(08-06-2024, 10:44 PM)BD1 Wrote: They are already sold out at Midway. But I was able to order 100 from Alpha M directly. Not many left, (1,100?) so if you want some order them now. I will run them through my usual program and report the results here.

(08-18-2024, 12:07 AM)CZ527 Guy Wrote: BD1: Seems your experience was considerably different than, my experience or perception. My approach was to ID & OD chamfer the case mouth, 000 steel wool the case mouth to remove fine bur left by chamfer tool. Primer pockets were left un touched. Seated CCI 450 primers  W RCBS hand seating tool.  Primer seating was smooth though very snug. The pockets were very uniform, I do not think the cases I am working with would see any benefit from a uniform process.

Initially was just looking to fire form the cases & decided to burn up some 58 gr V - Max bullets over H4198. I was rather pleased to achieve some amazing 100 yard accuracy while fire forming w 26.3 gr of H4198. For what ever reason this load seemed to shoot best from a warm barrel for me. So was not consistent from cold to warm barrel. So while Accuracy was not my goal, my best group was a ragged hole.

I am on my second reloading w 50 of the 100 cased. The remaining 50 I have only prepped the case mouth. After the 2nd firing, I'll plan to anneal the neck shoulder junction area. Thin off to working up a load w a 90 gr CX for deer hunting.

(08-22-2024, 09:49 PM)Old Bob Wrote: My saga with Alpha Munitions 6mm ARC brass ...  Good lookin' cases! Checked all 100 & found no blemishes, chads, scrapes or burrs. All the flash holes looked great! One of the things I normally do with new brass is hit 'em with a flash hole de-burring tool. Didn't need to do that with these.

Measured & weighed a sample of 20 cases. The lowest weight was 111.04gr, the heaviest was 111.66gr. The 20 cases averaged 111.312gr. The longest case was 1.4805", the shortest was 1.4785". Incidentally, these two cases were also the heaviest & lightest. I'm not gonna trim any of the longer ones. I won't do that until after they've been fire-formed & resized. Although it didn't appear any of the case necks were out-of-round, I ran all the cases over a .241" mandrel just in case. Then I did a light chamfer on both inside & outside of the case mouths.

Next I measured the depth of the primer pockets. All of them were .124" deep. I took both some Hornady & Starline brass & measured their pockets. These cases had all been hit with a primer pocket uniforming tool. The tool is marked .122" True to the tool, they all measured .122" deep. Decided to forgo that job with the Alpha brass.

Priming them was more work than I'd normally need to do to get them fully seated. With my old RCBS bench seater (the one that uses CCI/RCBS primer strips) I couldn't get the primers to seat below flush with the case rim. There was a slight dome sticking out of the primer pocket. No matter what I tried - even with both my Lee & RCBS hand seaters - I couldn't get the primers below flush. Wasn't looking for much. A .001" below flush would be fine. Then I remembered I had a tool I'd never used before. Don't remember why I got it but I'm glad I did. It's called the RCBS Ram Priming Unit. Here's a link to Midway USA that has them. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012930411?pid=416519   After adjusting the unit for the depth I was looking for, I re-ran all the cases I primed with the bench seater. Perfecto! All the primers were just below flush.

I have some Nosler 70gr 6mm Varmageddon bullets I'll load up for fire-forming later on. Will probably use this Alpha brass for match loads in my Uintah bolt gun only. Perhaps with the new Hornady 80gr ELD-VT bullets.

I wonder where I can get some of the 100 round boxes the Alpha brass comes in? I have 50 round boxes for my Hornady & Starline brass but 100 round boxes would be better.

(08-24-2024, 11:12 AM)BD1 Wrote:

(08-22-2024, 09:49 PM)Old Bob Wrote: My saga with Alpha Munitions 6mm ARC brass ...  Good lookin' cases! Checked all 100 & found no blemishes, chads, scrapes or burrs. All the flash holes looked great! One of the things I normally do with new brass is hit 'em with a flash hole de-burring tool. Didn't need to do that with these.

Measured & weighed a sample of 20 cases. The lowest weight was 111.04gr, the heaviest was 111.66gr. The 20 cases averaged 111.312gr. The longest case was 1.4805", the shortest was 1.4785". Incidentally, these two cases were also the heaviest & lightest. I'm not gonna trim any of the longer ones. I won't do that until after they've been fire-formed & resized. Although it didn't appear any of the case necks were out-of-round, I ran all the cases over a .241" mandrel just in case. Then I did a light chamfer on both inside & outside of the case mouths.

Next I measured the depth of the primer pockets. All of them were .124" deep. I took both some Hornady & Starline brass & measured their pockets. These cases had all been hit with a primer pocket uniforming tool. The tool is marked .122" True to the tool, they all measured .122" deep. Decided to forgo that job with the Alpha brass.

Priming them was more work than I'd normally need to do to get them fully seated. With my old RCBS bench seater (the one that uses CCI/RCBS primer strips) I couldn't get the primers to seat below flush with the case rim. There was a slight dome sticking out of the primer pocket. No matter what I tried - even with both my Lee & RCBS hand seaters - I couldn't get the primers below flush. Wasn't looking for much. A .001" below flush would be fine. Then I remembered I had a tool I'd never used before. Don't remember why I got it but I'm glad I did. It's called the RCBS Ram Priming Unit. Here's a link to Midway USA that has them. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012930411?pid=416519   After adjusting the unit for the depth I was looking for, I re-ran all the cases I primed with the bench seater. Perfecto! All the primers were just below flush.

I have some Nosler 70gr 6mm Varmageddon bullets I'll load up for fire-forming later on. Will probably use this Alpha brass for match loads in my Uintah bolt gun only. Perhaps with the new Hornady 80gr ELD-VT bullets.

I wonder where I can get some of the 100 round boxes the Alpha brass comes in? I have 50 round boxes for my Hornady & Starline brass but 100 round boxes would be better.

My alpha brass came came in the 100 round boxes from Alpha.  But maybe it doesn't come in the boxes if you buy it from another vendor?

(08-24-2024, 08:30 PM)BD1 Wrote: I'm starting into my second box of 100. Primer pockets are looser, more like what I'm used to. I can use the pocket uniformer easily by hand.  As to the boxes, they are great, my only suggestion would be that they make the dividers a little shorter. As is, the dividers are slightly taller than a fired case so you need a little pick or something to lift the fired cases out.

(08-24-2024, 08:30 PM)BD1 Wrote: I'm starting into my second box of 100. Primer pockets are looser, more like what I'm used to. I can use the pocket uniformer easily by hand. "As to the boxes, they are great, my only suggestion would be that they make the dividers a little shorter. As is, the dividers are slightly taller than a fired case so you need a little pick or something to lift the fired cases out."

(08-24-2024, 10:51 PM)CZ527 Guy Wrote:

(08-24-2024, 08:30 PM)BD1 Wrote: I'm starting into my second box of 100. Primer pockets are looser, more like what I'm used to. I can use the pocket uniformer easily by hand.  As to the boxes, they are great, my only suggestion would be that they make the dividers a little shorter. As is, the dividers are slightly taller than a fired case so you need a little pick or something to lift the fired cases out.

Crossed my mind as well. Empty cases are a bit of a pain to remove from the box.

Know I have seen it else where Though I feel this is worth repeating. Start lower than your usual charge & work up with the new brass. My experience suggest backing off 2 grains may be a minimum consideration for a starting load.