Converting 6.5 x 52 to 6.5 x 54 brass

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mellie

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Hi all
I have a batch of 6.5 x 52 carcano new brass I had bought from Buffalo Arms over a decade ago which was (mistakenly?) headstamped 6.5 x 54MS - I ended up getting another batch of the proper brass from them as I have a few Eatons Carcanos but rather than try and buy new proper brass, I was wondering about best way to fireform or convert the 52 mm to the 54 - have read various methods of half loads, cream of wheat etc but didn't pay too much attention as it was a while ago - suggestions?
 
I would fireform in the gun, load them up with a light load and then shoot them. As long as the brass is firmly seated against the bolt there shouldn't be any safety concerns. It will just push the should forward a little and make it 54 after it's been fired.

I may be wrong but I've read many times about guys shooting 6.5x54 chambered guns with 6.5x52 brass.
 
Very similar cartridges and loads.

All you're really doing is pushing the shoulder slightly forward and slightly expanding the body.

Just load up a mid range Carcano load and shoot it in the X54 chamber. all will be well.

The forming loads will also be suitable for hunting and probably just as accurate as regular loads.
 
Personally, I would expand the neck, and then partially size the case, leaving a false shoulder to hold the case head against the bolt face.
 
We were actually doing test loads and building up with them and were noticing primer extrusion (I think it was about 20 thou without checking notes) I just happened to grab a brass from the different bag and no more primer extrusion so dug in and found issue (both labelled identical) - there was some notes on another forum about the possibility of damaging the extractor single shotting it as you are forcing it over the rim (as compared to sliding rim up under extractor from magazine) I wonder if that was pushing the shorter cartridge ahead thus the extrusion - if I slide the shell under extractor and fire, that should hold it tight against bolt.(as per tinman) What do you think? The flip side is Tradex has brass for 35 plus 14 shipping - then save the 52mm in case I ever get an original Carcano. What to do...what to do..
 
The extractor might or might not hold the case against the bolt face. If it doesn't, either the primer will be set back, or the case will get stretched above the web, perhaps enough to set things up for a separation.
There are different tricks to keep the head against the bolt face. A false shoulder might work best in a rimless cartridge.
I have seen a 160gr bullet seated backwards used. Square end of bullet set aqainst the leade. Case lubricated, so it would slip back, rather than hold against the chamber walls. This was a M1903M-S with excess headspace. Fireformed the cases well, no issues. A moderate charge was used.
 
Please don't just fire the ammo in the longer chamber. At best, you will end up with stretched, weakened, brass.

tiriaq has given you the most sage advice, and I have done exactly the method he proposes hundreds of times to get correctly headspaced brass when fireforming.

If the 6.5X52 brass were mine, I would first anneal the shoulder/neck area, since the brass has been sitting around for so long. Then, neck it up to 30 cal. This can be done easily using first a 7mm expander, then followed by a 30. I have actually done it in one pass, but the necks can get a bit wonky.

Then size it back down in the full length sizing die, adjusting the die a bit at a time, and checking to see if if will chamber. Do this until the bolt will just barely close on the case. You now have have a perfectly headspaced case. Set the lock ring on the die, and do the rest of the brass. The cases will look something like this 30-06 brass that was fist necked up to 40 cal, and then back down to form 9.3X62.



Go ahead and load just like you would any other brass.





Fireforming is best done with a good stiff load. Do not use a reduced load. This will give you perfectly formed brass that will not have stretched during firing.



This is really quite a simple operation that does not take very long once the dies are set up, and accuracy will be more than adequate for hunting. Most often fireforming loads will shoot to the same point of impact as the regular loads.

Let us know how you make out,

Ted
 
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Will do Ted - have to decide whether to just keep these as 52 or get them into service as 54 (along with all the other mundane stuff that summer brings such as mowing and renovating) That method you show seems to do a pretty nice job - the non-fireforming method has benefits as you can complete without having to run to the range or up a forestry road to blast off 40 or 50 rounds (not to mention bullets and powder) Will have to try the resizing on a few just to learn the process anyway - thanks.
 
mellie said:
Will do Ted - have to decide whether to just keep these as 52 or get them into service as 54 (along with all the other mundane stuff that summer brings such as mowing and renovating) That method you show seems to do a pretty nice job - the non-fireforming method has benefits as you can complete without having to run to the range or up a forestry road to blast off 40 or 50 rounds (not to mention bullets and powder) Will have to try the resizing on a few just to learn the process anyway - thanks.
Click to expand...

The best thing about this method is that you don't have to blast off 40 or 50 rounds just to get cases. You actually use the fire forming loads to target shoot or hunt.

Have fun!

Ted
 
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