Gentlemen,

I need help. I have just ordered a CZ 6.5 X 55, it won't be in for a few weeks yet but I thought I would get a head start and get some rounds made up for it.

I shall of course be trawling through this forum for load info, but I was wondering what would be the best brass to use, or better yet what to keep away from, with this round. I use Winchester for my 243 and Rem and Winchester for my Hornet, of the two I prefer Winchester. However It dawned on me that my old favourite might not be best suited for this round and I could maybe do better.

All suggestions will be most welcome.

John

Lapua. And I don�t expect any arguments....

Tron

If Lapua brass is available in the caliber, use that. You won't be disappointed with the quality. For 6.5x55, you have the added advantage that the Lapua brass in that caliber is less expensive than in other calibers.

I just found out that Lapua apparently has stopped making .270 Win brass (which has otherwise been available over here, as opposed to in the US). I got the last 50 my dealer had in stock. Why is the world so unfair??
- mike

For most calibers I look for Lapua, and if not available I just get Winchester and if that is not available, I just get RP.

But for 6.5x55mm brass, Winchester has a problem per my measurements:

I made some measurements:

Brass
Win 6.5x55 case head: .471"
S&B 6.5x55 case head: .473"
NNY 6.5x55 case head: .477"
Win 308 brass .464"
Win Super brass 30-06 .465"
Lake City 7.62x51 brass .469"

Dies
Lee 6.5x55 size die: .473"
Krupp 6.5x55 size die: .480"

Reamers at the Clymer reamer web site:
6.5x55 Swedish .4794"
6.5x55 Scan .4815"
.308 Win .470"
308 Palma match .469"
7.62 Nato .4725"


What does it all mean?
Some vendors are using .471 case head brass for 6.5x55, and that ain't right!

There is no such animal as "best brass". If there were, the "best brass" would be any brass that you could buy 2,000 pieces of, all of the same lot number, at a reasonable price.



I have found that most people who shout from the rooftops, "LAPUA", are the same as those soccer moms who drive Hummers...the only time they go "off-road" is when they are pulling into the Walmart parking lot, but they enjoy the looks they receive when they engage in this activity!



Or even the Ferrari owner who has never gone past the posted speed limit.



You really want to know who makes the "best"? Go to a 600-yard or 1000-yard competition and see what the real shooters are using.



And besides, you can't load for a rifle that you don't have. How can you set-up cartridge dimensions without having the chamber dimensions?

I don't see any point knocking the lapua. It is not that much more for this caliber, and metallurgically it is outstanding as well as tolerance wise. You take lapua cases and weigh them/measure wall thickness, and then compare to winchester, even norma.......And as for the BR competitors...DO look to see what they are using. Most of the time it is lapua..for good reason. For how long it lasts and for the fact tolerances are tight, you are spending little more on the lapua vs, anything else. A lot fewer headaches to boot. I have worked up excellent loads with winchester as well, but sorting did make a difference and who the heck wants to SPEND the time sorting.

I just purchased 100 new unprimed Hornady Frontier brass in 7.65 Argentine. As I was priming the new cases (WLR), I noticed that some felt tight going in and some felt like they had 10 hot loadings under their belt (loose). That didn't give me a very good feeling. Oh, I was using a hand held Lee priming tool. Is that something to worry about? Rojelio.

Butch?

Well, as I check the current prices for Lapua brass against Remington, Federal and Winchester, this is what I find:

.223 Remington - Lapua $39/100, Remington $14/100, Winchester $13/100

.243 Winchester - Lapua $39/100, Remington $21/100, Winchester $22/100

.308 Winchester - Lapua $33/100, Remington $22/100, Winchester $22/100

.30-06 Springfield - Lapua $45/100, Remington $22/100, Winchester $22/100

.300 Win. Magnum - Lapua $86/100, Remington $32/100, Winchester $32/100

As you can see, there is a difference in price.

As for what remington brass can do:


5-shots at 200-yards.
It was fired using a Ruger 77V in .22-250 Remington with Leupold 12x optics
Case: Remington
Primer: Remington 9-1/2
Powder: 38.4 grains of H-380
Bullet: Sierra 52 grain Hollow Point Boat Tail


5-shots at 200-yards.
It was fired using a Ruger 77R in 6MM Remington with Leupold 9x optics
Case: Remington
Primer: Remington 9-1/2
Powder: 43.2 grains of IMR-4350
Bullet: Sierra 85 grain Hollow Point Boat Tail


5-shots at 200-yards
It was fired using a Ruger 77R in .25-06 Remington with Leupold 10x optics
Case: Remington
Primer: Winchester WLR
Powder: 52.5 grains of H-4831
Bullet: Sierra 120 grain Hollow Point Boat Tail


5-shots at 200-yards.
It was fired using a Ruger 77R in 7mm Remington Magnum with Leupold 12x optics
Case: Remington
Primer: CCI-200
Powder: 64.6 grains of RL-22
Bullet: Sierra 168 grain Hollow Point Boat Tail

I've only used Lapua brass in my 6.5x55, so can't really compare within the cartridge per se, but it has sure held up superbly compared the the Winchester and R-P that I use in everything else--good enough that I will consider Lapua the next time I have to buy brass--for anything. A while back Nationwide Sports (that dates it) had once fired 6.5x55 Lapua brass for under $10 per 100. Unfortunately, I only bought 200. Oops!

Nice groups, Steve! I have to agree with you about the price difference between Lapua and Rem/Win brass - that is indisputable. Pity that. That is why I often end up with Rem or Win brass, although I'd probably rather buy the Lapua. Alas, such is the plight of the budget constrained shooter. Good news is, all is certainly not lost just because one has to use Winchester brass.
- mike

Gentlemen

Thank you for all your replies, as ever the opinions are clear well stated and forthright. I think I am going to go with Lapua, Why?

Winchester 6.5x55 �34.50/100

Remmington 6.5x55 �32.50/100

Lapua 6.5x55 �28.75/100

Thank you all for your input

John

It's always nice when you can get "the best for less" !!

Ooh, that is bound to liven up the discussion some
- mike

No doubt excellent groups Steve. What steps do you take to prep your brass? Do you throw out the highs and the lows? I have to admit that well prepped brass can have better tolerances than any non-prepped brass, just takes time.

My case prep is very simple.



I buy 2000 pieces of brass all from the same lot number.

I run each and every one through a full-length sizer.

I measure each case and then trim every case to the length of the shortest.

I chamfer the inside and outside of the case mouth.

I deburr the flash hole, inside and out.

And that is it!



After the first sizing I only neck size the brass, and then for only the first half of the neck.

I think Lapua is the best brass, but Norma, Winchester is excellent brass also...Most of todays brass is very good stuff....

Totally ignorant? I don't think so.

My experience in loading for the 6.5x55 can be found at http://stevespages.com/264_9.html

And the brass I used was Remington because it was 1/2 the cost of Lapua and 1/3rd the cost of Norma.

Hey Steve,

So you don't mess with actually measuring the wall thickness, weighing cases etc.? I have seen a slight difference when doing this but I want to know if it is worth all that time.