.260 problems

[mikek]

I will throw this past everyone here and see what you all say.

I have had problems with reloading my .260 since day one. first, after necking up .243 Lapua brass had a gigantic donut form. Reamed it out and still can hardly get a 107SMK to seat without ringing the bullets with a Wilson seater. I am bringing the brass down .001 from .291 to .290 so that should definitely not be the problem but absolutely cannot get a 142 to seat without a tension that is frightning. And last after three firings the primer pockets are loose.. on text loads nothing hot (using H4350). Any advice would be appreciated just never had this amount of problems with reloading something and it has me at wits end. Thanks, Kav

[longgun]

I don't know how you are set up,  but I would anneal the brass, then full length resize, and next check to see if the brass has grown in length.  I really think that if you full length resize your problems might go away.  Do you have  a tight neck chamber?  don

[PA-Joe]

Why don't you try reloading some real 260 brass first?

[CB]

I generally just read and let those who know this stuff do the posting but this one hit a nerve as I'm in the other end of the same boat your in. My circumstance involves 6BR Lapua nk up to 7br, I know NO one ever has a problem with this "but" in my case .3075 loaded round and .3095 fired case from .310nk chamber is a problem. problem however is the throating length which was designed for 130MK not the 162 that I shoot, putting the base of bullet dead on under the neck- shoulder doughnut area. Original fix was to ream with .285 reamer as fired cases had good feel with the .284 mandrel in a K&M set up. Ordered a throating reamer from Pacific and did it without any of above, few turns and no more doughnut problems. If Hunter gun differant line of approach may be necessary.
 Don't give up, It can get worse!
 Carroll

[mikek]

PA, I have actually thought of going with some .260 brass to see if it is a brass problem.

longgun, it is not a tight neck. went with a standard for I don't have time to turn etc outside what I prep for BR. Also, I have been full length resizing with carbide bushings.

CB, that is my problem exactly since the 6.5 SMK's look like little missles they seat way past the shoulder region with a 142.

I guess my biggest is why after reaming the brass would it still seat hard with only a .001 tension? even tried varget and Reloader in a non compressed load and won't seat without standing on the press.

[Fivepigs]

Mike, is it possible that when you necked up, the expander button didn't go into the case far enough and the bottom of the neck didn't get expanded all the way?  My impression was that donuts are more of a problem when necking down from a larger caliber; maybe the donut you're seeing is the part of the neck that didn't get expanded?

[CB]

If I understand what I've read correctly from Zediker and Tubb both, there are situations and set-ups when it becomes necessary to ream almost after every firing?? I know--- don't have time for that,,, this bullets and these chambers are setup for a lot differant shooting than BR-- Move the leade out and get away from the problem---- then forget it and practice the game!!
 Have a happy!!
 Carroll
 ps it does get better

[mikek]

Mike, is it possible that when you necked up, the expander button didn't go into the case far enough and the bottom of the neck didn't get expanded all the way?  My impression was that donuts are more of a problem when necking down from a larger caliber; maybe the donut you're seeing is the part of the neck that didn't get expanded?

Thought of that one also and ran the expander back through the brass in the begining. Also upon inspection you can actually see the ridge in the cases.  

I am going to just try some standard .260 brass and see how that fares. Hopefully it is just a problem with the brass for if not I am going to chunk everything count my losses and go back to a standard .308.  I would love to figure thgis problem out and get it shooting for I hear good things about the .260 but I am not a fan at this point.

[longgun]

one other thought.   do you have the right size expander button on your die.   I know when I am only neck sizing  I screw a 6 mm button on so that I can knock out the primer and still rezice the outside of my necks.  Usually my necks are turned and only have about .002 " expansion when I fire the brass.  I usually get a small ring on the neck but that is where the bullet has expanded the neck when seating the bullet,  just the opposite of your donut effect.  don

[jed]

I noticed you stated that you reamed out the donut. The donut would be on the outside of the neck after resizing, right? So you should have outside neck turned. What is happening is the donut is still there, and when you run the case into the sizing die, the thickened part of neck is forced by the die and giving resistance to bullet.

Another thing to check is maybe the seating die neck is too tight.

[mikek]

I noticed you stated that you reamed out the donut. The donut would be on the outside of the neck after resizing, right? So you should have outside neck turned. What is happening is the donut is still there, and when you run the case into the sizing die, the thickened part of neck is forced by the die and giving resistance to bullet.

Another thing to check is maybe the seating die neck is too tight.

with a bullet seated the donut is outside... on fired and sized the donut moves inside. After reaming the donuts/necks I measured and was ~even throughout.  Not sure what you are going with on the seater neck size for I use Wilson inline seaters and custom inline seaters with no problem of neck being too small.

i have some cut fired and am going to reload and see if the problem still exists. Also as mentioned am going to try some standard .260 brass and see how that turns out.