Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 6mm-284

What am I doing wrong? I'm trying to form 6-284 from 6.5-284 brass. When I run them through the die the shoulders are being crushed. In my mind it should be a simple sizing job???
Help!

Have you tried sizing just part of the neck, then advancing the die so as to not crush the shoulder?

DF

DF has a good tip. But are you using a FL or Neck die. Maybe to much lube?

I had a 6mmx284 and often had similar issues forming the brass.
It is now a 6.5x284.

Make sure the brass is well lubed. I went thru a lot of brands and flavors of lube, but do not remember what worked best for that process--may have been graphite.
Might try as noted above to partial neck size first.
Make sure you don't have the die set down any further than required to size to your chamber.
It might help to champfer it ID and OD before size.

I always start with Win 284 brass. I seldom have any issues sizing down to 6.5. I did find that once fired 284 brass worked better to go to 6mm for me. Fortunately I shoot a 284 also.
I did give Lapua brass a try, but did not like it.
Good luck
Sorry don't have a definite answer
Tim

I'm using a full length die and Imperial Sizing wax. That wax usually works well for my reloading. Would something like One Shot work better??

I'm using a full length die and Imperial Sizing wax. That wax usually works well for my reloading. Would something like One Shot work better??

I am using One Shot exclusively now. Just make sure to shake the livin crap out of the can before using it and maybe even warm it up a little and shake some more.
I stuck a couple because I did not get the ingredients mixed well enough.
jmho
Tim

Imperial is good stuff and likely not the problem. I would try a gradual turn down of the die like DF propsed above until the neck is sized to the neck/shoulder juncture. Try chambering it and see how much positive headspace you have. In small increments you can then bump the shoulder back from there.

Are these new units of brass or already fired brass.

I like Imperial Die Wax best of all.

Going from .284 to 6.5, then to 6 may end up with pretty thick necks. I learned that going from 7 RM to .257 Wby. I later decided to use .264 Win Mag brass for making .257 Wby cases. Seems the less you have to work brass, the better.

Thick necks aren't so bad if you turn'em. I turn my 6.5-284 case necks to .015".

BTW, what do you expect to do with a 6-284 than a 6.5-284 won't do as well, maybe better...??

Brass that has been worked hard may need to be annealed to work right, although, I never annealed mine and it did OK. But, I always started with new cases; fired brass is a lot harder. Don't ask how I know that...

DF

Try using your seater die as an intermediate step before using your sizing die. That's what I had to do when going from .284 to 25-284 and it worked well.

John

I had the same problem. I settled on 6.5-284 brass AND THEN necked to 25-284 as an intermediate step. NO MORE PROBLEMS. I no longer have the rifles but do have the dies. PM if you are interested.

X2

Actually it's a custom load for a customer not my rifle. The die was "found" in our gunsmith area and is marked used. It could just be a die issue. I tried reaming the 6.5 case to thin the neck with the same results. It seems to crunch one part of the mouth of the case which causes me to suspect a die issue. I'll see if I can get the customer to order a new die or talk the store into ordering both a 6-284 and a 25-284 die.

Crunching just one part of the neck raises a red flag concerning the die, for sure.

If you have a Hawkeye borescope or access to one, a look into that die may prove enlightening...

DF

I used 284 brass, sized down to 25-284, then to 6-284.
Never a problem.
Been thinking of doing another some say.

Sizing down 6.5 brass wasn't too bad if you use the seating die as an intermediary step. Tried that with 284 brass and damaged some.

Got to thinking of a way to neck down 284 brass. Took a 264 barrel and made a die using the 6mm-284 chamber reamer. After cutting with reamer, sanded it slightly then polished it. It did the trick and now can size down 284 brass easily.