Carcano reloading

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  • Dentoro

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    Nov 16, 2010
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    Hi! My name is.....well not important. I’m bullet stuffer. So...I bought some 6.5 mm bullets cheap. Got them for cheap. But all it says on the box is 6.5 mm 120gr PSPCL. Can I reload the Carcano with them?

    Thanks,
     

    Wolfhound

    Hired Goon
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    Apr 11, 2011
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    Well, the 6.5 Carcano likes the .268 diameter bullets which are actually around 6.8mm. They will shoot the .264 6.5mm common bullets but may be lacking in accuracy depending on the barrel.
     

    Dentoro

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    The actual torpedo bullets mic out at .262-263 ish with a sample of 5. The spitzer mic at 26-4 or 5 ish. The crimp line is further up on the spitzer bullet. I believe them (spritzer) to be old Remington core locked bullets.
     

    Dentoro

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    I’m having trouble crimping cases. I don’t know what I am doing wrong. In stead of rolling cases are smashing and bulging. But not every time. It is a Hornady die set. Please advise.

     

    Dentoro

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    I know you are going to hate me for this, but I’ve had all Lee dies. A couple RCBS carbide pistol dies. This is hornady dies I’ve had. I followed the directions, I watched the Hornady video. The shells did fine with expander dies. No bulges. The bullets set in the shell are loose. The Crimp didn’t set on them. Instead of rolling the brass it seems to catch and crush it down. I think I like the Lee taper crimp better. I think it is more forgiving.
     

    Clay Pigeon

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    Your seating die is set to deep in the press, and the seating stem is not run in far enough.
    Read your seating crimping instructions again.

    Set your bullet seating depth first before you run the die in to crimp the bullet.
    Once your bullet depth is set unscrew the bullet seater stem and then set the correct crimp with running the die down into the press.
    Once your crimp is set then run the seater stem down to touch the bullet.
     

    Clay Pigeon

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    I know you are going to hate me for this, but I’ve had all Lee dies. A couple RCBS carbide pistol dies. This is hornady dies I’ve had. I followed the directions, I watched the Hornady video. The shells did fine with expander dies. No bulges. The bullets set in the shell are loose. The Crimp didn’t set on them. Instead of rolling the brass it seems to catch and crush it down. I think I like the Lee taper crimp better. I think it is more forgiving.


    If the bullets are loose after you have sized them you are not sizing them correctly.
    Some friendly advice, you should ask around and find reloading mentor and or take a reloading class or two.
     

    NKBJ

    at the ark
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    Apr 21, 2010
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    You really shouldn't need to crimp those bullets. The case neck fiction should be adequate to hold the bullets in place.

    Other thing, trying to crimp into the side of the bullet instead of using the crimp groove makes for the problem those bullets display.
     

    AmmoManAaron

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    Feb 20, 2015
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    I-get-around
    [STRIKE]Since you already bought the Hornady dies...to make the best out of a bad situation I would buy an individual Lee factory crimp die (not a lot of $). Use your Hornady seat/crimp die only for seating and then crimp in a separate step with the Lee die. The Lee die uses a collet to crimp so there is no way you will buckle your cases.[/STRIKE]

    I had a set of Herter's 6.5 Jap dies that did that no matter what I tried. Best thing I ever did was get rid of those dies and buy a Lee set.

    ETA: The Hornady die set you have may be designed exclusively for the Hornady .268" bullets. I see that you are using .264" - nothing wrong with that, as that is often what I use as well. The Lee Carcano die set I have came with expanders for both .264" and .268" diameter bullets, so that may be why your .264" bullets are loose even after trying to crimp them. The lack of a proper expander may be causing inadequate neck tension and a Lee crimp die won't fix that. Try seating the bullets in your cases with your fingers - if they slide in, then that is your problem.

    At this point, I would just sell the Hornady and buy a Lee three die set (size, seat, and crimp).
     
    Last edited:

    Ark

    Grandmaster
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    Feb 18, 2017
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    ETA: The Hornady die set you have may be designed exclusively for the Hornady .268" bullets. I see that you are using .264" - nothing wrong with that, as that is often what I use as well. The Lee Carcano die set I have came with expanders for both .264" and .268" diameter bullets, so that may be why your .264" bullets are loose even after trying to crimp them. The lack of a proper expander may be causing inadequate neck tension and a Lee crimp die won't fix that. Try seating the bullets in your cases with your fingers - if they slide in, then that is your problem.

    At this point, I would just sell the Hornady and buy a Lee three die set (size, seat, and crimp).

    I agree, I'm almost certain Hornady 6.5 Carcano dies are all for the .268" bullets that Hornady made and IIRC discontinued. A case neck expanded for .268 won't hold .264. Lee's newest production 6.5 Carcano dies come with both size expanders, I believe. Probably best to sell or stash the .264" bullets and go buy some proper .268" ones, either PPU or Hornady if they can be found.
     

    Dentoro

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    Nov 16, 2010
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    Fairland
    Thank you everyone. The ID of the case is 2.67. I would guess the expander die is 2.68. The bullets are too small in diameter. The funny thing is the torpedo bullets are small diameter yet.
    On an unrelated note. I do prefer Lee and RCBS dies for crimping.
     
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