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For Joel Black - Mannlicher-Schoenauer
PA Shootist
Member Posts: 689 ✭✭✭
I'm still stumped with reloads for my 6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schoenauer rifle. I was wondering if you could measure the after-resizing cartridge dimension, measuring the case outside diameter at the widest point forward of the web, of your brass after sizing with your RCBS dies. The Redding folks told me their sizing die is made to minimim SAAMI specs; my new Norma brand brass measures .444" at the widest point just ahead of the extraction groove and tapers down from there; it feeds perfectly. This brass resized after firing, in the Redding die, measures .450" at the widest point, and a new C-H die I got today brings that dimension to .449". Neither resized case will feed, binding hard between the left side action rail and the case controller on the right. Redding seemed to think the problem is my rifle. They don't have a small-base resizing die, talked of making one up "special" (sounds expensive). If your RCBS die after-sizing dimension is OK for my rifle, and it appears I need to restore to unfired size or very close to it, I'll just order from them. Or if anyone has any other ideas, maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree, wouldn't be the first time in my life.
Comments
But I'm confused; It sounds like your cartridges won't feed through the spool magazine on your rifle. Is that the problem or will they not chamber?
It sounds like both reported resized diameters so far are not quite back to unfired sizes, but are slightly smaller than either of my dies will squeeze them. Thanks for those reports. I had posed this question on a post a couple days ago and received a couple suggestions then, and I was hoping to follow on a bit.
I see two alternatives, to purchase a resizing die that will be of a smaller internal dimension, perhaps the RCBS brand like yours, or get a "small-base" die such as the rep. at Redding suggested, and that might require a custom fee. More radical, I could consider stoning the side rail about .004" wider to allow the fatter resized cartrdges to feed. The dimension of the "lips" appears to be tight, and critical. And I didn't want that dimension to become critical on the "too-big" side and not retain the cartridges properly in the spool magazine.
I am using the round-nosed 160 grain bullet of the same length, overall cartridge length, and nose shape as the "factory" cartridges in Norma brass I obtained from Buffalo Arms. It may indeed be the same bullet, I can't say for sure, but it sure looks exactly identical.
Thanks all for your input and the troubles you went to measuring your cartridges! And if you have any other ideas or suggestions, I am open to ideas.
That would verify the dies and also if Shootest's brass has too much springback.
Tolerances in the feeding mechanism sound too tight that .0025" over diameter will fail to feed.
It would seem the feeding mechanism should pass any ammo that can be chambered.
Soft Norma brass should have less springback and be closest to minimum factory size.
FWIW: My rifle is a 1903 Greek military action rebarreled years ago by Flaig's. (My range notes indicate I began shooting it 5/11/88.) The best load I've tried so far; 160 Hornady RN with IMR4350 for 2283 fps. The Dominion factory 160 gr. load ran 2112 fps. Sierra made a 160 gr. semi pointed that shot wonderfully in my Swedes but, alas, they discontinued it before I had a chance to try it in the MS.