Best procedure for case forming 22 BR Rem.

[ehkempf]

I am having a rifle re-barreled in 22 RB Rem. With a no turn .254 neck. I will be using Lapua 6 MM BR Norma base and necking it down to the .22 BR. I bought a Redding .22 BR Rem, full length sizing die and a Redding Competition S-Type Full length sizing die set. My intent was to use the standard full length sizing die first and then finish re-sizing by using the type-s die. I tried a test run with an old piece of 6 MM BR brass; after it was necked down it measures .242 dia., much smaller than I expected. Is my thinking correct or should I be doing it a different way. I was also thinking or reaming out the standard FL die to maybe .250. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Ed

 

[Larry Elliott]

I've got a .22 BR and although it's not generally recommended I think that the .22 BR S die will do the job. You might want to use an oversized bushing, something like a .262 then one that will size the necks ~0.002" smaller than what your loaded round neck OD will be. That should do it.

Most non-bushing FL dies size necks WAY small expecting them to be brought back up to size by the expander ball which explains the .242 neck OD with that die. You'll have to use the expander to get those necks up to where you'll be able to seat a bullet. Either that or a big chamfer, boattail bullets, and maybe a cheater bar on the press operating arm.

 

[brian roberts]

Another thing you can do to.............

avoid the "ring" around the bullet's ogive. This 'ring' is usually put there by two things. One, is not having enough of an angle on your chamfering tool. I always used the Lyman VLD tool w/the wooden handle, because I liked that handle, it was comfortable; but, I'm going to try one that indexes off the flashole next.

Even using a flatbased bullet, the shallower angle of the VLD chamfering tool will give you less effort to begin seating that, or any bullet.

Two, all the diemakers that produce a die that's spring-loaded for any reason, will put a spring in there that's overly heavy. I went to a local spring maker in my area, armed w/a spring from a Redding die, showed it to them and told them I wanted something roughly the same size in all simensions, but half, or less, the weight.
They let me look around in their "Odds and Ends" boxes and pick out what I wanted.

The last time I went there, they charged me something like $14.00 for 44-45 springs, all the same size.

Why so many springs?? Well, I've got friends that get me to get them dies, they want me to get them the 'right' dies and set them up so that all they have to do is start loading, and any 'emergency' can be addressed by a tool, or die, or stuck case remover they already have.
Most own businesses and they don't have the time to be searching out the things they'll need.

I came to this conclusion about the chamfering tool and the springs as a result of shooting a .17 Remington, and noticing that ring on the ogive of FB bullets.
The chamfering tool didn't eliminate the ring completely, but that, in concert w/the new springs did.

And guess what?? With all the same components, the same loads, I swear the groups shrank, that rifle became one of those 'right' rifles, more dependable, less fliers.

HTH