Can Someone Explain the Reason(s)?

[Hunter]

I have a factory 6PPC and the neck on fired brass measures, IIRC, .269, which may be larger than the brass from most custom actions, and don't understand the reasoning for: (a) "tight" necks, and (b) different size necks in a 6PPC chamber. Can someone explain the logic? Also, is there a more-or-less standard size in custom actions? If so, is there any particular advantage to having that size v. another size?

 

[David Halblom]

I have a factory 6PPC and the neck on fired brass measures, IIRC, .269, which may be larger than the brass from most custom actions, and don't understand the reasoning for: (a) "tight" necks, and (b) different size necks in a 6PPC chamber. Can someone explain the logic? Also, is there a more-or-less standard size in custom actions? If so, is there any particular advantage to having that size v. another size?

Well, I am sure this is going to bring on a number of "experts", but here goes.

Your chamber is what is actually known as a 6 PPC-USA. It is both larger in diameter and slightly longer than most of the Benchrest 6 PPC chambers. That way your rounds will not chamber in our custom guns and our VERY high pressure rounds will not fire in your rifle. All that is to keep the idiots from hurting themselves and suing someone.

Now as to neck diameters. The .262 neck came about because that was a diameter that it took to get uniform on the original cases that the we had to deal with when the PPC was developed. And BR shooters are nothing if not creatures of habit. And here lately, a lot of long standing records have been falling, guess what, to shooters who still use thin necks. Google Jack Neary and take a look at the U-Tube videos of his Vitavourhi (sic) loading seminars. His phrase is "thin to win". There a number of top notch shooters who are shooting .269 necks, but a hell of a lot more are shooting .262 or .263 chambers. And then you need to understand that a basic hi-speed steel reamer costs $180 + and a carbide reamer is now pushing, or is over, $200, and as a result, you may well be limited by what your gunsmith has in his reamer inventory.

Just my humble opinion based on 15+ years of observation and competition.

David J. Halblom Sr.

 

[Hunter]

Well, I am sure this is going to bring on a number of "experts", but here goes.

Your chamber is ... both larger in diameter and slightly longer than most of the Benchrest 6 PPC chambers. That way your rounds will not chamber in our custom guns and our VERY high pressure rounds will not fire in your rifle. All that is to keep the idiots from hurting themselves and suing someone.

David, thanks for the reply; I've got another question. What prevents your "VERY high pressure rounds" from firing in my rifle?

 

[SGJennings]

Thin to Win is a Bill Forrester quote. If I understood him correctly when he told me, the context was more clearance, not absolute thin.

 

[David Halblom]

David, thanks for the reply; I've got another question. What prevents your "VERY high pressure rounds" from firing in my rifle?

Well, nothing. But in a stock. factory action, as in 700 or Sako, the typical loads we shoot in BR custom actions are more than a bit on the HOT side. As an example, I would doubt if you could get your bolt open after shooting 29.9 grains of N-133 behind a 68 grn bullet. Has to do with the stiffness and closer tolerances of the BR platforms. Your factory platform is not bad, just that BR platforms are better. Both can be VERY accurate.