What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

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What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

Post by andym79 » 23 Jul 2014, 8:36 pm

Hi guys for the last couple of years I have been using Winchester brass in my Swedish Mauser, thats what they had at the LGS so thats what I used.

Today I read that American branded brass was actually slightly undersized in the 6.5x55 whereas european brands of brass are a bit larger the same size infact as original issued military rounds. I not sure with part of the cartridge this relates to, I will endeavour to find out, but I believe it might be the rim!

If anyone has any Sellier & Bellot, Norma or Laupa brass that they could compare to Winchester or Remington?

If its true and the brass is a sloppy fit thats not a good thing!
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Re: What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

Post by mausermate » 23 Jul 2014, 9:06 pm

Hi Andy, I have S&B, Norma and Lapua that I fire in my 6.5x55. Sorry I have not used Winny or Remmy Brass. If they are a little undersize my guess is that they will fire form. So.. no worries after the first fire and no safety threat. Don't quote me. I would like to get a back up from a few more on the forum.
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Re: What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

Post by andym79 » 23 Jul 2014, 9:10 pm

With regard to Brass, is Lapua the best?

It does fireform fine after the first firing. I think it may be thinner too.
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Re: What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

Post by Westy » 23 Jul 2014, 9:12 pm

I have both so I'll get a measurement in the morning just came up from the shed now!!catch you tomorrow, I'm pretty sure the both the same though but let you know in the morning

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Re: What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

Post by mausermate » 23 Jul 2014, 9:29 pm

andym79 wrote:With regard to Brass is Lapua the best?

It does fireform fine after the first firing. I think it may be thinner too.


Lapua Brass is great. Lasts really well. It is top of the line brass and I don't find them expensive at a $1 per case.
I have never heard of a person disappointed with Lapua Brass but I have been known to be wrong.
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Re: What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

Post by Korkt » 24 Jul 2014, 11:24 am

andym79 wrote:With regard to Brass, is Lapua the best?


It is good quality brass, sure. Personally I think people make too much fuss over it though.

Plenty of guys shooting serious come with Winchester or others that are 2/3 the price or less.

If you're real serious about it properly prepared cases, batched by capacity etc. will all work very well in front of a skilled shooter.
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Re: What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

Post by mausermate » 24 Jul 2014, 11:49 am

I totally agree with Korkt. Nothing wrong with Winchester Brass.

On the range I use a 7.62 and I buy Winchester match ammo for practice and then load my own with that brass to compete. I find that system cost effective for me, and it keeps my reloading regime very tight. It is not easy to beat the performance of factory match ammo. Winchester brass is good.

I got onto some pretty cheap Lapua brass a while ago and I use it for my MAX hunting loads. I don't get case neck cracking from high pressure and multiple reloads with the Lapua like I have with some of the other brass brands. The case necks of Lapua brass are annealed. You can anneal other brass brands yourself if you like but it is a bit of a hassle.
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Re: What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

Post by Apollo » 24 Jul 2014, 11:54 am

I think you will find the biggest difference is the Case Rim Diameter and the smaller dimension cases could be a problem with excessive clearance and extractor claw.

Don't own one, have not played but from memory the difference is something like 0.473" Remington (USA Cases) and 0.480" Lapua (European Cases).

Not sure on the Case Head dimensions and I think the overall case body is the same but would fireform okay, you can't fireform the case head if it's smaller.
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Re: What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

Post by andym79 » 24 Jul 2014, 12:53 pm

Apollo wrote:I think you will find the biggest difference is the Case Rim Diameter and the smaller dimension cases could be a problem with excessive clearance and extractor claw.

Don't own one, have not played but from memory the difference is something like 0.473" Remington (USA Cases) and 0.480" Lapua (European Cases).

Not sure on the Case Head dimensions and I think the overall case body is the same but would fireform okay, you can't fireform the case head if it's smaller.


That is the point I was getting at if the case head is undersized, there isn't a thing that can be done about it!

I think this issue might be limited to just some cartridges, this is not me having a go at Winchester, their brass is fine. If however it isn't the best size for a rifle then it isn't the best brass!

OH the very irony! Lyman clearly warn against using formed 30-06 brass in the 6.5x55 for that very reason (undersized head) and the US manufactures make it like that anyway, undersized!
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Re: What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

Post by Apollo » 24 Jul 2014, 1:24 pm

It will be interesting to see what "Westy" comes up with in the way of dimensions since he has some different cases to compare. One would hope to think that the case manufacturers are aware there are differences and specify the dimensions but that would be too easy.

Maybe all the case heads are the same and it's only the rim size. Sounds funny saying that for a "rimless" case but it still has a rim of sorts.

If one had a rifle that's setup for the smaller rim diameter then I suppose it's possible to turn down the larger rims but not vis versa.
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Re: What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

Post by Westy » 24 Jul 2014, 3:37 pm

Yep Apollo is almost on the money ,
The Remington case is 2.153.5" in length and.472" Dia with the rim .473" Dia this was taken on a average of 10 cases. All were the same except 2 which were a little smaller .001''
The Lapua cases were all exactly the same 10 outa 10 perfect size 2.158.5" in length Case and rim .477" in Dia

I guess the Lapua are a better made case as they are perfectly consistent
as a hunting round the Remington's are just fine the other not talked about here are PPU or the dreaded Highland??? Their projectiles are not to bad and there brass is up there with the Lapua for quality it's just that dirty bloody powder of theirs that I hate putting in any rifle !!! I often lurk around the benches at the range after someone has been shooting a old swede and collect the cases, once fired PPU lasts for ever. :roll: :geek: :roll:
Hope this helps
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Re: What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

Post by andym79 » 24 Jul 2014, 7:50 pm

Westy wrote:Yep Apollo is almost on the money ,
The Remington case is 2.153.5" in length and.472" Dia with the rim .473" Dia this was taken on a average of 10 cases. All were the same except 2 which were a little smaller .001''
The Lapua cases were all exactly the same 10 outa 10 perfect size 2.158.5" in length Case and rim .477" in Dia


From Lyman. The 'rim' at the head should be .480"

swedecase.jpg
swedecase.jpg (66.19 KiB) Viewed 6749 times


From Lyman

"Shooters loading for the Swede should not under any circumstance attempt to form brass from 30-06 cases. Case diameter of the 30-06 runs .008" to .010" smaller"

Well that isn't much different than Winchester and Remington Brass and a that formed from 30-06 then!
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Re: What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

Post by fuggle » 27 Jul 2014, 4:01 pm

Westy wrote:The Lapua cases were all exactly the same 10 outa 10 perfect size 2.158.5" in length Case and rim .477" in Dia


Don't suppose you've measured weight or capacity?

I tried a pack ages ago now and in that respect they weren't much better than Winchester brass I was comparing too.
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Re: What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

Post by Utcherd » 28 Jul 2014, 2:05 pm

fuggle wrote:I tried a pack ages ago now and in that respect they weren't much better than Winchester brass I was comparing too.


Did you fireform them before batching or straight out of the box weights?
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Re: What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

Post by fuggle » 28 Jul 2014, 2:07 pm

All fireformed, trimmed, tumbled, washed and dried before batching.
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Re: What brass do you use in your 6.5x55?

Post by Utcherd » 29 Jul 2014, 7:01 am

Can't argue with that then I guess.
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