Fireform ppc to ARC?

[LaMan]

Like most short range benchresters I have many, like hundreds, of Lapua 6ppc brass that still have a great deal of useful life left.  I'm thinking of building an 6ARC for my grandson so  thinking it would be nice to be able to use all that great Lapua brass.  So I'm looking for your thoughts on the feasability of being able to fireform the PPC brass, just blow it out longer.  Any problems forseen with that approach?

Ok while I'm at it what about the practicality of taking one of my PPC barrels and just running a ARC reamer into it for a rechamber job?

[Lemonaid]

Great questions!
I did a number comparison of the 6PPC to 6 ARC post#32 http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthrea...ht=6mm+ARC
I think I got most of the numbers right but there were so many I may have got some wrong. I compared the cartridge blue prints of the ARC, Grendel and PPC.
First thing that might have to be done is trim the PPC brass shorter as it looks like the ARC case is about 13 thou. shorter. I don't know what having 12 thou. larger neck specification O.D. on the ARC will do when fire forming or results after.
As for reaming a PPC barrel with an ARC reamer, unless the PPC barrel has a twist rate of 1-7, 1-7.5 it would likely be disappointing trying to shoot the long bullets (105's 108's 110's).
If you give it a try, post your results. I would be very interested!
Selling/trading your surplus Lapua PPC brass might be more practical.

[VASCAR2]

Another option is the Starline 6.5 Grendel basic brass. This brass is intended for wildcat shooters where the parent case is the 6.5 Grendel. A Friend is using the basic brass for his 22 Grendel. This brass is not annealed so you’d have to size with 6 ARC full length sizing die, trim the length and anneal.

The real advantage of the 6 ARC is the SAAMI acceptance and Hornady brass/ammunition. I think the best option right now is to try and find some 6 ARC 105 grain BTHP ammo and reload the factory brass.


https://www.starlinebrass.com/grendel-basic

[Trashy]

A couple of weeks ago I talked to a nice lady in Nebraska inquiring about when we could expect to see factory brass and modified cases being shipped and I was told that they were 30 to 60 days out at least because they focusing on running ammunition. that convinced me to reform my 6.5 Grr modified case to 6 arc modified case, once I got the headspace down to 1.189” it worked good until I dropped it on the floor and bent it. It may be less work to trade the brass for 6.5 Grr and reform the 6.5 Grr to 6 arc, I was contemplating it myself until I found some factory 105’s.

Trashy

[stubshaft]

Fireforming would not be too big of a problem. What I would do first is anneal the necks then, run it through a 6.5 Grendel die to open the neck up followed by sizing it in a 6mmARC die to set a false shoulder and set headspace. Some lead bullets with a light (10gr) load of Unique or some cheapy 6mm jacketed bullets should take care of blowing oout the shoulder. Yes, I understand that the case will be a littlet short but, should retain more than enough neck tension to retain the bullet and the ONLY problem would be if you wanted to crimp a bullet in place.

[LaMan]

Thanks for the input gentlemen.  My original intent originally to use the Lapua brass and also one of my take-off Bartlein barrels to build this first rifle for my grandson.  Of course I could just make it a PPC and just reload for him but my thinking was to make him a rifle that would have factory ammo available for the future as I know my son-in-law won't ever take up reloading.

The real fly in the ointment is what factory ammo offerings will be available for the ARC.  I have no trouble shooting 85 grain Sierra's in my PPC, not benchrest accuracy but more than hunting adequate.  But with the current loads of ARC geared towards the heavy's, a 13.75 gain twist barrel is not going to work.  I've got some time so I guess I'll just wait and see what type of factory ARC loadins become available in the future.
Before it's said I want to keep it on the PPC bolt for a variety of reasons and nothing below 6mm.  Thanks again, great forum.

[Lemonaid]

The 6.5 Grendel is the obvious choice if you want the most choices of factory ammo and are using it for hunting. Fairly easy task to re-barrel a 6PPC to 6.5 Grendel as the bolt face is the same diameter. A Bartlein or Krieger barrel would make a tack driver.