Use 30-06 brass for 6.5-06 cartridges?

[roysclockgun]

In a swap, I may be getting a Mauser in 6.5-06. What is the drill for necking down 30-06 brass for this cartridge? Do I need an intermediate neck sizer to neck down the 30-06, or can I go right from the 30cal neck down to 6.5 in one step? Will there be a lot of crushed or split necks in doing it in one step?
TIA,
Steven

 

[FOTIS]

I would use the 270 brass.

Size trim neck turn

 

[nvbroncrider]

You can use 30-06 but you would need to use a second sizer. So use 25-06 and neck up or better yet use 270 and neck down.

 

[Mortis]

I have a friend that shoots a 6.5-06 Ackley.

He uses 06 brass...... necks down to 270, then to 6.5.

Tedious, but works for him.

 

[JohnB]

No doubt the 30-06 brass will work. I have taken it down to 25-06 in the past. I think your best results could be from 25-06 brass and a sinclair expander die.

JohnB

 

[roysclockgun]

Ya'know, age is creeping up on me. I clean forgot that I have a ton of 270Win brass and no longer own a 270Win rifle! For years, I did covet my 1952 Win. Mod. 70 in 270Win. but once I worked with the 280Rem., the 270Win went on down the road.
Thanks guys!
Steven

 

[DrMike]

Ya'know, age is creeping up on me. I clean forgot that I have a ton of 270Win brass and no longer own a 270Win rifle! For years, I did covet my 1952 Win. Mod. 70 in 270Win. but once I worked with the 280Rem., the 270Win went on down the road.
Thanks guys!
Steven

Well, now you're good to go. Consequently, good call on sending the 270 down the road in favour of the 280. :grin:

 

[BK]

My concern is that I have a .25-06 and several .270s, I worry about shooting a 6.5-06 in a .25-06, or a .270 in a 6.5-06. Therefore, when I get one of my 700s rebarreled to 6.5-06, I'll use .30-06 brass. Should be easier to tell .264 from .308 than .264 from .257 or .277.

 

[baltz526]

Dosn't Starline or someone make 6.5-06 brass. Seems I remember a listing for it.

 

[elkeater2]

My concern is that I have a .25-06 and several .270s, I worry about shooting a 6.5-06 in a .25-06, or a .270 in a 6.5-06. Therefore, when I get one of my 700s rebarreled to 6.5-06, I'll use .30-06 brass. Should be easier to tell .264 from .308 than .264 from .257 or .277.

I resorted to using a narrow tip Sharpie and marking the extraction groove all the way around, in diifferent colors for the three calibers I use '06 brass for. And I still check each batch with the micrometer just to make sure I haven't gone color blind :lol: The mark doesn't wear off easily in my cleaning routine.
EE2

 

[FOTIS]

Either way check for neck thickness......critical!

 

[roysclockgun]

Seriously wanting to know: Why when sizing is neck thickness "critical"? Is it a safety issue, or accuracy issue, or both? I have been hand loading rifle cartridges since the 1960s, during which time I had need to neck up on some and down on others. I never paid any attention to neck thickness and have had no problems with my reloaded cases.
TIA
Steven

 

[Ridge_Runner]

best way is use 25/06 brass, prime, charge with upper mid level load, seat any boatail 6.5 bullet, fire. no sizing needed
then use different colored cartridge boxes for the different cartridges, you work the 30/06 brass alot before your ready to make rounds.
270 brass would need to be trimmed .046 to use in an '06 based case.
RR
BTW if you decide to use 30/06 brass I have 100 new lapua brass I can't use, 80 bucks TYD

 

[Laker_Taker]

Grafs and Sons is selling brass.

LT

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

I'd use 25-06 and neck up...

Easier neck up then down...

 

[Kodiak]

With no way of knowing the chamber-reamer design, I would say the 25-06 brass would be safe. Further, when chamber-reamers are ground, the reamer-maker could take into account the neck-wall thickness of using sized 30-06 brass for 6.5/06 brass. roysclockgun could do a chamber cast to get a measurment of the chamber-neck area, plus 0.002-0.003 clearence for expansion of a fired case.

My 0.02,