First - thank you for the clear, step-by-step-step description of your process. It’s not easy finding 8.6 info. The intermediate neck expansion to .308 makes so much sense. Question: could you put a .308 Winchester mandrel in your 8.6 Blackout sizing die for that intermediate step? I’m thinking that it might improve concentricity with the mandrel centered/supported a bit closer to the case mouth. Have you tried Redding Imperial Case Wax on the outside and a quick brush of graphite inside the neck? I usually don’t need the graphite for bolt action rifles but it helps with semiauto brass in my limited experience.
Redding imperial is slow going, but works so well. I did attempt using the 308 in the 8.6 there was some issues. It’s been awhile since I did it, but if I were going to make more I would get a custom mandrel designed for neck tension to mimic a fired case to simplify neck turning if I wasn’t using H 6.5 Brass, or I’d get a custom pilot for my neck turners.
I enjoyed your video. Just curious why you don’t trim closer to the desired OAL the before annealing to reduce the amount you need to trim the 2nd time? Since the video was shot a while ago, have you found other brass that doesn’t need neck trimming? Have you tried Lake City?
Thanks. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Lake city proved to be the most problematic. Even back when I was making my 6.5CM cases LC would yield higher pressure ammo because the difference in case capacity. To avoid unnecessary wear to my motorized trimmers I avoid trimming more than necessary. I found in more recent conversions that the RT1500 wasn’t the best choice. I now have a Bosh router setup, and it makes trimming much easier, plus it’s less expensive to repair/replace. So now I do trim closer to the OAL I want at the end. Playing with the 8.6 has definitely been fun. In my opinion the best cases still come from Hornady 6.5CM cases. Hopefully this helps. I know YHM was talking about a 1 in 5 twist barrel, but I haven’t seen it yet. I still load only monolithic copper projectiles, and am still using the same 3-4 types of powder. Cheers
Fantastic video bruh! I needed this. Just getting into the 8.6 game and have everything but the annealer. I Think the burst fire is in my future. As far as trimming I’m going to be using the lil crow trimmer. I hope this is a good method.
The little crow is a beast! If you have a progressive, and don’t mind spending a bit to get setup the honey badger, Bosh combo is the sweetest setup. It’s nice that it uses standard dies, and with the warranty on router you don’t have to worry if anything fails!
could you develop a method to turn .308 to 8.6blk? Here in europe we dont have much access to 6.5cm brass but we have a lot of .308 brass. It will be a very very interesting video!!!😊 many thanks in advance!!!
It’s the same process used for 6.5 cm brass. The 308 brass will have thicker neck requiring you to turn it. If you shoot for .013”-.014” neck thickness you will have the best results. Something to keep in mind is 308 brass will have reduced case capacity, and will exhibit pressure signs sooner than brass made from 6.5CM. Thanks for watching. If you would like I will take the time to make a video of the neck turning.
@@2A_CaliGuy a video of neck turning and how to make a 8.6blk from 308 will be very very good (didnt find any video 308>8.6blk, so i guess that tou will be the first one !) also in the video it will be very good to speak about the aforementioned problems of reduced case capacity and pressure. Any way your videos are very very good!!!!
I was having trouble yesterday with the final forming( first 308 then 8.6) but today working. The Norma brass seemed to be easier to form. But I tried the brass in my rifle(don't have bullets yet) shell looks like it is all the way but the bolt doesn't close all the way in. What is the length on yours from base to start of neck? I may not have it formed enough
1.270 base to start. 1.354 to top of shoulder, and OAL 1.685. With certain brass the neck thickness can be an issue. After forming it springs back. I shoot for .013”-.014” I like to use an inside reamer starting with fired 308 brass before forming now rather than OD neck turning. The brass lasts longer. I had a custom reamer cut by KM. Seems to work perfectly. My most preferred method is still to use 6.5CM Hornady brass. It is 99.9% perfect when it comes to neck thickness, and for forming I prefer to go directly into my honey badger/bosh combo with a custom CH4D trim die.
Those numbers are real close to wh! I have. I ordered some formed brass, so we'll see. Hopefully it's not the gun. I have some 285gr bullets coming also
Sorry I don't want to be a pain. But I can not get brass formed, used hornady 6.5 brass still not. I broke the base of my Lee press( brass got stuck in forming die. Called Lee they told me their dies are not for reforming. Yesterday I tried annealing a few rounds still no reforming. Afraid to brake another press, it's the c shaped press I may need the Chalenger press.
What size bullets do load? I'm looking at 285 300 for subsonic. But I've seen 210 listed as subsonic, maybe cheaper bullet if can really be subsonic? Also read that you have to use copper bullets for supersonic, the twist rate tares the lead core bullets apart.
I found for the SUBs the Sierra Match King 300 to be exceptional. For the supers I really liked the TTSX they’re solid copper. The SMKs are bonded there’s issues even at sub velocity with non bonded projos. I really liked A1680
First - thank you for the clear, step-by-step-step description of your process. It’s not easy finding 8.6 info. The intermediate neck expansion to .308 makes so much sense.
