .291
.308
Case weight: 160.2
Water Capacity till overflow: 53
Neck OD: .289
Fed 6.5CM
Case weight: 176.6
Water capacity till overflow: 52
Neck OD: .289
Hdy 6.5CM
Case weight: 156.1
Water capacity till overflow: 53
Neck OD: .290
Now again, this is a look at only a single case of each Cal and make.
Thus I'll probably convert all the .308s I have, and get in the future to 6.5CM.
I'll check the neck dia after I load a bullet in the .308 and try shoot them as a group at 100 just to see how that effects the grouping....again not scientific since there's only one of each, but it will be interesting to me.
I decided to see how much work it would be to convert them to 6.5, and while I was at it I figured I'd do a .243 also.
I only did 1 case each of the .308 and .243, as I WAS supposed to be loading ammo, so this is obviously not any sort of in depth experiment.
The forming from for both the .243 and the .308 was accomplished in one pass.
It took me a min or so with my cheap Lyman bench case trimmer to shorten either.
If I do start using the .308s I pick up to make 6.5s I'll probably set up my little arrow saw to cut them down before hand, just to save the effort of trimming them with the trimmer, tho it isn't a whole lot of work.
Anyway here's the completed info for the .243, .308 (both win cases), a federal 6.5CM, and a Hornady 6.5CM.
All cases sized, water weights are averaged for 5 attempts (and rounded to nearest .5), and neck OD measured by caliper.
.243
Case weight: 169.4
Water Capacity till overflow: 51.5
Neck OD: .291
.308
Case weight: 160.2
Water Capacity till overflow: 53
Neck OD: .289
Fed 6.5CM
Case weight: 176.6
Water capacity till overflow: 52
Neck OD: .289
Hdy 6.5CM
Case weight: 156.1
Water capacity till overflow: 53
Neck OD: .290
Now again, this is a look at only a single case of each Cal and make.
Thus I'll probably convert all the .308s I have, and get in the future to 6.5CM.
I'll check the neck dia after I load a bullet in the .308 and try shoot them as a group at 100 just to see how that effects the grouping....again not scientific since there's only one of each, but it will be interesting to me.
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