Loading 6.5x52 Carcano questions

[mstreddy]

Hello reloaders, here is a question or two on loading for the Italian 6.5x52 Carcano round.
I have the Hornady die set, but it appears to have the .267 expander. The Privi new brass I bought is .267/.268, but except for the Hornady bullets most 6.5 bullets out there are .264.

My first question is: should I get the Lee set which brings the .264 and the .268 expander?
If so, would running the new brass through the sizer with the smaller expander allow me to use the .264 bullets?
I don't have any of the Hornady .267 160 grain bullets. Seems like I may have to order some of those.
I'm going to call Hornady in the morning and see if they have a .264 expander available. And if so, that may be a good option instead of buying another die set.
I also have some lead .265 140 gr on the way, if Western bullets ever ships them my way. But, it seems that the .267 expander won't help with those either.

The rifle is a Model 41 Carcano and I will also build some cast loads for a Vetterli Vitali in 6.5.
Any thoughts, ideas, experience from the Carcano loaders?

Thanks, EM

 

[adcoch1]

Probably gonna want to stick with the expander you have, and get the .268 bullets. I don't load for the carcano yet(still looking for a good rifle) but all I've read on the subject carcanos don't like bullets as small as normal 6.5 projectiles.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

I don't get all the recent love for .268" bullets over .264" in the 6.5 Carcano.

I have reloaded for my 6.5 Carcanos, the first a 1941 rifle (bought 1981) and my current Carcano a 1938 short rifle (bought 1991).
I use the old Lee Loader set ("mallets for all") which was made to use .264" bullets.
I have bought and used bullets commercial .264" 6.5mm in 160gr RNSP and 140gr spire SP.
I also used about 200 bullets sold as pulled from Italian surplus ammo 160gr FMJ.
I have bought and used commercial .268" bullets 160gr RNSP and brass sold together by Graf.
.268" bullets were too large to be seated conventionally in the Lee Loader: the bullets would not drop down the hole in the seating die.
I seated the pulledIitalian surplus bullets the same method as the .264" bullets; if they were bigger than .264" they were not .268".

I have found no practical difference between the accuracy of .264" v .268" 160gr RNSP in smokeless powder loads (IMR 3031).
I have found that the necks of Norma 6.5mm Carcano brass are the proper thickness for holding .264" bullets.
The necks of Graf 6.5mm Carcano brass are thinner for holding .268" bullets and .264" bullets are not gripped well.
In one batch of FNM Portuguese import 6.5mm Carcano brass, half would hold .264" bullets, the other half I set aside for .268 bullets.

I shoot my Carcano in the local black powder cartridge match with jacketed bullets (liberal rules: any cartridge loaded w. BP or substitute). That's about 25 rounds each in 7 matches per season Mar-Sep.
When shooting BP substitute (3.4cc Triple Seven) I found that the .268" bullet required me to wipe the bore between shots because powder residue in the lede prevented chambering the next round. With .264" bullets powder residue did not block following rounds from chambering. The best score I shot in the benchrest portion was 49 of 50 (five shots) with Speer 160gr .264" bullets.

To repeat: I don't get all the recent love for .268" over .264" bullets in the 6.5 Carcano. Try both, go with what your rifle likes. I don't have a photo of the 49 target but here's a 48 of 50 at 100 yards. My rifle likes the .264" bullets well enough.

 

[mstreddy]

Thanks for the answers.
So, I should go ahead and buy the .268 bullets for this Privi brass and get some Norma brass for the .264 bullets?
Or, do you think that with a .264 expander I may be able to use the .264 bullets with the Privi brass?

I checked with Hornady and they do have a .264 expander (from the 6.5x55) that will fit their die set.

Carl, were those .268 RNSP the Hornady or other brand?

 

[mstreddy]

I got my Hornady .263" expander today. I swapped out the expander and ran some of the brass through the sizing die with the .263 expander. It did the trick in holding the .264 PPU bullets in the Grafs brass.
I loaded up 25 pcs and will test them later this week.