Author Topic: I need to send 3 spent brass to Harrell's precision... but I'm in Canada.....  (Read 6322 times)

Offline herbeapuce

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Hi.  I just got this second hand custom rifle in 6mm PPC . it is in  really good condition. it came with  50 loaded rounds , and nothing else.  I  was told to send 3 spent brass to  Harrell's precision to get a custom die .... but after reading about sending brass to the States, it appears to be illegal..

How can I do this the right way ?

Can someone help me ?

thanks for your time...

Stef, Montreal.
« Last Edit: October 16, 2018, 07:21:06 AM by herbeapuce »

Offline rpollock

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Stef,

I would just order a #3 die from Harrell’s. Most chambers will work with that die. The type S small base Redding will also work with most chambers.   Give one of those a try.

Offline DanO

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Stef, we have the Redding SM base dies in stock, and get you a Harrell’s die if that is the route you wish to go.
DanO


Offline DanO

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Stef,
Get a hold of me at sales@plentyopatches.com or 403-752-4446.

Offline herbeapuce

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Dan0,  will do
thank you
stef.

Offline TrxR

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What did you end up buying? Did you end up sending the brass?

Thanks

Offline CubCouper

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Hello Stef,

The advice you got to send off 3 cases is pretty standard for the BR world, but I'd offer you an alternate way of thinking about the problem. It is really easy to throw away a lot of money when getting started in this sport, especially before you develop a strategy for solving the problems.

The critical thing that the die does is to perfectly support the case in every dimension (base, body, shoulder, and neck) as it is shrunk or pushed back. Brass has some elasticity, so the die must be undersized just barely enough to overcome the springy-ness, but not so much that it is forces a new "set". Incorrectly-resized brass will ultimately cause brass that clicks, sticks, splits, grows, etc. and ultimately fails too soon.

While there are a number of semi-"standard" PPC reamers out there (like the JGS-1045 which refers to their print#), there are also a crazy number of variations based on someone's idea of tiny specification changes to suit their own fancy. To make matters worse, five gunsmiths using exactly the same reamer are still likely to produce different chamber dimensions due to their own techniques and metalworking equipment. And further still, consider that brass does not stay the same over time; as it hardens it can sometimes take a different die to effect a change when resizing.

You have a new-to-you gun with an unknown chamber. And before you know it, you'll want another barrel (and another and another...). In the long run, the most economical solution is to have the ability to pick the right die yourself.

Harrels would take a few measurements from your three cases and pick one of their pre-designed dies for you. For that to work, you would need to prepare those cases in a very specific manner. Typically that would be to fireform the brass from new cases two or three times and neck-size only between firings. Harrel's dies are numbered roughly according the number of 1/1000ths that the die is undersized from the chamber to effect the correct resizing. A #2 die is roughly .002" undersize. [BTW - The loaded ammo you received with the gun is useless for this since you don't know how it was prepared. ]

Unless your barrel was chambered with an obscure reamer design, it is extremely likely that one of three dies will be the right one... a #2.5, a #3, or a #3.5. My suggestion is to just acquire one of each of those numbered dies from Harrel's. Yes, it costs triple over one die, but you will likely have the right die for your next barrel, and the next, and so one. No more need to send off brass. Worst case is that you might end up adding a #2 or a #4 to your inventory. You have several reputable shooters in Canada that can show you how to correctly size brass (or PM me--- I'm happy to talk you through it) and it is probably the single most important skill you will acquire. With the right preparation, the right die, and the right setup, your brass will last almost indefinitely... (I've used the same 25 cases through one barrel for over 3600 documented rounds in the last 1.5 years - that an average 144+ firings for each case!!).

Then before you buy your first new barrel, BUY your own reamer and keep it exclusive for you own use. Pick a single, reputable BENCHREST gunsmith to chamber your barrels (or learn to do it yourself, it isn't hard). These steps will start reducing the number of chamber variations that you'll deal with. Over time the combination of your preparation, your reamer,  your 'smith, etc, will probably make your setup so consistent that you know you only need one or two of the dies. Pass the unneeded ones on to the next shooter or keep them for special situations. I used to own 6 Harrel's dies, I'm now down to one or two -- a #3 and a #3.5 are the only two I've needed for my chambers for years.

(Don't forget neck bushing for the dies!!)


Welcome to BR and good luck!
Rod

P.S. With luck I might see you guys again next summer in Calgary. Paul and I were talking about it today!






Offline Dwayne Cyr

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Hi Rod

Thanks for taking the time to give your advice and share your knowledge. I printed it off and saved it as reference material in my binders. There were a couple of important clues that explain what's going on.


Dwayne

 

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