Problems loading Privi 6.5 Carcano brass

[RBruce]

I started out with Nosler Partition 140 gr. Immediately I noticed the new Graf/Privi case mouth swallowed the 140 gr bullet. I re-sized the case and was able to crimp the bullet in place. After that, no problems with the 140 grs.

Next, I used the Hornady 160 gr round-nose bullets that are .268" The case mouth was fine for that bullet. However, several out of ten bullets stuck in the seating plug - and stayed there requiring disassembling the die.

Checking the plug, I noted that it is for spire point bullets - cone shaped. The Hornady 160 gr has a lead tip which probably helps it stick.

I can get a custom plug for about $14, but that is a pain in the wallet. I read that polishing the plug might help, but I'm not sure how to accomplish that.

Any ideas?

Information

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[Parashooter]

A custom plug probably won't help at all since the most likely actual problem is that the "throat" of your seating die is dimensioned for .264" bullets, not .268". If you're a competent machinist, you could enlarge the throat enough that the .268's won't stick. The easy solution, however, is to back the die body out significantly and screw the seating stem down a corresponding amount, preventing the bullet from entering the die far enough to stick. You won't be able to crimp (not necessary anyway), and you won't have ideal bullet guidance during seating - but this may allow you to load usable ammunition without altering or replacing your seater die.

[RBruce]

I forgot to mention that I had a similar problem when I was loading some regular Hornady 160gr bullets. I remember that they were .264 or .265

[jmoore]

I can get a custom plug for about $14, but that is a pain in the wallet. I read that polishing the plug might help, but I'm not sure how to accomplish that.

If you've a drill press, clamp the spindle in the chuck and carefully locate a bullet under it whilst being held upright in a collet or some such- even the "v" groove in a vise ought to do. Then coat the bullet in some valve grinding paste and "go to town". It may tke more than one bullet to do a good job. Whilst the spindle is out of the die, it would make sense to ensure that the 0.267" Hornady bullets don't get stuck in the die as Patrick Chadwick suggests. I suspect they won't, but...

[Patrick Chadwick]

Whilst the spindle is out of the die, it would make sense to ensure that the 0.267" Hornady bullets don't get stuck in the die as Patrick Chadwick suggests.

Way past bedtime jmoore! It was actually Parashooter. He may well be right, and the Lee dies are cheap enough to be adapted in this way.

[jmoore]

Way past bedtime jmoore! It was actually Parashooter. He may well be right, and the Lee dies are cheap enough to be adapted in this way.

Ooops! Too early, actually. Couple of 12 hour workdays and look what happens...

Sorry, Parashooter!

[RBruce]

Just wondering if the seating plug from a 6.5x55 is the same as the one from the 6.5x54 (Swede vs Carcano)?

[Patrick Chadwick]

The H1 (neck diameter at shoulder) and H2 (neck diameter at case mouth) dimensions according to CIP are:

6.5x55 Swedish 7.60 mm 7.52 mm (tapered) max projectile diameter 6.71 mm (0.2677")
6.5x52 Carcano 7.55 mm 7.55 mm (parallel) max projectile diameter 6.80 mm (0.2642")

So it looks as if it should (!!) be possible to seat a Carcano bullet in the case by backing out the seating die of a 6.5x55 and screwing the seater plug down. As already noted, bullet guidance will be poor.
BUT if you try this with one of the 0.268" Hornady bullets, you may be heading for a jam.

So much for theory - you'll just have to try it out!


Patrick

[RBruce]

Thanks Patrick. I think I'll try the Swede plug with some spire pointed 140 grains to see if it works. Then, if it does, I'll attempt to widen the Carcano plug as J Moore suggested.