Drilling out Lapua brass flash hole....

[Grendel-Gene]

I have some brand new Lapua brass and i want to be able to use the Lee case trimmer to trim it. Its the one that you chuck up on a drill press and stabs through the flash hole...

But the hole in the Lapua brass is a bit small. So i considered simply drilling it out enough to where the Lee case trimmer will go through.

Now I assume that Lapua made that flash hole that particular size for some reason....

My question is: If i do drill out the flash hole so that i can use the Lee trimmer, will i ruin the brass in any significant way? In other words, will the bigger hole hurt anything?

Thanks

Gene

[LR1955]

I have some brand new Lapua brass and i want to be able to use the Lee case trimmer to trim it. Its the one that you chuck up on a drill press and stabs through the flash hole...

But the hole in the Lapua brass is a bit small. So i considered simply drilling it out enough to where the Lee case trimmer will go through.

Now I assume that Lapua made that flash hole that particular size for some reason....

My question is: If i do drill out the flash hole so that i can use the Lee trimmer, will i ruin the brass in any significant way? In other words, will the bigger hole hurt anything?

Thanks

Gene

Gene:

Trim new Lapua brass? Completely unnecessary.

However, if you are also going to use a Lee sizing die, you will need to either open up the flash hole or turn down the Lee decapping pin.

European small primer flash holes are a touch smaller than US. That said, you can ream out the flash hole using a hand tool made for a small flash hole.

LR1955

[Grendel-Gene]

Thanks LR! By the way, is your name Gene too? I thought I saw someone refer to you that way in another thread... Thanks again.

[woohoo]

I would not change the flash hole dia. Many have tried it with the Lapua 6BR and it ruins the accuracy. If you try it think about trying 10 to test then if it doesn't hurt the accuracy you can do the rest. Better safe than sorry when it comes to $80 worth of brass

[Tech09]

I have some brand new Lapua brass and i want to be able to use the Lee case trimmer to trim it. Its the one that you chuck up on a drill press and stabs through the flash hole...

But the hole in the Lapua brass is a bit small. So i considered simply drilling it out enough to where the Lee case trimmer will go through.

Now I assume that Lapua made that flash hole that particular size for some reason....

My question is: If i do drill out the flash hole so that i can use the Lee trimmer, will i ruin the brass in any significant way? In other words, will the bigger hole hurt anything?

Thanks

Gene

Everyone I have seen talk about unfired Lapua brass says don't touch it just reload it

[Grendel-Gene]

Too late.... We will see what happens! Thanks.

[LR1955]

I would not change the flash hole dia. Many have tried it with the Lapua 6BR and it ruins the accuracy. If you try it think about trying 10 to test then if it doesn't hurt the accuracy you can do the rest. Better safe than sorry when it comes to $80 worth of brass

Woohoo:

The thing with the Lapua Grendel brass is that only a small percent has flash holes just narrow enough to pull a decapping pin out of a rod. You may find one in thirty. The reamer I am talking about is a standard US small flash hole reamer used by bench rest guys to even out the flash holes.

LR1955

[Bwild97]

"LR1955"

The reamer I am talking about is a standard US small flash hole reamer used by bench rest guys to even out the flash holes.

Is this the one you are referring to?

[VASCAR2]

I use one of the flash hole reamers, it ensures I have all the cleaning media out of the F/H after tumbling then sizing.

[Grendel-Gene]

So is there a different tool for the large primer flash holes and small primer flash holes?

[ricsmall]

GG
Look on Sinclair website. The only one I saw was for small primer pockets to ream flash holes from.060 to.065. It was specifically made for the task you are trying to accomplish.

[Grendel-Gene]

Ric, is it this one?

http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-equipment/case-preparation/flash-hole-deburring-tools/sinclair-flashhole-reamer-0625-prod36020.aspx

[Grendel-Gene]

There are actually TWO advertised for the 6.5 mm.... one only reams it out to .065, and the other to .081. which is preferable and why? Thanks.

[woohoo]

From a place that tests the crap out of everything-About flash holes--we suggest leaving them alone when using Lapua brass. Our tests suggest that ES and SD may increase with ANY modification of the Lapua Flash-holes, which run 1.50mm (.059") out of the box.

[Grendel-Gene]

what is ES and SD?