Crimping a 6.5 06

[Elkhellhole]

Unless you're shooting really hot charges in a bolt gun or loading them into an automatic you don't "need" to crimp them into the cannelure.

Find the seating depth that gives you the best consistency in your groups and don't worry about the cannelure, that isn't it's purpose.

Now, I do use a factory crimp die to ensure consistent neck tension in everything I load and have for several years but it is only a light crimp and again, not dependent on the Cannelure or any other mark on the bullet.

Thank you for your information. Very helpful.

 

[grry10]

If you're shooting a bolt or single shot I would not worry about crimping as long as you have at least .002" neck tension.

 

[PddPdd]

Hello everyone. Newby here.
I have a 6.5 06 that was made for me 36 years ago. Gave it to my father as a gift later on and just received it back. I'm looking for answers, (new to reloading) HELP, on factory crimping my bullets. Crimp or not to crimp? We've been using all these years 140 gr. Sierra BT Spitzers. I recently bought 200 Hornady 140 gr. SST bullets. They have a cannelure, the Sierra does not. I'm thinking of crimping my new loads, when I can finally find my powder, brass and primers, geesh it hard. I can find all the different 6.5 factory crimping dies but not for my 6.5 06?!?. I see Creedmoor, AI, 284 mag etc. So...what do I need? Lol.
If this helps, I have use 30 06 brass and 25 06 brass as well (I do not own either of these rifles/caliburs so they're will be no confusion, serious problems).
Looking forward to hearing from you all.
Best,
Dave
Ps: I'm in the market for new 25 06, preferred, or 30 06 brass. I've read I shouldn't use once fired brass not from my rifle!?

If you are new to reloading you should buy a manual, probably Lee in your case, and read the how to reload section from front to back so you understand what you are doing and then you will be able to answer the question "What do I need?" yourself and be more confident and safer because of your knowledge.

 

[nwhunter]

I have had and shot a 6.5x6 for about 20 years. For years all I did was neck size brass fired from my rifle. So many on this site badmouth this practice that I have went to full length sizing with rcbs dies. My accuracy has dropped from sub moa to over moa since I started full length sizing my brass, I need to adjust for less bump apparently. My rifle has always shot any of the sierra, hornady or speer 140 grain bullets well. I think you will appreciate how well your rifle shoots once you get a load dialed in. Good Luck!

 

[4xforfun]

Well...to answer the OP's Question.......

NO ....Don't bother.


Tod

 

[Texas Speed Bump]

Yes, I use the same powder as well. I'm hoping the sst bullets will be a good choice. Loved my gun when I was younger and its nice to have back again. That ol'e Lilja barrel is such a master piece!

A 50+ year old Mauser action 6.5x06 has been my go-to deer rifle for almost 45 years now and so far, it's only shot one load (ballistically speaking that is ) 120 grain Nosler BTs pushed by 54 grains of IMR 4350. I've chrono'd it with an average speed of 3,135 fps. I've never had a single blown case and it's always been extremely accurate out to 700 yds. Of course every rifle is different but you might note that load as a possible. I am planning to develop a load for it this summer using the Hammer bullets but have been told by the guy who built this rifle that it's very finicky in what it likes to shoot.

Oh, and I've never crimped these rounds, or any other bolt gun rounds but don't have anything against crimping. I do crimp my 7.62/.308 rounds for my autoloaders though and use a Lee factory crimp for that.

 

[Elkhellhole]

If you are new to reloading you should buy a manual, probably Lee in your case, and read the how to reload section from front to back so you understand what you are doing and then you will be able to answer the question "What do I need?" yourself and be more confident and safer because of your knowledge.

Bought the Lee manual and a berger reloading manual also. Thank you for your tip. I believe in research and will study and learn.

 

[Elkhellhole]

A 50+ year old Mauser action 6.5x06 has been my go-to deer rifle for almost 45 years now and so far, it's only shot one load (ballistically speaking that is ) 120 grain Nosler BTs pushed by 54 grains of IMR 4350. I've chrono'd it with an average speed of 3,135 fps. I've never had a single blown case and it's always been extremely accurate out to 700 yds. Of course every rifle is different but you might note that load as a possible. I am planning to develop a load for it this summer using the Hammer bullets but have been told by the guy who built this rifle that it's very finicky in what it likes to shoot.

Oh, and I've never crimped these rounds, or any other bolt gun rounds but don't have anything against crimping. I do crimp my 7.62/.308 rounds for my autoloaders though and use a Lee factory crimp for that.

Once I learn and carefully load off my original loads I may experiment after full confidence. The loads that we have been using all these years are very accurate. I'm not a long range shooter but I'm deadly up to 400 yards hunting. I built my rifle off a Winchester 270.

 

[ButterBean]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCElRRcijXqhbQ_d2BwudsYQ

 

[xsn10s]

For a bolt action rifle you don't need to crimp even if the bullet has a cannelure. That said I've found that the Lee Factory crimp can help with (SOME rifles) SD/ ES and accuracy. I think it must give more consistent neck tension so that helps with ignition. Really the only way to know is to try it.

 

[WildRose]

If you are new to reloading you should buy a manual, probably Lee in your case, and read the how to reload section from front to back so you understand what you are doing and then you will be able to answer the question "What do I need?" yourself and be more confident and safer because of your knowledge.

I certainly second this but I would recommend the Hornady Manual over all others published in hard copy.

It really goes through the reloading process step by step in a way that is extremely helpful to beginners.

When I picked up my first copy it was a single book and I learned more in my first eight or ten hours of reading about reloading than I'd learned in the twenty years prior much of which was proven to be basically voodoo.

I haven't bought the updated version recently but last I checked it was now/then a 3 or four volume set.

Amazon product ASIN B091TN9KHR
Of course now Hornady also has tremendous volumes of data available online to accompany the manual.

I really consider it my "Reloading Bible".

 

[Silent Hammer]

Check Titan reloading too. They have just about all Lee components and great pricing