Question: could you put a .308 Winchester mandrel in your 8.6 Blackout sizing die for that intermediate step? I’m thinking that it might improve concentricity with the mandrel centered/supported a bit closer to the case mouth.
Have you tried Redding Imperial Case Wax on the outside and a quick brush of graphite inside the neck? I usually don’t need the graphite for bolt action rifles but it helps with semiauto brass in my limited experience.
Redding imperial is slow going, but works so well. I did attempt using the 308 in the 8.6 there was some issues. It’s been awhile since I did it, but if I were going to make more I would get a custom mandrel designed for neck tension to mimic a fired case to simplify neck turning if I wasn’t using H 6.5 Brass, or I’d get a custom pilot for my neck turners.
I enjoyed your video. Just curious why you don’t trim closer to the desired OAL the before annealing to reduce the amount you need to trim the 2nd time?
Since the video was shot a while ago, have you found other brass that doesn’t need neck trimming? Have you tried Lake City?
Thanks. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Lake city proved to be the most problematic. Even back when I was making my 6.5CM cases LC would yield higher pressure ammo because the difference in case capacity. To avoid unnecessary wear to my motorized trimmers I avoid trimming more than necessary. I found in more recent conversions that the RT1500 wasn’t the best choice. I now have a Bosh router setup, and it makes trimming much easier, plus it’s less expensive to repair/replace. So now I do trim closer to the OAL I want at the end. Playing with the 8.6 has definitely been fun. In my opinion the best cases still come from Hornady 6.5CM cases. Hopefully this helps. I know YHM was talking about a 1 in 5 twist barrel, but I haven’t seen it yet. I still load only monolithic copper projectiles, and am still using the same 3-4 types of powder. Cheers
Great video
Glad you enjoyed it. I love 8.6 Blackout, but hate having to make the brass 😂
Fantastic video bruh! I needed this. Just getting into the 8.6 game and have everything but the annealer. I Think the burst fire is in my future. As far as trimming I’m going to be using the lil crow trimmer. I hope this is a good method.
The little crow is a beast! If you have a progressive, and don’t mind spending a bit to get setup the honey badger, Bosh combo is the sweetest setup. It’s nice that it uses standard dies, and with the warranty on router you don’t have to worry if anything fails!
could you develop a method to turn .308 to 8.6blk? Here in europe we dont have much access to 6.5cm brass but we have a lot of .308 brass.
It will be a very very interesting video!!!😊 many thanks in advance!!!
It’s the same process used for 6.5 cm brass. The 308 brass will have thicker neck requiring you to turn it. If you shoot for .013”-.014” neck thickness you will have the best results. Something to keep in mind is 308 brass will have reduced case capacity, and will exhibit pressure signs sooner than brass made from 6.5CM. Thanks for watching. If you would like I will take the time to make a video of the neck turning.
@@2A_CaliGuy a video of neck turning and how to make a 8.6blk from 308 will be very very good (didnt find any video 308>8.6blk, so i guess that tou will be the first one !) also in the video it will be very good to speak about the aforementioned problems of reduced case capacity and pressure.
Any way your videos are very very good!!!!
I was having trouble yesterday with the final forming( first 308 then 8.6) but today working. The Norma brass seemed to be easier to form. But I tried the brass in my rifle(don't have bullets yet) shell looks like it is all the way but the bolt doesn't close all the way in. What is the length on yours from base to start of neck? I may not have it formed enough
1.270 base to start. 1.354 to top of shoulder, and OAL 1.685. With certain brass the neck thickness can be an issue. After forming it springs back. I shoot for .013”-.014” I like to use an inside reamer starting with fired 308 brass before forming now rather than OD neck turning. The brass lasts longer. I had a custom reamer cut by KM. Seems to work perfectly. My most preferred method is still to use 6.5CM Hornady brass. It is 99.9% perfect when it comes to neck thickness, and for forming I prefer to go directly into my honey badger/bosh combo with a custom CH4D trim die.
Those numbers are real close to wh! I have. I ordered some formed brass, so we'll see. Hopefully it's not the gun. I have some 285gr bullets coming also
Sorry I don't want to be a pain. But I can not get brass formed, used hornady 6.5 brass still not. I broke the base of my Lee press( brass got stuck in forming die. Called Lee they told me their dies are not for reforming. Yesterday I tried annealing a few rounds still no reforming. Afraid to brake another press, it's the c shaped press I may need the Chalenger press.
Which brand are your 8.6 dies?
What size bullets do load? I'm looking at 285 300 for subsonic. But I've seen 210 listed as subsonic, maybe cheaper bullet if can really be subsonic? Also read that you have to use copper bullets for supersonic, the twist rate tares the lead core bullets apart.
I found for the SUBs the Sierra Match King 300 to be exceptional. For the supers I really liked the TTSX they’re solid copper. The SMKs are bonded there’s issues even at sub velocity with non bonded projos. I really liked A1680