Lapua brass booboo

[jetinteriorguy]

I just purchased my first Lapua brass for a recently acquired Swedish Mauser and noticed some of the necks had dings in the necks. No big deal, right. So I figured I’d just run them through the sizing die and straighten them out. Unfortunately I remembered too late that the flash holes are smaller than regular brass. Now my expander is stuck and most likely damaged/bent in the case, which I’ll have to figure out how to deal with. But my question is this, is there any reason not to just drill out the rest of these cases to standard size flash holes? Or is there a better reason to get a die with a smaller size decapping pin? And lastly, who makes such a die?

 

[USSR]

Uh, I shot 6.5x55 Lapua brass for years, and the flash holes were no different than that of any other case. Your problem is with something else.

Don

 

[jetinteriorguy]

Um, you need to check your cases. Lapua flash holes are 1.5 mm which equals .059”whereas standard brass flash holes are .08”. This is a pretty well documented thing. I’ve also stumbled on a conversation in another thread this morning and have found the solution to this issue. I’ve ordered a reamer from Sinclair made to ream the flash hole out to .08”. I also managed to extract the sizing ball/decapping pin and luckily neither the brass or pin was damaged. So all is well.

 

[jetinteriorguy]

Ok upon triple checking, my issue was not the size of the hole causing the problem, it was how the decapping pin wasn’t set up properly, so my bad. Even though the holes are smaller the Lee decapping pins still work just fine. Maybe a second cup of coffee is called for this morning.

 

[hounddawg]

rather than try and remember which case has which size flash hole I just leave the small pin in my Mighty Armory Universal die and depin everything with it. When you hit "that" age you need to simplify whenever possible

Had the same pin in that die for 3 - 4 years now, MA makes some tough stuff.

 

[jetinteriorguy]

I was looking at them, pretty good looking setup, but as you see I don’t really need one now that I’ve figured out the issue. Hear you on the age thing though, things don’t get any easier. It is embarrassing when something basic slips by even after 30+ years of doing this. Once again just a reminder to never forget the basics. Thanks all.

 

[hounddawg]

Glad it is taken care of. Another alternative I just remembered is chuck the Lee pin in a drill and use a bit of fine sandpaper to make it a .059 pin. Only takes a few seconds

 

[Maxwell Haus]

Lapua Swede brass(Large Rifle Primer) does not have undersized flash hole , small rifle primer cases such as 6 BR Norma have undersized .

 

[jetinteriorguy]

Lapua Swede brass(Large Rifle Primer) does not have undersized flash hole , small rifle primer cases such as 6 BR Norma have undersized .

See post #3. I have verified this compared to both .308 Win cases and 6.5 CM using numbered drill bits and according to online manufacturers specs.

 

[Maxwell Haus]

See post #3. I have verified this compared to both .308 Win cases and 6.5 CM using numbered drill bits and according to online manufacturers specs.

Were they small rifle primer cases ? BTW, flash holes on my 6BR are .063"...Verified with pin gauges .

 

[USSR]

In any case (no pun intended), the flash hole is not too small for a standard decapping pin. I've decapped the Lapua 6.5x55 brass for years with both a Lyman and a Redding decapping pin.

Don

 

[jetinteriorguy]

In any case (no pun intended), the flash hole is not too small for a standard decapping pin. I've decapped the Lapua 6.5x55 brass for years with both a Lyman and a Redding decapping pin.

Don

6.5x55 are large rifle primers. Just Google it for the information I’ve already posted. Please, I’m done with this now.
Oops, wrong quote. This reply was intended for post #10.

 

[USSR]

I never said they weren't large primers, I simply said the flash holes are not too small for a standard decapping pin.

Don

 

[jetinteriorguy]

In any case (no pun intended), the flash hole is not too small for a standard decapping pin. I've decapped the Lapua 6.5x55 brass for years with both a Lyman and a Redding decapping pin.

Don

This is exactly what I discovered when I assumed my issue was due to the smaller flash hole being too small for the decapping pin. It was the initial assumption that was the mistake, not the fact that the flash holes are smaller than standard size. I thought the pin was jammed in the smaller hole and so pulled the shaft out of the locking collet when I tried to pull the case out of the die. The problem was the collet just wasn’t tight enough to hold the shaft, it wasn’t stuck in the flash hole so it pulled out of the die. Anyway, it’s all good now.

 

[jetinteriorguy]

Delete.

 

[jetinteriorguy]

I never said they weren't large primers, I simply said the flash holes are not too small for a standard decapping pin.

Don

Sorry, I quoted the wrong post while replying. My wife was gabbing at me and I got messed up.

 

[RC20]

Related is I have had Lapua brass come through dented like that (makes you wonder about the premium you pay for it!)

You can use a 30 Cal M die to correct that rather than the sizer.

Not a have to but I hate the plugs in the dies so I remove them and then do a run through the M die to get to consistent interior necks size.

No more yanking the button out of the neck

 

[jetinteriorguy]

I’m going to polish the button to help slick it up. I’ve done this before and it does help a lot. I tried some mica lube on the inside of the neck which helped a little, but still not enough. Then I stood some cases up and sprayed them with my lanolin mix and that definitely helped. It shouldn’t be much of an issue once they are fired and get a little carbon inside the necks. My normal procedure for accuracy is to body size with a Redding body die, then neck size with a Lee collet neck sizing die. Initially I’ll do this then trim, turn the necks, chamfer and deburr, then clean primer pockets, then deburr the inside of the flash hole. Using this procedure keeps my runout pretty much at .001” or less and I get quite a few cycles without further trimming. I also anneal after four cycles for a nice consistent neck hold.

 

[Maxwell Haus]

6.5x55 are large rifle primers. Just Google it for the information I’ve already posted. Please, I’m done with this now.
Oops, wrong quote. This reply was intended for post #10.

I don't blindly follow what I read on the internet . You will learn once you gain some experience.

Here is a FACT . New 308 Palma w/small primer pocket measure .062"...new 223 small rifle primer measure .079" . VERIFIED w/ pin gauges . Lapua makes small flash hole brass for high pressure loads like the 6BR or the jazzed up .308 Palma loads w/ SRP .

Reaming primer flash holes ? Pretty sure Lapua could make those holes any size they want , probably a reason for sizing them the way they do.

 

[RC20]

Everyone has ideas, Lapua thinks small primers are the way to go with 6.5 x 47 and only those.

6.5 CM uses both.

Companies get stuck on things and swear its the end of be all.

Cat hated Unit Injectors and belittle Detroit and Cummins for years then quietly went to Unit Injectors as it was the only way to meet emissions (The Pump and Nozzle system that cat used was like a carburetor and Unit Injector akin to gasoline Fuel Injection in its simplicity and workable)

Yea Ford struggled with the electronic carburetors and decided it sucked and moved on to full FI.