C.O. Shooter
Well-Known Member
Looking Good! Targets are next!
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My 6.5 Sherman rifle and load development thread
- Thread starter Korhil78
- Start date
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Looking Good! Targets are next!
Yessir! The dies are in the mail, so once I get those, I will begin the fireforming process and start the load development. Gonna do load development at 500 yards.
I will try to be in detail on everything with pictures. From the fireforming process all the way to loads.
SHRTSHTR
Well-Known Member
Very nice looking rifle! Tagging in too.
Ray
Ray
These items just came in the mail today so I am ready to do some fireforming loads!
Alright got some reloading updates:
Got the dies all set up. I bought Norma 280 Rem brass for the 6.5 Sherman. You can also use 270 Win brass. I ran 50 pieces of brass through a .284 expander ball to get them round again. Then I backed the 6.5 Sherman bushing die with .292 bushing in it out and put a piece of brass in the shell holder and raised the ram all the way. I turned the die down until it touched the case. I turned it down a few turns more and started necking the case neck down to .264. I kept backing the die down a little at a time and until the case neck was approximately 75% sized down which leaves a false shoulder on the case neck. After that you are pretty much done with the case.
It went really fast for 50 cases. The 280 Rem cases measured anywhere from 2.531-2.534 before fireforming. The maximum OAL for brass in the Sherman chamber is 2.525. After fireforming, they were the perfect trim to length for the 6.5 Sherman at 2.515. Do not trim the brass down to 2.515 before fireforming or your brass will be way to short after fireforming. You will not need to trim brass at all after Fire forming.
Below is the picture of a 280 Rem case on the left, a 280 Rem case neck sized down to .264 for 75% of the case neck (notice the false shoulder on the neck). On the right is the fire formed case.
My fireforming load was 140 gr Hornady match HPBT seated at 2.895 (measured using a Hornady comparator), 57 gr of H1000 and BR2 primer.
Rich let me know how the formed case looks and if there is anything. That I need to do better.
Got the dies all set up. I bought Norma 280 Rem brass for the 6.5 Sherman. You can also use 270 Win brass. I ran 50 pieces of brass through a .284 expander ball to get them round again. Then I backed the 6.5 Sherman bushing die with .292 bushing in it out and put a piece of brass in the shell holder and raised the ram all the way. I turned the die down until it touched the case. I turned it down a few turns more and started necking the case neck down to .264. I kept backing the die down a little at a time and until the case neck was approximately 75% sized down which leaves a false shoulder on the case neck. After that you are pretty much done with the case.
It went really fast for 50 cases. The 280 Rem cases measured anywhere from 2.531-2.534 before fireforming. The maximum OAL for brass in the Sherman chamber is 2.525. After fireforming, they were the perfect trim to length for the 6.5 Sherman at 2.515. Do not trim the brass down to 2.515 before fireforming or your brass will be way to short after fireforming. You will not need to trim brass at all after Fire forming.
Below is the picture of a 280 Rem case on the left, a 280 Rem case neck sized down to .264 for 75% of the case neck (notice the false shoulder on the neck). On the right is the fire formed case.
My fireforming load was 140 gr Hornady match HPBT seated at 2.895 (measured using a Hornady comparator), 57 gr of H1000 and BR2 primer.
Rich let me know how the formed case looks and if there is anything. That I need to do better.
elkaholic
Well-Known Member
Good job! Sounds like they came out just like they should. I assume you had some stiffness on bolt closure when you fire formed? This is essential to make sure you don't stretch the case at the web. It looks good though. Now load it up and shoot some bugholes
.....RichYes...I forgot to add that. When you go to close the bolt, it will be stiff to close but not overly so. I have the other 49 rounds ready to fireform.
Clay Target Guy
Well-Known Member
Tagged in as well,
I need another rifle like a hole in the head, but if I get another one, this is at the top of the list.
I need another rifle like a hole in the head, but if I get another one, this is at the top of the list.
It will be a couple of weeks before I really get started on the load development. My archery elk hunt starts on Thursday so all my time will be devoted to that. But I will post all my results when I do start.
ramrod79
Well-Known Member
Tagging in want to see your results so I have a starting point .
waspocrew
Well-Known Member
Your description of how you formed the brass sounds spot on - exactly how I've done it as well. Looking forward to seeing your results! My forming loads have been pretty dang accurate, but I've been too busy lately to have time to work up a load with formed brass.
Just fireformed some loads using 57 gr of H1000 and Hornady 140 gr match bullets. The gun shot 1/2 MOA with that load for fireforming and breaking in the barrel so it definitely has potential once I start the actual loading process. Gonna give RL26 a good try with the 143 ELD-X. Gonna finish fireforming my other brass tomorrow.
elkaholic
Well-Known Member
Well I am now done fireforming the 50 pieces of brass! Just got them all fixed up and loaded some for load development. Gonna take this process in steps to try to squeeze the accuracy out of it. I am going to find the seating depth first and then find the powder charge with the most accurate seating depth. Decided to do my load development at 300 yards.
Starting loads:
Bullet: Hornady 143 gr eld-x
Powder: RL26 (59gr for each load)
Primer: CCI BR2
Case: Fromed from Norma 280 Rem brass
Neck Tension: Used a .292 bushing (neck diameter is .293 with a loaded round). If I find this is not enough tension then I wil go to a .290 or .291 bushing.
Seating Depths (using Hornady Comparator and 2.913 OAL touches lands)
1. 2.903 OAL (.010 off)
2. 2.893 OAL (.020 off)
3. 2.883 OAL (.030 off)
4. 2.873 OAL (.040 off)
Hopefully I can find accuracy within these depths and can fine tune it and then tune it further with powder charges. This is the first time that I have done load development this way. Usually I do it opposite (powder charge and then seating depth).
I will post my results tomorrow if the weather permits me to shoot them.
Here is a picture of a loaded 338 LM with 300 gr OTM (left), 6.5 Sherman with 143 gr eld-x (center) and 25-06 with 100 gr Barnes TSX (right). The 6.5 Sherman sure is a sleek looking round!
Starting loads:
Bullet: Hornady 143 gr eld-x
Powder: RL26 (59gr for each load)
Primer: CCI BR2
Case: Fromed from Norma 280 Rem brass
Neck Tension: Used a .292 bushing (neck diameter is .293 with a loaded round). If I find this is not enough tension then I wil go to a .290 or .291 bushing.
Seating Depths (using Hornady Comparator and 2.913 OAL touches lands)
1. 2.903 OAL (.010 off)
2. 2.893 OAL (.020 off)
3. 2.883 OAL (.030 off)
4. 2.873 OAL (.040 off)
Hopefully I can find accuracy within these depths and can fine tune it and then tune it further with powder charges. This is the first time that I have done load development this way. Usually I do it opposite (powder charge and then seating depth).
I will post my results tomorrow if the weather permits me to shoot them.
Here is a picture of a loaded 338 LM with 300 gr OTM (left), 6.5 Sherman with 143 gr eld-x (center) and 25-06 with 100 gr Barnes TSX (right). The 6.5 Sherman sure is a sleek looking round!
