7.62x39 conversion info.

[pistolpeta]

I heard that all one must do to make 6.5 gren brass out of 7.62x39 brass is run it through a 6.5grendel sizer, run a soft load in it to fireform the case to capacity then reload as a normal 6.5 grendel brass.

I ran a few through my Lee sizer and the shoulder is much higher than a ordinary grendel brass looks.

Wont this make the projectile not seat entirely in the chamber, and the bolt wont close all the way?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks guys.

[IceAxe]

When I run them through my dies it bumps the shoulder back. I did have to take a few thousandths off my shell holder.

[ricsmall]

Looks to me like the neck shoulder juncture will be the index point. This will allow ur x39 brass to blow out to grendel size. But that is from just looking at the pic, which could be deceiving.

Richard

[LR1955]

I heard that all one must do to make 6.5 gren brass out of 7.62x39 brass is run it through a 6.5grendel sizer, run a soft load in it to fireform the case to capacity then reload as a normal 6.5 grendel brass.

I ran a few through my Lee sizer and the shoulder is much higher than a ordinary grendel brass looks.

Wont this make the projectile not seat entirely in the chamber, and the bolt wont close all the way?

Any help would be appreciated, thanks guys.

PP:

Take a empty piece of the formed brass, drop it in your chamber, then release the bolt. If it is difficult to extract the empty brass, screw the sizing die down more and size it again. Once you have brass that can be extracted easily, your die is set to size down the 7.62 X 39 brass. If you screw the die down and it simply won't go down anymore, sell the 7.62 X 39 brass for scrap and buy real Grendel brass.

At the same time, throw out the Lee sizing and seating die and buy any other brand of die.

LR-55

[pistolpeta]

hahahahaha, I know plenty of people hate the Lee dies, but other than this instance, Iven never had any complaints with them.
Ill try what you said though.

[VASCAR2]

When I first bought my 6.5 Grendel I had very limited amount of brass. A Friend gave me about 100 7.62 X 39 brass which I sized in my Hornady 6.5 Grendel dies. I loaded a minimum load of 748 with 120-123 bullet and fire formed the brass. I can't remember which bullet I used, either Sierra 120 grain pro hunter or 123 grain A-Max.

Regardless the light loaded 7.62X39 brass functioned fine in my 16" SAAMI barrel. I have since reloaded these fire formed cases three or four times. The cases have a reduced case capacity compared to actual 6.5 Grendel brass. I never hot rod my hand loads but especially these FF cases.

I bought a bunch of factory second Sierra 85 & 100 grain varmint bullets which I've loaded into the FF cases. These make very handy varmint control rounds and I don't get concerned if I loose a piece of brass.

I wouldn't buy 7.62X39 brass to fire form into 6.5 Grendel but they do work. I have been using my PPU brass in the same manner as the FF 7.62X39 where I might not be able to recover my brass. I just hate loosing my Lapua or Hornady brass, I have never left brass cases just laying on the ground at the end of my shooting.

[LRRPF52]

Your shoulder isn't higher, at least not in the picture.

What you're seeing is an optical illusion created by the taper of the 7.62x39 brass.

Once you fire it, the walls will blow out and form the wall-shoulder junction to your chamber.

Your neck-shoulder junction is the same location on both cases from what I can see in the pic.

[SDguy]

While I agree Their may be an optical illusion going on here. Their is likely more, like spring back when pushing the shoulder back. Personally I would lightly anneal the shoulder & neck junction w a candle or a very measured use of propane torch. If the bolt is not closing we have more than the optical illusion in play here is the point here.

I have yet to do this w 6.5 Grendel though I have worked with similar situations forming 17 hornet & 17 fireball. Annealing will go a long ways towards minimizing shoulder spring back. See link for a good explanation on annealing if you wish. http://www.varmintal.com/arelo.htm#Anneal


And Yes case capacities may vary and thus load work up will be required with the lesser capacity case.

[joedirt199]

I just bought 500+ once fired cleaned range brass and sized them all up. Seller was nice enough to separate out large and small primers. Checked shoulders after sizing and they are right where my grendel brass is after sizing. Case length is only .005 shorter than my grendel brass. Fiochi brass is nice and thick like lapua, federal seems the softest, winchester is riht in the middle. Only smashed about 10 cases as the necks were a little on the over sized side from all the dents of previous firing. Shells were cleaned with stainless media and looked like new. Now to load up some and test for velocity differences

[mseric]

After you get them formed, don't forget to check case capacity.

My IMI converted brass is over 3 grains less than my true Gendel brass.

[rabiddawg]

You guys must enjoy this. Reloading is a chore I do to save a little money.

There is no way I go to this much effort and still end up with inferior brass.

[pistolpeta]

hahahahaha, I hear that man.
Just cant yet bite the bullet of those prices for brass, man.

Trying to be a cheapo, we'll see what comes from this but I might just invest in some brass...

[LR1955]

Guys:

There is a reason those of us who at one time had to use 7.62 X 39 brass now choose to avoid it at almost any cost. We can get about eight firings from one piece of Hornady brass and about 20 or more from Lapua brass. We normally got three from 7.62 X 39 brass and the first one of those shots was to blow the brass out. Although I personally could train with that fireforming shot, the velocities were slower than blown out brass -- which itself was far lower than the velocities we could get from Grendel brass. We normally had about 1 in 10 pieces of 7.62 X 39 brass get crushed sizing them down, too. Then there will be some pieces that for reasons unknown, will not function in the rifle. Maybe 1 out of 25. No need to try and figure out why because it will confound anyone. Just throw it away.

I don't think anyone is really saving much money and the velocities will be lower. I still have a couple hundred pieces of 7.62 X 39 brass but I also bought a large amount Lapua brass when Alexander was selling it for about $.50 a piece so I can withstand any sort of brass shortage like we had when the Grendel came out.

LR55

[pistolpeta]

Good point.
just stinks to have hopes of cheap brass forming(everyone sells you on that) when it really isnt that good of an option haha

[VASCAR2]

I've found I get cheaper brass by just buying factory Hornady loaded ammo and saving my brass. By the time I buy virgin Hornady brass, powder, primer and bullets I'm so close to the price of factory Hornady it's seems best to just buy a few boxes of ammo. Fortunately my 6.5 Grendels are very accurate with factory A-Max and SST ammo.

I caught AA/Lapua brass on sale a few years ago and ordered 200 from AA. I've never seen it that cheap since and kick myself for not ordering more.