6.5 Grendel from 7.62x39?

H

heavymetal

Member
Since Grendel brass is nonexistent anywhere I've looked, I'm trying to neck down 7.62x39 brass into 6.5 Grendel. After watching a few Youtube videos, it looks pretty simple. About 1/3 of the brass I run into the Grendel dies (Lee) gets a wrinkle around the bottom of the shoulder. I'm using plenty of case lube, I run the cases up a little, then back off and go a little deeper until it's full length sized. About one out of three I can feel the brass collapse and crunch the case as I run the ram up for it's last time.
Is anyone else experiencing the same thing or am I doing something wrong?
 

Is the brass ruined, or just a dent?

Could you possibly be getting lube on the case shoulder where it tapers to the neck? Sometimes that will cause a dent in the shoulder. I will be curious what the problem is once you find it.

 
First you need to anneal the cases to the shoulder. Work slowly, don't use excessive lube but every time you back the brass out relube it.

9.3x72R(right to 6.5x58R center. If these get hard to size I sometimes have to re-anneal or I will get wrinkles.
6v77Cn.jpg
 
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No, it's not just a lube dent. The entire circumference of the case where the shoulder begins is crunching down so it's collapsed around it. I'll try to put a picture on so you'll havea better idea of what im trying to describe. I'll try annealing next.
How do I attach a picture to this?
 
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What brass are you using? I know a lot of people have done what you're trying to do, so it must be too hard of brass? How many firings on it? Also, go to 65grendel.com and search and you might find some info.
 
been there with the 7.62x39 reform to grendel. I jumped on this cartridge when it first came out and brass was Extremely hard to come by.

Lube dents are not a issue they iron themselves out on the moment of firing.

Now here are the issues you will see with using reformed AK brass to grendel.

1. reduced internal case capcity so you will reach higher pressure than data published than with grendel brass. NOT a problem if one is aware to work up the load.

2. Neck length is shorter ... never caused a problem for me.

3. Reports of a "donought" forming on the neck shoulder juncture simple answer is to ream internally. This is Only a issue depending on depth of the projectile inside the neck.

4. Flash hole is smaller on the Lapula grendel brass thus there is a pressure differance internally.

If you have 7mm die that can reach the the heck area that will not touch the shoulder that will helps when you go down to 6.5 or smaller. If not Anneal the neck shoulder area ever so slightly before forming attempts (assuming these have been fired if not annealing will PRobably not be needed). Which I would anneal even using a intermediate die in the neck forming.


the way I did it was to create a False Shoulder within the neck area( and yes it did alter the shoulder a little) then that allowed the shoulder to blow out. I also used the very smallest charge listed in load data as I was fireforming the brass to my chamber.

My experiance is that the reformed brass was no where as accurate nor have the life as the true Grendel brass. Found this out after I got some true grendel barss Lapua . Although I have heard good reports from others, so your mileage will vary.

Here is a link to another forum dedicated to the Grendel
https://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?23015-my-adventures-in-converting-and-using-x39-brass
 
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Thank you guys for all of the info and suggestions. I'm gonna try to anneal the brass, but mostly I think I'll buy some loaded Grendel ammo and reload that brass. I was also wondering about the issue of AK brass having large primers and the Grendel brass having small primers. I'm going to load up my first batches with starting loads and see how the different size primers affect things. I also checked out the other Grendel site. Lots of good info over there.
 
After I ordered some on line, I went to a local store in Tulsa and he has a bunch of it in stock. Starline and PPU both.
 


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